Critic’s Corner
-Here’s good news: The Middle (ABC, 8 ET/PT) is back with a new episode after nearly a month’s absence. Tonight, a new preacher inspires the Hecks to find their mission in life — a lesson Frankie finds easier to preach than practice.
-Awards abound on TV’S best comedy as multiple Emmy winner Modern Family (ABC, 9 ET/PT) gets a guest director with a few wellearned Emmys of his own:
Breaking Bad‘ s Bryan Cranston. The result of this embarassment of talent-riches is a delightful, breakneck farce that finds Claire (Julie Bowen) facing multiple problems on Election Day, from a microphone malfunction to her loved ones’ not-always-wellconsidered efforts to help boost her electoral chances. The outing is as tightly wound as Claire, and just as amusing.
-Harry Connick Jr. is back as ADA Haden — and Benson’s boyfriend — on the spring premiere of Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 10 ET/PT). He’s reopening one of Benson’s cases, which generally does not bode well for a relationship.
-Tangled in the many plot threads of Revenge (ABC, 10 ET/PT)? If so, the network is offering a one-hour, detangling catch-up special.