This Is Us Takes a Double Dip in "The Pool: Part 2"

NBC has renewed This Is Us for two more seasons, with plans to conclude the series at the end of Season 6. If producers stick to the script, that means the show has just crossed the halfway point in its overall storyline, which casts last week's episode in a new light. The series made a name for itself wringing tears from viewers through major revelations about its characters' fates, but with years of stories left to be told, it makes sense that the writers would want to bring in fresh players — and weave their tales with those viewers already know and love.

NEW EPISODE: Last week's season premiere introduced a host of new characters. The second episode of This is Us' fourth season is intriguingly entitled "The Pool: Part Two," a reference to Season 1 episode "The Pool," which suggests we should see more of the big three than we did last week. 9:00 PM ET on NBC

SEASON PREMIERE: Ink Master: Battle of the Sexes just wrapped last week, but fear not, the franchise returns tonight with Ink Master: Grudge Match, which promises to bring back fan favorites and let them settle old scores. The preview has an impressive number of beatdowns for a show about tattoo artists. 10:00 PM ET on Paramount

NEW EPISODE: The fourth night of blind auditions continues on The Voice. As chairs turn and the competitive slots fill up, look for the return of Taylor Swift as a Mega Mentor in a few weeks. 8:00 PM ET on NBC

SEASON PREMIERE: As our Emma Fraser writes, Elizabeth Olsen's under the radar drama about a widow moving on after her husband's death benefits from some shared DNA with some of our very favorite Peak TV series. As Sorry For Your Loss returns for Season 2, the revelations and emotional body blows look to be coming fast and furious. Streaming on Facebook Watch

NEW EPISODE: Emergence begins to explore the dark forces that have Piper in their sights, even as Abby works with he girl to jog her memory and ensure her safety. 10:00 PM ET on ABC

NEW EPISODE: In last week's premiere, the kids of Mixed-ish caught up on years of pop culture deprivation in one gluttonous binge watch. This week, they learn that fitting into "normal" society isn't as easy as they thought it would be. 9:00 PM ET on ABC

ALSO TONIGHT

• New Amsterdam's patients are offered wider access to a treatment plan. Meanwhile, Max attempts to learn more about the hospital's staff. 10:00 PM ET on NBC
• The Conners follows Becky as she adjusts to life as a new mom. Meanwhile, Mark has difficulty at school when a photo of him kissing his boyfriend goes viral. 8:00 PM ET on ABC
• Nikki Glaser: Bangin' finds the comedian performing quite the raunchy set in her first Netflix standup special. Watch the preview. Streaming on Netflix

Mike Attebery is Senior Editor at Primetimer and the author of seven mystery thrillers. Follow him on Twitter at @mikeattebery.