LIFE

TV tonight: 'Modern Family,' 'Black-ish' guest star

Robert Bianco
USA TODAY

Shots Fired
Fox, 8 ET/PT

Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson in ABC's 'Modern Family.'

The mystery doesn’t so much deepen as lengthen in this second installment of Shots, Fox’s noble but ultimately unsuccessful attempt at a prestige drama. There are some fine moments here, most provided by the show’s exploration of the problems faced by the beleaguered African-American residents of one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. But those moments get lost in the padding around the plot, including the introduction of some sexual entanglements that too obviously exist solely so they can go wrong.

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Modern Family
ABC, 9 ET/PT

Have you ever watched CBS's Life in Pieces and thought it was simply a Modern Family rip-off done in, well, pieces? Well, here’s your chance to make a direct comparison, as Family takes a break from its normal format for a clever, amusing outing that tells four discreet five-minute stories — each done in 24-ish “real time.” What can happen in five minutes? A lot, as it turns out, particularly when it comes to Alex and Haley.

Black-ish
ABC, 9:30 ET/PT

This week’s episode features guest star  Chris Brown, which has sparked much criticism and controversy. It certainly could be a mistake, but with all the good — and good work — this show has done, it's at least earned the right to have us withhold judgment until we see the episode.