Lance Barber

“Young Sheldon” continued to swim in its little tank of bland storylines. Meanwhile, “Modern Family” pivoted toward strong character development.

“This Is Us” offered a lighter episode, “Modern Family” delivered an engaging follow-up to last week and “Young Sheldon” continued its recent nosedive.

“This Is Us” returned with another packed episode, “Modern Family” marked its 200th episode and “Young Sheldon” stretched out its plot.

While “Modern Family” relied on physical humor for some easy laughs, “Young Sheldon” devoted its half-hour to showcase the bonds between its characters.

“Modern Family” shined a light on the world of the closet-making business. “Young Sheldon” played up its father-son relationship.

This week, “Modern Family” gave us another solid Phil-centric half-hour, while “Young Sheldon” explored the secret art of brisket-making.

“This Is Us” wrapped up its Big Three trilogy, “Modern Family” devoted an episode to celebrity run-ins and “Young Sheldon” centered on theoretical physics.

This week, the central story arc of "Modern Family" deals with Manny (Rico Rodriguez) finally moving to college. Yeah, Manny, the cute kid who wore his heart on his sleeve back in Season 1, is now a fully functioning adult. Anybody feel old yet?

“This Is Us,” the drama set around the past and present of the Pearson family, returns with its almost supernatural power to make us cry.