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The murder of a young Utahn 25 years ago in Manhattan is the focus of Friday's edition of "Dateline" (8 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5).
According to NBC, it's a report "four years in the making" — both about how the conviction of Johnny Hincapie in the murder of Brian Watkins was recently overturned and how the killing of the young Utahn on a subway platform helped transform New York City.
NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton recalls, "It was a seminal case for me. It allowed us to have a tipping point impact."
(Six others remain convicted of the crime.)
On Sept. 2, 1990, members of the Watkins family, from Provo, were attacked by a group of teenagers on a New York City subway platform. Brian Watkins, 22, came to the defense of his mother and was fatally stabbed in the chest.
According to NBC, "Watkins' murder galvanized New York City during the most violent year in its history. According to Bratton, the Watkins case … prompted the hiring of thousands of new police officers and helped lower the city's crime rate over the past 25 years."
"I truly believe that the death of that young man was the propelling catalyst for the New York miracle that we've experienced the last 25 years," Bratton says.
There are also three local college football games on TV this weekend — two of them are a big deal and one of them is not.
• On Friday (8:30 p.m., ESPN2, Utah State travels to San Diego State in a battle of the two division leaders in the Mountain West Conference.
• On Saturday, No.3 Utah travels to USC (5:30 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13) in a game that would advance the Utes toward a Pac-12 division title and keep all sorts of postseason possibilities alive.
• Also on Saturday, BYU hosts winless FCS team Wagner (1 p.m., BYUtv) in a game that means absolutely nothing … excepting that it will make the Cougars bowl eligible. But this will be a ridiculously non-competitive matchup.
Friday on TV ...
Baseball playoffs (6 p.m., FS1): Game 6 — Toronto Blue Jays at Kansas City Royals
"The Amazing Race" (7 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): The race continues in Zimbabwe.
"Last Man Standing" (7 p.m., ABC/Ch. 4): Mike gets a classic car as a birthday present from his family, but its former owner keeps stopping by.
"Undateable" (7 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5): Danny blabs to Justin that Shelly (Ron Funches) has nowhere to live.
High school football: Salem Hills at Maple Mountain (7 p.m., Ch. 14); Corner Canyon at Alta (7 p.m., KMYU)
"Reign" (7 p.m., CW/Ch. 30): When King Antoine unexpectedly returns to Court, Mary must help Francis hide his weakening condition.
"Dr. Ken" (7:30 p.m., ABC/Ch. 4): When Ken has the chance to speak at a banquet in honor of Allison's ex, he treats it more like a roast.
"Truth Be Told" (7:30 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5): When Russell scores VIP tickets to the Adult Film Awards, he looks to Mitch for advice on how to best to play it with the wives.
"Hawaii Five-0"(8 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): A killer escapes by jumping his motorcycle from one rooftop to another.
"Shark Tank" (8 p.m., ABC/Ch. 4): Parents try to manage excess Halloween candy; a duo makes the panel swoon with their premium beef jerky.
"Great Performances" (8 p.m., PBS/Ch. 7): A West End production of the Elton John-Lee Hall musical "Billy Elliot."
"America's Next Top Model" (8 p.m., CW/Ch. 30): New footage fof behind-the-scenes confessions, flirtations and meltdowns.
"The Knick" (8 p.m., Cinemax): Dr. Thackery makes a move to return to The Knick, which the board frowns upon.
"Blue Bloods" (9 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): Danny helps pursue two escaped convicts because he helped wrongfully imprison one of them.
"Satisfaction" (11 p.m., USA): Neil and Grace further explore the escorting business; Simon's world is turned upside down when someone from his past returns.
"Z Nation" (11 p.m., Syfy): A boating accident splits the group up as they are trying to cross the Mississippi.
Saturday on TV …
Baseball playoffs (6 p.m., FS1): ALCS Game 7 — Toronto Blue Jays at Kansas City Royals (if necessary)
"Good Witch Hallween" (7 p.m., Hallmark): Cassie transforms Grey House into a fun haunted house — but then a mysterious stranger checks in.
"Marvel's Ultimate Spider-man" (7 p.m., Disney XD): Spider-Man fights alongside the Collector in an attempt to free all of Earth's heroes and villains from the Grandmaster.
"Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy" (7:30 p.m., Disney XD): The Guardians are coerced into infiltrating a notorious gang of weapons dealers.
"Doctor Who" (10 p.m., BBC America): The Doctor encounters a deadly highwayman called The Knightmare.
"Saturday Night Live" (10:30 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5): Miley Cyrus hosts. (Gag.)
"The Last Kingdom" (11 p.m., BBC America): Uhtred wins the protection of Alfred, but his relationship with Brida is jeopardized.
Sunday on TV ...
NFL: New Orleans Saints at Indianapolis Colts (11 a.m., Fox/Ch. 13); Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers (2 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2); Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (2:25 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13); Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers (6:20 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5)
Women's college volleyball (noon, P12N): Utah at Arizona
Women's college soccer (2 p.m., P12N): Utah at UCLA
"60 Minutes" (CBS/Ch. 2): Burma's Nobel Prize-winning opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is interviewed.
Baseball playoffs (6 p.m., TBS): NLCS Game 7 — Chicago Cubs at New York Mets
"Madam Secretary" (7 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): Elizabeth is pushed out of the president's inner circle for disagreeing with his response to the growing tension with Russia.
"One Upon a Time" (7 p.m., ABC/Ch. 4): Emma and Regine try to rescue Merlin.
"Home Fires" (7 p.m., PBS/Ch. 7): Frances proposes an air raid shelter; Alison and Miriam break the law.
"The Simpsons" (7 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13): In the annual "Treehouse of Horror" episode, Sideshow Bob murders Bart, but then reanimates him.
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (7:30 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13): Capt. Holt and Jake split the squad into two teams for their annual Halloween heist competition.
"The Good Wife" (8 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): Alicia clashes with a bond court judge; Diane is coerced into arguing against her own beliefs.
"Blood & Oil" (8 p.m. ABC/Ch. 4): Lacey joins the family business; Billy tries to blackmail Hap; Hap's suspicions about his son grow.
"Indian Summers" (8 p.m., PBS/Ch. 7): The viceroy hosts an engagement party for Ralph and Madeleine; Adam and his mother make a surprise appearance.
"Family Guy" (8 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13): The guys visit an abandoned asylum, where they accidentally kill a man they mistakenly believe is holding them hostage.
"Last Man On Earth" (8:30 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13): A big secret is revealed that is out of proportion with the world's small population.
"CSI: Cyber" (9 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): The team investigates a child-abduction case based on an online myth in which an abductor lures children through a cell phone app.
"Quantico" (9 p.m., ABC/Ch. 4): The trainees leave campus on an undercover assignment; in the future, Alex decides to share her side of the story.
"The Walking Dead" (10 p.m., AMC): Weakened by the human attack, the compound faces an army of zombies.
"The Leftovers"(10 p.m., HBO): An earthquake rocks Miracle in the middle of the night.
"Homeland" (10 p.m., Showtime): Answers elude Carrie; Saul and Allison run an operation.
"Sister Wives" (10 p.m., TLC): Robyn makes a big announcement.
"Project Greenlight" (11 p.m., HBO): Jason maps out logistics for the car-crash scene with a stunt coordinator.
"The Affair" (11 p.m., Showtime): Helen makes an innocent mistake that leads to outrageous consequences; a court order leads to a big setback for Noah and Alison.