Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, November 25, and Saturday, November 26. All times are Eastern.
Top picks
Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life (Netflix, 3:01 a.m., Friday): No offense to Fuller House or anything, but here’s the TV revival everyone was waiting for, as Netflix gathers together all the residents of Stars Hollow for four 90-minute episodes. And that’s pretty much all your favorites, even the ones plucked from other shows like Milo Ventimiglia’s Jess, Liza Weil’s Paris, and Jared Padalecki’s Dean, and movie superstars who seemed to have been invited at the last minute. (Hooray for Melissa McCarthy’s Sookie!) They’re even bringing back Sparky, who played Lorelai’s dog, Paul Anka, for crying out loud. Of course, what fans are all here to see is the return of one of TV’s all-time best mom-daughter teams as series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino comes back, too, to pen the continuing laugh-’til-you-cry (and vice-versa) adventures of Lauren Graham’s Lorelai and Alexis Bledel’s Rory. Not that fans of the beloved series will need it, but feel free to check out a retrospective of the series in preparation of the big comeback from some of the biggest Gilmore-heads at The A.V. Club. (That’s what fans call themselves, right?) Then, because you can’t be too prepared for a reunion, read Gwen Ihnat’s interviews with the cast and producers about what it was like getting back into the show’s world. Then there’s always Erik Adams’ pre-air review to get you primed (he liked it), Myle McNutt’s binge-watch reviews, and, once you’ve binged the series yourself in one post-Thanksgiving leftover sandwich, relish in Gwen’s episodic reviews, starting on Monday.
Michael Che Matters (Netflix, 3:01 a.m., Friday): Saturday Night Live “Weekend Update” co-anchor Che gets his first Netflix special, where his signature deadpan political jokes get a chance to breathe. (He will not, however, have the benefit of funny pictures behind him and Colin Jost smirking by his side.) In his review, Dennis Perkins says that the onstage Che’s uncompromising truth-telling helps overcome some occasionally off-target material. (And don’t forget to check out Che’s interview with Marah Eakin.)
Frosty The Snowman (CBS, 8 p.m., Friday), Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (ABC, 8 p.m., Friday), and How The Grinch Stole Christmas (NBC, 8 p.m., Friday): Three networks celebrate the beginning of the holiday season by scheduling three beloved family Christmas classics at the same time, forcing your family to a knock-down, drag-out battle for the TV remote. Until little Cindy-Lou reminds you all of the true meaning of modern TV Christmas: TiVo.
Premieres and finales
3% (Netflix, 3:01 a.m., Friday): This eight-episode Brazilian series is “a post-apocalyptic thriller set in near-future Brazil, where a select few are allowed to join a privileged society after undergoing an intense and competitive process.” You know, sometimes, you just don’t have to write jokes.
Tyler Perry’s For Better Or Worse (Own, 9 p.m., Friday): The fifth season of this Tyler Perry-created family sitcom starring Michael Jai White and Tasha Smith wraps up tonight. The synopsis suggests Smith’s Angela is facing a health scare, which, considering Perry, means we’re in for some heartfelt praying.
Search Party (TBS, 11 & 11:30 p.m., Friday): Wait, wasn’t the season premiere of this sneakily engaging mystery-comedy series the What’s On Tonight top pick just on Monday? Such are the two-a-night vagaries of modern TV programming that Search Party’s 10-episode season finale slams to a halt tonight, as Alia Shawkat and her aimless, post-collegiate friends’ wobbly search for a missing acquaintance reaches its conclusion. In her pre-air review, Gwen Ihnat said, “Any fear the viewer may have about being dragged along on a possible wild goose chase is alleviated because the journey itself is so engaging, offering heavy-handed but humorous commentary about the various life searches we all find ourselves on.” And Gwen knows what she’s talking about, people.
Regular coverage
Z Nation (Syfy, 9 p.m., Friday): This review will post later than usual due to the episode not being made available in advance.
Star Wars Rebels (Disney XD, 8:30 p.m., Saturday)
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (BBC America, 9 p.m., Saturday)
Streaming pick
Bored To Death (Amazon, HBO Now): If the end of Search Party’s first season of overeducated people desultorily solving mysteries because they don’t know what else to do with their lives has left you wanting, then this archly funny Jonathan Ames-created series starring Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis, and Ted Danson is just the trick.