Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Wednesday, March 19. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Arrow (The CW, 8 p.m.): Here is your latest reminder that Arrow exists and is better than it has any right to be. All of this makes us wonder just why Marvel has such a lock on feature films, while DC seems to be struggling there, but in the field of television, the exact opposite is true, as Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. seems to be taking forever to find itself, while this snapped into place quite nicely before the midpoint of season one. Alasdair Wilkins has some thoughts on the matter, but when he started talking about it, we, instead, interrupted him to blather about Detective Chimp and how he needs a show.
ALSO NOTED
Survivor (CBS, 8 p.m.): Did you know that every week when Carrie Raisler reviews this, she gets in shape by doing an intense typing workout to the tune of Destiny’s Child’s number one hit by the same name? She’s a survivor. She’s not gon’ give up.
The Americans (FX, 10 p.m.): It’s a quiet night for shows we cover, thanks to ABC taking the evening off, but it’s not a quiet night for Philip and Elizabeth Jennings, who find themselves in the usual wacky scrapes and deadly situations. Genevieve Koski and Todd VanDerWerff engage in hand-to-hand combat.
Workaholics/Broad City (Comedy Central, 10 p.m./10:30 p.m.): Rather than write a separate blurb for each of these, let’s just collapse them into one entry and save ourselves the work! Dennis Perkins reviews the former, while Kate Knibbs steps in for Caroline Framke to handle the latter.
ELSEWHERE IN TV CLUB
There are a couple of pretty big debuts this week, and we’ve got the scoop on whether either is worth your time in the TV Reviews section. First, Todd VanDerWerff will tell you all about The CW’s latest post-apocalyptic good time The 100, then Erik Adams looks at HBO’s British import Doll & Em.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
American Idol (Fox, 8 p.m.): The ratings for this have been crumbling at a rate that clearly worries the Fox network, and that aligns with what we’ve been doing, which is not watching the show. However, the cover of TV Guide assures us Harry Connick, Jr., has “saved” the show. Good work, Harry!
Save My Bakery (Food Network, 8 p.m.): Maybe Harry Connick, Jr., could drag his savior complex on down to some of the bakeries featured on this show next. Desserts need saving, too, Harry Connick, Jr.! It’s not just the Great American Songbook that’s in need of your tender loving care!
Preachers’ Daughters (Lifetime, 9 p.m.): We were going to structure this whole joke around the song “Son Of A Preacher Man,” but that wouldn’t make any sense, now would it? So instead, we have nothing, except to tell you that this is on and new again.
I Want That: 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (DIY, 10 p.m.): Oh, sure, you’re going to show us all of the cool new gadgets and gewgaws that were at this year’s CES, but you’re not going to show us a time machine, are you, DIY? Wake us up when you have a time machine.
The Departed (AMC, 8 p.m.): Leading up to this movie’s victory at the 2006 Academy Awards, plenty of people were grousing about how Martin Scorsese was going to win for an effort that was middle-of-the-pack in his filmography. But those people mostly shut up when he had his Oscar, didn’t they?
The Palm Beach Story (TCM, 8 p.m.): It’s just the latest chance for you to catch up with a film by Preston Sturges, one of What’s On Tonight’s (Wednesday and Weekend edition) favorite filmmakers. Come for the rapid-fire patter, stay for the rapid-fire patter.
NBA Basketball: Pacers at Knicks (ESPN, 8 p.m.): Do you really think Phil Jackson is going to turn the Knicks around? We suppose it’s theoretically possible, and we’d love it if he did, if only for the sake of our dear, departed David Sims, but we have extreme doubts anything of the sort is going to happen.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Cougar Town (Tuesday): With no renewal news just yet, we’re starting to think this will be the last we see of the Cul de Sac Crew. That’s too bad, but Les Chappell is going to see them off into the sunset in a couple weeks’ time, when the show ends season five. Or maybe we’ll see them again in 2015!