Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Tuesday, November 15. All times are Eastern.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox, 8 p.m.): For nearly a month, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been banished to television purgatory, sidelined by the distinctly American forces of baseball and doomed presidential elections. Tonight though, it’s back, and with an extra helping of Jason Mantzoukas to make up for the hiatus. People need to laugh this week (we’ll be saying that a lot over the next four years), so hopefully the zany antics of New York’s Finest will do the trick. Side note: typing the word “zany” feels cold, empty, and strange right now. Let us never do it again. Unless you’re LaToya Ferguson and just have to use the “zany” in your review. Stay cautious, LaToya. It’s a dangerous word…
New Girl (Fox, 8:30 p.m.): Seeing as the two Fox series recently crossed over with one another, it makes sense that New Girl would join Brooklyn Nine-Nine in TV limbo—their respective characters sitting in a plain white room as baseballs fly through the air above them like so much election hate speech. Or is it the other way around? Whatever the case, New Girl has also joined Brooklyn Nine-Nine in The Great Network Sitcom Escape, and just in time for Jess to take a deep breath and strut back into the dating world. Reflecting her confidence, the episode’s titled “Ready,” and Emily L. Stephens is ready to review it.
David Blaine: Beyond Magic (ABC, 10 p.m.): Who knows what the hell this will be like. If we’re going solely off the trailer, it’ll consist of nothing but a bunch of celebrities standing around in a kitchen and freaking out over assorted parlor tricks. Drake’s there. So are John Travolta and Johnny Depp. Even Dave Chappelle makes an appearance to wince at a mysterious champagne flute.
It’s not clear exactly what David Blaine’s doing to make all these A-listers lose their collective shit, which makes us want to tune in—if only to see Arnold Schwarzenegger play it cool in his cowboy hat.
Premieres and finales
Teen Wolf (MTV, 9 p.m.): Aaarooo! There was a supermoon this week, and we of What’s On Tonight are feeling its pull. Our faces are elongating into snouts, our ears are going pointy, and our hands are sprouting fur and claws until they’re furiously typing about the premiere of Teen Wolf’s sixth and final season. While we won’t be doing regular coverage this time around, we wish one of MTV’s oddest properties all the best as the Beacon Hill kids head towards graduation.
Channel Zero: Candle Cove (Syfy, 9 p.m.): In case you’re not already sufficiently terrified this week, here’s a reminder that Channel Zero has one of these things:
The first season ends tonight, but the nightmares (specifically ones about teeth) have only just begun.
The Mindy Project (Hulu): The romantic turmoil continues on the fall finale as Mindy tries to change Ben into something he’s not. The show’s Twitter account refers to it as “Bendy drama,” which may or may not be a pun on Ben’s name. Marah Eakin should be able to confirm one way or another in her review.
Regular coverage
The Flash (The CW, 8 p.m.)
WWE Smackdown! Live (USA, 8 p.m.)
No Tomorrow (The CW, 9 p.m.)
Drunk History: Election Special (Comedy Central, 10:30 p.m.)
Streaming pick
Heavyweights (Netflix): For all of October and then some, we recommended a horror movie here. That feels inappropriate right now, so why not revisit this minor cult classic from Disney? Centered on a bunch of likable kids who take over their fat camp, Heavyweights is easy, uplifting, and more absurdly funny than it has any right to be. It’s got early-career performances from Jeffrey Tambor, Paul Feig, and Keenan Thompson. It’s got an unfussy message of acceptance. And most importantly, it’s got Ben Stiller more or less doing the same thing he’d end up doing in Dodgeball almost a decade later. Make no mistake though—Heavyweights is the truer underdog story of the two.