Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Tuesday, November 19. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
David Blaine: Real Or Magic (ABC, 9:31 p.m.): Does it have to be either “real” or “magic”? The illusionist blows the minds of celebrities including Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Olivia Wilde, and Stephen Hawking (What’s On Tonight bets Hawking calls bullshit on the whole operation), leaving but one question to be answered: Is this your card?
REGULAR COVERAGE
Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC, 8 p.m.): The series has a major crossover with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as S.H.I.E.L.D. feels the aftershocks from Thor: The Dark World. Stay tuned after David Sims’ review for a special post-credits sequence.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox, 8:30 p.m.): Here comes Fire Marshal Patton Oswalt, butting heads with Jake over a fire at a local pizza joint. As a way of defeating Jake’s new adversary, Molly Eichel suggests pouring a bunch of fast-food goop into a bowl and calling it “dinner.”
Supernatural (The CW, 9 p.m.): A home for delinquent boys has ghost problems, and the Winchesters are uniquely suited to solve those problems. Eric Thurm would prefer they do so through a Scared Straight!-style program for spirits.
Black Mirror (DirecTV, 9 p.m.): David Sims visits a dystopian future that’s a crazy mix of The Matrix, extreme exercise culture, and Kurt Vonnegut’s short story “Harrison Bergeron.” Suddenly, the world of The Hunger Games doesn’t seem half as crazy.
New Girl (Fox, 9 p.m.): Coach continues filling Schmidt’s place around the loft: First he moved into his room, now he’s going on a date with Cece. Erik Adams knows this can only end in one way: Damon Wayans Jr. over-enunciating the word “chutney.”
The Mindy Project (Fox, 9:30 p.m.): Danny is seduced by the PR specialist who’s supposed to be protecting the practice from a major controversy. The PR specialist is played by Jenna Elfman, so Gwen Ihnat promises to keep the cracks about Scientology’s public image to a minimum.
Person Of Interest (CBS, 10 p.m.): Everyone’s on high alert when The Machine shoots out Reese’s number. In Phil Dyess-Nugent’s wildest dreams, he owns a machine that shoots out Reese’s Pieces.
Sons Of Anarchy (FX, 10 p.m.): SONS OF ANARCHY DVR ALERT: It’s another 91-minute installment tonight, folks. The Sons try to get out of gun-running, while Zack Handlen gets back into reviewing the Sons.
Awkward. (MTV, 10:30 p.m.): An hour of Awkward. begins with the kids producing their own after-school special. Myles McNutt has the breakaway glass in place, just in case anyone has a PCP-induced freak-out.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
Ravenswood (ABC Family, 8 p.m.): The first part of the first season concludes with the protagonists uncovering some startling information about the curse at… an old bank. Ravenswood is an equal cursing lender, member FDIC (the “C” stands for “curse”).
Risky Listing (Esquire, 9 p.m.): Esquire rolls out its second wave of programming, beginning with the stories of the New York wheelers and dealers buying up that city’s restaurant, bar, and nightclub space. And then…
White Collar Brawlers (Esquire, 10 p.m.): People who could presumably work in the same field as the risky listers settle their differences with fists (and some professional training). The first rule of White Collar Brawlers is Esquire wouldn’t mind at all if you talked about White Collar Brawlers.
Futurescape (Science, 10 p.m): The Science Channel, for one, welcomes our new robotic overlords, with this examination of the big beautiful tomorrow that’s hopefully not sitting at the end of the smoking weaponry held by an electronic assassin.
The Maltese Falcon (TCM, 8 p.m.): Humphrey Bogart and John Huston help give birth to the American film noir with this Sam Spade adventure, in which the P.I. assists some shady folk in locating a valuable artifact. Featuring Peter Lorre at his Peter Lorre-est.
Up (ABC Family, 9 p.m.): Today in your daily cry: Pixar’s greatest visual achievement, a film as beautiful as the love story efficiently depicted in its opening segments.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Hostages: Shocking reveals about a character’s paternity temporarily threaten to turn the thriller into The Maury Povich Show. Which sounds to Sonia Saraiya like a step up in terms of classiness.