Devs pushes through its final update
Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Thursday, April 16. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
Devs (FX on Hulu, 3:01 a.m., series finale): Alex Garland’s mind-bending Devs concludes tonight (well, today) hot on the heels of several terrific and often upsetting episodes. Here’s Swapna Krishna on the show’s shocking penultimate hour:
Last week, Devs showed us what’s behind the curtain, as Katie and Lily had a frank discussion about the system and what the team knows (and more importantly, what they don’t). We now know that Devs can’t see beyond a certain point in time, and that Lily will do something that breaks the very laws that Forest and Katie believe govern reality. The penultimate episode of the series deals with the aftermath of those revelations, as the “last day,” as it were, begins to unfold.
After a rather annoying, too-high-art-for-me-to-appreciate intro, the episode opens with Lily and Jamie very sweetly assessing their newfound relationship and acknowledging the utter weirdness in which they have found themselves through jokes and pillow talk. This was a lovely, quiet scene in a harrowing episode, and I’m grateful we got this moment of sweetness before everything went to hell.
So everything went to hell, and now it keeps on heading in that direction.
If nothing else, this terrific cast will keep on delivering until the very end. And so will Swapna, who has one last recap to file.
Can you binge it? Yes, as of 3:01 a.m., the complete series is available on Hulu. But we should add that this one might be best viewed a few episodes at a time rather than binged right through.
Regular coverage
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC, 8:30 p.m.)
Better Things (FX, 10 p.m.)
How To Get Away With Murder (ABC, 10:01 p.m.)
For kids
The Disney Family Singalong (ABC, 8 p.m., one-hour special): Here’s a show that can occupy a nice hour of time and allow you to squint at the bookshelves of famous people at the same time. Ryan Seacrest hosts this special, which features at-home performances from Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Christina Aguilera, John Stamos, Josh Gad, Kristin Chenoweth, Michael Bublé, Amber Riley, Little Big Town, and Moana herself, Auli’i Cravalho. But the real hook isn’t Ariana singing “Gaston” (please, please let Ariana sing “Gaston”), it’s that it’s a singalong special—a “follow the bouncing ball” kind of deal. ABC notes that with “an animated character to guide the on-screen lyrics, audiences, families, roommates and loved ones can follow along in perfect harmony with their favorite celebrities as they sing beloved melodies from Disney classics.”
In short, when you hear your neighbor attempting the chorus of “Into The Unknown,” this special is the reason.
Wild card
The This Old House Hour (PBS, 8 p.m.): There’s a better-than-decent chance that you or someone else in your home has decided to tackle some big cleaning projects. Maybe it’s in the interest of health, or because it’s a nice and satisfying distraction, or because it’s a great way to work out some frustration, or because if you don’t get the bathroom in better shape you’re just going to lose it, absolutely lose it. Regardless, PBS has got you covered. This episode focuses on grout cleaning, bathroom fans, pedestal sinks, and more. Also, it’s very soothing. Enjoy.
Can you binge it? Some of it is available for free—online, through their free app, via Tubi and YouTube, the list goes on. However, you can also access all 41 seasons through This Old House’s Insider membership. (There’s a one-week free trial.)