Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, January 13, and Saturday, January 14. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Fringe (Fox, 9 p.m., Friday): So not everything about this fourth season of Fringe has worked perfectly, but we’re content to say that if you like the show at all, it’s probably a good idea to get back to watching it somewhere around when it actually airs, since its future is very much in doubt. When last we left our heroes, the world was dealing with the aftermath of the very strange thing that happened to Peter, and Noel Murray was trying to wrap his head around all of it. (Tonight's episode, btw, is pretty great.)
REGULAR COVERAGE
Late-Night Round-Up (7 p.m., Friday): Erik Adams hath spent a week in the land of The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, and, lo, he alone has escaped to tell us all about how that ol’ chucklehead is getting along a couple of years after that big brawl.
Chuck (NBC, 8 p.m., Friday): Ryan McGee is winging his way toward all of us at TCA press tour, so that means that Katherine Miller will be dropping in on Chuck and the gang this week, as they head toward their series finale. Just a few weeks left!
Grimm (NBC, 9 p.m., Friday): One of the most unexpected “hits” (remember, this is NBC, so that definition is very flexible) of the fall is back, and Kevin McFarland just can’t wait for more fun with all of those Grimms and their… whatever they do.
Supernatural (The CW, 9 p.m., Friday): We think Zack Handlen is back to cover this this week, but it might actually be Phil Nugent. Why don’t we know? Well, that’s because nobody tells us anything. We’ll get it all sorted out soon enough, promise.
Portlandia (IFC, 10 p.m., Friday): We suspect this show has the best comments-to-actual-viewers ratio here at the ol’ A.V. Club, but we haven’t done the math to figure it out. One of you want to build a spreadsheet and tell Christian Williams if this is so?
The Increasingly Poor Decisions Of Todd Margaret (IFC, 10:30 p.m., Friday): The end is nigh for Todd Margaret and the rest of the gang, but we’ve still got a plenty to get through before everyone—and Simon Abrams, presumably—dies.
Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:30 p.m., Saturday): Daniel Radcliffe hosts, with music from Lana Del Ray. The former will impress your sister; the latter will impress the record store clerk pushing her single on you. David Sims loves both.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Veronica Mars (11 a.m., Friday): Rowan Kaiser loves him some Veronica Mars and some Veronica Mars, but he’s had some questions about how the story of this second season is developing. Hopefully, this week’s two episodes clarify it for him.
The Adventures Of Pete & Pete (3 p.m., Friday): Why waste time doing anything you don’t enjoy? That’s the question this week’s episode asks, and Marah Eakin tells you why you shouldn’t spend a nice Thursday evening writing What’s On Tonight.
The Twilight Zone (1 p.m., Saturday): Will this week’s episodes feature a.) time travel, b.) someone who’s dead and doesn’t know it, c.) aliens, d.) all of the above? We’re hoping Zack Handlen gets d.) because we like when genre tropes assail him.
Cowboy Bebop (3 p.m., Saturday): So, listen, we’ve never seen this show, and we just want to know: Which of the cowboys is Bebop? Simon Abrams won’t tell us because he’s a big jerk that way. Seriously. You guys. Which one of them is Bebop?
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
CBS This Morning (CBS, 7 a.m., Friday): Journey with Phil Nugent to a time when CBS is mired in third place and endlessly trying to reinvent itself to climb atop the ratings, only to be foiled at every turn by ABC and—number one!—NBC. Weird.
Frenemies (Disney, 8 p.m., Friday): Disney programs a totally bizarre TV movie experiment, involving three vaguely interconnected short films that have only a little bit to do with each other or something. We really have no idea what’s going on.
Let Me Down Easy (PBS, 9 p.m., Friday): Anna Deveare Smith spent a few years tracking down people to talk with them about death and dying—because she finds such things to be day-brighteners—and then turned her conversations into a play.
Blade (G4, p.m., Friday): Everybody’s favorite vampire hunter—consider there to be air quotes around favorite—tracks Deacon Frost across Asia in the debut of the latest Marvel anime series. Here’s hoping this one’s better than the others.
The Fades/The Nerdist (BBC America, 9 p.m., Saturday): Start out with the latest British import about a teenager haunted by apocalyptic visions and follow it up with the latest TV special version of the Chris Hardwick-hosted podcast. Good times!
Miss America Pageant (ABC, 9 p.m., Saturday): Who will win the least relevant contest in America that still somehow gets broadcast on a major network every year? We’re hoping South Dakota does well. South Dakota never does well.
There Will Be Blood (AMC, 8 p.m., Friday): Of all the movies to be improved by being bowdlerized so they can be aired on a basic cable network, we’re certain that this one would be most improved. Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance shines!
A Walk To Remember (ABC Family, 8:30 p.m., Friday): American treasure Mandy Moore stars here as a goody two shoes kinda girl who falls in love with a bad boy when they have to work on a school project. Go ahead. Watch. You need a good cry.
Eraserhead (Sundance, 8 p.m., Saturday): Get a little concentrated dose of David Lynch tonight before you head out to the bars or whatever. We love the TV Guide summary of the plot as being about “a future society and a monstrous baby.”
Boxing: Kennedy-Martin (super bantamweights) (ESPN2, 9 p.m., Friday): Teon Kennedy and Christopher Martin meet in a 10-round bout in Las Vegas. If you know anything about this, please fill us in, because we don’t have any possible ideas.
NFL Playoffs: Saints at 49ers/Broncos at Patriots (Fox/CBS, 4:30 p.m./8 p.m., Saturday): We just want to say that it’s been a long time since our beloved 49ers made it to the playoffs, but we’re glad they’re back, so the Saints can beat them.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Parks & Recreation (Thursday): Leslie Knope is the comeback kid. Steve Heisler’s just glad the show’s back, as we get into the meat of the “Leslie runs for City Council” storyline that will likely dominate the rest of season four. Knope We Can!