Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Sunday, June 3. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Longmire (A&E, 10 p.m.): A&E’s forays into the scripted drama world have mostly been bland, uninteresting cop shows. And while this could well be another—since it’s about a Wyoming sheriff—at least it’s cribbing material from the right places. The structure of it sounds like Justified—it’s even based on a long-running series of novels—while the use of gorgeous New Mexico location shooting is all Breaking Bad. Plus, it’s got Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackhoff in a key supporting role! What we’ve seen isn’t perfect, but there’s promise, and Zack Handlen will help you get to the bottom of that promise from week to week.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Rev. (Hulu, 7 p.m.): We’re glad Hulu and Netflix are in a war to see who can import the best British comedies, in an attempt to appeal to U.S. subscribers, because that means this absolutely wonderful and hilarious show about an inner-city vicar has made its way here. Todd VanDerWerff checks it out.
Game Of Thrones (HBO, 9 p.m.): The season ends with the show’s producers seemingly trying to cram every last little bit from the book into the show. Todd VanDerWerff and David Sims lack screeners, so you should probably expect to invade every thread on the site to discuss it immediately afterward.
The Killing (AMC, 9 p.m.): This episode is called “Bulldog,” and we hope that means Linden and Holder will discover the only witness to the Rosie Larsen killing is an adorable bulldog, and then they have to take care of said bulldog until they can catch the culprit. It will co-star Brandon Nowalk and Hooch.
Nurse Jackie (Showtime, 9 p.m.): Continuing this season’s theme of “consequences”—a theme that’s made the show seriously good again—Cruz finds out about Jackie’s rehab, and he punishes everyone who helped her cover up her drug problems. Phil Dyess-Nugent refused to help her, so he’s all right.
The Big C (Showtime, 9:30 p.m.): This show, on the other hand, seems increasingly strained, as it attempts to figure out new ways to tell stories about the same basic things. Tonight, Paul is surprised when he learns something new about Cathy, and Phil Dyess-Nugent rolls his eyes at the whole thing.
The Borgias (Showtime, 10 p.m.): Here’s another show that seems to have found a new gear in this season, and Les Chappell has been pleased by the level of sexy church debauchery depicted this year, which has been far more than adequate and has, indeed, been quite entertaining. Also, Jeremy Irons.
Mad Men (AMC, 10 p.m.): After last week’s horrifying and skeevy episode, how can anyone in the office even look at themselves in the mirror again? Todd VanDerWerff recommend that when you’ve done things that seem designed to kill your soul, you can best avoid them simply by not thinking about them.
Veep (HBO, 10 p.m.): It’s already the penultimate episode of the season, which is one of those things that happens when you’re only doing eight-episode seasons. Tonight, Selina decides a portion of all office correspondence will be made public. Meredith Blake wonders if that will include the swearing.
Girls (HBO, 10:30 p.m.): So did last week’s episode end with Hannah and Adam actually becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, or will the two continue to dance around the issue of what they “really” are to each other? Todd VanDerWerff can’t believe he’s come to a point where he can’t wait to find out.
Metalocalypse (adult swim, 12:15 a.m.): It is time for a fun game of Sentences From Episode Summaries Provided Sans Context: “The getaway proves anything but relaxing, however, when they end up in a brutal country and are sold into sex slavery.” Phil Dyess-Nugent has seen that storyline on hundreds of shows.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
South Park (1 p.m.): We saw how well our Simpsons classic reviews have done, and we wondered what you guys might like for a follow-up. The obvious answer turned out to be this one, but Phil Dyess-Nugent isn’t so sure he’s ready to take the full plunge into the series’ first few, often erratic seasons.
The Simpsons (3 p.m.): We know we say it nearly every week, but man, season four of this show is just one instant classic after another. Nathan Rabin would like to remind you with this week’s review you should call Mr. Plow, that’s his name, and that name, again, is Mr. Plow. (Yes, it’s that episode. Hooray!)
WHAT ELSE IS ON
The Diamond Queen (BBC America, 8 p.m.): We thought about covering this because it had such a great name, but then we realized it was just a three-hour—three-hour!—biography documentary of Queen Elizabeth II. Not that we don’t like Queen Elizabeth II, but, c’mon, this site is run by Americans!
The 2012 MTV Movie Awards/Teen Wolf (MTV, 9/11 p.m.): The latest extravaganza of movie awards will prove, once and for all, whether the Twilight or Hunger Games fanbase is better at spamming Internet polls. It’s followed by the second season premiere of Teen Wolf, which we will be reviewing.
Miss USA Pageant (NBC, 9 p.m.): Watch as 51 women enter a room, parade around to be judged on their attractiveness, then all smile politely as a Southerner is crowned and acts as if this will take her to the top, even though we all know the best she can hope for is a recurring role on a daytime soap.
Fast Food Mania (Destination America, 10 p.m.): After abandoning its “green” network, which was all about the wonders of a healthy environment, Discovery has decided to rebrand it as a celebration of consumption, beginning with this show that’s literally just driving around and visiting fast food places.
12 Angry Men (TCM, 8 p.m.): Get angry along with Henry Fonda, a great supporting cast of character actors, and Sidney Lumet, as TCM re-airs this terrific film about the one juror who refuses to proclaim a defendant guilty because something about the whole thing just doesn’t smell right to him. Terrific.
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (Cinemax, 8:15 p.m.): Or you can get angry at the injustice of treating a super-intelligent ape like any other ape, as well as all of the horrific things we do to our closest cousins on the evolutionary ladder, just because we can. It’s amazing that this movie is as good as it is.
MLB Baseball: Cardinals at Mets (ESPN, 8 p.m.): So the Mets are actually good this year, and we’re not sure what to make of that, since their whole thing is spending lots of money to field a lackluster team that just lets their many fans down. They face off with the defending champs at home in this one.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Pulling (Saturday): If you haven’t seen this very funny Britcom, Margaret Eby will be going through all 13 episodes over the course of the summer. It’s on Netflix, so check it out, and you might be surprised by how much you like it. Or don’t! See if we care! (No, check it out. We can always use the pageviews.)