Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, August 24, and Saturday, August 25. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Boss (Starz, 9 p.m., Friday): We think this Kelsey Grammer star vehicle could, perhaps, be a little more consistent, but we like the stuff where he just wanders around and rants in a distinctly Shakespearean fashion. That said, the show would probably be even better if it consisted entirely of him turning toward the camera, giving a thumbs up, and proclaiming, “That’s boss!” Actually, we can’t think of a single show on television that wouldn’t be improved by that. Sonia Saraiya frequently comments that things are “boss” in her own life.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Gravity Falls (Disney Channel, 9 p.m., Friday): Lo. You spake unto us and requested that we give unto you Gravity Falls coverage, and now, we have done so. Really, how would we have not with shows that have episode titles like “The Time Traveler’s Pig.” Now Alasdair Wilkins is sad he doesn’t have a pig.
Lost Girl (Syfy, 10 p.m., Friday): Things are heating up as the season heads into its final four episodes, and this week, the Glaive may be making an alliance with the Garuda. Those of you who’ve never seen this show may be asking, “What’s a Garuda?” but Kevin McFarland can’t explain it right now, okay?
Strike Back (Cinemax, 10 p.m., Friday): The guys head out on an assignment to find the radical Muslim cleric who’s in possession of the nuclear bombs, but things head south when a CIA air strike turns the locals hostile. Which, you know, is a valid response to bombs raining down. Is all Myles McNutt is saying.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Babylon 5 (11 a.m., Friday): Babylon 4 is back, which means that Sinclair and Garibaldi need to lead an expedition to evacuate the crew. What’s Babylon 4, you ask? Well, if you need to ask that, then you obviously haven’t seen parts one through five of the Leonard films. Rowan Kaiser is very disappointed.
Firefly (1 p.m., Friday): Mal and Wash are the two most important people in Zoe’s life, so of course they’re going to end up chained up together in some warlords torture chamber. This isn’t just Donna Bowman and Noel Murray’s scintillating fan fiction! It’s the plot of the episode “War Stories.”
Chappelle’s Show (3 p.m., Friday): It’s the end of the line, as Ryan McGee watches the episodes Dave Chappelle was producing when he abruptly walked away from his giant paycheck and the show itself. Then, of course, Comedy Central put those episodes on the air, because it’s an asshole network.
Animaniacs (11 a.m., Saturday): Genevieve Koski also brings our Animaniacs coverage to a close for now. Or maybe forever! We don’t even know right now. We just know that if you want more of Yakko, Wakko, and Dot, you’re going to have to wait. But they certainly wouldn’t have it any other way.
The X-Files/Millennium (1 p.m., Saturday): The Syndicate portion of our evening is about to wrap up, and Zack Handlen can hardly wait for some motherfuckers to get burned by faceless rebel aliens. As a matter of fact, “burned by faceless rebel aliens” is number one on his “ways to die” top 10 list.
Pulling (3 p.m., Saturday): The original series finale of the show is finally at hand. Margaret Eby would have loved to have seen what the show would have done with a proposed third series, but she’s also happy that it got that one holiday special back in 2009. Here’s hoping you’ve enjoyed watching!
WHAT ELSE IS ON
America’s Next Top Model (The CW, 8 p.m., Friday): It’s time for a college edition of this once mega-popular reality show that now seems to be nearly ready to call it quits. (Hence the move to Fridays.) Margaret Eby checks in, but we’re not sure we’ll keep checking in, unless you’re really into it somehow.
Gifts For Grandkids (QVC, 8 p.m., Friday): What are you getting your grandkids for Christmas this year? You’re probably already considering this, because you have nothing else in your life at the moment, but QVC is coming to the rescue, with a series of helpful suggestions. Our tip: Kids love Sea Monkeys!
Extreme Drug Smuggling (Animal Planet, 9 p.m., Friday): We’re still not sure what constitutes “extreme” drug smuggling, but given the network this airs on, we have to assume it involves animals in some way. Our guess is that extreme drug smuggling takes the form of millions of feisty opossums.
Yukon Men (Discovery, 10 p.m., Friday): People in the extreme wilds of Alaska hope to survive winter in this new reality series that hopes to join all of the other Discovery reality series about Alaska. Is there any way this doesn’t end in a series about the 7-11 in Fairbanks or the Cracker Barrel in Juneau?
Strawberry Summer (Hallmark Movie Channel, 8 p.m., Saturday): There’s definitely one made-for-TV movie you need to watch tonight. Perhaps it’s this one, about a small-town music teacher who invites a bad boy, one hit wonder country music singer to perform at the town’s annual strawberry festival?
Roger Corman’s Attack Of The 50 Foot Cheerleader In 3D (Epix, 10 p.m., Saturday): Oh, wait. No, it’s almost certainly this one. This one is the one you want to watch. Our bad.
The Awful Truth (TCM, 8 p.m., Friday): Cary Grant and Irene Dunne turn in some of the best work of their careers for director Leo McCarey in one of the funniest films ever made. If you’ve never seen this screwball comedy of remarriage, then do yourself a favor and start it up. It’s really short, too!
Public Enemies (Bravo, 8 p.m., Friday): Michael Mann took on the legend of John Dillinger, complete with Johnny Depp as the gangster himself, Christian Bale as the FBI agent on his tale, and Marion Cotillard as the woman he’s in love with. The film is imperfect, but strikingly beautiful. Check it out.
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (HBO, 8 p.m., Saturday): If you’re done shopping for gifts for your grandkids, perhaps you can check out this new “holiday classic,” in which the beloved potheads save Christmas from the forces of evil or something. We can’t remember quite what, for some reason.
NASCAR Racing: Nationwide Series in Bristol, Tenn. (ESPN, 7:30 p.m., Friday): Now is the time on What’s On Tonight when we make really stupid jokes about NASCAR that just prove we don’t know anything about the sport and also that we’re not funny! So, it’s just a buncha guys turning left, right?
Boxing: Adamek-Chambers (heavyweights) (NBC Sports, 9 p.m., Saturday): Pretend you’re living in the 1930s by getting super-invested in this bout coming to you from Newark. Tomasz Adamek has the spirit, but Eddie Chambers has the heart! (Note: We haven’t researched this at all. Grain of salt and all that.)
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Anger Management (Thursday): Because we felt she must pay for unnamed sins and because she’s just a masochist like that, Caroline Framke checked back in to the world of Anger Management to see if Charlie Sheen and pals had managed to make the show into something more. Spoiler: Not really.