Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Maron (IFC, 10 p.m., Friday): Enough of you asked and enough of you read this to make us think that covering it week to week might work out, particularly once Kyle “Lord and Master Podmass” Ryan said he’d be happy to step in on a weekly basis. But remember: If we stop covering, it’s all your fault, because you stopped reading or watching or… something. This week, Marc hangs out with Denis Leary, who gives him a hard time when Marc refuses to remove a dead possum from beneath his house. So, basically, just the plot of every Rescue Me ever made.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Doctor Who (BBC America, 8 p.m., Saturday): Cybermen in a theme park? Well, now we’ve seen everything. Except we haven’t, technically, because we haven’t watched this episode. Maybe Alasdair Wilkins has, but he’s not telling us anything beyond insisting he would make the best Cyberman of all.
Smash (NBC, 8 p.m., Saturday): After last week’s utter misfire, it’s time to get back to the season’s main storyline, with Hit List heading for Broadway and everybody involved with Bombshell getting all worried about that. Todd VanDerWerff just doesn’t give two shits if Tom and Julia become partners again.
Orphan Black (BBC America, 9 p.m., Saturday): Tonight’s episode is called “Parts Developed In An Unusual Manner,” which is in the running for episode title of the year. Caroline Framke wonders which parts those could be, but she’s all but certain there will be a Tatiana Maslany with abnormally huge ears.
Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:30 p.m., Saturday): Kristen Wiig drops by to guest host, and David Sims just can’t wait for the return of all of her “classic” characters. Look. He likes Kristen Wiig, but sometimes, it’s worth it to leave well enough alone. In keeping with the 2008 vibe, Vampire Weekend performs, too.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Babylon 5 (11 a.m., Friday): One of this week’s episodes is entitled “Knives,” which sounds pretty bad-ass to us. Do you think that everybody on the space station will start knife fighting? Because if we were in charge of this show, we would add so much knife fighting. Rowan Kaiser would add lots of gunplay.
The Twilight Zone (1 p.m., Saturday): “To Serve Man” is one of this week’s episodes, but we can’t quite remember the twist at the end. The book… it was a travel guide, right? Maybe a road atlas? Anyway, we know the twist was devastating and ironic. Todd VanDerWerff has it! It was a bildungsroman!
WHAT ELSE IS ON
Jake Shimabukuro: Life On Four Strings (PBS, 9 p.m., Friday): If you’ve been thinking to yourself that modern television has too little ukulele playing and if you’ve been waiting for a program to highlight the wonders of the uke, well, here’s one of the best ukulele players out there to get it done just for you.
Touch (Fox, 9 p.m., Friday): Fox has canceled this Kiefer Sutherland vehicle after the second season received disastrous ratings, so disastrous that not even the Kief’s strong presence in foreign sales could make up for them. Anyway, did you know Maria Bello was on season two of this? Because we did not.
Vegas (CBS, 9 p.m., Friday): There was a time when we had a lot of fun with this one, a time when it seemed like the kind of show that might become the next great network drama. Instead, it turned out really boring, and now the season—most likely series—finale is airing on a Friday. Too bad, Vegas!
Bob Saget: That’s What I’m Talkin’ About (Showtime, 10 p.m. Friday): Has the fact that the man who starred in Full House, hosted America’s Funniest Home Videos, and narrates How I Met Your Mother is actually a fairly dirty comedian ceased to be the most noteworthy thing about him? Probably, huh?
Dangerous Intuition (Lifetime, 8 p.m., Saturday): A woman becomes convinced—just convinced—that her husband’s second wife is out to kill the woman’s daughter, the second wife’s step-daughter. How does she come to this conclusion? We don’t know. Probably the second wife writes her a mean letter.
Top 100 Bangin’ Bodies (Fuse, 9 p.m., Saturday): This countdown is old news, but we were unable to find who won it, so we’re just going to guess that the entirety of the list consists of A.V. Club staff, both past and present. If you’ve never seen our bangin’ bodies, well, this is the special where we show off.
The Incredibles (Disney Channel, 8 p.m., Friday): We don’t care what anybody says: This is the best Pixar movie, and there’s no good reason to sequelize it either, despite what everybody’s been telling you. Brad Bird leads an absolutely perfect cast in a tale of superheroics, derring do, and family strife.
Twilight (ABC Family, 8:30 p.m., Friday): ABC Family has been waiting for this day, the day that it could acquire what must be the third- or fourth-run broadcast rights to everybody’s favorite “vampires in love” movie. What’s that? You have a different vampires in love movie favorite? Well, you’re wrong.
How Green Was My Valley (TCM, 8 p.m., Saturday): Though this film is mostly famous for having defeated Citizen Kane for Best Picture at the Oscars, there’s still quite a lot with which to recommend it, not least of which is the lovely direction by the great John Ford. It’s not perfect, but it’s still a solid film.
NBA Playoffs: Game 3: Heat at Bulls (ESPN, 8 p.m., Friday): The first game of this series was a barn-burner, with the Bulls winning. The second… well, the second was a blowout by the Heat. What will happen in game three? We’re not sure, but you can bet on lots of rumors about Derrick Rose playing.
Boxing: Mayweather-Guerrero (welterweights) (Showtime, 9 p.m., Saturday): Floyd Mayweather, Jr., and Robert Guerrero spar in a fight for the world welterweight title. Honestly, where do you think they got that word? Welterweight? What the hell’s a “welter”? Don’t answer that. We don’t want to know!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Person Of Interest (Thursday): You’re probably still not watching this crazy science fiction/detective show/action hour mash-up, because you have preconceived notions about it for one reason or another. But it just put on a hell of a season finale, and Phil Dyess-Nugent would love if you checked it out.