NBC invites you to remember how much you liked Grimm before jerking it all over the schedule
Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Monday, August 13. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Grimm (NBC, 10 p.m.): This supernatural detective series was one of the few bright spots on NBC’s schedule last season, impressively holding its on Fridays, despite debuting against the final game of the World Series and the night’s general lack of anybody watching television. Naturally, NBC is determined to take this tiny bright spot and do whatever it can to snuff out its life, first by debuting it in the middle of the summer (granted, on the heels of the Olympics), then by jerking its timeslot all over the place, instead of just leaving well enough alone. Kevin McFarland hopes you’ll watch. It got better! He swears!
REGULAR COVERAGE
Adventure Time (Cartoon Network, 7:30 p.m.): Finn has a vivid dream that “may be more than it seems,” in an episode entitled “King Worm.” If this is going to be an episode about how that damn worm robot is the first harbinger of the robot wars, then Oliver Sava is locking his door extra tightly.
Bunheads (ABC Family, 9 p.m.): The season finale is just around the corner, which means that plots are really heating up! Tonight, Michelle finds a new place to get coffee, but she has trouble dealing with the barista! Ooh, Erik Adams can’t wait to see how the plot twists and turns based on that description!
Alphas (Syfy, 10 p.m.): Nina has a breakdown and heads off on a crime spree. Listen, Alphas: We were just fine in last week’s episode when Nina never showed up. We really like this new Kat girl. Let’s not fuck this up for everyone by trying to make Todd VanDerWerff care about Nina, okay? It won’t end well.
Teen Wolf (MTV, 10 p.m.): There’s a “shocking death on the lacrosse field” in this season finale. To be fair, when isn’t there a shocking death on the lacrosse field? Phil Dyess-Nugent was one of the finest lacrosse players to ever have lived, and the entirety of his career was sprinkled with untimely murder.
Web Therapy (Showtime, 11 p.m.): With Mitt Romney’s selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate, we’re hoping that the campaign storyline on Web Therapy will provide just the satirical boost we need to get through… Oh, Daily Show is new? Sorry, Brandon Nowalk. It’s just… Daily Show is new!
TV CLUB CLASSIC
The West Wing (11 a.m.): Christmastime is here in West Wing land, and Steve Heisler is thankful for the distraction from the ungodly heat we’ve been suffering from this summer. In addition, everybody loves the group The Whiffenpoofs, right? Well, this episode gives you a chance to fall in love all over again!
Justice League (1 p.m.): This week is called “Maid Of Honor,” and we’re just going to assume that it’s the story of when Detective Chimp asked Wonder Woman to be the maid of honor at his wedding to Zatanna, and then she realized how much she loved him. Oliver Sava thinks we have our facts wrong.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
Hotel Hell (Fox, 8 p.m.): With the Olympics finally over, it’s a big night for the networks to air debuts of their new shows that will hopefully help them close out the summer. First, Brandon Nowalk takes a look at this new series where Gordon Ramsay visits decrepit hotels and yells (presumably) at their managers.
Stars Earn Stripes (NBC, 8 p.m.): Then you get to watch as NBC attempts to build off its record-setting Olympics (at least in terms of ratings) with a new reality show where Todd Palin and Terry Crews, among others. Kevin McFarland thinks the weirdest thing about this is that Gen. Wesley Clark is hosting.
The Closer/Major Crimes (TNT, 9 p.m.): After many years of over-the-top histrionics and scenery chewing, Kyra Sedgwick is calling it quits, as The Closer ends tonight. Phil Dyess-Nugent checks it out, then hands the torch off to Todd VanDerWerff and Mary McDonnell for the show’s sequel series.
Gallery Girls (Bravo, 10 p.m.): Something tells us this new reality series set in the world of New York art galleries isn’t going to be the shocking expose of the art world we’ve been waiting for. Margaret Eby is just going to hope that the show is even one-tenth as great as Work Of Art, which wasn’t all that great.
Black Narcissus (TCM, 8 p.m.): One of the most strikingly beautiful films ever made, this one is worth watching just for the cinematography, though the story, performances, and direction are all great, too. Powell and Pressburger directed this tale of nuns—including Deborah Kerr—confronting temptation.
“Crocodile” Dundee (AMC, 8 p.m.): Do you ever just stop and think about the fact that this movie was a massive, massive hit when it was released, propelling Paul Hogan to giant levels of stardom (ever so briefly) and spawning lots of catchphrases? Man, 1986 was a weirder era than we gave it credit for.
Monday Night Football: Exhibition: Cowboys at Raiders (ESPN, 8 p.m.): That happy weeping noise you hear is the entirety of the executive suite at ESPN headquarters letting out great gasps of joy that the NFL is back, even if it’s only back in its bastardized, preseason form. Finally! Sports America cares about!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The 2012 Summer Olympics (Sunday): Well, it’s all over but the slow, creeping sense on the part of the British people that they way overspent on this thing (and then the slow decay of the never-again-to-be-used facilities). Todd VanDerWerff dissects the closing ceremonies and NBC’s coverage in general.