Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Thursday, May 1. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Review (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.): Forrest MacNeill, you weren’t with us long enough. Just nine weeks later, this comedy we never quite got around to covering weekly is ending its first season, as MacNeil reviews “quitting,” “last day,” and “Irish,” which could mean Irish people, or Irish culture, or you know, something else entirely. Erik Adams is going to drop in on the finale of this wickedly funny show, to review Review as it was meant to be reviewed: metatextually, and with bourbon, while the kids are watching a music awards show. It’s time to get cantankerous, goddammit!
ALSO NOTED
Vikings (History Channel, 10 p.m.): Ragnar Lothbrok and his men are ending their second season, having pillaged all they can stand to pillage on the History Channel. Last week, the vikings were soundly defeated in battle, and Athelstan returned, which was pretty good. But as Dennis said himself: “I really can’t overstate how little I care for this Floki situation.” Can the vikings in Vikings get their shit together before in this season’s final episode?
Portlandia (IFC, 10 p.m.): Peter, Nance, Toni, Candace, Kath, and Dave all say goodbye tonight, as well—from New Beavertown, Oregon, which is presumably just outside Portland. Oregon: It’s probably really cool, but we don’t know anything about it! Les Chappell would educate us, but he’s too busy preparing for Toni and Candace’s feminist retreat.
Sirens (USA, 10 p.m.): And this little show that could toys with the idea of a shotgun wedding, as Johnny throws a marriage proposal at Theresa’s way in the hopes that she won’t take a job in faraway D.C. Goodbye Sirens—thanks for being a show that really filmed in Chicago!
REGULAR COVERAGE
The Vampire Diaries (The CW, 8 p.m.)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8 p.m.)
Reign (The CW, 9 p.m.)
Elementary (CBS, 10 p.m.)
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (11 a.m.): Zack Handlen’s Outer Space Fictional Space Station Support Group will meet at the usual time and place. We’re down to the last two episodes of the series—”Dogs Of War,” which Zack will review today, and “What You Leave Behind,” the two-part finale for next week. The support group has Kleenex, by the way.
Friday Night Lights (2 p.m.): The Tim/Lyla romance picks up some steam as Coach Taylor deals with questions about Voodoo’s eligibility. But none of that matters, because episode seven is Homecoming! Sonia Saraiya has to find a dress.
NEW SHOWS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
Saint George (FX, 9 p.m.)
Surviving Jack (Fox, 9:30 p.m.)
Bad Teacher (CBS, 9:30 p.m.)
Black Box (ABC, 10 p.m.)
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
Live From The Red Carpet: The iHeartRadio Music Awards (E!, 7 p.m.): A view of the wacky and wonderful world that is a minor awards ceremony pre-air red carpet. Giuliana Rancic, Terrence Jenkins, and Jesse Giddings will host. Clothes will be judged, thank goodness—otherwise that would never get done!
The iHeartRadio Music Awards (NBC, 8 p.m.): The awards show in question, live from Los Angeles. Winners were selected by voters online. New this year: an iHeartRadio Instagram award, given to the artist who “interacts and engages the most on Instagram!” The nominees in this category are Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Harry Styles, Austin Mahone, and Ariana Grande. We’re sensing a target demographic!
The This Old House Hour (PBS, 8 p.m.): The Arlington Italianate project concludes with a tour of the house and a look at the master bathroom. Included: an overview of the decor choices and a discussion of countertop options.
The Challenge (MTV, 10 p.m.): “An egotistical attitude creates tension in the house,” which wait, is that not how every episode of The Challenge goes?
District 9 (Syfy, 6:30 p.m.): A kind of incredible Neill Blomkamp film from South Africa that got stuck in the uncanny valley between “action-movie” and “indie-cred.” Still, you will probably cry. We did!
National Lampoon’s Animal House (CMT, 9 p.m.): Fun fact: One-third of What’s On Tonight belonged to the same fraternity featured in Animal House, though admittedly at a different campus. The Dartmouth house did show up one time, though, and that ended up creating a lot of problems.
Playoff games, match-ups to be announced (NBC Sports, 7:30 p.m. and TNT, 8 p.m.): A Stanley Cup playoff will be on NBC Sports. An Eastern Conference final game will be on TNT.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Suburgatory: Dalia doesn’t get into the only college she applied to, which makes her life a bit harder. And meanwhile, George and Tessa go on a double date with a mother and son they meet on her college tour. Brandon Nowalk can’t tell whether to laugh or cry, as usual.