Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Thursday, July 2. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
Olympus (SyFy, 11 p.m.): Remember this show? The one with CGI that was so bad it made Once Upon A Time look like a Kubrickian masterpiece? Well, Olympus finally reaches its season finale tonight. Hero and Oracle are “faced with the most daunting task ever asked of mortal man.” Of course, that really should read “second most daunting task.” The first is acting alongside this:
Also noted
Under The Dome (CBS, 9 p.m.): Scott Von Doviak referred to last week’s premiere as “dangerously pure and uncut Dome.” But after a fake-out flashforward, the show returns to some semblance of normalcy as the still-trapped citizens of Chester’s Mill try to move on from the weirdo dreams they had in the mysterious tunnels beneath the town. We’re glad you’re back Under The Dome.
Wayward Pines (Fox, 9 p.m.): There’s lot to look forward to on Wayward Pines as the show barrels forward with its particular brand of nutty storytelling. Ethan finds a bomb in his car, Kate and Harold have fertility issues, and Ben gets closer to Amy. There’s still not a clone in sight, but Alex McCown hasn’t given up hope yet.
Hannibal (NBC, 10 p.m.): Everyone is on the hunt for Hannibal this week, which means Molly Eichel can’t get the Carmen Sandiego theme song out of her head (“Where in the world is, Hanni-bal Lecter?”). For what it’s worth, Mads Mikkelsen could almost certainly pull off Ms. Sandiego’s all-red ensemble.
TV Club Classic
Futurama (10 a.m.): The crew try to solve Global Warming in “Crimes Of The Hot” with some help from Al Gore. Then Futurama explores the limits of a dog’s loyalty in “Jurassic Bark.” Zack Handlen’s not crying, you’re crying!
Elsewhere in TV Club
Nathan Rabin’s newly-revived column My World Of Flops tackles TV this week, as Nathan delves into the absurd reality show I Wanna Marry Harry. That’s the one that tried to trick women into thinking they were on a Bachelor-style dating series with British monarch Prince Harry as their potential prize. In reality, they were just competing for a red-haired dude that vaguely looked like him. Nathan writes:
I would have a lot more respect for Matthew Hicks, the show’s fake Prince Harry, if he had conceded that he was doing the show because the opportunity to be on television, briefly live the life of a royal, and have 12 sexy women fight for his romantic affections (and hopefully make out with him a good deal in the process) was simply too good for an ordinary bloke like himself to pass up. Instead, he too has to pretend that, in the time-honored tradition of reality shows, he’s in it for the “right reasons,” to find true love and not sordid tabloid fame.
Elsewhere, comedian Godfrey answers our 11 Questions and discusses his secret for getting along with white dudes, his multicultural childhood crushes, and his in-depth theory about the JFK assassination.
And while we already covered the best TV episodes of 2015 (so far) yesterday, movie fans can now check out our similar list of the best films of 2015 (so far).
What else is on?
Annedroids (Amazon, 12 a.m.): Amazon’s female-led kids show returns with a second season full of more science and more genderless robots.
Food Fighters (NBC, 8 p.m.): Home chefs face off against professionals in the second season of this NBC competition. To make things a little more fair, the home chefs get to select one of their best recipes to prepare while the professionals have to try to replicate the dish with no advanced warning.
The Astronaut Wives Club (ABC, 8 p.m.): Scott Carpenter gets ready for his launch and the wives prep for a move to Houston. Meanwhile Deke Slayton deals with some “troubling news” that will come as a much bigger surprise to those who don’t know their NASA history than those who do.
Maron (IFC, 10 p.m.): In real-life Marc Maron just got the chance to sit down and chat with President Obama. On his IFC show, however, Marc is guest lecturing at a college where “sparks fly” between him and a 22-year-old TA. In other words, art doesn’t always imitate life.
Back To The Future Marathon (AMC, 5 p.m.): Celebrate the news that there will never be a Back To The Future IV (according to Robert Zemeckis) by revisiting the original trilogy. The first film airs at 5 p.m., followed by Back To The Future II at 7:30 p.m., and Back To The Future III at 10 p.m.
Avatar (FX, 8 p.m.): Or celebrate the fact that there’s no end in sight to Avatar sequels (the second, third, and fourth films will hit theaters Christmas 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively) by revisiting the film that started it all.
Swimming and Diving: NCAA championship (ESPNU, 6:30 p.m.): If there’s one thing your What’s On Tonight correspondent knows about diving (and yes there’s only one thing), it’s that divers who make a small splash in the pool end up making a big splash with the judges. Put that knowledge to good use with men’s swimming and driving at 6:30 and women’s at 8:30.
In case you missed it
Deutschland 83: Brandon Nowalk weighs in on the third episode of this German spy series and, more importantly, on the show’s latest on-the-nose song choices including “Hungry Life The Wolf,” “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” and “Just The Two Of Us.”