Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, April 18, and Saturday, April 19. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Orphan Black (BBC America, 9 p.m., Saturday): It’s Easter Weekend, which makes it the perfect time to consider the greatest proof that God loves nerds and wants us to be happy: the acting skills of one Tatiana Maslany. Yes, it’s time for the return of Orphan Black, which means more twists, more craziness, and more clones. Todd VanDerWerff already offered up his pre-season thoughts—and interviewed showrunner Graeme Manson—but Caroline Framke will be returning to show you through season two week by clone-filled week.
ALSO NOTED
Hannibal (NBC, 10 p.m., Friday): With most of the other shows we cover on Fridays gone for the week, it falls upon the good Dr. Hannibal Lecter to celebrate Good Friday. Admit it: You’d buy a limited-edition print of the cast of Hannibal posed as Da Vinci’s Last Supper, right? Molly Eichel sure would!
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Doctor Who (Classic) (3 p.m., Saturday): Christopher Bahn has some other stuff going on, so he’s going to be taking the next few sessions of classic Who off, returning at the end of May. But he’ll have one last check-in until then this weekend, so be prepared for that.
ELSEWHERE IN TV CLUB
The second we found out there would be a Salem witch trials show that posited that the Salem witch trials were on the path of actual witches, we know that Zack Handlen would be just the man to write the TV Review of it. So go take a look at his thoughts on Salem right now. (Spoiler: He didn’t like it much.)
Also, we have a new TV-related Memory Wipe, as Erik Adams digs into a box he has labeled “Nicktoons Past” to check out the run of Rocko’s Modern Life, which is still our favorite show to ever feature a wallaby among the main cast members.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
A Walton Easter (Hallmark, 7 p.m., Friday): As the United States becomes less dominated by Christianity as the de facto religion of everybody, TV celebrates Easter less and less. But if you’re in the mood for some Easter-themed programming, The Waltons has your back.
Kitchen Nightmares (Fox, 8 p.m., Friday): Or why not spend two hours with Gordon Ramsay? What with the way this show purports to resurrect the ailing fortunes of various eateries, it’s kind of thematically appropriate. If you squint. Plus, Gordon Ramsay yells almost as much as Jesus. Think about it.
Peter Pan From The Milwaukee Ballet (PBS, 9 p.m. Friday): Does Milwaukee have a good ballet? We lived there for about 10 months and never went. But we miss that city almost every day. In terms of underrated American metropolises, it’s definitely up there. Check it out if you have the time.
Boss Hog (Discovery, 10 p.m., Friday): Sadly, this is not a reality show about the trials and tribulations of the wealthiest man in Hazzard County, because Discovery won’t return our calls about how that would be a ratings gold mine.
The Jesus Mysteries (National Geographic Channel, 7 p.m., Saturday): What NatGeo isn’t telling you is that this is just a reboot of The Cosby Mysteries, starring everybody’s favorite fading celebrity, Jesus!
Sex Sent Me To The ER (TLC, 9 p.m., Saturday): If this is just a bunch of problematic pregnancies, we’re going to say this is some seriously false advertising. Also, Happy Easter, America, from your good friends at The Learning Channel.
Knocked Up (TBS, 8 p.m., Friday): Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl became movie stars based on this very funny Judd Apatow film. And look how well that’s worked out for everybody!
The Master (TMC, 8 p.m., Friday): This seems like a pretty great time to be watching a film about the crippling, addictive powers of faith used toward sinister ends and whether that can ever be enough to defeat mental illness. Just saying.
The Ten Commandments (ABC, 7 p.m., Saturday): Easter weekend? Must be time for ABC to haul out Cecil B. DeMille’s epic again. Sadly, this doesn’t feature nearly enough scenes of Charlton Heston descending from mountains while proclaiming “TEN COMMAAAAAAAAANNNNDMEEEENTS!”
Stanley Cup Playoff: Game 1: Red Wings at Bruins (NBC Sports, 7:30 p.m., Friday): This might be the only thing Erik Adams cares about this weekend. If the Red Wings lose this series, we may have to find a new Associate Editor. And you wouldn’t want that, would you, Boston Bruins? No.
NBA Playoff: Game 1: Hawks at Pacers (ESPN, 7 p.m., Saturday): Does it seem likely that eighth seed Atlanta can beat top seed Indiana? Not really, but that doesn’t mean those adorable Hawks won’t try! Also: It’s already time for this? Seriously?
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Friday Night Lights (Thursday): Sonia Saraiya is taking us through the first season of this show, two episodes at a time. You may have missed this in the general hubbub, but we’re pleased it’s happening, so we’ll direct you to her reviews now, so all you TV Club Classic enthusiasts can read them.