Our weekly coverage of Nashville is going away, but the dream of Nashville and Fake Tim Tebow will never die
Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Wednesday, October 16. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Nashville (ABC, 10 p.m.): We’re sorry, Nashville. We gave you a shot. We tried to get on your wavelength. We hoped our readers would spark to you. But it never happened, and now we’re yanking coverage of you mercilessly, even though we still find ourselves whistling various songs from your soundtrack from time to time. But worry not, Nashville. Gwen Ihnat will be checking in a few more times this season to see if you ever turn that corner and become essential. (If Scandal is any indication, you will do this the week after we stop regular coverage.) She just won’t be doing so every week.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Arrow (The CW, 8 p.m.): Alasdair Wilkins really, really liked last week’s season premiere. Does this mean this show has turned the corner to become truly essential? We don’t know, but we were encouraged by the hero shot the show gave to the salmon ladder in the premiere. That’s some good fan service.
Revolution (NBC, 8 p.m.): Everybody’s fighting against the Patriots, and we were totally on board with that until we found out they weren’t fighting the New England Patriots. Les Chappell would have been absolutely fine with Billy Burke sword-fighting with a heavily bearded Tom Brady, but it was not to be.
Survivor (CBS, 8 p.m.): The title of tonight’s episode is “The Dead Can Still Talk,” and Carrie Raisler hopes this is the show’s homage to the classic Buffy episode “Conversations With Dead People,” featuring all of the castaways communing with a dead family member thanks to the powers of medium Jeff Probst.
Modern Family (ABC, 9 p.m.): Jay’s gotten a reservation at a hip restaurant, but he’s in danger of missing it when Gloria takes too long getting ready. Joe Reid suggests the following additional plotlines for the show: Maybe it could do something about women being bad drivers? Or men being smelly?
American Horror Story (FX, 10 p.m.): When FX sent out the screener for the second episode, it said the title was “Boy Parts,” but then in other places, it’s listed as “Body Parts.” All Todd VanDerWerff wants to know is if the show is now one about a magical, talking penis. He’s fine if it is! He just wants to know.
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FXX, 10 p.m.): When the flu breaks out in Philadelphia, the gang quarantines itself. Dennis Perkins hopes this all ends up with the door to the bar slamming shut and Charlie revealing a map of the city drawn on it that can be seen only under black light. Fingers crossed!
South Park (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.): It’s often a good time when South Park drops in on the Goth kids to see what’s up, and here’s another episode where the show does just that. It sounds like one of them goes to camp and comes back changed. Ryan McGee hopes the kid becomes a monstrous vermin.
Top Chef (Bravo, 10 p.m.): The chefs take a look at a list of worst food trends, then reinvent the items on that list. Which is sort of odd because Top Chef seems like a crucial proponent of bad food trends. Sonia Saraiya will watch this episode while making herself a nice pile of macaroon-topped cupcakes.
Key And Peele (Comedy Central, 10:30 p.m.): One of the sketches this week involves a man getting too high. Like when Tom Cruise climbed the side of that building in Mission Impossible 4? Is that what we’re talking about? Brandon Nowalk can’t believe the depths we’ve sunk to in these blurbs. We’re sorry!
The League (FXX, 10:30 p.m.): Jenny joins a women’s investment club, and we’re gonna recommend that she just hang onto her money for a little while. Maybe put it all inside of her mattress? Just make sure that it’s going to be there for when Thursday comes. Pilot Viruet keeps all her money in her shoe.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Freaks And Geeks (1 p.m.): The next-to-last episode convinced Judd Apatow that Seth Rogen might be a major film star, so if you’re not into his career right now, you should probably curse this episode’s very existence. But Todd VanDerWerff likes Seth, so he’ll probably just watch and chuckle in the right places.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
The O’Reilly Factor/The Rachel Maddow Show/The Cast Of Frasier: Where Are They Now? (Fox News/MSNBC/TV Guide Network, 8/9/8 p.m.): Prepare for the potential of a U.S. debt default with the partisan lean of your choice!
Schooled: The Price Of College Sports (Epix, 8 p.m.): Once you guys are done arguing about the debt crisis/complaining about the House Republicans’ general incompetence/whatever, please feel free to argue about whether college athletes should be paid. Thanks! (Most. Read. What’s On Tonight. Ever!)
Toy Story OF TERROR! (ABC, 8 p.m.): Todd VanDerWerff found this new special from Pixar moderately charming, though he found Woody’s voice slightly off, as if Tom Hanks didn’t want to do the special, only to realize that it really was Hanks in the closing credits. Really makes you think.
Burton And Taylor (BBC America, 9 p.m.): The relationship between Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor plays out as they star in a Broadway revival of Private Lives. Sonia Saraiya lets you know if you should watch. All we can say is that Helena Bonham-Carter looks surprisingly Elizabeth Taylor-like in promos.
articles/the-house-bunny,2802/The House Bunny (MTV, 8 p.m.): If you’re loving Anna Faris on Mom—and let’s be honest with ourselves here: Who isn’t?—then this is your viewing destination for the evening. It also stars Emma Stone before she got famous, Katharine McPhee before she was on Smash, and Rumer Willis before she vanished.
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (Showtime 2, 8 p.m.): Logan Lerman falls in with some new friends as he goes to high school, in a 2012 movie that most people seemed to really, really enjoy. Emma Watson also stars, continuing her commitment to artistically adventurous choices post-Harry Potter franchise.
MLB Playoffs: ALCS Game 4: Red Sox at Tigers (Fox, 7:30 p.m.): Attempts at cheering for the teams we actually like have, thusfar, failed miserably, so consider this some reverse psychology. Go, Red Sox! We hope you destroy the Tigers! And we hope the Cardinals wipe Los Angeles from the face of the Earth!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The Mindy Project (Tuesday): Katherine Miller moves on to other employment pastures, but we’ll bid her a fond farewell by making her final review for the site the “In Case You Missed It” section of What’s On Tonight, where everyone is sure to see it and click to read her wise words. We’ll miss you, Katherine!