Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Wednesday, April 17. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Southland (TNT, 10 p.m.): If you haven’t been watching TV’s best traditional cop show—and one of the few shows carrying the torch of Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue—well, we feel too bad for you. If you’ve been avoiding this show because you don’t like the genre (or think you don’t like the genre, thanks to the preponderance of CBS procedural clones out there), we look forward to the day when you’ve run out of options on your streaming site of choice and finally turn to this and realize how good it gets after a somewhat slow start. Kevin McFarland hopes tonight’s season finale isn’t a series finale. But it very well might be.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Suburgatory (ABC, 8 p.m.): Yeah, season two has had its ups and downs, but we think it’s closed in fine form, and isn’t it just like ABC to strand the one-hour finale on a night when it will have to fend for itself? Brandon Nowalk hopes it will be able to fight off the bear attacks Modern Family usually handles.
Survivor (CBS, 8 p.m.): After last week’s highly entertaining Tribal Council—which our own Carrie Raisler called “bananas”—it’s hard to see the show getting much crazier, yet TV Guide’s plot summary sure makes it sound like we’re in for twists aplenty. We hope Jeff Probst can handle all the excitement.
The Americans (FX, 10 p.m.): “Elizabeth requires Philip’s help to complete a deadly mission,” the TV Guide summary says. Genevieve Koski doesn’t require Todd VanDerWerff’s help to write this review, but she supposes she’ll let him tag along, because he’s so annoying when you don’t take pity on him.
Psych (USA, 10 p.m.): Psych offers what sounds like an alternate universe episode, as the guys revisit a case that went poorly and imagine how they’d redo things if they had another chance. That sounds pretty low stakes to us, but Kevin McFarland reminds us that this show is rarely in it for the stakes.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
TV Roundtable (1 a.m.): Did you know that Scrubs did a musical? And did you know that it featured songs by the guys who did Avenue Q? To be honest, you probably did, because you’re a smart and savvy fellow, but our panelists were just happy to view a musical episode that wasn’t from 7th Heaven.
Slings & Arrows (1 p.m.): Season three begins with our New Burbage friends at their moment of greatest triumph—which means that it’s all about to be taken away, in the finest tradition of this show. Geoffrey puts on King Lear, and Todd VanDerWerff will divide his kingdom up for all of you commenters.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
Nature (PBS, 8 p.m.): This episode is called “The Mystery Of Eels,” which makes us wonder just what the eels have to hide. The original Mona Lisa? The identity of the Lindbergh baby’s kidnapper? Some other nefarious secret that would upend history? Or just that they’re kinda creepy looking and weird?
Monsters And Mysteries In America (Discovery, 9 p.m.): Discovery heads into the Ozarks to chase the Fouke monster and spooklights. What it has neglected to tell the audience is that the most mysterious animal of them all—by far—is the eel.
Guts With Michael Mosley (PBS, 10 p.m.): Sadly, this is not a tribute to the renowned Nickelodeon game show, hosted by Mike O’Malley, but, rather, a tribute to the digestive system. Hasn’t the digestive system been praised enough in recent years? We want PBS to turn into Buzzfeed, replete with nostalgia!
Off Pitch (VH1, 10 p.m.): VH1 decided that now, of all times, was the time to start airing a reality show version of Glee, because the show that inspired this one is riding so high in the ratings right now. Anyway, if you can’t get enough of high school choirs, well, here’s a show that wants you to watch it.
It’s Pat (Flix, 8 p.m.): We’re still a bit amazed that Lorne Michaels saw fit to turn this Saturday Night Live character into a film, but we’ve also never seen it. Maybe it’s the greatest film since Citizen Kane and we’re just confused. Which would fit with this film, which is all about the terrifying uncertainty of life.
Salt (FX, 8 p.m.): While this is by no means a great movie, it has some fun action sequences, and it also features a commanding performance from Angelina Jolie, who can be the action star of our hearts any time she wants to, baby. And maybe all the spy action will get you in the mood for The Americans!
NBA Basketball: Jazz at Grizzlies (ESPN, 8 p.m.): When last we pretended to care about professional basketball—which was last weekend—it looked like the Jazz were going to just miss out on the playoffs to the Lakers. We honestly don’t know if that’s still the case, and we can’t be bothered to look it up!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The Central Park Five (Tuesday): On a night when most of the broadcast networks were given over to reality shows or reruns, we hope you took this chance to check out the harrowing latest from Ken Burns as it made its PBS debut. Noel Murray saw it last year and offered up a review of it back then.