Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Thursday, November 19. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
Scandal (ABC, 9 p.m.): With the holiday season just around the corner, lots of shows are settling in for a well-deserved winter break. But first they have to pull out all the stops in their midseason finales. Tonight Olivia grows frustrated as she’s asked to take on First Lady duties at the White House. Elsewhere Mellie makes a power play, oh and Huck might murder Papa Pope. At least that’s what the show’s melodramatic promos seem to imply, which means that’s almost certainly not what’s going to happen. Still, Gwen Ihnat is all ready to scream the Scandal-approved line, “What the Huck?!?” if it does.
Also noted
The Art Of More (Crackle, 3 a.m.): In her pre-air review, Gwen Ihnat calls this new drama about New York auction houses “a fascinating look into a glamorous world.” Now all 10 episodes debut on Crackle in the wee hours of the morning. Dennis Quaid, Kate Bosworth, and Cary Elwes hope you stay up late (or get up early) to binge-watch them.
Heroes Reborn (NBC, 8 p.m.): Heroes Reborn is another show heading off for a little respite during the holiday season. That break can’t come soon enough for our intrepid reviewer Kate Kulzick, who’s found little to like in this rebooted fifth season. Maybe a high-stakes fall finale that brings together Luke and Noah is just what Heroes needs to get it back on track.
Sleepy Hollow (Fox, 9 p.m.): Hopefully the Sleepy Hollow fall finale will continue the successful streak of season three, which has course corrected some of the show’s biggest mistakes from last year. Tonight “the Witnesses deal with the implications of the Shard” while Zack Handlen deals with the implication of those implications.
How To Get Away With Murder (ABC, 10 p.m.): And finally the How To Get Away With Murder fall finale reveals #WhoShotAnnalise. Last week, Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya noted that even a steamy sex montage couldn’t “correct the overflowing mess How To Get Away With Murder has found itself in in the weeks leading up to the midseason finale.” Of course that could just be because she’s trying to throw us off her tracks. #DidKaylaShootAnnalise?
Regular Coverage
Adventure Time (Cartoon Network, 8 p.m.)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8 p.m.)
The Vampire Diaries (The CW, 8 p.m.)
Life In Pieces (CBS, 8:30 p.m.)
Elementary (CBS, 10 p.m.)
Nathan For You (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.)
Comedy Bang! Bang! (IFC, 11 p.m.)
Elsewhere in TV Club
At 10 a.m. we have a brand new Random Roles with The Man In The High Castle’s Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. He talks about his rollercoaster of a friendship with Peter O’Toole, what it’s like to star in video-game inspired action movies, and his undying love for Johnny Tsunami.
Also be sure to check out our continuing Star Wars Week coverage like this Run The Series on the franchise or the latest Star Wars War that pits a speeder bike vs. the Death Star.
What else is on?
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 8 p.m.): Grey’s Anatomy rounds out the evening of Shonda Rhimes fall finales with an episode centered on a group of firefighters who were injured while battling a wildfire. It’s called “Things We Lost In The Fire” because Grey’s Anatomy is nothing if not literal.
The Blacklist (NBC, 9 p.m.): Red falls into a “perilous situation” in The Blacklist fall finale. We don’t want to spoil anything, but we’re pretty sure James Spader will live to draw huge ratings another day.
Lip Sync Battle (Spike TV, 10 p.m.): Lip Sync Battle’s holiday special doubles as a commercial for the upcoming holiday comedy The Night Before. Thankfully the triple-charm offensive of Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Anthony Mackie can more than make up for the promotional angle.
The Player (NBC, 10 p.m.): The Player makes one last play in the finale of its abridged first season. While the show hasn’t officially been cancelled, it’s almost certainly game over for this player. (Bazinga!)
The Mark Of Zorro (TCM, 10 p.m.): Swashbuckling superstar Douglas Fairbanks stars as Señor Zorro in this 1920 silent film.
The Karate Kid (AMC, 8 p.m.): A feel good 1980s classic that remains probably the most high-profile film to explore the history of Japanese internment. Considering how little the film engages with the topic, that’s a bittersweet accomplishment.
Hallmark Christmas Corner
Each week leading up to Christmas we’ll highlight one of Hallmark’s dumbest sounding made-for-TV holiday movies. This week:
Christmas Incorporated (Hallmark, 8 p.m.): “A woman gets a job as a wealthy man’s personal assistant through a case of mistaken identity, and she attempts to get her new boss not to shut down one of his factories right before Christmas.” Capitalism has never sounded so jolly!
NBA Basketball: Bucks at Cavaliers (TNT, 8 p.m.): Trainwreck star LeBron James tries out a career as a professional basketball player. Good luck with that one…
In case you missed it
Modern Family: Phil cooks Thanksgiving dinner this year while Jay and Gloria decide to throw a post-Turkey Day brunch. Kyle Fowle slipped into his Thanksgiving pants to file his review.