Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Thursday, October 1. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
Sleepy Hollow (Fox, 9 p.m.): It’s been a strange, winding road for Sleep Hollow so far. The show was heavily mocked when it was initially announced as part of the Fox lineup, but it quickly won over a cult following with its zany energy and charismatic leads. Unfortunately, as the show’s second season began to focus on new characters (including a white female love interest) over its original ones (including a black female lead), its quality took a dip, and the relationship between the show, its fans, and the cast got tense. Orlando Jones left the series entirely while Nicole Beharie dropped hints on social media that she’s been slighted by the production team. All of which is only to say that Sleepy Hollow’s third season returns to a rather fraught landscape. So we put Zack Handlen back on the case to see if Sleepy Hollow will course correct or capsize this year. And, of course, to weigh in on Ichabod’s brand new haircut.
Also noted
Benders/Gigi Does It (IFC, 10/10:30 p.m.): IFC launches two new comedies tonight. Benders is a hockey-themed sitcom about a bunch of brash male friends who get into mishaps with their rec hockey league. Meanwhile Gigi Does It is a far weirder series in which David Krumholtz (who is neither Jake Johnson nor Oscar Isaac) plays a 76-year-old grandmother named Gigi who unexpectedly finds herself a millionaire. In her pre-air review, Molly Eichel weighed in on both shows, which she found somewhat weak on their own and “disjointed” as a pair.
Review (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.): The season finale of Review centers on conspiracy theories. As Forrest sets about researching odd conjectures, he accidentally reveals a “disturbing discovery” that puts his life in danger. Considering how much he’s suffered this season, Emily L. Stephens isn’t sure Forrest can fall any further—but she’d love to watch him try.
Married (FX, 10 p.m.): Married also wraps up its second season tonight by airing not one but two new episodes. First up Russ and Lina run into one of Russ’ old girlfriends at a gymnastics meet. Then in the finale, Lina and A.J. put together a kid’s play about the dangers of addiction while Russ gets too close to his assistant. Be careful Russ, you’re making Dennis Perkins nervous.
Regular Coverage
Steven Universe (Cartoon Network, 5:30 p.m.)
Heroes Reborn (NBC, 8 p.m.)
Scandal (ABC, 9 p.m.)
How To Get Away With Murder (ABC, 10 p.m.)
Elsewhere in TV Club
We’ve got Molly Eichel’s aforementioned pre-air review of both Benders and Gigi Does It. Elsewhere, comedian Michelle Buteau walks us through her hatred for The Fine Young Cannibals’ “She Drives Me Crazy” in a brand new Hate Song. She explains:
I like songs about nothing; those are my favorite songs. I like movies about nothing, I don’t want to think. I want brain candy. I love Rick Astley, I love Debbie Gibson, I love Tiffany. She had one hit in a mall with like really high-waisted jeans and I listened to that song for like two years. But this guy? I can’t. And Fine Young Cannibals? That’s their name? That’s a dumb fucking name.
Then later in the day, comedian Matt Braunger plays Pick A Choice; William Devane talks about The Grinder, 24, Alfred Hitchcock and more in a brand new Random Roles; and You’re The Worst’s Desmin Borges shares his zombie apocalypse survival plan in a new TV Club Questionnaire.
What else is on?
Bones (Fox, 8 p.m.): Bones returns with the first episode of its 11th season tonight. It’s been six months since Booth and Brennan left their careers behind, but a special case pulls them back into the world of forensic analysis. Which is all well and good until Booth goes missing and the FBI has to find him.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 8 p.m.): Meanwhile Grey’s Anatomy one-ups Bones twice over by airing the second episode of its 12th season tonight. It’s Bailey’s first day as chief of surgery, which should be fun and not at all stressful.
The Blacklist (NBC, 9 p.m.): In the third season premiere, Red and Liz try to flee the city while the FBI hunts her down for the murder of an attorney general. Sounds like the Blacklist FBI should team up with the Bones FBI for a joint Liz/Booth search.
Dominion (SyFy, 10 p.m.): As fall TV floods the airwaves, SyFy quietly wraps up the second season of its angel-filled dystopian sci-fi show. In the season finale the 8-Ball Army breaches the walls of Vega. Since your What’s on Tonight Correspondent hasn’t been keeping up with Dominion, she has to assume that means Magic 8 Balls have become sentient and are about to lead an attack.
The Sunshine Boys (TCM, 6 p.m.): Neil Simon does what Neil Simon does best: Inject a lot of heart into classic vaudevillian jokes. Here two aging comedians (George Burns and Walter Matthau) are asked to reunite their double act, “The Sunshine Boys,” for a TV special. The only trouble is they haven’t spoken to each other since they had a major falling out 11 years ago. At 80 years old, Burns’ performance in this 1975 dramedy earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar and relaunched his career.
Cujo (AMC, 10:30 p.m.): Since the first day of October kicks off the unofficial countdown to Halloween, it’s only appropriate that we recommend this spooky Stephen King movie to start the season off right.
MLB Baseball: Reds Sox at Yankees (ESPN2, 7 p.m.): The only baseball rivalry that pits Jay-Z against Ben Affleck. Which, come to think of it, should definitely be the follow-up to Batman V. Superman.
In case you missed it
Empire: Check out Joshua Alston’s thoughts on last tonight’s guest turns from Ludacris and Kelly Rowland.