Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Monday, September 3. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Switched At Birth (ABC Family, 8 p.m.): The incredibly enjoyable family drama continues its apparently endless first season with the return of Bay from her trip abroad. She’s back with a new boyfriend, and if you’ve ever watched this show, you’ll be unsurprised to realize that things go just fine, and nobody has any problems with it whatsoever. In case you couldn’t tell, we were being sarcastic. Carrie Raisler likes that the title of the episode is “This Is The Color Of My Dreams,” because the color of her dreams is burnt sienna.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Adventure Time (Cartoon Network, 7:30 p.m.): Finn and Jake challenge a monster to a fight, but they end up fighting each other instead. Doesn’t that just sound like them? This is almost like that time Oliver Sava challenged Bigfoot to a fight and ended up fighting his sibling and/or cousin instead, are we right?
The L.A. Complex (The CW, 8 p.m.): Raquel reaches a breaking point, and we’re hoping that it involves lots and lots of Jewel Staite shattering plates against walls, because that’s something we could imagine turning into a post full of animated .GIFs on Buzzfeed. Phil Dyess-Nugent would make those .GIFs.
Grimm (NBC, 10 p.m.): A highly contagious Wesen disease has gotten free, and the gang on Grimm has to deal with the consequences. Meanwhile, Capt. Renard learns a dangerous international fugitive has come to town. Kevin McFarland hopes it’s Carmen SanDiego, so all of his fan fiction dreams come true.
The Inbetweeners (MTV, 10:30 p.m.): The guys decide to spend the day drinking, because they’re in high school, so what else are they going to do? Naturally, they decide to try to get drunk at a bowling alley. Margaret Eby hopes the bowling alley syndicate doesn’t react angrily to its depiction here.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (PBS, 11 a.m.): The son of the original Daniel Tiger from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood is having his own adventures now, in what’s the most robust and full-featured attempt to reboot the mythology of the “Rogers-verse” to date. Find out what happened to King Friday today.
Regular Show (Cartoon Network, 8 p.m.): You seemed pleased with our choice to drop in on this show, so Alasdair Wilkins thinks he’s got at least one more post’s worth of content in him about this show. This week, we hope he focuses on the raccoon-looking thingy. (We still haven’t watched this show just yet.)
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (Travel Channel, 9 p.m.): The world-famous chef begins the ninth (and final!) season of his essential travelogue series by heading to Austin, Texas, where we hope that his guest of honor is former Austin resident Sean O’Neal. Erik Adams would do in a pinch, as well.
Coma (A&E, 9 p.m.): Somebody somewhere decided it was time for a new adaptation of Robin Cook’s novel of the same name, then A&E kept screeners out of the hands of critics until the last minute. Fortunately, our own Sonia Saraiya has watched and is unafraid to tell you exactly what she thinks.
The Palm Beach Story (TCM, 8 p.m.): A husband chases after the wife who’s convinced it’s time for a divorce in this terrific Preston Sturges farce that’s one of the funniest movies ever made. Joel McCrea and Claudette Colbert are great as the leads, and Sturges’ script is full of the usual witty banter.
Thunderbolt And Lightfoot (AMC, 8 p.m.): Michael Cimino—he of The Deer Hunter and Heaven’s Gate—got his start with this Clint Eastwood vehicle, in which an older bank robber is forced to work with a young drifter (played by Jeff Bridges). Somehow, the two never once lecture an empty chair at length.
College Football: Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech (ESPN, 8 p.m.): Virginia Tech defeated Georgia Tech last year, but, then, Georgia Tech has been having a rough time of it lately. We suggest the Yellowjackets consider getting The Simpsons’ Bee Guy to be their mascot if they want to improve their performance.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Rev. (Sunday): If you didn’t watch this Hulu import, you missed one of the best shows of the summer. Todd VanDerWerff dissects the series’ Christmas special finale (for now) to let you know why he found the show so delightful. All episodes are now available, so maybe think about watching. For us? Please?