Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Sunday, March 17. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Girls (HBO, 9 p.m.): Better get your final thinkpieces in and your last angry tweets queued up, because you’re running out of Girls season two to get all worked up about. And that’s fitting, because Hannah’s also running out of time to write that damned book. If she needs help, Todd VanDerWerff can ghostwrite it for her—he’s going to need a place to put all the thoughts pouring out of his head once Girls goes back on hiatus.
REGULAR COVERAGE
The Simpsons (Fox, 8 p.m.): Did you know that Mr. Burns has always wanted to be a superhero? Neither did Robert David Sullivan until he read that last sentence, and now he’s combing through 22 seasons of back episodes to determine if Burns’ superpowered ambitions have received a mention before tonight.
Once Upon A Time (ABC, 8 p.m.): Following last week’s consequence-laden episode, Regina vows to finish Mary Margaret off, once and for all. Oliver Sava suggests she avoid poisoned fruits—that’s so 19th century.
Revenge (ABC, 9 p.m.): In the least-foreboding of ostensibly foreboding developments, Victoria and Conrad start a charity. Carrie Raisler doesn’t think you should donate to the cause, because might end up paying… with your life!
The Walking Dead (AMC, 9 p.m.): Zack Handlen’s already-filed review opens with an exclamation of “Huzzah for focus!,” so this episode must devote most of its time to either the prison folks or the Woodbury camp. Either that or Zack’s celebrating the end of shaky camerawork that only he’d noticed before.
The Good Wife (CBS, 9 p.m.): Alicia and Will must use some creative thinking when a legal monkeywrench in the case of the week restricts them to three questions per witness. In turn, David Sims will attempt to sum up the entire episode in the space of three sentences.
Family Guy (Fox, 9 p.m): Having already dipped his toes into Judaism, Peter gives Islam a try. You think that’s bad, remember the time Kevin McFarland got a salmon helmet from Mohammed while wearing a toga?
Shameless (Showtime, 9 p.m.): With a title like “Frank The Plumber,” we can only assume that this week’s episode finds everyone’s favorite drunken louse becoming a nauseatingly influential political folk hero, à la Joe The Plumber. Joshua Alston reminds you that Frank is not a plumber, just as Joe The Plumber’s actual first name isn’t Joe.
Bob’s Burgers (Fox, 9:30 p.m.): Have your GIF-making software at the ready for when Jimmy Jr. and Tina’s new beau, a ballet dancer, shimmy and shake for Tina’s affections. “These are the stuffs Internets are made of,” remarks Rowan Kaiser.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Farscape (11 a.m.): In the second half of this week’s double feature, Crichton discovers that he can peer through the mists of time and into the future. While he’s there, can he check to see whether or not Alasdair Wilkins ever finds his car keys?
The Simpsons (Classic) (3 p.m.): Homer goes to outer space. Homer? Goes into outer space? Sure—you’ve never been? Nathan Rabin has, though he had to share a capsule with that pesky Buzz Aldrin.
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
Bluegrass Kingdom: The Gospel Of Kentucky Basketball (TruTV, 8 p.m.): TruTV catches March Madness, on the night ESPN is airing a college-hoops-themed 30 For 30. Something’s fishy here—perhaps there should be an investigation into how this happened, and then TruTV can make another documentary out of it!
30 For 30 (ESPN, 9 p.m.): Then again, TruTV is airing a look at one of the most storied franchises in NCAA basketball, while Jonathan Hock’s second 30 For 30 looks at one of the sport’s great underdog stories: the 1983 national-champion North Carolina State Wolfpack. Dennis Perkins will be there to cut down the net.
Playing With Fire (E!, 10 p.m.): A behind-the-scenes look at the New York culinary scene starring, among others, heiress to the Chef Boyardee fortune Anna Boiardi. Hot tip: The next foodie trend is canned spaghetti.
Wicked Single (VH1, 11 p.m.): VH1 uses St. Patrick’s Day as an excuse to launch the latest quest for the new Jersey Shore, with this unscripted chronicle of hahd pahtyin’ Boston 20-sahmthings looking for love and place to pahk tha cah—prefahbly the Hahvahd Yahd.
Leprechaun (Syfy, 7 p.m.): Once you’ve chased the last snake and/or St. Patty’s Day drunk out of your house, Syfy throws a little (har har) post-party with Jennifer Aniston, Warwick Davis, and some godawful early ’90s fashions.
The Tree Of Life (HBO Signature, 9 p.m.): Forget greasy food and Alka Seltzer: The best way to slough off all of today’s day drinking is the magic-hour cinematography and prehistoric interludes of this Terrence Malick masterwork.
Big Ten Basketball Championship (CBS, 3:30 p.m.): We’re writing this in the middle of the tournament, but given the way the Big Ten dominated regular-season play, this game is bound to be just as entertaining as any of the do-or-die matchups of the big tourney that begins on Tuesday.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Gravity Falls (Friday): Disney’s scheduling for this show is currently so erratic, it automatically earns this spot whenever it actually airs these days—because chances are you did miss it. If it weren’t for an elaborate system of alarms and notifications, Alasdair Wilkins might miss it, too.