Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Sunday, Dec. 18. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Homeland (Showtime, 10 p.m.): So we haven’t actually seen this finale (because Showtime loves others more than us), but after how good this season has been and after everyone we know who has seen it has said very complimentary things, we’re pretty certain this could be one of the TV events of the year, especially if you’ve been following along from the first. If you haven’t, Todd VanDerWerff wouldn’t exactly recommend diving in, but, hey, it’s always fun to be a little bewildered, right?
REGULAR COVERAGE
Survivor (CBS, 8 p.m.): It’s finale night. It’s also Sunday, so that might make it somewhat more appropriate that everybody this season wants to give Carrie Raisler headaches from how often they talk about God’s “plan” for them to win Survivor.
Dexter (Showtime, 9 p.m.): Oh, hey, another finale! Dexter has added so many crazy things to its bad idea gumbo this season that you have to sort of perversely admire it. Well, not if you’re Joshua Alston who has to write about the thing weekly.
Leverage (TNT, 9 p.m.): The guys get caught in a dangerous drug deal, because it’s not as if they don’t already have enough on their plates. On the other hand, they’ll probably get out of it through smirking and fighting. It’s the Phil Nugent way!
Hell On Wheels (AMC, 10 p.m.): AMC’s decision to remove this from the warm bosom of The Walking Dead has resulted in plummeting ratings. It strikes us as a really weird decision, but none of us—especially not Phil Nugent—really care.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Doctor Who (Classic) (11 a.m.): Christopher Bahn and the Doctor take on some fish-faced aliens, intent on invading Earth, and show how the show’s seventh series was intent on providing stories with more moral complexity for the hero.
The Critic (3 p.m.): Nathan Rabin admires the show’s penchant for pop culture references that draw from all corners of the cultural landscape, in the episode that gave us the quote, “If you stop going to bad movies, they’ll stop making bad movies.”
TV CLUB ADVENT CALENDAR
The Simpsons, “Tis The Fifteenth Season” (Friday): When we teased that Friday’s Advent entry would be from one of “TV’s biggest hits,” many of you guessed The Simpsons. Few of you guessed this episode, for which Kyle Ryan is very proud.
Ziggy’s Gift (Saturday): You wouldn’t think the little pantsless guy with a big nose could provide such an endearing holiday special. Keith Phipps points out that when Richard Williams and Harry Nilsson are involved, it shouldn’t be such a surprise.
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
Cupcake Wars (Food, 8 p.m.): Cupcake Wars takes time to celebrate an event that we all try to commemorate around this time of year: the 100th episode of TNT’s cop drama The Closer. Gather the family to sing Kyra Sedgwick carols, everybody!
My Big Fat Gypsy Christmas/Geek Love (TLC, 8 p.m.): TLC’s got a night of odd TV, with the Christmas spinoff of its fun My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding series and the debut of a show about a nerd-aimed dating service. Brandon Nowalk reviews the latter.
Allen Gregory (Fox, 8:30 p.m.): Those of you who’ve been sticking with this one: Convince us that it’s worth catching up with the whole series this afternoon, then reviewing the season finale this evening. DO IT IN 150 WORDS OR LESS. Thanks.
I Do Over (WeTV, 10 p.m.): A bride and groom get a second chance at their wedding after the groom collapsed with a heart condition during the first one. Fingers crossed for no debilitating health conditions, everybody!
All Good Things (TMC, 8 p.m.): A handful of film critics we respect really liked this Ryan Gosling vehicle about a man suspected of killing his wife. We, however, haven’t seen it, so you’ll have to take Roger Ebert’s word for it, we guess.
The Man Who Came To Dinner (TCM, 10 p.m.): An enjoyable and amusing play adaptation that’s mostly worth seeing if only so you understand why every TV show does an episode called “The [insert character here] Who Came To Dinner.”
Sunday Night Football: Ravens at Chargers (NBC, 8:15 p.m.): The Ravens are pretty darn good this year. The Chargers always seem to be not all that good, before pulling it together out of nowhere. So this could be a good one. Or not! Who knows?
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Jerry Lewis: Method To The Madness (Saturday): Steve Heisler checked out this new documentary about the life and times of comedian Jerry Lewis, complete with talking heads castigating you if you don’t think the man’s a comedic legend.