The series finale of The Increasingly Poor Decisions Of Todd Margaret leaves us no room for a headline
Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, February 10, and Saturday, February 11. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
The Increasingly Poor Decisions Of Todd Margaret (IFC, 10:30 p.m., Friday): And so it comes to this. Todd’s on trial, and all of the witnesses he calls manage to do more harm than good. There’s pretty much nothing our stalwart hero can do except pray that since this episode is the series finale, everything will turn out all right in the end. Then again, this being this show, we’re betting that everything goes spectacularly wrong. We wouldn’t be surprised if this is only the second show—after Sledge Hammer—to end a season with the protagonist in a nuclear explosion. Of course, that show came back and had to un-nuke Sledge. We don’t imagine anything similar will pertain to Todd or Kevin McFarland.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Late-night Round-up (NBC, 7 p.m., Friday): Steve Heisler’s watched a week of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, that he might bring you the long promised article about the show. He even watched Fallon’s post-Super Bowl episode, and we’re sure you’ll be pleased to read what he has to say.
Fringe (Fox, 9 p.m., Friday): It’s time for the further adventures of Dr. Fringe, Mrs. Fringe, and Fringe, Jr., as they find themselves trapped in a small town from which none of them can ever leave. Noel Murray is pretty excited for this episode, as he’s been waiting for a good excuse to make Brigadoon references.
Grimm (NBC, 9 p.m., Friday): Tonight’s episode is called “Tarantella,” which puts us in mind of all of the many hours we spent practicing the tune of the same name in the fifth-level book of piano pieces by Thompson, metronome clicking away. Kevin McFarland’s only musical instrument is the bassoon.
Supernatural (The CW, 9 p.m., Friday): This one’s called “Plucky Pennywhistle’s Magical Menagerie,” which we’re guessing is the episode title of the night. Phil Nugent takes over the show from Zack Handlen, and he’s pretty sad that his name isn’t alliterative so he, too, could have a magical menagerie.
Portlandia (IFC, 10 p.m., Friday): This week, a Portland band decides it needs a new gimmick, so it goes out of its way to find one. Honestly, though, does it need to be a Portland-based band? Christian Williams wonders if it would kill the show to utilize a Saskatoon-based band? Almost certainly.
Spartacus: Vengeance (Starz, 10 p.m., Friday): Aren’t you glad you can finally spend your Friday nights watching men with chiseled musculature running their swords through other men with chiseled musculature, then imagining you’ve got the sword and the other guy’s your boss? Ryan McGee sure is!
Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:30 p.m., Saturday): Zooey Deschanel brings her adorkability to sketch comedy, and David Sims looks for a way to hide underneath his couch cushions. Also, the musical guest is somebody named Karmin, who is apparently not the Christian recording artist of the same name.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
The Adventures Of Pete & Pete (3 p.m., Friday): The Wikipedia plot summary for this one boasts that it “features a young Rick Faugno,” and we’re sure that now that you know this, you’ll rush to Marah Eakin’s review as soon as it’s posted, then bitch about how little Rick Faugno discussion there is.
The Twilight Zone (1 p.m., Saturday): Zack Handlen begins the second season of the show with two episodes where somebody stumbles into a strange situation, realizes that not everything is as it seems, then finds themselves confronted with an ironic twist that calls everything they thought into question.
Cowboy Bebop (3 p.m., Saturday): Faye infiltrates a cult that is based on the real life Heaven’s Gate cult. Simon Abrams wants you to know that when he tells you that if you listen to his words, you will attain godhood, he really means it. He doesn’t just want your money. Though that would be nice, too.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
Lilyhammer (Netflix, 5 p.m., Friday): We gave Phil Nugent the week to watch the first season of Netflix’s first original show, and all he brought back was this unfortunate, Steven Van Zandt-copying hair-do. Oh well. It’s better than the time he wore those head scarves everywhere. That was kind of terrifying.
A Gifted Man (CBS, 8 p.m., Friday): Todd VanDerWerff was thinking about reviewing this one because it’s been too long, he has a screener, and we all wish to know what happened to Frank Fisticuffs. But then he found out the episode involved a hostage situation, and he let out a casual, “Bah!”
Inside The Actors Studio (Bravo, 8 p.m., Friday): Bravo has apparently revived this show just so the various people competing for Best Actor at this year’s Oscars can do battle via the dulcet tones of James Lipton. Last week, it was George Clooney; this week, Brad Pitt takes the stage. Nothing will be the same.
Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown/A Charlie Brown Valentine (ABC, 8 p.m., Saturday): It’s another holiday where Charles Schulz supervised filming of a pretty entertaining special in the ‘70s, and then the networks commissioned a follow-up in the 2000s that misses much of his wit and charm, Charlie Brown!
Cupid (Hallmark, 8 p.m., Saturday): A “mysterious love expert” visits a talk-show host with promises to reveal her true love to her if she’ll first help other couples find happiness. Who could this mysterious love expert be? Miss Lonelyhearts? Dear Abby? Dan Savage? The answer’s on the tip of our tongues…
Unfaithful: Stories Of Betrayal (OWN, 9 p.m., Saturday): Need a reason to feel good that you don’t have a special someone this Valentine’s Day? Well, Oprah Winfrey is there for you, thanks to this show on her network that’s all about people cheating on each other. Oprah knows how to heal our hearts.
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (TCM, 8 p.m., Friday): Make it an early Spielberg kind of night, starting with this follow-up to his breakthrough hit, Jaws, which features more aliens than you can shake a stick at, Richard Dreyfuss giving good crazy eyes, and the best close-up Devils Tower ever got.
Raiders Of The Lost Ark (Bravo, 9 p.m., Friday): Or maybe you’re feeling more like some adventure and derring-do, in which case, it’s time to return to this venerable classic, with Harrison Ford as the guy who always gets what he wants, even if it takes him a slightly more roundabout path to get there.
Wait Until Dark (TCM, 8 p.m., Saturday): Audrey Hepburn stars as a blind woman terrorized by criminals in this stylish thriller that boasts one of the great, out-of-nowhere scares in film history. If you’ve seen it, you know what we mean. If you haven’t and you watch, you’re about to know.
NBA Basketball: Lakers at Knicks (ESPN, 8 p.m., Friday): America’s second largest city travels to its largest city for a basketball grudge match that would probably be a lot more interesting if both teams weren’t reeling a bit. Also, the Lakers have won their last nine against the Knicks, so… predictable!
Rugby Sevens: Sevens World Series (NBC Sports, 7 p.m., Saturday): One of the great things about this time of year is that many of the cable sports networks, flummoxed by the lack of football and baseball, will drag out whatever they can find and slap it on the air to see if anyone watches. Look! Rugby sevens!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The Secret Circle (Thursday): Katherine Miller doesn’t think that the reason she liked this episode so much is because her brain is fried, but, honestly, we didn’t have the heart to tell her that it was actually just a solid hour of ocelots yowling at each other. Actually, that explains why she liked it so much!