Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Monday, October 15. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Regular Show (Cartoon Network, 8 p.m.): If any show is going to have a fun Halloween special, it’s going to be this one. Now, the fact that this is an episode about Mordecai and Rigby (what we assume to be the “bird thing” and the “raccoon thing”) telling each other scary stories while driving to a Halloween party might make some of you say, “Say, that sounds a bit like the ‘Treehouse Of Horror’ episodes of The Simpsons,” well, you’d be right. But Alasdair Wilkins thinks bird thing and raccoon thing have a lot to share with us in that regard.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Adventure Time (Cartoon Network, 7:30 p.m.): Ice King and Marceline have memories, and they’re going to share them, in an episode that will almost certainly be filled with flashbacks. Oliver Sava hopes it’s, instead, filled with long, ruminative monologues, like a one-act play written by a college junior.
Alphas (Syfy, 8 p.m.): With both Sean Astin and Summer Glau guest starring and the season approaching its finale, Todd VanDerWerff is expecting this episode to be filled with lots of chaos. He hopes it ends with Sean Astin admitting he cannot carry David Strathairn, folks at home, but he can carry you.
How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 8 p.m.): All it takes for us to get excited for a HIMYM episode is a premise that seems like it could be wonderfully exploited by the show’s time-hopping gimmicks. That means this one—about Lily and Marshall giving their friends a “godparent” quiz—will be Donna Bowman’s favorite.
Switched At Birth (ABC Family, 8 p.m.): The apparently endless first season has its finale in sight, and that means it’s time to finally get back to the show’s premise, as the trial about the hospital mix-up that led to the two girls being switched at birth gets under way. Carrie Raisler finds for the prosecution.
2 Broke Girls (CBS, 9 p.m.): Pilot Viruet had to step away this week, and she swears it’s not because she found out this episode was about Max and Caroline auditioning for Cupcake Wars and started weeping. Instead, she’s turning the helm over to Will Harris, who swore off the show last week. So there’s that.
Castle (ABC, 10 p.m.): Castle and Beckett need a romantic getaway, because they’ve been dating for, like, a week, and that means it’s time for a vacation. The small town they head to also home to mystery in this Murder, She Wrote homage. Phil Dyess-Nugent has never trusted that Angela Lansbury.
Revolution (NBC, 10 p.m.): The fall’s biggest new hit is also a series where reviewer Les Chappell has higher hopes for where the series is going than you commenters do. We’ve been through this before, folks, and it always breaks in favor of the reviewer. Let’s all look to 2 Broke Girls for a reminder of that.
The Inbetweeners (MTV, 10:30 p.m.): Nobody’s watching this show, but we like that this week’s episode is called “Fire!” because that means maybe something will burn down. Granted, we don’t think this is incredibly likely, but Margaret Eby would be fine with any of the standing sets going up in smoke.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
The West Wing (11 a.m.): It’s a day in the life of the West Wing, as a secret is exposed, and the show loses a cast member. We can’t be any more specific, but Steve Heisler will give you some clues which episode this is: The guy who leaves the show has a last name that rhymes with “coins.” Figure it out!
Justice League (1 p.m.): The Joker takes over Las Vegas, threatening to blow it up. For whatever reason, the Justice League springs into action, though the proper response is probably an orderly evacuation of the city, followed by just letting it be turned to ashes. Oliver Sava will run for president on this platform.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
Nick News With Linda Ellerbee (Nickelodeon, 8 p.m.): In just the latest edition of the show’s “Kids Pick The President” feature, those damn kids are going to pick a damn president again. Who are you going to listen to for your vote, anyway? A bunch of kids, or the hosts of several cable news programs? C’mon!
Major Crimes (TNT, 9 p.m.): It’s the end of the show’s first season, and with a second season already picked up, you probably shouldn’t worry about anything if there’s a massive cliffhanger. We hope that somebody takes away that kid who lives with Mary McDonnell. Did that happen already? It should have.
The Brokaw Files (Military Channel, 10 p.m.): Where you at, Tom Brokaw? Goin’ around the world and tellin’ people about famous military stories, and just constantly talkin’ about World War II like the day is long? We know you’ve got this new show, but we’re not sure we’re down for it. Sorry, Tom.
Standing Bear’s Footsteps (PBS, 10 p.m.): A famous Ponca chief brings a lawsuit arguing that the rights of Native Americans are protected by the 14th Amendment, and if you’ve ever been to a Native American reservation any time soon, you’ll know that everything worked out just fine in this regard.
Boys Town (TCM, 8 p.m.): It’s a full evening of Spencer Tracy vehicles, starting with this look at a kindly priest who helps troubled young boys (winning Tracy his second Oscar), then followed by Father Of The Bride and the sterling Bad Day At Black Rock. If you’ve got Tracy fever, TCM is the place for you.
Apollo 18 (Showtime 2, 9:30 p.m.): This found footage horror film about astronauts on a secret, terrifying mission to the moon is supposed to be a near legendarily bad movie. So far, it hasn’t quite attained that status, but the reviews of the film from last year have us anxious to see if it’s that awful.
National League Championship Series: Game 2: Cardinals at Giants (Fox, 7:30 p.m.): The last two World Series champions are facing off in the NL Championship, in case Fox’s millions of promos didn’t alert you just yet. We’d prefer the Giants, but why fight the weird destiny that surrounds the Cardinals?
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The Good Wife (Sunday): This review might be worth reading simply to read the first paragraph and seeing just where the show is taking the irritating storyline of Kalinda hanging out with her husband. David Sims seems confused by this storyline, and we have to admit we’re right there with him.