Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Thursday, June 13. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Hannibal (NBC, 10 p.m.): It’s during weeks like this—when summer TV feels like summer TV again—that we’re grateful for NBC’s decision to debut Hannibal in April, exposing its final four episodes to out-of-season climates (while giving us something worth watching among the mid-June dregs). The show gears up for its season finale with an hour where Dr. Lecter puts a huge strain on his relationship with Will Graham—and just when Molly Eichel thought it was going to work out between those two.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (11 a.m.): It’s a double Bryan Fuller Thursday, as the Hannibal showrunner’s second onscreen credit—a “story by” for “Empok Nor”—gives DS9 a haunted-house story to call its own. In space, no bumps can go in the night—but Zack Handlen can still hear them.
Gilmore Girls (1 p.m.): Lorelai and Sookie decide to get serious about opening their own inn together—which is about as serious as things get on this show. David Sims knows how this plays out, but he’s still wondering if Lorelai and Sookie might be in need of someone to work the front desk.
Friends (3 p.m.): “The One With George Stephanopoulos” provides the Friends theme sequence with some of its most indelible visuals. It also slams a hockey puck into Ross’ face, which Joe Reid and Sonia Saraiya can’t stop laughing about.
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
Save Me (NBC, 8 p.m.): Farewell, strange, spiritually tinged Anne Heche show that would probably be entering its seventh season if it had debuted on Showtime in the mid ’00s. We hardly knew ye—we barely watched ye.
House Of Curves (WE, 10 p.m.): It’s the latest docuseries to peek into a fashion designers’ offices—though, with a title like that, you’d be forgiven for guessing that it’s actually about a Curves location that’s the Russian nesting dolls of strip-mall weight-loss centers.
Sullivan & Son (TBS, 10 p.m.): Men At Work wrapped its second-season last week, so now it’s Sullivan & Son’s turn to tap in (like a beer, get it?) and prop up Big Bang Theory reruns with new episodes (which will inevitably be out-drawn by Big Bang Theory reruns). Welcome to television in 2013!
The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody (Disney XD, 10 p.m.): Highlighted as an excuse for a link to this insane interview outtake with Dylan Sprouse (via Gawker), wherein the ersthwhile Zack Martin elaborates on the pitch that didn’t save The Suite Life and led to the Sprouses quitting the show that made them millions of dollars—an appropriate parallel to the two-parter “The Suite Life Goes Hollywood.”
Axe Giant: The Wrath Of Paul Bunyan (Syfy, 9 p.m.): After sucking the last, creatively bankrupt liquids from the cyrptozoology well and the hybrid-monsters-fighting-other-hybrid-monsters springs, Syfy turns to programming horror movies based on tall tales. Nevertheless, this looks only half as horrifying as the time Oliver Platt played the legendary lumberjack who terrorizes horny teens here.
Neptune’s Daughter (TCM, 10 p.m.): The network’s tribute to the late Esther Williams turns to the MGM musical where Williams stops swimming long enough to introduce the world to “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” alongside Ricardo Montalbán. It’s adorable—as is the mirror image of the scene with Red Skelton and Betty Garrat.
NBA Finals: Game 4: Heat at Spurs (ABC, 9 p.m.): It’s dueling finals every night until someone finally claims the Larry O’Brien Trophy or the Stanley Cup—though the Spurs could inch closer to ending that rotation if they claim another home win tonight.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
MasterChef: Look, you can’t be a MasterChef unless you pass two separate burger and steak challenges—and then pass the winner of those challenges to Phil Dyess-Nugent. Mmm—four prize-winning slabs of meat…