We've finally gotten around to adding that Young Justice coverage you asked for a year ago. You're welcome
Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, May 4, and Saturday, May 5. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Young Justice (Cartoon Network, 10:30 a.m., Saturday): You asked for it, and now you’re getting it. Regular, weekly coverage of Young Justice begins this weekend, with TV Club’s resident superhero expert Oliver Sava taking you through the rest of the season of this DC Universe-set animated program. It took a while for the series to find its feet, but Oliver thought last week’s episode was a harbinger of good things to come in this second season, so we’re as hopeful as he is. In this episode, the team tries to prevent an alien invasion. Always good to start small.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Fringe (Fox, 9 p.m., Friday): Part one of a two-part finale that won’t be the show’s series finale—thank goodness—airs tonight, with the Fringe Division beginning its final face-off with the villainous Mr. Jones. Noel Murray hopes Jones drags everybody else out to see a Godzilla movie in season five.
Grimm (NBC, 9 p.m., Friday): This one is called “Happily Ever Aftermath,” which is both clever and the title of the short-lived spinoff to The WB’s Unhappily Ever After (you know; the one that brought the world both Kevin Connelly and Nikki Cox). Kevin McFarland thinks we need a new fact-checker.
Supernatural (The CW, 9 p.m., Friday): After getting renewed for an eighth season, thereby keeping the last link to The WB alive for another year, tonight’s episode brings back a character who’s been out of commission for a while. Phil Dyess-Nugent was hoping for Dawson Leery, but he’ll take Castiel.
Magic City (Starz, 10 p.m., Friday): One plotline in tonight’s episode—at least as the episode summary would have it—is “Vera tries something new to get pregnant.” We issue this challenge to you, readers: Even if you don’t know who that is, what new could she be trying? Will Harris will hand out a no-prize.
The Legend Of Korra (Nickelodeon, 11 a.m., Saturday): “Romantic rivalries disrupt the harmony on Korra’s team.” Like they do. Have you ever seen team members that could work well together when everybody was trying to kiss? Emily Guendelsberger thinks if there’s too much kissing, it’ll be gross.
Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:30 p.m., Saturday): The second athlete of the season drops by, as Eli Manning arrives to host the show, something his brother Peyton did a few years back. Rihanna will also perform, so we’re expecting some crazy tabloid rumors to surface. David Sims will be spreading them.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Veronica Mars (11 a.m., Friday): Rowan Kaiser comes to the end of the road with Ms. Mars, as he checks out the show’s unintentional—and surprisingly good, given the circumstances—series finale. This still has one of the best, most series-defining closing scenes for a series finale we’ve ever seen.
The Adventures Of Pete & Pete (3 p.m., Friday): Big Pete tries to hit the top of the social ladder by becoming a wrestler. We can’t say we think this is a good idea, but it’s also not like he hasn’t had worse ones. Marah Eakin once climbed to the top of the social ladder by becoming a really awesome archer.
The Twilight Zone (1 p.m., Saturday): A man makes a bet that he can go without speaking for a whole year. Zack Handlen bet his fellow Twilight Zone reviewer Todd VanDerWerff that Todd could go a whole year without pointless personal anecdotes, and Todd almost instantly lost. Zack is $50 richer.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
The Singing Bee (CMT, 8 p.m., Friday): We know how upset some of you were when this show was canceled by NBC a few years back, but we thought you’d also like knowing that it was revived by CMT, is now hosted by Melissa Peterman, and is something you might enjoy watching with the whole family.
The Comedy Awards Playlist (Comedy Central, 9 p.m., Friday): Get set for Sunday’s Comedy Awards with this series of stand-up bits from the nominees, including A.V. Club favorites Louis C.K. and Donald Glover. As well as other people we’re too lazy to look up. Something for everyone! Comedy! Tonight!
Goldfathers (National Geographic, 10 p.m., Friday): If there’s one thing that’s axiomatic about Americans, it’s that we can’t get enough of scruffy dudes digging around in the dirt and mumbling vague proclamations, while looking for gold. Finally, National Geographic has a Gold Rush ripoff of its own!
In Plain Sight (USA, 10 p.m., Friday): The series finale of this Mary McCormack star vehicle airs tonight, and we’re willing to bet you had no idea it was even still on. Phil Dyess-Nugent, who was the last of us to stick with this one, drops into the finale to see if he’s missed anything in its final days.
Treasure Island (Syfy, 7 p.m., Saturday): With an all-star cast and a miniseries-length running time of four hours, we’re going to bet that this one is a burnoff, since Syfy is airing all of it in one night. Renowned Robert Louis Stevenson fanatic Kevin McFarland sees if the show’s anything like the book.
2012 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony (HBO, 9 p.m., Saturday): Among other groups being inducted in this star-studded affair are the Beastie Boys, Donovan, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. If nothing else, RHCP-obsessed Southern California will finally feel like the rest of the country gets it.
Where The Wild Things Are (ABC Family, 6:30 p.m., Friday): We dearly loved this tale of the uncertainty of childhood and giant, puppet-like monsters when we saw it back when it was released, but it was a little too artsy for the family film crowd. By which we mean the kids needed some more fart jokes.
12 Angry Men (TCM, 9:45 p.m., Friday): TCM often brings out the big ones on Friday night, for all of you stuck at home with nothing to do. And if you’re looking for “big,” then it’s hard to get much bigger than Henry Fonda trying to convince 11 other guys not to convict a defendant, with Sidney Lumet directing.
Cars/Cars 2 (Starz, 7 p.m., Saturday): We come not to bury Pixar, but to praise Pixar, though we honestly don’t know if we can ever sit through Cars 2 again. It’s not that the movie is atrocious, but it’s the worst film the studio’s made by such a large margin that it becomes depressing all the same.
NBA Playoff Game 3: Hawks at Celtics (ESPN, 7:30 p.m., Friday): The two teams have traded victories, and now the series heads to Boston for game three. Paul Pierce was the star of the Celtics’ win in game two. Or if you’re so inclined, over on ESPN2, you can watch the Bulls and 76ers, who’ve also traded wins.
World Championship Hockey: Canada vs. U.S. (NBC Sports, 7:30 p.m., Saturday): Coming to you from Helsinki, it’s preliminary-round action, as our brave boys in red, white, and blue face down those damn upstarts from Canada with their plucky goodwill and massively talented hockey players. Ugh. Canada.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The Secret Circle (Thursday): This show wasn’t among those The CW picked up. And while there’s still a chance—a good one, actually—that the series makes the cut, these might very well be the last few weeks in which you can check it out. Katherine Miller says it’s gotten better, and would she lie to you?