What's on TV this week—premieres for Poker Face, Wolf Pack, The 1619 Project
Plus, an underrated NBC comedy, a reality-TV institution, and more
Welcome to What’s On, our weekly picks of must-watch shows. Here’s what you need to watch from Sunday, January 22, to Thursday, January 26. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekend edition of What’s On drops on Fridays.]
The biggies
Poker Face (Peacock, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
Natasha Lyonne in a Columbo-esque mystery drama? Sign us up. The actor stars in Rian Johnson’s Poker Face as casino host Charlie Cale, who has a knack for sniffing out liars, which is useful as she goes on the run and finds herself solving murder mysteries during a cross-country road trip. The cast includes Adrien Brody and Benjamin Bratt, with notable celebrity cameos from the likes of Judith Light, Cherry Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Stephanie Hsu, and Tim Meadows. Poker Face premieres with four episodes, with the remaining six airing weekly. Be sure to keep up with The A.V. Club’s recaps throughout the series.
Wolf Pack (Paramount+, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
Sarah Michelle Gellar is back, baby. The Buffy actor returns to the small screen for another supernatural drama, but this time it’s wolves, not vampires. Based on Edo van Belkom’s books, the show is set in a California ravaged by wildfires, which awaken a terrifying creature. Four teens directly impacted by this occurrence come together to delve into this secret, with Gellar playing investigator Kristen Ramsey. Check out The A.V. Club’s review on Monday.
The 1619 Project (Hulu, Thursday, 12:01 a.m.)
The six-part docuseries The 1619 Project expands Nikole Hannah-Jones’ book of the same name. Through episodes focusing on race, democracy, capitalism, justice, and fear, the show examines how the legacy of slavery shaped different aspects of contemporary American life.
Hidden gems
American Auto (NBC, Tuesday, 8: 30 p.m.)
American Auto, one of NBC’s most underrated comedies, returns for a 13-episode second season on Tuesday. Created by Superstore’s Justin Spitzer, the workplace sitcom unfolds in the world of automobile company Payne Motors. CEO Katherine Hastings (Ana Gasteyer) has to navigate the corporate challenges with her team of mostly talented employees while figuring out the one thing she doesn’t know about the job—that is, anything about cars.
Extraordinary (Hulu, Wednesday, 12:01 a.m.)
From the producers of Killing Eve, the eight-episode Extraordinary takes place in a world where everyone develops powers on their 18th birthday. Well, everyone except Jen (Máiréad Tyers), who’s 25, stuck in a dead-end job and relationship, and still waiting for her powers to arrive.
More good stuff
Accused (FOX, Sunday, 9 p.m.)
Accused is an anthology crime drama featuring Michael Chiklis, Margo Martindale, Rachel Bilson, Ian Anthony Dale, Grace Davenport, and Reid Miller. Based on a British drama, each episode is told from the defendant’s point-of-view and opens in the courtroom to peel back whether or not the, yes, accused is guilty.
How I Met Your Father (Hulu, Tuesday, 12:01 a.m., season two premiere)
Not only is a How I Met Your Mother spin-off in existence, but it’s about to launch its second season. How I Met Your Father returns with Sophie (Kim Cattrall) telling her children how she met the man of her dreams. The show follows an adult Sophie (Hilary Duff) and her friends’ navigating life in New York City. Now let’s see if any HIMYM stars make an appearance after Cobie Smulders’ reprised Robin Scherbatsky in the season-one finale.
Teen Wolf: The Movie (Paramount+, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
Speaking of a show that continues to stretch its legacy, six seasons of Teen Wolf apparently weren’t enough. The series, which ended in 2017, returns in movie form with most of the cast reuniting, including Tyler Posey, Crystal Reed, Holland Roden, Shelley Henig, Tyler Hoechlin, and Colton Haynes. Just don’t expect to see Dylan O’Brien or Arden Cho.
Can’t miss recaps
Saturday Night Live (NBC, Saturday, 11:30 p.m.)
The Last Of Us (HBO, Sunday, 9 p.m.)
The Bachelor (ABC, Monday, 8 p.m., season 27 premiere)
New arrivals
All American season five, All American: Homecoming season two (The CW, Monday, 8-10 p.m., winter premieres)
The Good Doctor season six (ABC, Monday, 10 p.m., winter premiere)
9-1-1 Lone Star (FOX, Tuesday, 8 p.m., season four premiere)
The Winchesters (The CW, Tuesday, 9 p.m., season one winter premiere)
Ending soon
Paul T. Goldman (Peacock, Sunday, 3:01 a.m., season one finale)
The L Word: Generation Q (Showtime, Sunday, 10 p.m., season three finale)
Leverage: Redemption (Freevee, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m., season two finale)
The Climb (HBO Max, Thursday, 3:01 a.m., season one finale)