What's on TV this week—Abbott Elementary bows out, Evil returns
Plus, a doc on the making of X-Men '97, Shane Gillis' new series, and more
Welcome to What’s On, our weekly picks of must-watch shows. Here’s what you need to watch from Sunday, May 19 to Thursday, May 23. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekend edition of What’s On drops on Fridays.]
The biggies
Abbott Elementary (ABC, Wednesday, 9 p.m.)
Abbott Elementary’s third-season finale is upon us. With a shortened run of 14 episodes as opposed to the usual 22, the ABC comedy wraps up with “Party,” in which Janine (Quinta Brunson) throws a bash to celebrate the last day of school. Let’s pray to the powers that be that we get closure to the simmering slow burn between Janine and Gregory (Tyler James Williams).
Evil (Paramount+, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
Oh, good, Evil is back so we can all revel in its wacky glory. Robert and Michelle King’s horror drama leaves no stone unturned in its fourth and final season as Kristen (Katja Herbers), David (Mike Colter), and Ben (Aasif Mandvi) continue investigating bizarre cases that may or may not be supernatural while battling enemies like Leland (Michael Emerson). Here’s a bit from The A.V. Club’s review:
The show’s excessive risk-taking wouldn’t have paid off if it weren’t for this ensemble, and thankfully the cast is game for all the peculiarities thrown their way.
Hidden gems
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making Of X-Men ’97 (Disney+, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m.)
X-Men ’97 closed out its perfect debut season last week, and now Disney+ offers a glimpse into the making of the magic. Assembled peels back on how the animated gem came to life and revisits the show that inspired it, X-Men: The Animated Series.
Insomnia (Paramount+, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
The British psychological thriller Insomnia centers on 40-year-old Emma Averill (Line Of Duty’s Vicky McClure), who suffers from sleeplessness like her mother. The show is helmed by the creators of Netflix’s absolutely insane limited series Behind Her Eyes, so brace yourself for shocking twists as Emma’s perception of reality is challenged.
More good stuff
Lolla: The Story Of Lollapalooza (Paramount+, Tuesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Lolla’s three episodes dig into the history and impact of the popular music festival Lollapalooza. Directed by Michael John Warren, it features interviews with fest founder Perry Farrell, Chance the Rapper, Flea, Trent Reznor, Tom Morello, Lars Ulrich, and Vernon Reid, among others.
Tires (Netflix, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
Shane Gillis, who made his SNL hosting debut this year, leads and executive produces the TV comedy Tires. He plays Shane, who begins working at his cousin Will’s (Steven Gerben) auto-repair shop and causes chaos. The cast includes Chris O’Connor, Kilah Fox, and Stavros Halkias.
Can’t miss recaps
The Sympathizer (HBO, Sunday, 9 p.m.)
Interview With The Vampire (AMC, Sunday, 9 p.m.)
Hacks (Max, Thursday, 3:00 a.m.)
Arriving now
Trying (Apple TV+, Wednesday, 12:01 a.m., season four premiere)
Ms. Pat Show (BET+, Thursday, 3:01 a.m., season four premiere)
Ending soon
American Idol (ABC, Sunday, 8 p.m., season 22 finale)
The Equalizer, Tracker, CSI: Vegas (CBS, Sunday, 8-11 p.m., season finales)
The Simpsons, The Great North, Bob’s Burgers (FOX, Sunday, 8-10 p.m., season finales)
A Gentleman In Moscow (Showtime, Sunday, 8 p.m., season one finale)
Vanderpump Villa (Hulu, Monday, 12:01 a.m., season one finale)
The Cleaning Lady (FOX, Tuesday, 8 p.m., season three finale)
FBI, FBI: International, FBI: Most Wanted (CBS, Tuesday, 8-11 p.m., season finales)
Will Trent, The Good Doctor (ABC, Tuesday, 8-10 p.m., season finales)
The Voice (NBC, Tuesday, 8 p.m., season 25 finale)
Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. (NBC, Wednesday, 8-11 p.m., season finales)
The Conners (ABC, Wednesday, 9:30 p.m., season six finale)
Grown-ish (Freeform, Wednesday, 10 p.m., series finale)
Elsbeth (CBS, Thursday, 9 p.m., season one finale)