Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Wednesday, Nov. 30. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Psych (USA, 10 p.m.): We wouldn’t dare suggest that William Shatner makes all things better because the man was in Shit My Dad Says, which made our worst-of-TV list for 2010. But, hey, if there’s a show where a Shatner guest spot should perk things right up, it’s Psych, where he’ll be hanging out with Shawn and Gus, and there will surely be Star Trek jokes galore. Kevin McFarland quietly prefers Picard, but he’s not averse to a little joking around with Captain Kirk either.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Survivor (CBS, 8 p.m.): “Another castaway is voted off and sent to Redemption Island,” reads the episode summary for this one. Gee, CBS press release. Y’think? Carrie Raisler hopes that doesn’t happen, just to mess with all y’all.
The X Factor (Fox, 8 p.m.): This show has steadily better ratings than the first season of American Idol did, but didn’t it seem like that show penetrated the popular consciousness far more? Emily Yoshida doesn’t care. She just wants it to stop.
America’s Next Top Model (The CW, 9 p.m.): The all-star season of this show sputters toward its conclusion, and in this one, we get a guest judging gig from the always-relevant Tyson Beckford. Margaret Eby can barely contain her excitement.
Work Of Art: The Next Great Artist (Bravo, 9 p.m.): The press stills for this one show the contestants in a warehouse full of scrap metal and spare parts. We assume John Teti will appear as a guest judge and ask them to build a time machine.
American Horror Story (FX, 10 p.m.): Todd VanDerWerff’s taking his birthday off (happy birthday, Todd VanDerWerff). Then he found out this episode features the pope and the Black Dahlia. He hopes to cover. If he can’t, Phil Nugent steps in.
Top Chef (Bravo, 10 p.m.): It looks like the chefs are cooking out in the middle of the desert in the press stills for this episode. We hope the show has briefly merged with Survivor to become the cooking-survival show of Emily Withrow’s dreams.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Survivor (Classic) (11 a.m.): The Wikipedia plot summary for this episode contains the sentence, “At Pagong, they decided to let their chickens lay eggs.” Riveting stuff. Meredith Blake will count every chicken before it’s hatched.
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
Pink Saris (HBO2, 8 p.m.): HBO2 concludes a month of excellent documentaries about modern India with this film chronicling the life of women’s rights activist Sampat Pal Devi. Meredith Blake will have a review at 5 p.m. Eastern.
Trek Nation (Science, 8 p.m.): Did you know that Star Trek was influential and stuff? Well, this new documentary charting its influence makes that highly controversial claim. Ryan McGee drops a review at 7 p.m. Eastern.
I Hate My Teenage Daughter (Fox, 9:30 p.m.): When Todd VanDerWerff realized his least favorite scripted show of the fall was debuting tonight, he time traveled to 1980 and made sure he was born on the 30th instead of the 29th so David Sims and Ryan McGee would have to review it instead. Look for that at 1 p.m. Eastern.
The Exes (TV Land, 10:30 p.m.): Erik Adams gets to “enjoy” the latest in TV Land’s long string of “vaguely competent sitcoms starring ‘90s sitcom stars,” only this one also features Donald Faison for some reason. Look for a review at 3 p.m. Eastern.
Hunger (Sundance, 8 p.m.): If you haven’t seen this one, about an IRA member who leads a hunger strike, check it out, then go read our interview with star Michael Fassbender and director Steve McQueen, now off promoting their new one, Shame.
To Catch A Thief (TCM, 8 p.m.): Or you can watch good ol’ Alfred Hitchcock in slightly lighter mode with this elaborate caper, wherein Cary Grant and Grace Kelly bounce around the French Riviera and throw romantic sparks off every which way.
UFC Unleashed (Spike, 9 p.m.): Our hockey-caring Canadian friend Luke also cares about UFC for some reason, but he wasn’t online to tell us what to say like he was last night, so all you’re getting is us whining about how we don’t know anything.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Glee (Tuesday): Was this the worst episode of this show ever? The only thing stopping this abysmally written and plotted hour from taking that title is the fact that there are so many other potential candidates for the crown. Todd VanDerWerff dissects. On the night before his birthday, no less! Happy birthday, Todd VanDerWerff. May God grant you 500 more.