Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Sunday, November 3. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Bob’s Burgers (Fox, 8:30 p.m.): Rather than easing back into the post-World Series swing of things, the Belchers throw their own curveball: Bob and Linda take flying lessons. Guest reviewer Caroline Framke reminds you that nearest emergency exit may be behind you.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Once Upon A Time (ABC, 8 p.m.): Snow White plays wingwoman (finwoman?) to Ariel, lending her a hand (flipper?) in landing (already a fish pun!) Prince Eric. If it doesn’t work out, Gwen Ihnat reminds Ariel that there are plenty fish in the sea.
The Simpsons (Fox, 8 p.m.): Regrets? The people of Springfield have a few—like Homer’s regrets about buying a bowling ball in lieu of tech stocks. Which leaves Dennis Perkins thinking “Homer was supposed to buy Marge tech stocks in “‘Life On The Fast Lane’”?
Revenge (ABC, 9 p.m.): This week in “Increasingly oblique Revenge episode synopses”: “Two of the most important people in Emily’s life start turning on her, leading her to do something very uncharacteristic.” Carrie Raisler, characteristically, has the review.
The Walking Dead (AMC, 9 p.m.): Similarly, “obstacles” are “encountered” while “conditions” “get worse” on The Walking Dead. Zack Handlen promises to be more specific, assuming this week’s episode isn’t just a bunch of blurry shapes speaking in elliptic dialogue.
Family Guy (Fox, 9 p.m.): In developments we wish left more to the imagination: Quagmire is kidnapped and forced to be a stranger’s giggity giggity gimp. And Eric Thurm asks “How is this a conflict for the character?”
Boardwalk Empire (HBO, 9 p.m.): Chalky made it out of last week’s episode alive, but he might be down one powerful ally tonight. Genevieve Valentine will always be a friend to Chalky, provided it keeps Michael K. Williams on her TV screen.
Homeland (Showtime, 9 p.m.): So if Carrie’s commitment was merely a ploy to flush out Javadi, how do we know every aspect of season three isn’t part of a similar plot? How do we know Todd VanDerWerff’s not in on the whole thing?
The Good Wife (CBS, 9:30 p.m.): FALLOUT! Alicia and Cary need the files of a client they swiped from Lockhart/Gardner, but Will and Diane take their sweet little time in turning them over. If they need anyone to “expedite” (wink wink) the process, David Sims is very good at “inviting” (wink wink) himself into locked offices.
American Dad (Fox, 9:30 p.m.): Roger and Klaus hit the road, though Kevin McFarland would prefer we not say they’re on the “road to” anywhere—lest any lingering Brian-Stewie parallels between the characters make themselves known. (But an alien and a goldfish with a human’s brain are allowed to Hope-Crosby fans too, Kevin. Geesh.)
Eastbound & Down (HBO, 10 p.m.): A “wild card” threatens Kenny’s position on Sports Sesh—but Scott Von Doviak reminds Kenny that he can always hit back with a “Draw Two.” Eastbound & Down is a show about a former Uno champion, right?
Masters Of Sex (Showtime, 10 p.m.): The Masters head to premium-cable’s destination of choice for forgetting about all of your problems: Miami, Florida. Unless you’re Dexter Morgan, that is—in which case Sonia Saraiya is concerned that Masters Of Sex is about to become that Dexter spin-off everyone insists is in the offing.
Hello Ladies (HBO, 10:30 p.m.): Stuart heads to Long Beach, a city that holds a special place in the hearts of TV Club. Fill-in reviewer Margaret Eby wonders if she’ll be able to see Todd VanDerWerff’s house from here.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
The Simpsons (Classic) (3 p.m.): R.I.P. Bleeding Gums Murphy, a brilliant jazz musician who’s inspired David Sims to write some improv TV criticism. “Twinkle twinkle groovy cat…”
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
The Simpsons (Fox, 7:30 p.m.): In other loving tributes to a deceased Simpsons icon, Fox memorializes the late Marcia Wallace with this re-broadcast of the third-season classic, “Bart The Lover.”
JFK: The Smoking Gun (Reelz, 8 p.m.): The management of The A.V. Club kindly asks: Please do not reveal the surprise ending to JFK: The Smoking Gun—because we have a dozen or so other JFK assassination specials to get through this month, and none are going to be as ludicrously crackpot as this one.
Restaurant Express (Food Network, 9 p.m.): The host of Restaurant: Impossible throws a bunch of chefs/entrepreneurs onto a bus and subjects them to a litany of culinary challenges in a reality competition that’s also a felony in 13 states.
America Declassified (Travel Channel, 10 p.m.): What’s Richard Belzer doing now that Sgt. John Munch is no longer a member of the NYPD? Investigating crimes of a conspiratorial nature, including—surprise, surprise—the JFK assassination in this series premiere.
The Three Musketeers (Flix, 8 p.m.): Get a jump start on The A.V. Club’s 1993 Week with the only adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel that dares to ask the question, “Sure, but what if the Musketeers had their own Young Guns equivalent?”
The Adjustment Bureau (Syfy, 9 p.m.): Matt Damon fights against a mysterious group of well-groomed, seemingly supernatural meddlers in what we just now realized we could’ve been calling The Hat-justment Bureau for two years.
Sunday Night Football: Colts at Texans (NBC, 8:20 p.m.): Having escaped the shadow of America’s pastime, America’s other pastime highlights a matchup between teams of opposite fortunes: The 5-2 Colts and the 2-5 Texans. How pleasingly symmetrical!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Saturday Night Live (Saturday): Kerry Washington hosts an episode that presumably contains SNL’s most utterances of the word “gladiator” since that time Elizabeth Taylor read the lotto numbers on Weekend Update. And the last word on David Sims’ review of the episode is… “GLAAA-DEE-AY-DOR!”