Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Wednesday, April 9. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Your Inner Fish (PBS, 10 p.m.): Did you know you’ve had a fish growing inside of you all this time? Well, you have, and PBS knew about it all along and just didn’t tell you, the jerks. Actually, this is a brand-new show about evolution, and how all of us humans have certain things in common with our long-ago ancestors, like fish and apes and stuff. We’re mostly making this the top pick so some group of Creationists picks it up and gets all upset about PBS daring to show a program about evolution, which is evil. Genevieve Valentine handled our review.
ALSO NOTED
Survivor (CBS, 8 p.m.): Both the ABC comedies and Arrow are taking the night off, because it’s one of the last chances to take a break before the headlong plunge into (an oddly quiet) May sweeps. Anyway, Survivor is new, if you need something to watch in the 8 p.m. hour. Carrie Raisler will be there.
The Americans (FX, 10 p.m.): Philip and Elizabeth plunge headlong into the Arpanet in yet another enthrallingly tense episode. Also, Nina has to face down a polygraph. Completely coincidentally, Todd VanDerWerff will also be administering a polygraph test to Genevieve Koski in Stray Observations.
Workaholics (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.): The guys are terrorized by an online gamer in an episode entitled “DeputyDong.” This is your official warning that if you want to terrorize Dennis Perkins in tonight’s comments, you need to get on registering the username “DeputyDong” right now.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Band Of Brothers (1 p.m.): After the men of Easy Company got through training in the first episode of this miniseries, everything was going to be a piece of cake, right? Well, you’d think, but this week, they’re headed to Normandy, so you can imagine what that’s like. Todd VanDerWerff actually cannot.
ELSEWHERE IN TV CLUB
Happy TV Review Wednesday, everybody! Phil Dyess-Nugent has some thoughts on Showtime’s upcoming Muammar Gaddafi documentary, Mad Dog, though he doesn’t have so many thoughts on just how Gaddafi’s name should actually be spelled.
It’s also “every other Wednesday,” which means it’s time for a new TV Club 10. Hurrah! This week, Robert David Sullivan dives into what happens when a neatnik and a slob are forced to live together, picking the 10 most representative episodes of The Odd Couple for you to watch.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
Steven Universe (Cartoon Network, 7 p.m.): This charming little animated series makes the move to Wednesdays, and if everything goes as planned, we might offer you a drop-in tonight. And if it doesn’t go as planned, we’ll drop in in a few weeks. Hooray for poor planning!
Hippo Gangland (Smithsonian, 8 p.m.): We’re so glad TV Guide added the Smithsonian Network to its listings, because it always has the coolest stuff, like this documentary about hippos that are in a gang or something. We’re waiting for the inevitable sequel: Hippo Gangnam Style.
Mixology (ABC, 9:30 p.m.): With ABC airing this show on a night when everything else is in reruns and rumors/TV journalists’ hopes swirling that Trophy Wife might get a tryout in the post-Modern Family slot next season because, y’know, that would make sense, we don’t have high hopes for you, Mixology.
Susan Boyle: Her Secret Struggle (Ovation, 10 p.m.): This is how it starts, Ovation. “Oh, we’re an arts and entertainment channel. We’ll air some biographies of popular people in that field!” And then 10 years later, you’re airing reality shows about elephant trainers and derivative police procedurals.
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (TMC, 8 p.m.): We have yet to talk to anybody who thought this movie was anything more than a solid “okay,” but we will feature it here because, damn, that’s a cool title, isn’t it? We’re big fans of it.
Die Hard (AMC, 8 p.m.): What movie goes well with everything? Die Hard! What movie is on AMC tonight? Die Hard! What should you probably watch before you watch anything else on this list, even if we didn’t have the guts to make it the Top Pick? Die Hard!
Swimming and Diving: NCAA men’s championships (ESPNU, 8 p.m.): All our future Michael Phelpses and Greg Louganises gather together in Austin, Texas, to face off. They will be judged on grace, skill, poise, speed, and channeling of their own inner fish.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Trophy Wife (Tuesday): One of ABC’s least popular comedies pays homage to one of the network’s most popular shows—which may be why those renewal rumors are swirling—because, hey, if there’s one way to save yourself, it’s to genuflect toward Scandal. Brandon Nowalk is turning toward camera and excitedly whispering, “SCANDAL!”