Television Premieres and Notables: February 16-22, 2015

Monday, 2/16

State of Affairs (NBC; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.


Tuesday, 2/17

Repeat After Me; ABC. 7:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Ellen DeGeneres brings us this hidden camera show that stars celebs who pull pranks on people.


Wednesday, 2/18

The Mentalist (CBS; 7 pm CST). Series Finale.


Thursday, 2/19

The Odd Couple; CBS. 7:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Tom Lennon and Matthew Perry star in this remake of the classic TV show (and film).
I like 'em both, but I haven't heard good things about this new take.
Tread with caution.

Two and a Half Men (CBS; 8 pm CST). Series Finale.
About nine years too late, but it's finally happening.

The Vikings; History. 9 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.


Saturday, 2/21

That Metal Show; VH1 Classic. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.


Sunday, 2/22

The Academy Awards; ABC. 7:0 pm CST. Special.
I normally wouldn't mention an awards show, but: Michael Keaton.

Television Premieres and Notables: February 9-15, 2015

Wednesday, 2/11

Top Chef (Bravo; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.

Mystery Diners; Food Network. 8:30 pm CST. 9th Season Premiere.

Schitt's Creek; Pop [what the Hell is "Pop"?]. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara star as a formerly rich couple who lose it all and move to the titular town.


Thursday, 2/12

The Slap; NBC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A man slaps another person's child at a party. Post-slap stuff ensues...

Inside the Actor's Studio; Bravo. 7 pm CST. 20th Season Premiere.
Featuring Neal Patrick Harris.


Friday, 2/13

Bosch; Amazon. Streaming. Series Premiere.
Titus Welliver stars as the detective from the Michael Connelly novels.
Amazon drops the entire season all at once.


Saturday, 2/14

Sexy Beasts; A&E. 9:01 pm CST. Series Premiere.
People go on dates dressed as monsters.


Sunday, 2/15

SNL 40th Anniversary Special; NBC. 7 pm CST. Special.

Television Premieres and Notables: February 2-8, 2015

Monday, 2/2

Unwrapped 2.0; Cooking Channel. 9 pm. Series Premiere

Foyle’s War; Acorn TV. Streaming. Season Premiere

Tuesday, 2/3

Being Mary Jane; BET. 9 pm. 2nd Season Premiere.

Wed, 2/4

Fresh Off the Boat; ABC. 7:30 and 8:30. Series Premiere. 

(heard lots of good about it)

My 600-lb Life; TLC. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

Thursday, 2/5

Lance Loves Michael: The Lance Bass Wedding; E! 7 pm. Special

Allegiance; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere. 

I’ve heard it’s NOT an The Americans rip-off; this is a Russian spy series set in present day…

Sunday, 2/8

The Walking Dead; AMC. 8 pm CST. Mid-season Return.

After an insane first few episodes in October, they slowed the pace and lulled us with a few side-tracks. Then cranked it up again at the end of the fall finale.

Somehow, this show has maintained a (mostly) entertaining and surprising run-- and it's actually been pretty well above average in quality as well. The acting, plots, and direction have been getting better and better. It's not all about the zombie kill of the episode or who's next to die in the cast; it's gotten to be pretty high-quality as a TV series in general.

Better Call Saul; AMC. 9 pm CST. Series premiere. 

The Breaking Bad prequel.

Coaching Bad; Spike TV. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Eight angry coaches look to Ray Lewis for some anger management.

The Week With John Oliver; HBO. 10 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Television Premieres and Notables: January 26-February 1, 2015

Monday, 1/26

Ellen's Design Challenge; HGTV. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
This is just what the reality-competition genre has been missing: the Ellen DeGeneres touch.
This comp pits furniture designers against each other.
Call me when they decide to do these things Running Man style...


Tuesday, 1/27

Real Husbands of Hollywood (BET; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.

Sirens; USA. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.


Wednesday, 1/28

The Americans; FX. 9 pm CST.  3rd Season Premiere.


Thursday, 1/29

Parenthood (NBC; 9 pm CST). Series Finale.
I hope they have the bravery to do something unexpected: like have a happy ending.

Fortitude; Pivot. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Wizard Wars; Syfy. 9 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

Impractical Jokers; truTV. 9 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.


Friday, 1/30

Key & Peele Super Bowl Special; Comedy Central. 9 pm CST. Special.

Television Premieres and Notables: January 19-25, 2015

Monday, 1/19

Jane the Virgin; The CW. 8 pm CST. Midseason Return.
I am not completely caught up with this show, but what I have seen thus far is wonderful.
Believe the hype.
Yes it's silly in a soap operatic way, but it's so charming. Worth checking out.

The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore; Comedy Central. 10:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.

The Venture Bros; [adult swim]. 11 pm  CST. Special.
This special hour-long episode gives Season 5 a little better ending-- and keeps the fires burning for whenever Season 6 happens.


Tuesday, 1/20

The Flash; The CW. 7 pm CST. Midseason Return.
I binged on most of the first half of this show a week ago, and I have to say I really like it.
It has its faults, but I like the care taken with the show and the supervillains, which have a little mix of one-offs and recurring characters. And they got some pretty good actors for the "name" villains, so it's exciting to know some of them will be back.
But all in all, it's just awesome to have a guy doing this superheroing gig because it's the right thing to do. And Barry enjoys being The Flash. Not a lot of angst with him.
Of course, a lot of comic book superhero angst comes from the secret identity, and DC's live action media is definitely taking another approach to secret identities-- like not really having one.
Jesus-- I mean Iris is pretty much the only major person in Barry;s life that doesn't know he's The Flash.
But it's cool.


The Short Game; Esquire. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Eight elementary school aged kids who aspire to be pro golfers are the stars of this reality show.

Justified; FX. 9 pm CST. 6th and Final Season Premiere.
This is it: the beginning of the end.
It's going to be Raylan vs. Boyd by the end of the season.


Wednesday, 1/21

Arrow; The CW. 7 pm CST. Midseason Return.
Considering what happened in the Fall Finale, I wonder what the name of the show will be in the future...

American Horror Story (FX; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.


Thursday, 1/22

Backstrom; Fox. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Rainn Wilson stars as an antisocial detective.
Not many of those in TV land right now, are there...?

Bad Judge (NBC; 8 pm CST). Series Finale.
It wasn't great, but it was fun in its own way.

A to Z (NBC; 8:30 pm CST). Series Finale.
I made it through the pilot. Just barely...

Morgan Spurlock Inside Man; CNN.8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
I know Spurlock rubs some people the wrong way, but I found last season of this show to be pretty interesting.
Certainly not up to par with his wonder show 30 Days, but he's still trying to shed a light on problems in our society.

Nightwatch; A&E. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Dick Wolf brings us this series about the New Orleans emergency services night shift .


Friday, 1/23

King of the Nerds; TBS. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.


Saturday, 1/24

Black Sails; Starz. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

A little inside, but if you get it, you'll like it...

Television Premieres and Notables: January 12-18, 2015

Tuesday, 1/13

Parks and Recreation; NBC. 7 pm CST.7th and Final Season Premiere.
I have never slobbered all over this show's knob like others have, but I will say it has remained consistently humorous over the years without the horrible downslide so many other comedies that have made it past five seasons have had.
It also was one of the few bright comedy spots NBC had a few years back, so they are giving this show a proper send-off.
--What? They're essentially burning-off the remaining episodes, and the show will end next month?
OK-- the monkeys who have been doing NBC's schedule the past few years seem to have struck again...

Face-Off; Syfy. 8 pm CST. 8th Season Premiere.

Wrestling With Death; WGN America. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A series following morticians who also work as professional wrestlers.

Kroll Show; Comedy Central. 9:30 pm CST. 3rd and Final Season Premiere.


Wednesday, 1/14

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia; FXX. 9 pm CST. 10th Season Premiere.

Broad City; Comedy Central. 9:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Man Seeking Woman; FXX. 9:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Jay Baruchel stars as a man seeking a woman.


Thursday, 1/15

50 Ways to Kill Your Mother; Discovery Life. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A mom and her son team up to do crazy things like wrestle alligators.


Friday, 1/16

12 Monkeys; Syfy. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Helix; Syfy. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

The Fall; Netflix. Streaming. Season Premiere.


Saturday, 1/17

The Musketeers; BBC America. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.