Television Premieres and Notables: February 8-14, 2016

Monday, 2/8

War & Peace (Lifetime; 8 pm CST). Mini-series Finale.

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee; TBS. 9:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
The Daily Show's former corespondent creates and stars in her own show where she investigates and comments on stories she finds interesting.
It's probably a cheat to say it looks a lot like her role at TDS was, but she was so good at it that I'm okay with seeing more.


Tuesday, 2/9

Not Safe With Nikki Glaser; Comedy Central. 9:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Nikki Glaser creates and stars in this sex-themed show.


Thursday, 2/11

Those Who Can't; TruTV. 9:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Sure, Teachers beat it by a few weeks, but that show has females teachers who leave a lot to be desired and this show has male teachers who leave a lot to be desired.


Friday, 2/12

The Amazing Race; CBS. 7 pm CST. 28th Cycle Premiere.


Sunday, 2/14

The Walking Dead; AMC. 8 pm CST. Mid-season Premiere.
Because when you think Valentine's Day, you think Walking Dead.
Annnnyway: It was an interesting first half of the season that started out with a bang and ended with a little too little that actually happened.
I think the show also bought some badwill flirting with a certain someone's potential demise. It was a poor move by the creative types but the marketing geniuses at AMC really dropped the ball with it (had they let the show play out without the extra hoopla, it probably wouldn't have made fans turn on it so much).
But maybe that won't matter as the biggest Big Bad in the WD comic universe has been cast (Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan), and that's pretty much all anyone has talked about since the mid-season finale.
I haven't heard if he'll show right away or at the end of the season, but he'll be a game-changer.  At least as far as seeing how far basic cable language standards can be pushed (Negan is amazingly-- and nauseatingly-- prolific with the F-Bomb...)

Vinyl; HBO. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Mick Jagger and Martin Scorsese (who also directed the pilot) brings us this series set in 1970's New York about a record executive, played by Bobby Cannavale.


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

Television Premieres and Notables: Feb 1-7, 2016

Tuesday, 2/2

Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials 2016; CBS. 7 pm CST. Special.
Sometimes these are pretty cool; sometimes pretty lame.

American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson; FX. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Not to be confused with ABC's American Crime.
I've read some positive ("best show of the season") chatter about this one, so you may want to give it a try.


Wednesday, 2/3

Madoff; ABC. 7 pm CST. Mini-series Premiere.
Richard Dreyfuss stars as the tool who bilked a bunch of people out of their life savings in this 2-part mini.

Dinner at Tiffani's; Cooking. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.
If you've ever wondered what happened to Tiffani Amber Thiessen, here you go.


Friday, 2/5

Vice; HBO. 10 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Animals; HBO. 10:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Starburns Industries brings us this animated series about animals in NYC and their tales...
...And maybe their tails.
See what I did there? Clever.


Saturday, 2/6

Super Bowl's Greatest Commericals All-Star Countdown; CBS. 7 pm CST. Special.
WTF?
I wonder if the special on Tuesday holds out on the Top Ten just to make us watch this one four days later.
That's bullshit!


Sunday, 2/7

Puppy Bowl XII; Animal Planet. 2 pm CST. Special.

Super Bowl 50; CBS. 5 pm CST. Special.
Come here to see possible future Greatest Super Bowl Commercial fodder.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert; CBS. 9 pm CST. Special.
Set your DVRs to run long. Has any of these post-game shows ever started on time?

Freaky... but it works