The Collider Weekly TV Guide is a rundown of notable episodes, premieres, returns, finales, and opportunities to catch up on great shows (or cast an eye to the occasional TV train wreck). Check out our picks for the week of Monday, July 24th:
Monday. 8/24
The Whispers, “Traveller in the Dark” (ABC, 10 p.m.) – One of the children has become a vessel for Drill, which spikes paranoia in all the characters involved in ABC’s supernatural drama. Fingers crossed for The Thing references.
Tuesday, 8/25
Public Morals Series Premiere, “A Fine Line” (TNT, 10 p.m.) – Based on the doings of the Public Morals Division in New York City during the 1960s, this 20-years-in-the-making crime drama pits Officer Terry Muldoon (creator-producer-star Edward Burns) against his criminal uncle. Though the show is a bit formulaic and familiar, the supporting cast, including Michael Rapaport, Neal McDonough, Brian Dennehy, and Katrina Bowden, makes even its most bland passages entertaining. Check back for Allison's review soon.
Tyrant, “Desert Storm” (FX, 10 p.m.) – Barry gets a stroke of luck when a sandstorm allows him the advantage in his battle against the Caliphate in the latest episode of FX’s political family drama, but Molly is soon put in a position where she must scramble to save his life. Inside the palace, Leila begins formulating a plan to regain power in her household.
Wednesday, 8/26
Mr. Robot Season 1 Finale, “eps1.9_zer0-day.avi” (USA, 10 p.m.) – The best debuting series of the year thus far comes to a close as Elliot (Rami Malek) must face the consequences of a past hack, with Tyrell (Martin Wallström) and Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) nowhere to be found and little in the way of trustable friends or family.
Key & Peele, “Hollywood Sequel Doctor” (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.) – Tickling games between friends, disruptive janitors, party talk about Africa, and a peek inside the writers room for Joe Dante’s brilliant Gremlins 2 are among the sketches on hand for the latest episode of Key & Peele Season 5., the final season for the excellent comedic duo’s program.
Thursday, 8/27
Review, “Catfish, Haunted House” (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.) – On the latest episode of Comedy Central’s humorous review show, Forrest (Andrew Daly) goes fishing and finds himself connecting with an old flame, before spending a night in a haunted house. Likelihood of him finding Casper is almost unspeakably low.
Documentary Now!, “DRONEZ: The Hunt for El Chingon” (IFC, 10 p.m.) – IFC’s entertaining parody of the documentary style continues with this sharp look at the well-meaning yet inarguably self-satisfied Vice News channel, as creator-stars Fred Armisen and Bill Hader play journalists on the lookout for a notorious cartel leader in Mexico.
Friday, 8/28
Narcos (Netflix, Streaming) – Netflix’s latest series is a thrilling take on the hunt for Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura), directed by Elite Squad helmer Jose Padilha. The series details the grueling undercover work and information gathering that went into the attempts to capture the infamous cartel leader, but also gives an inside look into the building and maintaining of Escobar’s bloody empire.
Defiance, “Upon the March We Fittest Die” (Syfy, 8 p.m.) – The Season 3 finale of this engaging science fiction series sees our heroes planning a possible suicide mission to finally end the imposing Omec threat.
Saturday, 8/29
Blunt Talk, “I Experience Chame and Anticipate Punishment” (Starz, 9 p.m.) – Patrick Stewart continues a hot streak of comedic wins with this new series from Jonathan Ames, which, in the second episode, sees Stewart’s Walter missing out on a chance to cover a big storm, only then to help formulate a plan that may be even worse than missing the story altogether.
Hannibal Series Finale, “The Wrath of the Lamb” (NBC, 10 p.m.) – Well, it’s come to this. The series finale of one of the greatest television series to ever be aired sees Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) squaring off against the Great Red Dragon (Richard Armitage) and continuing to collide with former colleague Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen). Not to get too hyperbolic here, but the inept cancellation of a hugely progressive series like this is the kind of shameful ignorance of viewership and a more digitally-focused audience that should scar NBC for a solid decade. We’re talking Firefly or Freaks and Geeks level of shame.
Sunday, 8/30
Show Me a Hero Series Finale, “Parts 5 & 6” (HBO, 8 p.m.) – The best mini-series of the year (and yes, I’m including The Jinx) comes to a devastating close as Mayor Wasickso’s (Oscar Isaac) must come to face the consequences of his hand in the Sands housing plan in Yonkers that has driven him to the brink. Do not expect to sleep well after this one.
Fear the Walking Dead, “So Close, Yet So Far” (AMC, 9 p.m.) – This interesting but slow-moving spin-off picks up the pace just a bit as the zombie disease takes a stronger hold of California and Madison’s (Kim Dickens) family struggles to keep it together, between both the zombie plague, drug addiction, and revelations of close friends or colleagues getting turned.
The Strain, “Intruders” (FX, 10 p.m.) – A surprise attack in Red Hook has Eph (Corey Stoll) on edge as he just barely saves his son from one of the infected, while his colleagues make a bid to finally get the Lumen, only to find out that there’s another bidder with a similarly, er, passionate want for the item. Expect absolutely nothing gross or bloody to happen at all.
