NEW SHOWS
Community – “Basic Email Security” (A-)
Like “Mixology Certification,” this dark episode exposes a lot of the group’s resentments while managing to remain hilarious. This is the best episode Paget Brewster and Keith David have had thus far and it might be the season’s best episode as well. There seems to be a lot of timely undercurrents this season and this one on cybersecurity is the best-integrated yet.
The Americans – “I Am Abassin Zadran” (A-)
A strong episode after last week’s plot-mover. There have been a lot of crazy moments in the show this season, but that murder and that last shot might be the craziest yet. This show has a lot to wrap up in next week’s finale, but I expect this show to do that gracefully.
CURRENT SHOWS
The Following – “Exposed” (C+), “Home,” “A Hostile Witness,” “Reunion” (B)
These episodes would be a lot shorter if anyone at the FBI knew how to shoot a gun effectively. But the introduction of Michael Ealy as Strauss’ best student is a leap forward this show frankly doesn’t deserve. He’s way too good for this show, but he’s elevating it all the same.
OLD SHOWS
The Simpsons (Season 8) – “Homer’s Enemy” (A-)
A controversial episode, to be sure, but one of the show’s most searing bits of comedy. Frank Grimes is an interloper and disrupter, and he’s here to detonate our unchallenged admiration of Homer Simpson. Watching this episode again, it’s clear that only some of his criticisms land, because, despite being truly noble, Grimey is a bit of an asshole. The smash cut to Frank’s grave after imitating Homer’s recklessness is one of the darkest things the show has ever done, and it’s all the better for it. Not every episode needs to be like this, but I’m glad that they occasionally exist.