NEW SHOWS
Crashing – “Artie Lange” (A-) / series premiere
Like Louie, but with less existential dread. Yes, that still works. Pete Holmes has long been one of my favorite comedians, and here is material that suits his personality and his humor. Excited to see how varied this can be week to week.
This Is Us – “Memphis” (A-)
Dammit. I knew that character was going to die and it still hit me like a ton of bricks. I’m withholding the A because it tries to cover way too much ground for one episode. But of course, its big final scene was incredibly effective, judging by my wet, stinging eyes.
The Mindy Project – “Bat Mitzvah” (B)
Always good to see Mandy & Peter back at it, but the show really struggles with stakes now that Danny’s gone. Also, crashing a bat mitzvah should have been crazier than this.
Legion – “Chapter 3” (A)
I continue to be astonished by this show, and not just because of its impressive production design and special effects. It’s the show’s fluidity. It can be whatever it needs to be, depending on the episode. This week, it’s an unsettling horror film that delivers. There’s a lot of TV happening in the next few months, but so far I don’t see anything that will top Legion.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – “The Gang Tends Bar” (B-)
A bottle episode that should have been a lot better than it is, mainly because Megan Ganz (Community) wrote this episode. There’s still plenty of great gags about the Dark Web, but this feels like a missed opportunity.