NEW SHOWS
Crashing – “Warm-up” (A)
The most joyous episode of the most joyous show. I’ve really enjoyed Crashing, but this is where Pete Holmes’ relentless optimism has truly paid off.
The Americans – “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” (A-)
The show hasn’t turned any truly great episodes so far this season, but this came the closest, with Noah Emmerich’s best acting since Season 3.
Legion – “Chapter 8” (A-) / season finale
I don’t know how excited I am for that last little bit, but this is a satisfying full-tilt finale that explores a lot of big ideas, and also gives that character a fleshed-out backstory in a matter of minutes. This is my favorite show of 2017, and while there’s a lot of year left, I don’t know if anything can top this.