There’s only one show that rules our screens this week,
and it’s the longest-running science fiction series ever. The entire week is crammed with celebrations of Doctor Who’s
50th anniversary, including a dramatization of the early years, and a meeting
of titans. Check out clips and details from all this week’s TV!
Top
image: Doctor Who
Today:
Adventure Time and Steven Universe
(7 PM, Cartoon Network):
Check out two new clips — Steven’s “chasing
pants” music is my new ringtone. First, Kee-Oth the Blood Demon kidnaps
Jake, and throws him into a pit, so Finn has to team up with Lady Rainicorn,
using a videotape that reveals how to get into Kee-Oth’s dimension. Then at 8
PM, Steven gets hold of a mystical shard that brings any item of clothing to
life — and uses it to help a Boardie kid with his grueling job. Apparently Steven is doing pretty well, since
Cartoon Network just ordered 13 more episodes. Also, there’s a new Regular Show at 7:30 and a new Mad at 8:30.
Almost
Human (8 PM, Fox):
So what did you think of the series premiere last
night? Is this a worthy successor to Fringe?
You get another chance to decide about that tonight, when Kennex and Dorian
investigate a murder and missing persons case that lead them into the steamy, tawdry
world of “sexbots.” Woo hoo.
Doctor
Who: Tales from the TARDIS (9 PM, BBC America):
The week of Doctor Who
celebrations begins with this brand new special about the show’s history.
Here’s what to expect:
The special features exclusive interviews with principal
cast members from the show’s 50-year history, including actors who have played
the Doctor: Matt Smith, David Tennant, Tom Baker, and Peter Davison, actors who
have played companions: Jenna Coleman, Karen Gillan, Freema Agyeman, and
William Russell, as well as the current lead writer and executive producer
Steven Moffat. The discussion includes how the actors got cast, how the roles
changed their lives, how a ‘regeneration’ is recorded, and how filming the show
in the 60’s compares to today.
There’s also a marathon of The Doctors Revisited specials, focusing on the first ten Doctors,
all day.
Beauty and the Beast
(9 PM, The CW):
This week, Vincent and Cat celebrate Thanksgiving with Cat’s
dad, to get information about Vincent’s missions — but then Gabe and Tori
crash the celebration and there’s not enough turducken to go around. You don’t
want to deprive a Beast of turducken, that’s a bad scene right there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9dHIXx8dJk
Sleepy Hollow (9 PM, Fox):
And here’s where the shorter 13-episode first season starts
to pay off, as the storyline seems to be moving forward at a brisk clip. Also,
check out creepy possessed John Cho! Here’s what’s afoot: “Ichabod, Abbie,
Captain Irving and Jenny Mills (guest star Lyndie Greenwood) join forces and
face the Headless Horseman. While staring down this nemesis, Ichabod is shocked
by game-changing information about the Horseman’s true motive.”
The Science of Doctor Who (10 PM, BBC
America):
And then there’s this, featuring rockstar physicist Brian
Cox: “A former rock star and Britain’s popular TV physicist, Professor
Brian Cox explores the universe of the world’s favorite Time Lord when he takes
the audience on a journey into the wonderful universe of Doctor Who, with
the help of celebrity guests. In this exclusively recorded special from the
lecture theatre of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, Brian reveals the
science behind the spectacle and explains the physics that allows Doctor
Who to travel through space and time. Fun, but filled with real science,
it’s a special night for Who fans and anyone with a thirst for
understanding.”
Also on TV tonight: There’s a new Packages from Planet X on Disney XD at 9:30 PM. There’s a new Castle on ABC
at 10 PM.
Tuesday:
BBC America is showing a marathon of the Ninth
Doctor’s stories all day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUAOt8n9w8I
Agents of SHIELD (8 PM, ABC):
The long-awaited “Thor
cross-over” episode. Here’s a clip, just in case you missed it when we ran
it earlier today. The most notable thing about this episode is that it was
directed by Jonathan Frakes, who may be the subject of a
lot of mocking memes for his performance as Riker, but who has also become one of the best directors
working in television.
https://gizmodo.com/supercut-of-riker-sitting-down-like-a-total-weirdo-on-s-497447952
Supernatural (9 PM, The CW):
We’re going to meet another version of Young Dean, via
another set of flashbacks!
YOUNG DEAN — Dean (Jensen Ackles) gets a call from an old
friend named Sonny (guest star Blake Gibbons) asking for help with a
ghost. Sonny runs a home for delinquent
boys, and Dean was sent there for stealing food when he was younger. Sam (Jared Padalecki) is stunned he never
knew this about his brother and asks for more information, but Dean dodges his
questions. Another murder occurs while
Sam and Dean are at the house, so they scramble to find the culprit before
anyone else dies. Meanwhile, Dean looks
up an old girlfriend (guest star Erin Karpluk) and recalls his time at the
house.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5UwW1cWiQI
Futurescape (10 PM, Science):
James Woods hosts a brand new show about the future of
everything, starting out with an episode about the “robot
revolution.” Here’s the logline:
What if you could read minds using a Bluetooth device, or
have your own personal superhuman Iron Man-style suit? How about curing cancer
by inserting a “super chip” into the human body? What was once
considered science fiction is more of a reality than you may think. A future
that once existed solely in the human imagination is beginning to take shape.
Science Channel and celebrated actor James Woods take an unprecedented look at
the next breakthroughs in science and technology.
Person of Interest
(10 PM, CBS):
Part two of the three-part event. And a major clue to what
happens next could come from the fact that Fusco’s son Lee is appearing,
according to the cast list. Here’s what’s up: ” Danger closes in when the
battle to bring the crime organization HR to justice reaches new heights. Also,
when The Machine suddenly gives out Reese’s number, the POI team faces their
greatest threat yet.”
Also
on TV tonight: There’s a new Total
Drama: All Stars on Cartoon Network at 7 PM, followed by Amazing World
of Gumball and Uncle Grandpa. Lady Gaga has a release party for her
new album on The CW at 8 PM. There’s also the midseason finale of Ravenswood
on ABC Family at 8 PM. A new Crash & Bernstein airs on Disney XD at
8:30 PM. If you subscribe to DirecTV, you can see a new (to Americans) episode
of Black Mirror at 9 PM. Also at 9, Syfy has a special “nude
body-painting” episode of Face-Off, and Discovery has a new Doomsday
Preppers. At 10 PM, Spike has a new episode of Criss Angel: BeLIEve.
Wednesday:
BBC America is having a Tenth Doctor marathon all day.
Johnny Test/Teen Titans Go! (7:00
PM, Cartoon Network):
Some monsters left over from the girls’ failed experiments get
together and hatch a plan to take over everything. And then Cyborg, Beast Boy
and Robin go on a “bro-cation,” but then Dr. Light attacks. (Cue rant
about how sad it is that we lost Young
Justice but we get endless bro-cation-filled episodes of this show.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZEm0D5hg20
Nova (8 PM, PBS):
As a change from the series of “Making Stuff
—-er” episodes, this show is having an episode about “The Edge of
Space,” the boundary zone between the Earth and outer space, where “some
of nature’s most puzzling and alluring phenomena” happen. That’s followed
by a second episode, “Asteroid: Doomsday or Payday?”, in which we
explore scenarios in which asteroids either destroy humanity, or slather some
of us in cheddar.
Revolution (8 PM,
NBC):
The midseason finale. Let’s hope this show ends its fall run
of episodes with a bang! Here’s what they’re telling us: ” NEVILLE REACTS
TO A SURPRISE – The relationship between Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell) and Gene
(Stephen Collins) remains strained as Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) shows her mom
how much she’s grown. Meanwhile, Neville (Giancarlo Esposito) gives Jason (JD
Pardo) a determined proclamation.”
Arrow (8 PM, The
CW):
Hot damn, it’s the return of Seth Gabel as Count Vertigo:
MOIRA FIGHTS FOR HER LIFE; THE COUNT RETURNS — Oliver
(Stephen Amell) is concerned when a mysterious illness sweeps the city,
infecting hundreds of people, including Diggle (David Ramsey). Oliver discovers Vertigo in Diggle’s blood
and realizes The Count (guest star Seth Gabel) has broken out of prison and is
once again distributing his drug.
Meanwhile, Moira (Susanna Thompson) goes on trial for her participation
in the Undertaking. ADA Adam Donner
(guest star Dylan Bruce) collapses in court with Vertigo symptoms so Laurel
(Katie Cassidy) must step in and try the case against Moira. Oliver is torn between standing by his family
during the trial and catching The Count.
However, things change when Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) follows a
lead and walks straight into a trap set by The Count.
Tomorrow People
(9 PM, The CW):
At this point, I’m extremely leery about any episode whose
synopsis basically begins with “Stephen does something stupid and
reckless”:
NO MANS LAND — When Stephen (Robbie Amell) decides to have
some fun with his newfound powers, Jedikiah (Mark Pellegrino) takes extreme
measures to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
After John (Luke Mitchell) and Russell (Aaron Yoo) return from their
trip, John feels a strange tension between himself and Cara Peyton List). Stephen tries to handle a new and dangerous
breakout on his own, but finds himself in over his head and needing help from
his fellow Tomorrow People. Meanwhile,
Stephen has a moment of clarity when it comes to his father, and is more
determined than ever to figure out what happened to him.
American Horror
Story: Coven (10 PM, FX):
Sounds like even more sexytimes this week: “Fiona finds
new purpose in a dangerous love affair. A night out with LaLaurie leads Queenie
to question her place in the Coven. Cordelia makes a fateful decision about her
mother.”
Also
on TV tonight: PBS has a new Nova
at 9 PM. Comedy Central has a new South
Park at 10 PM. Science has a new How the Earth Works at 10 PM.
Thursday:
Part one of a two-part marathon of the Eleventh
Doctor’s stories from Doctor Who on
BBC America, all day today.
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (8 PM, ABC):
Looks like Alice
is making it home, and this show is becoming a bit of a Liminal Fantasy.
Vampire
Diaries (8 PM, The CW):
Remember that college subplot? It’s back, full
force. Also, brace yourself for a Stefan/Katherine romance. Or something.
THE PARTY’S OVER — At Whitmore College, Elena (Nina Dobrev)
and Caroline (Candice Accola) decide it’s time to throw a big party, but their
plans are interrupted when Jesse (guest star Kendrick Sampson) suddenly needs
Caroline’s help. At Elena’s request,
Damon (Ian Somerhalder) comes up with an effective method to get Wes (guest
star Rick Cosnett) to answer his questions.
At the party, Elena finds that she and Aaron (guest star Sean Sipos)
have a lot in common, and Caroline grows more concerned about Jesse. Meanwhile, Katherine (Nina Dobrev) does a
favor for Matt (Zach Roerig) and manages to get through to Stefan (Paul
Wesley), who is still struggling to overcome the events of the summer. Finally, Bonnie (Kat Graham) does her best to
cope with her new reality, and Damon makes a terrifying discovery about a
secret society.
The
Returned (9 PM, Sundance):
Victor, the creepy kid, gets flustered for once, as
we learn more about his past in a dark
and unsettling episode.
Also
on TV tonight: Cartoon Network has a
new Legends of Chima at 7 PM,
followed by a new Dragons: Defenders of
Berk. CBS has a new Big Bang Theory
at 8 and a new Elementary at 10. At 9
PM, The CW has a new Reign. At 10 PM,
there’s a new Unsealed: Alien Files
on Discover America.
Friday:
Part two of the Eleventh Doctor marathon on BBC America,
all day today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSeDSxG2xEk
Avatar: The Legend of Korra (8 PM,
Nickelodeon):
The one-hour season finale! Which already
debuted online, and you can read our reactions at the link. For some
reason, it’s airing a week after its online debut.
https://gizmodo.com/the-legend-of-korra-ends-a-rocky-season-on-a-powerful-n-1465901501
The Neighbors
(8:30 PM, ABC):
The Thanksgiving episode! In which Marty’s father suddenly
turns up, because he’s getting divorced and wants to come live with Marty —
just as Jackie’s Zabvronian parents arrive for a visit.
Doctor Who: An Adventure in Space and
Time (9 PM, BBC America):
The U.S.
debut of the docudrama about the early years of Doctor Who, which we’ve been gobsmacked by our early glimpses of.
This is going to be the best love letter to the show’s creation you could
possibly hope for.
What do you get when you mix C.S. Lewis with H.G. Wells, and
sprinkle in a bit of Father Christmas? An alien Time Lord exploring space and
time in a Police Box spaceship called the “TARDIS” (Time And Relative Dimension
in Space). On November 23, 1963, a television legend began when the very
first episode of Doctor Who was broadcast on BBC One.
Fifty years later, the genesis story is retold in a new BBC AMERICA
co-production film celebrating the 50th anniversary of the franchise.
This is preceded, at 8 PM, by a special called Doctor Who Explained, which sounds like
a primer on the show featuring a lot of castmembers past and present.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1wrQIY5L8w
Nikita (9 PM, The CW):
This massively underrated show is beginning its final run of episodes, with
Nikita in a situation that would be very familiar to fans of Doctor Who’s “The Deadly
Assassin.” Check out a bloody awesome clip above, and here’s what’s up:
THE FINAL FIGHT BEGINS — Nikita (Maggie Q) is still on the
run after she was framed for the assassination of the President of the United States. Dale, a reporter (guest star Todd Grinnell)
from the news channel ENN, starts questioning what really happened that
night. Nikita sees this as an
opportunity to clear her name so she re-enters the country to talk to Dale but
walks right into a trap set by Amanda (Melinda Clarke). The team is alerted and Michael (Shane West)
sets out to find Nikita before Amanda does.
While Birkoff (Aaron Stanford) and Ryan (Noah Bean) help Michael from
their new mobile office, a high-tech aircraft, Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca) stakes out
a human-trafficking ring and learns The Shop is involved. Things go south and Alex is surprised when
Owen/Sam (Devon Sawa) shows up at the scene.
Haven (10 PM, Syfy):
A monster out of folklore is hunting people
in Haven, so the Darkside Seekers, who hunt ghosts, come to town — and they
make life difficult for Audrey and her friends.
Also on TV tonight: Disney has a new Dog With a Blog at 8:30 PM. Another episode of Misfits airs on Logo at 1 AM.
Saturday:
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
(10 AM, Hub Network):
The
long-awaited two-part season premiere! In which: “Princess Twilight is
busy adjusting to her new wings and new role in Equestria when Celestia and
Luna go missing. Meanwhile, her friends
are all having unusual troubles of their own and it will take all of them working
together to help find the missing royals.”
Doctor Who (2:50 PM, BBC America):
Please
note — this is simulcast around the world, meaning that it airs at 11:50 AM on
the West Coast. Also, BBC America will have an encore presentation at 7 PM,
featuring additional material in the form of exclusive interviews with David
Tennant and Matt Smith. Here’s what’s up:
The Doctors (Matt Smith and
David Tennant) embark on their greatest adventure across space and time. In
2013, something terrible is awakening in London’s
National Gallery; in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England;
and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion.
All of reality is at stake as the Doctor’s own dangerous past comes back to
haunt him.
Kristin’s Christmas Past (8 PM,
Lifetime):
Calling this out because we only just
had a Christmas-themed Groundhog Day
knockoff TV movie a couple weeks ago, and now here’s another time-warping
Christmas storyline. Seriously, it’s bizarre. Here’s the logline: “Estranged
from her family, Kristin (SHIRI APPLEBY) falls asleep alone on Christmas Eve
only to wake up and discover it’s Christmas morning 1996 and she has to relive
the worst Christmas of her life! But this time, Kristin decides to do things
differently to change not only her imperfect past, but also her less-
than-perfect future.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFbtrSk_LME
Atlantis (9 PM, BBC America):
A
brand new show from the creator of Misfits,
Howard Overman. And this time, instead of juvenile delinquents, he’s tackling
Greek Gods. (Will we be able to tell
the difference?) This show has already been airing in the U.K., but it’s
finally coming to our screens, and here’s what happens this week: “When
Jason (Jack Donnelly) goes in search of his father, he washes up on the shores
of a strange and mysterious land. A world of mythical creatures, soothsaying
oracles and palaces so vast it was said they were built by giants; this is the
lost city of Atlantis.
But it seems the newcomer has chosen the wrong time to arrive in the fabled
realm and Jason soon finds himself at the mercy of a deadly ritual, from which
there is no escape…”
https://gizmodo.com/the-13-biggest-assholes-in-greek-mythology-1454132475
Stonados (9 PM, Syfy):
What’s
more exciting than a Sharknado? Syfy is hoping you’ll somehow think, “a
Stonado!” This is described as “a disaster movie about a freak
weather system which hurls deadly boulders.” Although maybe they’re just
being really honest about the state in which you’re likely to be watching this.
Also
on TV today: Disney XD has a new Packages
from Planet X at 8:30 AM. Cartoon Network, meanwhile, has a new Ben 10 Omniverse at 9:30 AM. Nickelodeon
has a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
at 11 AM, a new Monsters Vs. Aliens
at noon, and a new Power Rangers at 1
PM. Hub Network has a new Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch at
noon, a new Kaijudo at 2 PM, a new Spooksville at 6:30 PM, and a new R.L. Stine at 7:30 PM. There’s a new
episode of superhero show The Thundermans
on Nickelodeon at 9 PM. Also at 9 PM: Discovery has a new special, Penguins: Waddle all the Way, and the
Weather Channel has the season finale of Tipping
Points, focusing on projections about a water crisis in India. And there’s a new Axe Cop on Fox at 11 PM, followed by the premiere of a new show
called Golan the Insatiable, about a
“Godlord” trapped in suburbia.
Sunday:
Doctor
Who: The Doctors Revisited (8 PM, BBC America):
Nope, the Doctor
Who celebration is not over yet. The monthly series of one-hour specials
about each of the stars of Doctor Who
reaches the current (for a little while longer) lead actor, Matt Smith: “The
Doctors Revisited begins with Matt Smith, Jenna Coleman (companion Clara
Oswald), Karen Gillan (companion Amy Pond), Arthur Darvill (companion Rory
Williams), lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, among others,
examining the human side of this Doctor and taking a look at how his
extraordinarily long life has affected him.” That’s followed by a special showing
of “The Impossible Astronaut”/”Day of the Moon”.
The Walking Dead (9 PM, AMC):
Check out a new clip from “Dead Weight,” in which a
camp outside the prison spells the beginning of “a new and scary
chapter.”
Witches of East End (10 PM, Lifetime):
Is this show settling into being a serviceable horror-comedy-soap?
In this week’s episode: “Wendy and Joanna fight over a secret that Joanna
has kept for more than a hundred years; the shifter threatens Freya; Ingrid
suspects that Mike has ulterior motives.”
Also on TV today: Disney XD has a new Hulk and the Agents of SMASH at 11 AM, and a new Avengers Assemble at 11:30. Nicktoons has a new Digimon Fusion at 11:30 AM, followed by
a new Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal. Fox has its
usual raft of animated TV shows in the evening. At 9 PM, Ion has a TV movie
called Defending Santa, where Santa
Claus is arrested for a crime he didn’t commit and has to win his trial in time
to make his annual sleigh ride. Also at 9 PM, Discovery has a special called Alaska: The Last Frontier. There’s a new
Masters of Sex on Showtime at 10 PM.
At midnight, there’s a new Comic Book Men on AMC.
Sources:
Futon Critic,
MSN TV, TV Guide, and various TV
studio press release
