What’s On: Ed Helms’ ‘Fake News,’ Return of ‘Librarians,’ Flurry of Fall Finales

Matt Roush
26 Comments
thefakenewswithtednelms
Comedy Central

A critical checklist of notable Wednesday TV:

The Fake News With Ted Nelms (10/9c, Comedy Central): Former Daily Show correspondent Ed Helms, who left that gig long ago for a successful comedy career in TV (The Office) and movies (The Hangover), returns to the land of mock journalism, breathlessly delivering fake headlines with absurd gusto: “News me right in the face!” The tone of the desperately silly and fitfully amusing hour is in-your-face for sure, including inane hurricane coverage from a “Severe Weather Lounge” and frequent updates from a national crisis of the president being stuck in a well—from which he tweets until (horrors) his cell-phone battery dies. There’s nothing funny, of course, about the cynical “fake news” crusade against actual news that the government doesn’t like, but this hour of moronic satire is weightless fun, and that’s the truth.

The Librarians (8/7c, TNT): The fantasy adventure series returns for a fourth season with back-to-back episodes of pure escapism. Noah Wyle appears in seven of the season’s 12 episodes, including the opener, in which Flynn and his fellow Librarians take on a secret sect who have discovered the four cornerstones of the original Library—the fabled one of Alexandria. In the second hour, the team tries its luck at a casino where the owner possesses an artifact that can affect people’s fortunes.

Fall Finales: With Christmas fast approaching, many weekly series are airing their last episodes before the holiday break, while several cable favorites are signing off for the season. Some highlights: ABC’s The Goldbergs (8/7c) finds Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) starting a competition for who can host the best Hanukkah party. … James Van Der Beek guests on ABC’s Modern Family (9/8c) as the ex-boyfriend of Cam’s sister Pam (Dana Powell), and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) sees his arrival as an opportunity to get her out of the house. … Fox’s Star (9/8c) declares a winner of the Midtown Showcase, but any jubilation may be short-lived when Carlotta’s (Queen Latifah) salon is, according to Fox, “under fire in more ways than one.” … In the second-season finale of SundanceTV’s moving drama The A Word (10/9c), an end-of-year show at Joe’s (Max Vento) old school brings his estranged family together, but will the reunion hold? … The third season of USA’s Mr. Robot (10/9c) ends with Elliot (Rami Malek) trying to save Darlene (Carly Chaikin), while Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) must decide whether to intervene.

Inside Wednesday TV: How embarrassing if Will & Grace, and its star Eric McCormack, hadn’t been nominated for Golden Globes this year, given that he and co-star Debra Messing are hosting NBC’s two-hour Golden Globe 75th Anniversary Special (9/8c), in advance of the Jan. 7 big event. … The streaming highlight comes from Belgium, where Walter Presents has unearthed the creepy thriller 13 Commandments, in which a serial killer is using the Ten Commandments as inspiration, fancying himself a Moses whose dark acts are intended to wake society up to its moral corruption. … A new edition of TBS’s Full Frontal With Samantha Bee (10:30/9:30c) will likely have something to say about the results of Tuesday’s election in Alabama.




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  1. P

    PurpleChilli

    To me...Designated Survivor only comes alive when Maggie Q is on. She is one great kick-ass actress that dominates any scene she is in.

    ...and the ONLY reason I watch. Keiffer Sutherland should go back to that one big super hit he had...DS is NOT it.

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      CyanCoathanger

      I like both of them.

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    GoldSubmarine

    Designated Survivor for me live tonight. Its expected to be awesome!!

    Surprised no mention of it , its the midseason finale.

    Anyway, all ABC tonight. And if I have time later will catch up with NBC's The Brave, On Demand. Its the show that almost got away from me this season. The promos were awful.

    1. C

      CyanCoathanger

      They've hinted at a shocking turn of events on DS tonight. I'll believe it when I see it.

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        GoldSubmarine

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        GoldSubmarine

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        GoldSubmarine

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      4. G

        GoldSubmarine

        I didn't read spoilers , but I predict something huge will happen to the first lady. I feel they have been building up to it all season long.

        Also I predict Virginia Madsen will return to the show. Her character is missed. I also believe she will be a love interest for the president.

        I've been thinking about all of this since she abruptly left the show.

        Now they need to find Maggie Q a suitable boyfriend. She hasn't had any luck so far.

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        GoldSubmarine

        I didn't read spoilers , but I predict something huge will happen to the first lady. I feel they have been building up to it all season long.

        Also I predict Virginia Madsen will return to the show. Her character is missed. I also believe she will be a love interest for the president.

        I've been thinking about all of this since she abruptly left the show.

        Now they need to find Maggie Q a suitable boyfriend. She hasn't had any luck so far.

        1. C

          CyanCoathanger

          I don't know what you did, but can you delete 4 of these? I don't think Virginia will be back if she isn't already, but if she did come back, I really doubt she'd be a love interest for the prez. Maggie doesn't *need* a boyfriend.

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            GoldSubmarine

            TV INSIDER was holding my comment because they were updating their system That's what the red lettering stated after I posted. Perhaps I pressed 3 extra times when I didn't see it post. Hannah may not "need" a boyfriend, but she sure seems to want one! The president will likely be depressed for the remainder of the season. I bet there will be lots of ladies vying for his attention though.

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              CyanCoathanger

              To be fair...I don't think TV Insider has anything to do with what happens in the comments sections. I believe that's all Disqus.

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                GoldSubmarine

                Yes, but this site has lots of issues. If I click Matt Roush, his latest What's On pages isn't listed. If I click What's Worth Watching its blank.

                And logging on to TVINSDER.com/category/What's-worth-watching/ is the fastest way to see the What's On page. Although I'm not seeing one for this weekend yet.

                The powers that be need to work out these bugs to be more user friendly.

                Let me know if you see a new What's On page. I'm getting tired of constantly checking.

                1. C

                  CyanFish

                  Matt writes his column daily, he does not write it in advance. Unfortunately, this means there will be times when he is busy with other projects and pieces for the magazine and the column on this site will go up late. It's not ideal, but we would rather Matt continue to write the column and have it go up a bit late than to stop it all together.

                  We are aware of the site problems and will be addressing them in 2018. We ask for your patience while we try to make the site more user friendly.

                  Thanks for your feedback.

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                    GoldSubmarine

                    Yes agreed, I would rather have late posts than no posts.

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                      CyanCoathanger

                      I'd rather have Post Toasties, but they quit making them again.

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                    CyanCoathanger

                    Exactly what I was going to say.....that the site has no control over what time Matt gets around to posting his daily column. However, I've commented before that it would be nice if he posted it somewhere near the same time every day.

                    The bigger problem (which you addressed somewhat the other day) is trying to find Matt's daily column. As I'm sure you're aware, the "Matt Roush" and "What's On" links haven't been updating like they should. Many of us followed Matt here from the old TV Guide site. He's still a major draw on this site, but people have given up trying to find him on it.

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                GoldSubmarine

                I read that ABC wont be airing any more of the Great American Baking episodes this season. One of the guys on it was accused of sexual harassment. Is there any other form of harassment lately? This is getting out of hand. Lets cancel every show, because I'm sure there is someone involved in each that harassed somebody.

                1. C

                  CyanCoathanger

                  I said when it began that it was going to turn into an all-out witch hunt. One show (I forget which one) that was going to keep going until the accusations were investigated generated so many letters of complaint and pressure from advertisers that the network felt forced to take it off the air. I have a feeling it's only going to get worse before it gets better.

      6. R

        RedCupcake

        The promos for last week's episode seemed to indicate "shocking events" in that episode... it sort of looked like Kirkman was going to 'go off' on Seth about his arrest. And we know how THAT turned out. But I do think it's about time we see Angry Tom again. It's been a while. The question for tonight is, will it be directed toward his wife??

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          CyanCoathanger

          I don't think he gets really angry with her per se, but I do know the FBI is going to question her tonight.

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    CyanCoathanger

    OK...it's my night to try to juggle 100 shows (it seems like 100 anyway) again! Here goes:

    Goldbergs, Speechless, Modern Family, Designated Survivor, Riverdale, Vikings, Knightfall, Dian Fossey, Happy! (if I can work it in), and most importantly...the finale of Mr. Robot! Top that Fred! LOL

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      GoldSubmarine

      I don't usually top you on Wednesday. But I can see why you are behind on your favorites.

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        CyanCoathanger

        Oh, and I forgot about 2 new episodes of The Librarians!

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          GoldSubmarine

          Didn't see a Whats On page posted for this weekend yet. Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , Once Upon a Time , Exorcist and Ten Days in the Valley for me this weekend. I hope you feel better!

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              GoldSubmarine

              Some of those Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episodes look like they could be in the cinema. The first 3 three for sure.