What’s On: A Christmas robbery on ‘Mom,’ Kristen Wiig on ‘Actors Studio,’ Doug Jones with Seth Meyers

Matt Roush
7 Comments
Mom-episode-508; An Epi-Pen and Security Cat
CBS

A critical checklist of notable Thursday TV:

Mom (9/8c, CBS): If it weren’t for bad luck, nothing much would happen on this hard-knocks sitcom. So it goes at Christmastime, when Christy (Anna Faris) and Bonnie (Allison Janney) return home from an AA meeting to discover their home has been robbed. “Of what?!” exclaims Christy. “We don’t have anything!” Well, there is that laptop with her term paper on it. The trail leads to an unexpected source, and tests the limits of support within the AA group, whose resilience is something of a Christmas miracle.

Inside the Actors Studio (8/7c, Bravo): One of the more successful graduates of Saturday Night Live, Kristen Wiig visits with James Lipton to discuss her career, starting with the Groundlings improve troupe to her Emmy-nominated tenure at SNL, where she creates such wacky characters as Sue the Surprise Lady (which always reminded me of Carol Burnett at her peak). As writer-producer-star of the Oscar-nominated Bridesmaids, Wiig has seen her big-screen profile rise in recent years, and she’ll next be seen in the holiday film Downsizing with Matt Damon. It won’t be easy watching her talk without imagining Will Farrell as Lipton, one of his classic impersonations.

Late Night With Seth Meyers (12:37/11:37c, NBC): Now here’s something worth “A Closer Look” (one of my favorite ongoing segments in all of television): newly elected Alabama Sen. Doug Jones sits with Seth to discuss the recent campaign that took the nation by storm.

Inside Thursday TV: Yet another chance to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas on ABC (8/7c). It really never gets old, especially that Vince Guaraldi score. … Streaming fans can dig into a fourth season of Netflix’s violent British import Peaky Blinders. … Imagine having Young Sheldon (8:30/7:30c, CBS) as a tutor. In a new episode, the little genius (Iain Armitage) makes a deal with his dad (Lance Barber) to tutor older brother Georgie (Montana Jordan), whose lousy grades could boot him from the football team. … A searingly personal true-crime story unfolds in Investigation Discovery’s premiere of The Family I Had (9/8c), in which a mother struggles with forgiveness after her teenage son kills her daughter. … Bravo’s Top Chef (10/9c) puts the contestants to work in food trucks, serving college students in Boulder, CO.

 

Kristen Wiig



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  1. G

    GoldSubmarine

    Being that it is especially quiet for me lately, I've been anxiously awaiting the return of some of my favorites expected to air shortly: NBC's Timeless (favorite new show last season) and CMT's Nashville (final season) . Another favorite of mine, CBS's Salvation won't arrive till summer.

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    CyanCoathanger

    All I've got scheduled are Young Sheldon and Million Dollar Listing. I've finished 5 episodes of Inhumans, and I'm still not all that impressed with it.

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      GoldSubmarine

      Nothing for me tonight. As for Inhumans, I enjoyed every episode except #4. My expectations were super low(critics crucified it) so I guess I appreciated it more .

      It does pale against Marvell Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, however. As for the other Marvel shows, I'm still not in love with The Gifted, I just find it too depressing and dull. Iron Fist is almost unwatchable, Defenders is just ok. And Punisher is not in the same genre just a generic violent drama to me. Didn't catch Runaways yet.

      I think Marvel is spreading itself too thin.

      My DC shows are Gotham , Supegirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Flash and Arrow in that order. The CW ones are sometimes too cheesy for me, but they are addicting and fun to watch for the most part ,, especially that Crisis on Earth 4 ep crossover. That was worthy of a theatrical release.

      I started Long Road Home, its a high quality docudrama, but I still prefer the fictional shows of this genre like The Brave.

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    3. C

      CyanCoathanger

      I don't understand your dislike for episode 4 of Inhumans. I didn't find it any worse than the episodes before and after it.

    4. C

      CyanCoathanger

      I've watched a couple of episodes of this season's Top Chef, and I'm not liking it as much as I liked Food Network Star and MasterChef this year.

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    6. C

      CyanCoathanger

      No, I haven't seen any of Last Chance.

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      GoldSubmarine

      Ep 4 of INHUMANS was a lovefest and not enough action.. If I want romance I can watch the Hallmark Channel. The CW/DC shows also suffer with too much romance. But I still watch them because the exciting scenes compensate.