More ‘Handmaid’ Tales, ‘Cobra Kai’ on YouTube Red, ‘Colony’ Returns, ‘Americans,’ ‘Brockmire’
A selective critical checklist of notable Wednesday TV:
The Handmaid’s Tale (streaming on Hulu): The riveting second season of the Emmy-winning dystopian drama continues with June/Offred (Elisabeth Moss) still in hiding, risking her and her allies’ lives in a desperate attempt to flee Gilead. As she reflects on lost opportunities for resistance during the period when society and civil liberties were beginning to break down, Cherry Jones makes a fierce impression in flashbacks as June’s political activist mother. She dismisses her daughter’s desire to settle for domestic complacency: “It’s time to get out in the street and fight, not just play house!” She’s right, but too late.
Cobra Kai (streaming on YouTube Red): A revisionist reboot of the enduring Karate Kid franchise focuses on Daniel’s (Ralph Macchio) nemesis Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Seeking redemption, he reignites the longtime rivalry when he reopens the Cobra Kai dojo to train a new generation. What would Miyagi think?
Colony (10/9c, USA): The alien-invasion thriller returns for a third season, expanding its focus when the Bowman family, led by former FBI agent Will (Josh Holloway) and Resistance fighter wife Katie (Sarah Wayne Callies), flees a ravaged Los Angeles for a simpler life in the deep woods and mountains. With shifty Snyder (Peter Jacobson) tagging along, it’s only a matter of time before new arrivals complicate things.
The Americans (10/9c, FX): A bit of nostalgia for longtime Washingtonians, when Elizabeth (Keri Russell) targets a film buff by attending a classic-film screening at the long-shuttered Key Theatre. (Those were the days.) As this excellent final season progresses, Elizabeth hardens her resolve, even abandoning the family at Thanksgiving–including an earnest and still clueless Henry (Keidrich Sellati)—to take on what could be her riskiest mission yet. And when she finds out that Philip (Matthew Rhys) isn’t on board with Operation Kimmy, the cold war within the Jennings household thickens, promising a chilly winter indeed.
Brockmire (10/9c, IFC): Happy birthday to long-suffering sidekick Charles (Tyrel Jackson Williams), whose family has come to New Orleans to try to emotionally blackmail him into shedding the bad influence that is Jim Brockmire (the hilarious Hank Azaria). Even they can’t imagine the depth of his depravity, which is on proud display when Brockmire inevitably crashes the party. Bad behavior has rarely made for such uproarious TV.
Inside Wednesday TV: Shelley Long returns to ABC’s Modern Family (9/8c) as Dede, but the real turmoil is taking place in Home Dunphy, as the offspring and Phil (Ty Burrell) each have bad news to spring on Claire (Julie Bowen) and are angling to do it while she’s still in rare relaxation mode after a spa visit. … Character actor and Rectify creator Ray McKinnon (Deadwood) guests on NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (9/8c) as a father holding her daughter captive, while Rollins (Kelli Giddish) races to the rescue. … HBO’s five-part docu-series Being Serena (10/9c), filmed last year, gets up close and personal with the tennis great as she becomes a wife (to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanion) and mom (to Alexis Olympia), never losing that competitive spirit.
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R
For me it's SEAL Team and Designated Survivor.
Anyone watch Elementary the other night? Pretty interesting episode. And it'll also be interesting to see what happens with Sherlock's... condition. I was a little surprised, though, that it wasn't shown or even mentioned about him talking to either his brother or father about what's going on.
Also, does anyone have any opinion about last night's NCIS, and the Abby situation?
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C
Sorry...didn't watch either of them.
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C
The ABC comedies are back. I hope it's for good with no more breaks. Also, Riverdale, Krypton, and Designated Survivor for me.
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G
Well now its May sweeps (not quite as important as in the past), so likely we wont be seeing any reruns or breaks. I'm usually very excited for Designated Survivor, but the promos looked very dull. Hoping for the best.
Meanwhile the latest episode of Trust was a watchable filler episode to me. The writers are stretching a rather simple story extremely thin. For instance I'm not really interested in the butler storyline.
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C
Yes, I'm not really excited to watch DS tonight either, but I'm dying to know what happens to Hannah next. Will she redeem herself?
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C
OK...about Fear...I was surprised by what happened near the end, but I wouldn't say I was shocked by it. They've killed off so many of the main characters that you've got to feel that no one is safe on that show.
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C
Yes, I was surprised too, but didn't it feel so anticlimactic the way it happened? The actor asked to leave the show. So far I like the newcomers to the show.
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C
I'm not really sure about Althea.
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C
Since they don't usually say why they killed a character off, we can't be sure why they did it. I'd just start to warm up to Nick, and they'd make him act all weird again. He was hard to like.
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