A New ‘Sinner,’ ‘Castle Rock,’ ‘Originals’ and ‘Six’ Finales
A critical checklist of notable Wednesday TV:
The Sinner (10/9c, USA): Another season, another inexplicable killing by an unlikely murderer. The second season of the psychologically twisted mystery anthology, executive produced by Emmy-nominated Jessica Biel, opens with what appears to be a ghastly double murder of a mother and father. The suspect is silent, withdrawn 13-year-old Julian (Elisha Henig) — though as soon as visiting detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman, reprising his role) enters the scene, it becomes apparent that nothing is quite as it seems. Carrie Coon (Fargo, The Leftovers) is chillingly solemn as Vera, who oversees a nearby cult commune and has a special bond with young Julian. It’s all very creepy and sinister, and unlike many a TV procedural, impossible to predict where it may be heading. Except almost certainly to the dark side.
The Originals (9/8c, The CW): There’s no keeping these vampires down for long. This may be the series finale of the Vampire Diaries spinoff after five seasons, in which Klaus’s (Joseph Morgan) plan to save Hope’s (Danielle Rose Russell) life affects the Mikaelson family’s fortunes forever. But fans already know Hope springs eternal, and she’ll be part of the new spinoff Legacies in the fall, heading to Mystic Falls to attend the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted.
In more surprising series-finale news, History’s Six (10/9c also signs off, after only two seasons, with the SEALs holding their ground as the enemy closes in. Expect one last twist in the SEAL Team’s battle against the Prince’s (Nikolai Nikolaeff) terror group.
Castle Rock (streaming on Hulu): After a slow-ish start, the Stephen King homage revs up in an eventful episode that includes Molly’s (Melanie Lynskey) understatement to clients looking to buy the late warden’s home: “There is a lot of history in this town — not all of it good.” Meanwhile, a new chapter of Castle Rock infamy is about to unfold within the walls of Shawshank State Prison, where unstable guard Dennis (Noah Fisher) notes, “Bad s— happens here, because bad people know they’re safe here.” But are they?
Alone Together (8/7c, Freeform): Sad-sack BFFs Esther (Esther Povitsky) and Benji (Benji Aflalo) are back for a second season of droll shenanigans as they drift around the margins of L.A. having weird, self-defeating misadventures. Episodes air back to back for five weeks, and gluttons can binge the entire 10-episode season on Freeform’s digital platforms or Hulu. The season begins with Esther getting a woeful tutorial in all things Bitcoin, while Benji begins to question his empathetic nature. Guest stars during the season include Fran (The Nanny) Drescher as Esther’s mom and Carmen Electra as Benji’s seductress.
Inside Wednesday TV: Couples don’t come much odder than this, when VH1 serves up new back-to-back episodes of Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party (9/8c), with Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg welcoming RuPaul and Faith Evans for a beef-centric food orgy, then attempting to go veggie with Michelle Rodriguez and Cedric the Entertainer… Armchair travelers can wallow in visually stunning back-to-back PBS premieres (check local listings at pbs.org), as Outback (8/7c) takes viewers to Western Australia, and Wonders of Mexico (9/8c) explores “Forests of the Maya,” with Jane the Virgin narrator Anthony Mendez making things sound as good as they look… Turmoil is business as usual on USA’s Suits (9/8c), where Harvey (Gabriel Macht) clashes with the firm’s landlord and new arrival Samantha (Katherine Heigl) tries to block Alex (Dulé Hill) from signing a former client.
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