‘Mayans M.C.’ Finale, Election Night and Late-Night Live TV
A critical checklist of notable Tuesday TV:
Mayans M.C. (10/9c, FX): You might need a chart to keep track of the shifting and twisted alliances and violently strange bedfellows making deals in this violent Sons of Anarchy spinoff. The latest, and undeniably quirkiest, fly in the gritty ointment is Assistant U.S. Attorney Lincoln Potter (Ray McKinnon floridly reprising his Anarchy role), who currently has brothers EZ (JD Pardo) and Angel (Clayton Cardenas) entrapped to do his bidding. The task to win EZ’s freedom, as we learned in last week’s cliffhanger: take out deposed DEA Agent Kevin Jimenez (Maurice Compte), who only happens to be the bikers’ cousin. This assignment is especially troubling to their father Felipe, and Edward James Olmos grounds the season finale with an anguished gravitas from start to finish. He fears for his sons’ soul maybe more than their safety. Which on this show is nothing to take lightly.
The Midterm Elections: Original episodes are a rare commodity on what has become a consequential election night, with most major networks going wall-to-wall with coverage. Stay up late, and you might share a laugh (or not) with the late-night comedians, the most topical of the bunch going live for the occasion. Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (11/10c) presents a special episode titled “Democalypse 2018: Let’s Try This Again, America,” featuring Rolling Stone senior writer Jamil Smith. CBS’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert (11:35/10:35c) welcomes John Heilemann and Alex Wagner of Showtime’s The Circus and new Netflix star Hasan Minhaj (Patriot Act). ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (11:35/10:35c) goes on “After the Midterms” with guests including the notorious Sacha Baron Cohen (Who Is America?) and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti. NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers (12:35 am/11:35c) brings on Billy Eichner and MSNBC’s Chris Hayes.
Inside Tuesday TV: For those seeking escape from politics, Fox bucks the all-election trend with new episodes of The Gifted (8/7c), which sheds light on the Frost Sisters’ past, and Lethal Weapon (9/8c), directed by Keesha Sharp (Trish), featuring Mykelti Williamson as Cole’s (Seann William Scott) former mentor… Perhaps coincidentally, USA’s The Purge (10/9c) wraps its tumultuous season with an episode titled “A Nation Reborn,” in which the lawless night ticks to sunrise with Penelope (Jessica Garza) taking on a powerful new role, while Pete (Dominic Fumusa) and Miguel (Gabriel Chavarria) face a new threat that could put their lights out forever.
