WEDNESDAY TV: 'American Idol' is down to its final 5
NBC offers a great evening of cops and more cops
WEDNESDAY TV: 'American Idol' is down to its final 5 NBC offers a great evening of cops and more cops Check out this story on thecalifornian.com: http://bit.ly/1zmTIQb
Mike Hughes Published 12:02 a.m. PT April 29, 2015
TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: All night, NBC. First is an 8 p.m. rerun of Wednesday's "Chicago Fire." It's a so-so hour with some lame detours, but it sets up the compelling (if nasty) shows that follow. "Chicago P.D." and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" cops trace a pattern of rape-murders in New York and Chicago. The court scenes defy credibility, but by then viewers will be deeply invested. The series regulars are solid; superb as the prime suspect is Dallas Roberts, who's been the "Unforgettable" district attorney, Alicia's "Good Wife" brother and the scientist who tried to kill the "Walking Dead" governor.
TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE II: "American Idol," 8-10 p.m., Fox. Now "Idol" is down to its final five — the three men and two women who will be doing the show's tour this summer. Tonight, each plans to do one song reflecting his or her "soul" and one reflecting a judge's home town. (Harry Connick, Jr., from New Orleans, will join that by singing "City Beneath the Sea.") Then we'll learn who's in the bottom two from last week's voting, with viewers saving one via Twitter. Last week, they saved Rayvon Owen and ousted Quentin Alexander.
TONIGHT'S ALTERNATIVE: "The Casual Vacancy," 8-10 p.m., HBO; concludes 8-9 p.m. Thursday. English villages usually seem like such pleasant places, full of vicars and knitters and good-hearted folks who occasionally solve murders. But fresh from her Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling wrote this one about a town filled with selfish schemers. On one hand, Rowling's novel is brilliantly written and the characters are beautifully portrayed here. On the other, there's a monotone nature, reserving the cruelest twists for good people. It's a tough ride.
Other choices include:
Soap stuff, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Pop. There are fewer soap-opera fans these days, but Pop (formerly the TV Guide Network) wants them. It reruns CBS' soaps ("Bold and Beautiful," "Young and Restless") at 6:30 and 7 p.m., then at 8 has "Queens of Drama," with former soap stars planning a new show; tonight, Donna Mills seeks help from Joan Collins. That reruns at midnight, following reruns (11 and 11:30 p.m.) of the episodes that debuted after the daytime Emmys.
"Survivor," 8 p.m., CBS. Ever since the tribes merged, members of the old "no-collar" tribe have been doomed. Last week, Jenn Brown, a sailing instructor, was the third straight to depart. Only Will Sims remains, alongside four from the old "blue-collar" tribe and three from "white-collar."
"Nature," 8 p.m., PBS. The backdrop is spectacular — the Chinese Himalayas, near a city named Shangri-La. Thirty years ago, Xi Zhinong was the first person to film the snub-nosed Yunnan monkeys in the wild; now his film crew spent two years there. This documentary focuses a little on the filmmakers, but mostly crafts an involving story of two half-brother monkeys.
"Modern Family," 9 p.m., ABC. Claire's being combative in this rerun. She doesn't want Phil to get a new videogame system; also, she tries to bribe the school principal, so Luke can get an award.
"Black-ish," 9:30, ABC. When his teen daughter rebels, Dre wants to crack down. His wife Rainbow prefers the gentler approach her patents used.
"Ripper Street" season-opener, 10 p.m., BBC America. Jumping ahead four years, we find that Reid's team has split ... then is re-united to try to catch some daring train robbers.
"Schitt's Creek," 10 p.m., Pop. This is the flip side of Pop, its only time with scripted shows. The clever "Creek" comedy has reruns at 9 and 9:30 p.m. and this new episode — Johnny (Eugene Levy) plans a surprise party for his wife (Catherine O'Hara) — at 10. The "Impress Me" comedy is at 10:30.
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