Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!
Kyle’s Choice
Tonight, the AT&T/DirecTV-exclusive Audience Network premieres the new thriller Mr. Mercedes, which is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. The series is set in 2011. Former homicide detective Bill Hodges (Brendan Gleeson, Braveheart) has been retired for two years and still doesn’t know what to do with his time. He spends most of his days drinking, though that may partially be due to the fact that his final case, an unsolved brutal mass-murder, still haunts him. Hodges’ next-door neighbor Ida (Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men) is constantly trying to fix him, but he’s a stubborn man. When the Mr. Mercedes killer suddenly starts using technology to taunt Hodges, his obsession with the case only gets even more reinvigorated, and he enlists the help of whiz kid neighbor Jerome (Jharrel Jerome, Moonlight) to assist him. Meanwhile, Brady Hartsfield (Harry Treadaway, Penny Dreadful) works two jobs in order to support his home-bound mother (Kelly Lynch, Magic City, 90210). In addition to his crappy job at a dying electronics box store, he also moonlights as an ice cream truck driver in Hodge’s neighborhood. His only friend is co-worker Lou (Breeda Wool, UnREAL, Betas), and the two of them often bond of their mutual hatred of their thankless, bigoted boss.
I’ve checked out the first four episodes of the series, and while I found it a bit slow initially, by the end of that fourth episode, I was totally hooked and anxious to see more. The series starts off with a bang and then resets, slowly building the tension once again as we learn more about the characters, their backstories, and their motivations. I really enjoyed this entire cast — they all do an excellent job of bringing these interesting, well-developed characters to life. If you are familiar with any of Stephen King’s work, you know that there will be plenty of death and creepiness to come, and I’m really going to miss some of these characters if/when they fall prey to Mr. Mercedes! Harry Treadaway is so perfectly creepy, giving off a Norman Bates kind of vibe. There is also a fun chemistry between Treadaway and Breeda Wool — it really feels like Brady & Lou have been commiserating coworkers for a long time. While she’s not in tonight’s premiere, Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) is also an excellent part of the cast. I wish this series was on a channel that was more generally available so more people could check this out. Hopefully they’ll release it elsewhere soon after it airs for those of us without DirecTV/AT&T UVerse.
I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with some of the cast and the creator of the series at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. You can check out my press room videos at NoReruns.net.
On tonight’s premiere, “Pilot,” two years after retiring, former homicide detective Bill Hodges is still haunted by his last case. When the demented culprit begins to torment Hodges, he embarks on a crusade to bring the killer to justice.
If you’re able to, check out the premiere tonight on the Audience Network at 8/7c.
I’ll also be watching/recording Big Brother, The Carmichael Show, MasterChef, Odd Mom Out, Swedish Dicks, Blood Drive, I’m Sorry, Younger, and The Sinner.
Jump with us to see else we think you should watch.
Jenny’s Choice
My pick tonight is the premiere of Swedish Dicks on Pop TV. I always love a scripted procedural show, and one of my favorites is a comedy (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), so I’m hoping this new comedy is going to be funny as well. Peter Stormare and Johan Glans star as a mismatched pair of LA-based detectives, Ingmar & Axel. Ingmar (Stormare) is an aging ex-stuntman stuck in the past, while Axel (Glans) is an overly optimistic Swedish DJ stuck in the digital world. They form a private detective firm called Swedish Dicks and solve some strange and wild cases in Los Angeles. The show’s going to be chock-full of guest stars. First, Keanu Reeves is a special recurring guest star, but others include Traci Lords, Margaret Cho, Anthony LaPaglia, & Eric Roberts.
This show could be so silly it’s fun or it could be so silly it’s stupid (and not just stupidly funny…). I don’t know how it’s going to be, but I’m looking forward to finding out!
On tonight’s first episode, former stuntman Ingmar Andersson is trying to make a living as a private investigator; during an investigation, Ingmar encounters Axel Kruse, an incredibly annoying disc jockey, who decides he wants to become a partner in Ingmar’s detective firm.
Then on the second episode, when Ingmar and Axel get a classic cheating spouse case to solve, it’s time for Axel to prove himself as a private investigator; Ingmar runs into his rival, Jane McKinney; Axel is challenged to a duel.
See if this new wacky comedy’s for you tonight on Pop TV starting at 8/7c.
I’ll also be watching/DVRing MasterChef, The F Word with Gordon Ramsey, Wahlburgers, & Cooks vs Cons.
