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 one of my favorite new shows from last season, The Good Place, returns to kick off its second season. Kristen Bell stars as Eleanor Shellstrop, a selfish, self-centered young woman who quickly realized that, due to some kind of error, she was accidentally sent to “the good place†upon her death when she really deserved to go to “the bad place.†Determined to keep this fact a secret from Michael (Ted Danson), the being in charge, she enlisted her assigned soulmate, ethics professor Chidi (William Jackson Harper), to help teach her how to be “good.†However, Eleanor soon discovered that she was not alone and that some others had also accidentally slipped through the cracks — dim-witted Jason (Manny Jacinto) and narcissistic socialite Tahani (Jameela Jamil). The first season ended with an amazing surprise twist that sets up some major changes for the second season.
I thought the first season was sheer perfection. Kristen Bell was forking delightful, and the entire ensemble worked so well together. Each episode would end in some sort of big reveal that always made you anxious to watch the next. So I was a little worried going into tonight’s premiere — how would last season’s finale change this fun, lighthearted comedy? The second season picks up immediately following the events of the finale, and I can happily say the series doesn’t miss a beat. The characters are still the same ones we fell in love with in the first season, and some of the other side characters, such as Real Eleanor, take on a hilarious new role. I checked out screeners for the first four episodes and probably would have binged the entire season in one sitting if it had been available. This show once again had me laughing out loud over and over again — the writers are so witty and constantly come up with fun new twists and turns. I’m so happy this show is back! If you haven’t seen the first season, I highly recommend binging it first, before watching tonight’s season premiere!
On tonight’s one-hour second season premiere, “Everything Is Great!†Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jason — who’ve had their memories erased by ambitious master architect Michael — again settle into the Good Place. Eleanor discovers the one clue she left for herself, however, and attempts to piece things together.
Check back in to the Good Place tonight on NBC at 10:01/9:01c.
I’ll also be watching/recording Big Brother, MasterChef, Worst Cooks in America, Channel Zero, The Sinner, and Mr. Mercedes.
Jump with us to see else we think you should watch.
Phoebe’s Choice
Last week South Park returned with the season premiere for their 21st season, with predictably topical social commentary spliced with absurd humor. This time it opened with the young boys of South Park Elementary gathered at Cartman’s house making a Siri/Google Voice type device called “Alexa†say childish obscene things. They were soon interrupted by Cartman’s girlfriend Heidi, quickly letting us know that the continuity that began two seasons ago is still carrying through into this new season of ten episodes. The young couple began to fight and “the guys†file out rapidly. Elsewhere a bunch of blue collar/redneck caricatures rallied against “Alexa†as automated hardware & robots are (in actuality) taking millions of American jobs.
Randy Marsh and his wife Sharon were busy broadcasting their new home renovation show: “White People Renovating Houses.†The anti-technology “redneck†rally marched by as they were filming, and both parties were kind of “meh†about one another. Soon though Randy stepped in to pepper spray a blue-collar protester who about to assault an “Alexa†unit with a Confederate flag. Marsh then took the whole “te’k ‘r jebs†contingent to court over branding issues, claiming their use of the rebel flag makes all white people look stupid and demanded they stop because they were hurting his show. Realizing that technology really was taking their jobs, Randy came up with a way for the displaced workers to get jobs again..
On the playground at school, Cartman sought help from the guys, claiming that Heidi was abusive. He was sure that “Alexa†would help him sort her out. Only, when he went home, he found the robotic device had been replaced by one of the blue-collar protesters who would now Google things for them and perform music for them like an iPod. Cartman panicked. He was highly peeved. At the Marsh residence, former redneck rabble rouser Daryl was the “Alexa†replacement. Tensions flaired between Randy and Daryl, as Daryl hated his new position in society as much as he hated being displaced from his old one. His anti-tech anger boiled over into a racist outburst.
Elsewhere, Cartman apologized to Heidi for “being wrong,†but he was clearly unhappy in the relationship. As he walked around town, he was haunted by visions of her yelling at him. When she finally came to his house to make her amends with him, he was upstairs playing with the twenty “Alexa†units he dug out of the trash.
Randy and Daryl bonded over a home repair issue: a load-bearing wall that had prevented Daryl from making his home perfect. The scene escalated to grating melodrama in satirical riffing on repair shows. The next day, supported by the note he wrote himself on his palm (“you are strongâ€), Cartman broke up with Heidi at school. Daryl came home after Randy’s show worked on his home to find it a football-loving, Confederate flag bedazzled, blue-collar guy’s bachelor dream house. A happy ending was had by all as the former protesters filed in to watch sports at his house.
It was a slow start to an often extreme show, but with the new format (10 episodes per season with week-to-week continuity), it has taken 2-3 episodes to get things rolling the last few years. So I’ll be tuned in tonight watching it come together.
On tonight’s episode, “Put It Down,†when Tweek is caught in the middle of a petty conflict, it drives his relationship with Craig to the brink.
See what splits Tweek and Craig tonight on Comedy Central at 10/9c.
I’ll also be watching Broad City, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, & You’re the Worst.
