Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Sunday, June 19. All times are Eastern.
Top picks
Game Of Thrones (HBO, 9 p.m.): As previous seasons have taught us—“Baelor,” “Blackwater,” “The Rains Of Castamere,” “The Watchers On The Wall,” “The Dance Of Dragons”—crazy shit tends to happen in Game Of Thrones’ penultimate season episodes. Characters die, massive action sequences take place, and the show obtains a focus and scale it occasionally struggles with as the narrative spreads across Westeros and beyond. This trend is likely to continue given that tonight’s episode is titled “Battle Of The Bastards,” indicating the long-teased showdown between Jon “Lord” Snow and Ramsay “The Bastard Of” Bolton. While it’s likely small comfort to those fans who had their CleganeBowl hopes shattered by King Tommen’s royal decree last week, Jon and Sansa marching to reclaim their ancestral home against the show’s worst villain since King Joffery is guaranteed to pay dividends. Myles McNutt and Brandon Nowalk are already settling into their ringside seats, munching popcorn, and checking the latest issue of Valar Morghulis, both holding out hope that Sansa pulls an upset and gets the chance to land the killing blow.
Penny Dreadful (Showtime, 10 p.m.): Penny Dreadful is taken from us too soon this season, its already short season of nine episodes cut even shorter with a two-hour finale tonight. Once again, the forces of darkness stand astride the world, held off only by the unknown strength and scenery consumption of the show’s main characters. It remains unclear just what battles will be raged tonight, but Scott Von Doviak’s already nervous about the results. He’s especially nervous given that at time of writing Showtime hasn’t renewed Penny Dreadful for season four, leaving the bleak possibility that this lurid and baroque story could be cut short before its time is over. That would be just like Showtime, wouldn’t it? Sorry. Your What’s On Tonight correspondent has never truly healed from the premature end of The Borgias.
The Jim Gaffigan Show (TV Land, 10 p.m.): In last year’s discussion of Best of 2015 runners-up, Gwen Ihnat singled out The Jim Gaffigan Show as a worthy contender, “both inventive and true to life.” Now in its second season, audiences will have a new opportunity to discover Gaffigan’s wryly good-natured comedy. Just don’t break out the “Hot Pockets!” cries, audience. You have to imagine Gaffigan’s really tired of hearing those prompts at this point. Molly Eichel isn’t tired of anything Gaffigan’s done, and will be checking out the first two episodes of its return.
Premieres and finales
Vicious (PBS, 8 p.m.): Ramsay Bolton’s been particularly despicable this season of Game Of Thrones even by this show’s standards, but by all accounts the actor who portrays him is a perfectly nice individual. To get a different flavor of Iwan Rheon on a night sure to showcase Ramsay’s psychopathic side, check out the series finale of Vicious, where the worst his good-natured Ash will have to endure is the insult crossfire of longtime couple Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi.
The Hunt With John Walsh (CNN, 9 p.m.): As long as there are dangerous criminals out there, John Walsh will be on TV to raise awareness of their fugitive status, and he continues his crusade for justice with the third season premiere of The Hunt. He’s like Batman, if Batman had a tip line!
The Good Witch (Hallmark, 9 p.m.): Again, your friendly reminder that The Good Witch is a concept that has somehow spawned seven movies and a television series with two seasons and counting. Its plan for total domination is going nicely. Today the Hallmark channel, tomorrow the world!