Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell rediscovers England’s magic (and possibly television’s)

Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, June 12, and Saturday, June 13. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (BBC America, 10 p.m., Saturday): This long-awaited BBC series based on Susanna Clark’s rapturously reviewed debut novel stars Bertie Carvel and Eddie Marsan as a pair of 19th-century magicians destined to bring magic back to an England that’s forgotten it. Our own Caitlin PenzeyMoog hasn’t forgotten the book, or magic, or that she’s the A.V. Club reviewer on this one.
Also noted
Orange Is The New Black (Netflix: 3:01 a.m.—although it got released early on Thursday!): Everyone’s cleared their calendars for the annual Orange Is The New Black binge-watch that begins…now! Myles McNutt is already ahead of us and has a season’s worth of reviews ready to go once a day. So get ready, people. (And just to make sure you have reached complete OITNB saturation, Joshua Alston’s up first with a TV Review overview.)
Other Space (Yahoo): Molly Eichel saw last week’s episode as the first clunker this reliably funny space comedy has turned out. She’s hoping for a return to loopy form with her review of the season finale, where the Cruiser’s potential return to Earth threatens both Natasha’s memory and Stewart’s command (and sexy alien dreams). Also threatened—the show’s future, which hasn’t been decided by the Yahoo gods yet. Maybe they should Google how much everyone likes it.
Phineas And Ferb (Disney, 9 p.m., Friday): The long-running animated kids show comes to an end, as the guys try to make the most of their last day of summer vacation, and that pesky Candace is determined as ever to make trouble for her brothers. Kevin Johnson pops in to say a sad goodbye to the boys, and summer, and joy, and laughter.
Childrens Hospital (Adult Swim, 11:59 p.m., Friday): In “Home Life Of A Doctor,” Ken Marino’s Dr. Glenn Richie returns to his family’s Sao Paolo, Brazil home (because that’s where the show takes place, of course) for Shabbat dinner. Dennis Perkins is certain that Glenn’s parents have a strict no-goof policy at the dinner table.
Orphan Black (BBC America, 9 p.m., Saturday): Sara, Felix, and Mrs. S. head to England in search of the original clone from whence most of the cast sprang. Meanwhile Donnie keeps doing endearingly dumb things in furtherance of Alison’s drug business. Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya takes over for the review of this penultimate episode of season three, while regular reviewer Caroline Framke rests up in preparation for next week’s clone-splosion to come. (Maslanys—Maslanys everywhere.)
Power (Starz, 9 p.m., Saturday): In his thoughtful review of last week’s season two premiere of this series about Omari Hardwick’s conflicted club owner/drug kingpin, Ghost, Joshua Alston had this to say:
Power is essentially urban street lit, a story not unlike those available for 10 bucks on folding card tables on Adam Clayton Powell, but told with the planning and craft demanded of a competent scripted television show. That in itself is kind of awesome, considering how little television is created with black women in mind, and it’s even cooler in the case of Power, which was developed from 50 Cent’s concept by a black woman,The Good Wife alumna Courtney Kemp Agboh.