Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Tuesday, April 2. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Justified (FX, 10 p.m.): Look, we understand that the whole Drew Thompson mystery may have been stretched further than the tensile strength of the episode could bear. But it did lead to a crackling final act to Justified’s fourth season, culminating tonight with the Detroit mob and the conclusion to the most suspenseful furniture delivery in television history. Noel Murray peers through his fingers at what shall henceforth be referred to as “Yost’s glider.”
REGULAR COVERAGE
The Mindy Project (Fox 9:30 p.m.): Thanks to the second wave of Fox’s Thursday-night colonization plans, this week brings twice the Mindy. Yet the scheduling is less hectic than when David Sims had to cover this and Happy Endings in a single evening.
Smash (NBC, 10 p.m.): There’s a double dose of Smash on tap as well—though its second performance on Saturday is less a “How might this show fare on a different night?” affair and more like “Where can NBC get rid of this corpse in the most discreet fashion?” Noel Murray will not be joining the touring companies of Bombshell or Hit List, so please leave all roses and well-wishes in the comments.
Cougar Town (TBS, 10 p.m.): The future’s more certain in the cul de sac, which is more than enough justification for an episode-long Breakfast Club homage. Don’t mess with the Ryan McGee, young readers. You’ll get the horns. (And none of his wine.)
TV CLUB CLASSIC
The Shield (11 a.m.): “Cupid & Psycho” sounds like the title of a forgotten 1960s psych-rock classic (or a record by the generation of noisy ’80s acts for which such tracks were a major inspiration, along with feedback and heroin use), which affords Brandon Nowalk the opportunity to make all sorts of “getting the band back together” jokes about a disbanded Strike Team.