Ken Burns’ The Dust Bowl blots out the sun with its sheer massiveness
Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Sunday, November 18. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
The Dust Bowl (PBS, 8 p.m.): This isn’t typical of all documentaries directed by perpetual filmmaking machine Ken Burns, but you may want to invest in some quality stereo equipment to enjoy Burns’ take on the ecological disaster that befell the Great Plains in the 1930s—you’ll really want to feel the apocalyptic rumbling of huge sand-and-soil clouds sweeping through the middle United States. You may also want to consider the fact that, under the right circumstances, such a widespread catastrophe could befall the country all over again—which is why Todd VanDerWerff is a tireless advocate for crop rotation.
REGULAR COVERAGE
The Simpsons (Fox, 8 p.m.): Steve Carell lives out a Michael Scott fantasy as he lends his voice to Fat Tony’s accountant. Meanwhile, Robert David Sullivan is trying to predict where the writers might slip in a “That’s what she said.”
Bob’s Burgers (Fox, 8:30 p.m.): The Rich Uncle Pennybags of the Bob’s Burgers universe, Mr. Fischoeder, hires the Belchers to play his family on Thanksgiving. For a small fee, we can throw in Rowan Kaiser in the guise of an eccentric cousin recently returned from a whirlwind tour of Southeast Asia.
The Walking Dead (AMC, 9 p.m.): “Andrea and the Governor bond” begins the episode synopsis—so the latter can’t be a total bad guy, right? Like, maybe he’s less of a megalomaniacal psychopath and more the type of guy with whom Zack Handlen could have a good, long conversation about Gremlins.
The Good Wife (CBS, 9 p.m.): Concerned about his client of the week’s right to a fair trial, Will kicks off a game of judicial musical chairs. By the end of this ordeal, we could very well find David Sims presiding over the proceedings.
Family Guy (Fox, 9 p.m.): Revenge will not be seen tonight, so that ABC can present the American Music Awards. In place of your regularly scheduled “REEEEEEEEEVEEEEEENGE!,” Sonia Saraiya hopes you accept an animated tale of “REEEEVEEEEEEEEEENGE!” from Family Guy’s Joe Swanson. Or “Joooooooooooe Swaaaaaaaansoooooooon!,” if you’d still need a weekly dosage of screaming and elongated vowel sounds.