Olympus is Syfy’s ridiculous answer to Game Of Thrones
Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Thursday, April 2. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
Olympus (Syfy 10 p.m.): Sure Game Of Thrones has dragons, boobs, and a whole lot of bloodshed, but Syfy’s new Ancient Greece-set series Olympus has gods, a Cyclops, and a protagonist literally named Hero. Helped by the “twisted” Oracle of Gaia, the “sorceress” Medea, and the “genius inventory” Daedalus, Hero’s destiny is to unlock the doors to Olympus and become an immortal. In other words, it’s basically Disney’s Hercules (minus the Danny DeVito-voiced satyr) crossed with Kevin Sorbo’s Hercules: The Legendary Journeys told with Sharknado-level production values. Not only did Scott Von Doviak give the show an “F” in his pre-air review, he also writes: “It’s as if Olympus can’t be bothered with the most rudimentary attempt at crafting suspense or even basic storytelling.” In other words, those enjoy shitty TV might want to tune in to this one.
Also the Cyclops looks like this:
Also noted
Archer (FX, 10 p.m.): It seems like only yesterday that Archer’s “un-rebooted” sixth season premiered, but it’s already time for the season finale. Part one of this two-part adventure offered more setup than story, so Caroline Framke is hoping the conclusion provides substantial mission antics or at least some more Slater/Archer dick jokes.
The Red Road (Sundance, 10 p.m.): Jason Momoa (aka Khal Drogo aka super serious Aquaman) returns as Phillip Kopus in the second season premiere of this Sundance original series. The first drama-filled season centered on the tension between Kopus’ Lenape tribe and a local white cop and his family. Since season one managed to cram in murder, robbery, cancer, and election drama, season two naturally kicks off with yet another murder.
Elementary (CBS, 10 p.m.): Myles McNutt has long been wondering when Elementary would finally weigh in on the tension between ridesharing services and city cab companies. Thankfully, the show buckles down and deals with that hot-button issue as Sherlock and Watson investigate a murderous cabbie and his rideshare driver victim. (Plus Sherlock has a lover, but who cares about that?) And since Elementary knew the whole Internet would be abuzz about Olympus tonight, they went ahead and named this episode “The View From Olympus.”
Regular Coverage
Steven Universe (Cartoon Network, 5 p.m.)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8 p.m.)
Scandal (ABC, 9 p.m.)