Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Sunday, March 6. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
Downton Abbey (PBS, 9 p.m.): It seems like only yesterday that we first took that long and winding road up to the grand estate of the Granthams, a family whose silver spoons were about to be rudely yanked out of their mouths by events that would include the sinking of the Titanic, World War I, the Roaring Twenties, various economic crises, and all manner of infighting, backstabbing, and class conflict between those who lived and worked at Downton. So much happened that Caroline Siede had to take a moment and a For Our Consideration to reflect, and came to the conclusion that for show about constant change Downton Abbey sidestepped actual change with almost procedural adeptness.
Now, after six seasons spanning 14 years of history, the series finally reaches its end. Will the future of Downton remain secure for generations to come? Will Edith find happiness after years of being everyone’s punching bag? Will Bates, on the eve of his child’s birth, finally disclose just how many people he’s murdered and buried on the estate’s grounds? Will Matthew Crawley rise from the dead to traumatize those (like Gwen Ihnat) who couldn’t keep watching after he died, and lead a zombie invasion on Downton driven by his mad compulsion for entails and entrails? (Probably not this last one, given that Pride And Prejudice And Zombies has barely made half its operating budget at the box office.) So many things are possible, given that Emily L. Stephens has at various points described this season as bananas, manipulative, meta, explosive, facile, and fun. She’s sad the end is in sight, but she’s ready to clink glasses and exchange offhanded burns with the Dowager Countess one final time.
Also noted (midseason premiere edition)
Once Upon A Time (ABC, 8 p.m.): Tonight marks the 100th episode of Once Upon A Time, an honor that few shows manage to reach in this day and age. (Our own Marah Eakin attended the show’s centennial party to present their golden keycard to the 100 Episodes club, and has a For Our Consideration on the show’s longevity.) And just when you think it would have exhausted every aspect of its fairly tale canon, Once Upon A Time finds someplace new to tread. That new territory is the world of Hercules (no, not the good loud movie with plenty of loud yelling Hercules) with a descent into the Underworld to rescue Captain Hook, a journey with lots of potential to bring back the show’s dearly departed. Gwen Ihnat’s tagging along for the trip and brought three big steaks to distract Cerberus.
Quantico (ABC, 10 p.m.): This unstuck-in-time terrorism thriller with a healthy dose of soap opera returns to ABC tonight, though not to The A.V. Club as it’s been dropped from weekly coverage and will be exiled to the “What else is on” listings after this week. It was a decision made largely for Joshua Alston’s sanity, as the midseason finale inspired reactions that ranged across “goofy,” “baffling,” “blunt,” and “confusing as hell.” And the show’s been off the air for close to three months now, all but guaranteeing that everyone watching tonight will spend the entire hour trying to remember exactly who these people are and what motivates their craziness. We just remember that there were secret twins, so you can start there.
The Last Man On Earth (Fox, 9:30 p.m.): Yay! We’ve missed you, The Last Man On Earth. You left us with two very stressful cliffhangers, and it looks like we’ll get an answer to at least one of them as Mike touches down on Earth. Based on Vikram Murthi’s reviews and frequent appreciation of Jason Sudekis’s past appearances, you’ve really made the grade, Mike. Now it’s time to leave the capsule if you dare.
Also noted
Bob’s Burgers (Fox, 7:30 p.m.): It’s time for that most honored of family rituals—the Belcher family needs to buy a new couch, and we’re betting every single one of them wants something different out of it. All Alasdair Wilkins wants to know if it can replicate his ass-groove! It took him years to forge that groove.
The Simpsons (Fox, 8 p.m.): “Lisa wants to be a veterinarian after she performs CPR on a raccoon, but learns a tough lesson when the neglected class hamster dies.” This will no doubt bring back lots of feelings for both Lisa and Dennis Perkins as it evokes memories of the late lamented Snuffy, eulogized in the poem “Meditations On Turning Eight.”
Shameless (Showtime, 9 p.m.): Fiona’s efforts to bond with her boyfriend’s son Will take a turn for the worse when he gets a hold of one of Carl’s guns. How does someone who basically raised her siblings keep screwing things up with small children, between this and the time Liam got his tiny hands on her cocaine stash? Do better, Fiona, for the sake of Myles McNutt and all the other people who care about you. (And for Myles’s sake, Shameless should do better too, as he’s not buying last week’s reset button for an instant.)