Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Thursday, September 29. All times are Eastern.
Top picks
The Good Place (NBC, 8:30 p.m.): After last week’s insane deluge of new and returning shows, the TV landscape slows down a bit this week. That makes this the perfect time to catch up on the best of what fall TV has to offer. So we’re dividing today’s What’s On Tonight by genre to help you figure out which Thursday shows to catch up on in this era of #PeakTV. First up, fans of network comedies would do well to check out one of this fall’s most promising ones, The Good Place. Kristen Bell plays Eleanor Shellstrop, a raging asshole who accidentally winds up in heaven due to a clerical error after her untimely demise. Dennis Perkins was particularly impressed with the way a last-minute twist shattered expectations in the show’s third episode. Tonight, “Eleanor faces a tough test in her bid to remain in hiding.” Will that lead to yet another twist in the show’s set-up? So long as the jokes about Plato and vodka fires keep coming, Dennis will be a happy camper.
Pitch (Fox, 9 p.m.): Or catch up on one of network TV’s most promising dramas, Pitch, which also ended with a twist last week. What appeared to be a grounded drama about the first female Major League Baseball pitcher might have something a little more metaphysical up its sleeve. But regardless, it’s the performances from Kylie Bunbury and (surprisingly) Mark-Paul Gosselaar that make this one stand out. Naturally we lined up Lisa Weidenfeld to field weekly reviews of the series, since she’s a baseball fan, a Saved By The Bell aficionado, and a pro at tackling supernatural series like The Magicians. Which means she’s ready no matter what Pitch throws at her. In tonight’s episode, sexist comments made by the Padres’ manager make it even tougher for Ginny to fit in with the team. Plus Mike and Blip deal with their own dilemmas.
Better Things (FX, 10 p.m.): Meanwhile, for the alt crowd, FX has you covered with the sardonic female-led comedy of your dreams. Pamela Adlon plays actor/single mom Sam Fox in a series co-created by Adlon and Louis CK. In her review of the premiere, Molly Eichel was especially impressed by the assuredness of the show’s tone and point of view. Tonight’s episode has the cryptic description “Sam gets looked at.” Molly Eichel doesn’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but she does know that Adlon must be protected at all costs.