Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Sunday, November 4. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
The Good Wife (CBS, 9 p.m.): The most recent election cycle is, mercifully, nearly at an end, and though that means the next election cycle is just waiting in the wings, everyday life should soon feature 75 percent fewer declarations that certain people, ideas, and inanimate objects are “wrong for America.” On The Good Wife, however, the gubernatorial race in Illinois is just heating up, as Peter faces down some unexpected competition in his bid for the big seat in Springfield. Who could take down Chris Noth’s character? David Sims’ guess is ailing Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Once Upon A Time (ABC, 8 p.m.): There’s mention of a deadly giant and magic beans in the episode synopsis, so we’re guessing “Tallahassee” isn’t Once Upon A Time’s tribute to the Mountain Goats LP of the same name. And just when Oliver Sava thought he’d get to see Prince Charming and Snow White act out “See America Right.”
The Simpsons (Fox, 8 p.m.): Springfield’s perpetual stasis is threatened when the Simpsons consider buying a new car—and Marge considers having another kid. This development threatens to rock Robert David Sullivan to his very core.
Bob’s Burgers (Fox, 8:30 p.m.): Megan Mullally missed out on all the courtroom hijinks on Childrens Hospital this week—maybe because she was too busy cultivating cartoon weed with husband Nick Offerman on Bob’s Burgers. Rowan Kaiser humbly requests the show refrains from bogarting all the Mullally.
Revenge (ABC, 9 p.m.): It’s not Revenge’s trick, Michael: It’s Revenge’s “Illusion”! Review by a magician named Carrie Raisler.
The Walking Dead (AMC, 9 p.m.): Not to get all Scream (or Cabin In The Woods) here, but it’s much easier to make it out of a horror-movie scenario if you do not split up. Our heroes learn that for themselves tonight—if only Zack Handlen was there to share “the rules” with them.
Boardwalk Empire (HBO, 9 p.m.): In one corner of a typically busy Boardwalk Empire, Nucky buys a pony, setting himself up for the day in the future when he wakes up next to a pony’s head, his sheets wet with pony blood. “Should’ve been more supportive of Billie’s movie career,” Noel Murray will say.
Family Guy (Fox, 9 p.m.): Seth McFarlane dons his “social commentary” hat (it looks like the once Cap’n Crunch wears, because references) to take a few punches at Big Pharma. So long as “Big Pharma” doesn’t turn out to be a rejected Cap’n Crunch villain, Kevin McFarland will allow it.
American Dad (Fox, 9:30 p.m.): With boy bands all the rage once more, it’s time for a new round of animated boy-band parodies. You can keep your Fingerbangs and Party Posses—no cartoon crooners will ever make Kevin McFarland laugh as hard as New Kids On The Block.
Dexter (Showtime, 9:30 p.m.): Another week, another tease that the Miami PD has found “new evidence” on the revived Bay Harbor Butcher case. If it’d speed these developments along and introduce a tense, Dexter-on-the-lam arc for the remainder of the show, Joshua Alston can point the cops to all the incriminating info they need.
Treme (HBO, 10 p.m.): Mardi Gras is an untapped resource when it comes to holiday-themed episodes of TV—though the infamous “live from New Orleans” episode of Saturday Night Live illustrates the dangers of such a setting, Treme is uniquely suited to tackle Fat Tuesday and its attendant revelry. Keith Phipps has his parade costume all picked out.
Homeland (Showtime, 10 p.m.): How can the show follow its recent string of highs? By pairing Carrie and Brody together to save America, perhaps? This is Todd VanDerWerff’s most highly anticipated team-up since Turner met Hooch.
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
Call The Midwife (PBS, 8 p.m.): The first series concludes with another spotlight episode for Chummy—an episode of which 11 million-plus British people already know the ending. Please don’t spoil it for the significantly smaller number of Americans still watching the show for the first time.
Real Housewives Of Atlanta (Bravo, 9 p.m.): You cannot escape from NeNe Leakes, television. She’s is in your reality shows, on your button-pushing sitcoms, and causing real-life cartoon characters to fight over who “discovered” her. As such, here’s a fifth season of the show that brought all this NeNe into our lives in the first place.
America’s Doomsday Plan (Discovery, 10 p.m.): You mean what we’re going to do when Mitt Romney gets elected? Thank you, thank you, you’ve been a wonderful audience.
Nicki Minaj: My Truth (E!, 10:30 p.m.): It’s only a three-part special because that’s how many parts it takes for Nicki to channel “truth” through her ever-expanding cadre of alter egos and crazy accents.
Love At The Thanksgiving Day Parade (Hallmark, 8 p.m.): So it’s a TV movie starring Last Resort’s Autumn Reeser, and it’s airing on the Hallmark Channel, but other than that, we’ve got nothing. Can anyone figure out what this mystery wrapped in an enigma is supposed to be about?
From Russia With Love (BBC America, 9 p.m.): The network’s ramping up to Skyfall with a day-long marathon of lesser Bond efforts—The Living Daylights, really?—before getting to this early Sean Connery-era effort, where 007 is caught between the opposing, fictional Cold War factions of SMERSH and SPECTRE.
Sunday Night Football: Cowboys at Falcons (NBC, 8:20 p.m.): The undefeated Falcons face the Cowboys for the first time since 2009—and if Dallas quarterback Tony Romo keeps throwing the way he has the last few games, the Falcons will be 8-0 by the end of the game.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Saturday Night Live: If Louis C.K. upended SNL conventions by having the camera hold on his face while he sang an entire Who single or delivered a legitimately funny monologue, you probably already heard about it. But you might not have read what David Sims thought about it yet!