Tonight, NBC hopes you can’t stop the beat

By LaToya Ferguson  |  December 7, 2016 | 6:00am
TV Features TV
Tonight, NBC hopes you can’t stop the beat
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Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Wednesday, December 7. All times are Eastern.

Top picks

Hairspray Live! (NBC, 8 p.m.): It’s time for some three-hour-long live musical theater set in 1962 Baltimore. You’ve listened to the soundtrack already, so now it’s a question of whether Hairspray Live! be more of a The Sound Of Music Live! or a The Wiz Live! Just a reminder: The former is bad and the latter is good-ish. Kristin Chenoweth, Ariana Grande, Harvey Fierstein, Jennifer Hudson, Martin Short, and more have hairspray on the brain tonight, so let’s hope they (well, Derek Hough) don’t let James Marsden down:

Lethal Weapon (Fox, 8 p.m.): The freshman series’ fall finale is a Christmas episode, which raises the question: Since Lethal Weapon the movie is technically a Christmas movie, but Lethal Weapon the TV series has already done the whole movie plot thing, is now the time for Lethal Weapon the TV series to go all Die Hard on these criminals? We’ve heard of “Die Hard on a bus” and all that jazz, but “Die Hard on a Lethal Weapon?” Think about it. Really think about it, because unfortunately, that’s not what’s happening here. We’re still looking forward to watching an episode of television titled “Jingle Bell Glock,” though. Nice one, Lethal Weapon.

Conan Without Borders: Berlin (TBS, 10 p.m.): Y’all like Conan, right? Sure you do. So you’ll enjoy watching his trip to Berlin tonight, as “his adventures include driving on the autobahn, mastering ‘schuhplattler,’ and meeting a dominatrix.” We know we had you at “Conan,” but “dominatrix” is certainly a strong finish. And yes, after this, you can watch an all new episode of Conan. What a great hump day this is for Conan.

Conan.

Premieres and finales

Arrow (The CW, 8 p.m.): After last week’s phenomenal very emotional 100th episode, this week’s fall finale has a lot to live up to. So here we go: “After Prometheus attacks Curtis, Oliver realizes Prometheus knows all of Team Arrow’s secret identities and is planning to come for them one by one.” The assumption should probably be that traitor Artemis revealed all the information to Prometheus, but the way this season has been going, it’s probably all Wild Dog’s fault. Alasdair Wilkins just hopes this episode finally explains how Curtis is able to braid his hair so quickly before each mission; hopefully Prometheus reveals that Team Arrow secret.

Unsung (TV One, 8 p.m.): Do you like modern soul-blues? Then this week’s Unsung is for you, as “R&B singer Bobby Bland is profiled” in the series’ 10th-season finale.

Criminal Minds (CBS, 9 p.m.): “The BAU team heads to Yakima, Washington, after the remains of a dozen people are found along a creek bed… Also, they welcome new team member Stephen Walker (Damon Gupton), a seasoned profiler from the Behavioral Analysis Program of the FBI.” Would you look at that? Criminal Minds is getting a new team member (and series regular). We wonder why.

Little Weddings (Lifetime, 9 p.m.): Unsurprisingly, the first season finale of Little Weddings brings forth “Little People Problems.”

South Park (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.): South Park ends 20 seasons tonight with “The End Of Serialization As We Know It.” Well, great. That’s bound to screw with TV Club as a whole. No more serialization during Peak TV? How will we live? How? (We’ll let reviewer Dan Caffrey figure that one out.)

Impastor (TV Land, 10 p.m.): Season two of Impastor ends with “Thy Neighbor’s Wife,” who we’re guessing is possibly being coveted. We’re guessing that, because according to the big book, you’re not supposed to do that—and that’s just such an Impastor thing to do. Here’s what we know will definitely happen: “Alexa’s husband visits; Dora makes a terrifying discovery; and Schmidt’s engagement party goes awry.” Look at that first point. Definitely some wife coveting tonight.

Legends Of Chamberlain Heights (Comedy Central, 10:30 p.m.): In the “25th Hour,” Legends Of Chamberlain Heights’ first-season finale: “The spotlight’s on Grover when the team’s star player is injured as the playoffs are starting, but a citywide blackout causes the gym to go dark just when he’s ready for his big moment.” We really hope this is literally the entire episode and the season ends with the gym going dark. That would get the people talking. Just saying.

Regular coverage

Survivor (CBS, 8 p.m.)

Frequency (The CW, 9 p.m.)

Vikings (History Channel, 9 p.m.)

Black-ish (ABC, 9:30 p.m.)

Designated Survivor (ABC, 10 p.m.)

Rectify (Sundance TV, 10 p.m.)

Streaming pick

Hairspray (Amazon Video/Google Play/iTunes/PlayStation Store/Vudu): Fine, we admit it: We love James Marsden. You do too, we know it.

 
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