Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, August 25. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
On Becoming A God In Central Florida (Showtime, 10 p.m, series premiere): Here’s our own Danette Chavez on this Sunday’s pick at the top of the pyramid—a series about, among many other things, the great American pyramid scheme:
A riveting black comedy with hairpin turns in tone, On Becoming A God follows Krystal [Kirsten Dunst] as she navigates disappointment, trauma, and new motherhood, all of which appear downright manageable compared to the nigh-impenetrable multi-level marketing scheme that is Founders American Merchandise, or FAM. While that acronym corresponds neatly with Amway, the series, from creators Robert Funke and Matt Lutsky, scales pyramid schemes more generally, sending up their American dream-touting, worker-exploiting ways: Be your own boss (and that of your “downline”)! You’re a millionaire in training (but also lining the pockets of billionaires)!
Now roll one heck of a trailer:
This week’s Succession looks unsurprisingly great, The Affair is returning for its final season, and there’s a lot to recommend both Preacher and The Righteous Gemstones, but holy crap, are we ever here for this Dunst turn (and for Alexander Skarsgård’s mullet wig). Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya will recap weekly.
Regular coverage
Succession (HBO, 9 p.m)
The Affair (Showtime, 9 p.m., fifth-season premiere)
Preacher (AMC, 10 p.m.)
The Righteous Gemstones (HBO, 10 p.m)
Wild card
Instinct (CBS, 9 p.m., series finale): It was never at the top of our lists, but we’ll be tuning in for the last episode of the Alan Cumming-starring Instinct, a procedural that was particularly noteworthy for featuring an openly gay character as its lead—still an infrequent occurrence. (It was also noteworthy for Bones-related reasons, but that’s another story.)
R.I.P. Instinct. But hey, maybe now Eli Gold can appear on The Good Fight?