Will Arnett takes us all to Murderville, where comic improvisation is the only law
And the striking sci-fi drama of Raised By Wolves returns
Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Thursday, February 3. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
Murderville (3:01 a.m., Netflix): Improv is a harsh mistress, but perhaps not so harsh as… murder! At least that’s the vibe in this new improvisational cop show from Will Arnett, where Arnett’s gravel-voiced dick Terry Seattle attempts to solve a grisly murder by quizzing a genuinely impressive roster of clueless-as-to-the-plot guest stars. Everybody’s a new partner for Arnett’s grizzled copper, from Ken Jeong, to Kumail Nanjiani, Conan O’Brien, Sharon Stone, and even former NFL star Marshawn Lynch, all of whom are expected to not only keep the plot moving according to Arnett’s whims, but to somehow stay one step ahead of Terry Seattle’s ineptly prying eyes.
In The A.V. Club’s pre-air review of this six-episode limited series (based on the BBC series Murder In Successville), Quinci LeGardye says of this unique take on the comic crime procedural:
Murderville recreates the vibe of an improv show in a half-hour narrative, a fun departure from game or sketch form. The constant spontaneity is there, plus the feeling of awe when a guest gets totally into the scene. It also adopts the nature of live improv or stand-up comedy where the interlopers, both the guest and the audience, have to accept the circumstances and be open to the comedy.