To help you start to answer those pressing questions, we've got three clips from this week's Community season premiere, featuring the return of creator Dan Harmon. Plus tons of info about Space Dandy, from the creator of Cowboy Bebop. Here's all the details and clips for this week's TV!
Top image: Community
Today:
Being Human Marathon (All Day, Syfy):
Get caught up on the U.S. version of this supernatural soap before it comes back!
Tuesday:
Twilight Zone Marathon (All Day, Syfy):
Screw Carson Daly and Ryan Seacrest. This is the television event that makes New Year's Eve worthwhile every year. A full 48 hours of Rod Serling mind-fuckery, to keep you up long after the ball drops, running all day Tuesday and Wednesday. Don't go out for some NYE party — have your friends over and make nachos and try to guess the horrifying twist before everybody else. Way more fun.
Also on TV Tonight: A New Year's Eve special episode of Regular Show airs 7 PM on Cartoon Network.
Wednesday:
Every Witch Way (7:30 PM, Nickelodeon):
This half-hour sitcom is airing every single weeknight during the month of January, which smacks a bit of trying to burn off the episodes. This show is a U.S. remake of a Nickelodeon Latin America show called Grachi, and here's what it's about:
Every Witch Way follows 14-year-old Emma Alonso, as she moves to Miami and her life turns upside-down. Not only does she discover that she is a witch, she also has a crush on the boy next door, Daniel. But Daniel's ex-girlfriend Maddie, who is an 'evil witch' and leader of the school clique the 'Panthers,' is still willing to fight for the boy she loves.
My Strange Addiction: I'm a Living Doll (9 PM, TLC):
Mentioning this because there's nothing else on TV on New Year's Day, and because it sounds like something people would have written about in a 1960s New Wave science fiction novel. Three people who are doing their best to live as dolls, including plastic surgeries and just avoiding sunlight to keep the "porcelain" complexion. That's followed by another My Strange Addiction focused on people who are "Addicted to Drinking Paint," and then an episode about someone who "Eats Mattresses."
Also on TV Today: Day Two of Syfy's Twilight Zone marathon. By now, you should all look like the Eltingville Club.
Thursday:
Community (8 PM, NBC):
Check out three sneak peeks! This is a full hour of Community, celebrating the return of series creator Dan Harmon. This is a pretty unprecedented event — I can't think of another time that the creator of a show has been fired, and then brought back after a year away. But will the show be excellent again? Here's what's on tap:
THE STUDY GROUP REUNITES TO SAVE GREENDALE FROM LEGAL TROUBLES - ROB CORDDRY GUEST STARS - Jeff (Joel McHale) returns to Greendale when his former law partner Alan Connor (guest star Rob Corddry, "Hot Tub Time Machine 2") recruits him to gather evidence for a lawsuit he is pursuing. Dean Pelton (Jim Rash) is thrilled to see Jeff back at Greendale. Thinking he is there to help save the school, he quickly calls the study group back together - surprising Jeff with a reunion.
JEFF WINGER SETTLES INTO A NEW POSITION AT GREENDALE AND PROFESSOR HICKEY (GUEST STAR JONATHAN BANKS) TAKES HIM UNDER HIS WING - THE STUDY GROUP TACKLES A NEW CLASS WITH PROFESSOR GARRITY (GUEST STAR KEVIN CORRIGAN) - Jeff (Joel McHale) settles into a new job at Greendale and adjusts to the expectations of being on staff - Professor Hickey (guest star Jonathan Banks, "Breaking Bad") shows him the ropes and shares some pointers on how to manage unruly and demanding students. Meanwhile, Abed (Danny Pudi) convinces the study group to take a new class, "Nicolas Cage: Good or Bad," with Professor Garrity (guest star Kevin Corrigan, "The Dictator").
I'm in, just for the Nic Cage humor alone. THE BEES.
Also on TV Tonight: The midseason premiere of Big Bang Theory at 8 PM on CBS, along with the midseason premiere of Elementary at 10 PM.
Friday:
Grimm(9 PM, NBC):
This show is back, and Hank's making a move on his physical therapist!
Nick (David Giuntoli) and Hank (Russell Hornsby) investigate a Wesen "healer" whose ability holds risks that far outweigh its rewards. Meanwhile, Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) takes in a friend when domestic issues escalate and Hank makes a move on his physical therapist Zuri (guest star Sharon Leal). Elsewhere, Captain Renard (Sasha Roiz) finally tracks down Adalind (Claire Coffee) and has a stern warning for her.
Dracula (10 PM, NBC):
And this show, too, is back. Now that Dracula has had the "Solar Vaccine" (never going to get tired of typing those words), is he going to be able to visit mud wrestling bouts during the day? No — apparently he's too busy demonstrating his wireless electricity:
Intoxicated by his newfound invulnerability to the daylight, Grayson dares to deny his curse and regain his humanity. Renfield is dispatched to Budapest to acquire a mysterious and long sought after relic on his employer's behalf. Harker discovers Grayson manipulated him into slandering General Shaw and strategizes on how to seek his revenge — eventually aiding The Order of The Dragon in compromising Grayson's demonstration of his technology.
Saturday:
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (10:30 AM, Hub Network):
It's the Carrie Diaries episode! Sort of:
"Rarity Takes Manehattan" - Rarity is thrilled to be heading to Manehattan for an important fashion show and brings all of her friends along for a high-class adventure in the city she loves. But when another designer ruins Rarity's chances at winning the competition, she turns to the rest of the Mane Six for help, not realizing that her anger and ambition are damaging her friendships.
Mythbusters: Revenge of the Myth (8 PM, Discovery):
This show launches a new season with an extra-long episode focused on Star Wars:
MYTHBUSTERS kicks off all-new episodes by contriving to separate physics from fiction with a STAR WARS themed episode featuring Sophia Bush, the star of NBC's CHICAGO PD. Could Luke really have swung across a huge chasm on the end of a rope while holding Princess Leia and trying to escape Stormtroopers? Could Hans' ingenuity of stuffing Luke inside a Tauntaun have saved him from the bitterly cold and deadly elements of Hoth? And could the primitive weapons of the Ewoks realistically take down some of Darth Vader's most sophisticated weapons?
Space Dandy (11:30 PM, Adult Swim):
Adult Swim is bringing back its Toonami programming block, with the world premiere of this anime series from the folks who brought you Cowboy Bebop! This show looks kind of demented — but the campy, tongue-in-cheek sexism in the promos has turned some people off. Will the actual first episode win over the doubters? Check out ten undubbed minutes above, plus here's the pitch:
Space Dandy is a dandy in space! This dreamy adventurer with a to-die-for pompadour travels across the galaxy in search of aliens no one has ever laid eyes on. Each new species he discovers earns him a hefty reward, but this dandy has to be quick on his feet because it's first come – first served! Accompanied by his sidekicks, a rundown robot named QT and Meow the cat-looking space alien, Dandy bravely explores unknown worlds inhabited by a variety of aliens. Join the best dressed alien hunter in all of space and time as he embarks on an adventure that ends at the edge of the universe!
That's followed by a pretty stellar lineup of anime going all night, including Bleach, Naruto: Shippuden, One Piece, Soul Eater, Sword Art Online, FLCL, Naruto uncut, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.
Also on TV today: Nickelodeon has a new Monsters Vs. Aliens at noon. Hub Network has a new Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch at noon and a new R.L. Stine at 7:30 PM. At 9 PM, BBC America has another new Atlantis, and Nickelodeon has a new Thundermans.
Sunday:
There's just nothing much on television today. You DVRed that Twilight Zone marathon and the all-night Toonami block, right? Time to catch up.
Also on TV today: Fox has more of its animated shows, including The Simpsons, starting at 8 PM. At 9 PM, DA has a new Monsters and Mysteries in America. At 10 PM, Weather has a new Freaks of Nature and Animal Planet has a new Finding Bigfoot.
Sources: Futon Critic, MSN TV, TV Guide, and various TV studio press release
onlinecollegedegreee.blogspot.com This Week's TV: Can Community be good again? Is Space Dandy too sexist?