There are scores of TV shows out there, with dozens of new episodes each week, not to mention everything you can find on Hulu Plus, Netflix streaming, and HBO Go. How’s a viewer to keep up? To help you sort through all that television has to offer, Flavorwire is compiling the five best moments on TV each week. This week, Parks and Recreation and Elementary come back, while Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. makes its much-anticipated premiere.
Parks and Rec Is Back!
And they went to London! Where Andy is staying while the actor who plays him films Guardian of the Galaxy! Also, Ann and Diane are pregnant, Jean-Ralphio’s dad (played by Henry Winkler) is trying to put Tom out of business, and Leslie is finally grappling with being a servant to a highly unappreciative public. The novelty location was cute, but “London” held its own as a season premiere for prime-time’s best nice comedy. Even Donna and Jerry got their time in the spotlight, although Jerry’s took his character in a decidedly creepy new direction. (Donna, however, remains fabulous as ever.)
Jimmy Kimmel Did Something Dumb and Kind of Racist
How do you respond to an hour-long, expansive interview with one of the world’s most important recording artists? Reduce it to an unfunny punchline by having kids reenact it by sipping milkshakes, apparently. Jimmy Kimmel’s non-spoof was dismissive, vaguely racist, and just plain boring, but at least it sparked one of the great Twitter jeremiads of our time. It’s hard to pick a favorite Kanye missive, but I’m going to go ahead and say that Sarah Silverman’s safely won the breakup now that the entire Internet’s been told how much funnier she is than Kimmel. #NODISRESPECTTOBENAFFLECK
Justin Bieber Swung by Between Two Ferns
Even though Zack Galifianakis was nervous on account of never interviewing a seven-year-old before, Bieber’s five minutes in the hot seat are nothing short of amazing, from his confession that he’d like to time travel to meet Anne Frank to getting whipped by Galifianakis with a belt. Bieber’s surprisingly game for being the guy behind such asinine stunts as peeing in Artichoke Pizza’s mop bucket, playing it impressively deadpan as Galifianakis spirals ever further out of control. And then the slime happens.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Arrived
The reviews are mixed so far, but the show’s an absolute ratings hit for ABC so far. Clark Gregg is the sole cast carryover from The Avengers film, but Marvel’s biggest-budget romp to date hovers over the spin-off series. The debut has the team recruiting a hacker and subduing a potential superhero gone rogue, but the bulk of the pilot acquaints us with Agent Coulson’s team: the tough agent driven to a desk job by some past trauma; Q from James Bond, on helium and split into a boy-girl team; and the token straight, white macho man, because spy shows haven’t moved on that much. The final product is fun, not excellent. But it’s still enough to keep us around for another week.
Elementary Ventured Into Sherlock Territory
After spending its entire first season in the unorthodox (for Sherlock) setting of brownstone Brooklyn, Elementary decamped to London for its second season premiere. There, we meet the NBC versions of Inspector Lestrade and Mycroft Holmes, who turn out to be a washed-up Scotland Yard official and an estranged, cuckolded, and sick man, respectively. 221B Baker Street even shows up as a gorgeous, renovated apartment. Lestrade and especially Mycroft are key components of Sherlock Holmes lore, and Elementary handled their introduction perfectly heading into its second round.