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 round, Orange Is the New Black returns as both Silicon Valley and Inside Amy Schumer bow out.
Orange Is the New Black Returns
I haven’t seen a second of it because I was asleep when it came out and now I’m at work, but rest assured I and a significant portion of the TV-watching public will have season two polished off by the end of the weekend.
Game of Thrones Gets Graphic Once Again
Beware of any Game of Thrones character who gets too popular. Prince Oberyn, the hyper-virile, hyper-sexual prince of Dorne who impressed many this season with his good looks and supreme confidence, is no longer for this world; he lost his fight to the death with the Mountain, and got his head exploded in the process. For future reference, don’t prolong your revenge kills with demands for a confession, and don’t underestimate an opponent who’s seven feet tall and five hundred percent muscle.
Louie Covers Assault
This isn’t the first time Louis CK’s dabbled in overt feminism this season; “So Did the Fat Lady” was rightly celebrated as an astute commentary on the double standard that faces overweight women (albeit not one that hasn’t been articulated before by…overweight women). This week, Louie’s standup talks about men’s fear of women and the travesty of a democracy that excluded half its population until 1920. And then, in a highly controversial scene, he attempts to force himself on longtime unrequited love interest Pamela. The episode is pretty unambiguously not in favor of Louie’s actions, but it’s still a fascinating entry into a TV season that’s seen heated discussion of sexual assault.
Inside Amy Schumer Ends Its Sophomore Run
Amy Schumer’s sketch show evolved this season from “strong comedy” to “one of the best comedies on television,” running with shrewdly feminist concepts like a video game about military rape and a ladies’ lunch that devolved into a competition over who feels worse about her eating habits. This week’s finale was no exception, featuring guest appearances from Sasheer Zamata and Reggie Watts in sketches about prepping for sex and shit-talking friends. Schumer deservedly broke through this year with bits like the viral Sorkin parody “The Foodroom,” and it’ll be tough to wait nine months before Inside is back on the airwaves again.
Silicon Valley Segways Away
It’s the much-vaunted TechCrunch Disrupt showcase that Pied Piper has been working toward all season, and Richard’s fledgling company makes it to the finals. Then Galvin Belson unveils Nucleus, complete with Shakira performance, and panic ensues. Then Richard uses his programming skillz to beat flash with pure talent, and Mike Judge’s remarkable comedy has a full season (and a spectacularly protracted masturbation gag) under its belt.