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 time, we’re honoring the August TV doldrums by highlighting the shows you haven’t been watching.
Wizard Wars Premieres on SyFy
In Wizard Wars, magicians are given ordinary objects to use in a magic routine as they compete against each other to win money. It sounds silly, but let’s be honest: There is no better time to watch a magician competition reality show than during these last weeks of August. Plus, it’s fun! They bend glass and levitate stools and freak out the audience! Why not tune in?
Candidly Nicole Goes Offline
While you weren’t watching, Vh1’s Candidly Nicole has sneakily become the best reality show of the summer due to Nicole Richie’s remarkable self-awareness. Richie knows how to use her reputation as a hard-partying ditz to her favor and has surprisingly great comic timing. This week, she tries to get her sister to give up technology but somehow ends up in a support group.
John Oliver’s Funny and Poignant Segment on Ferguson, MO
Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert may get the most attention, but lately John Oliver has been showing them up on his new show, HBO’s Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. On Sunday, he spoke about the events in Ferguson, MO in a way that was humorous, emotional, cutting, and intelligent all at once. In fact, his coverage of Ferguson has been much better than what we’ve seen on many real news programs.
Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins on WWE Raw
WWE Raw is not-so-secretly my secret favorite show on TV. Dean Ambrose, an Outsiders-esque greaser that you just want to hop trains with, has been hilarious all summer, whether he’s popping out of a car trunk to wrestle a foe or, well, popping out of a birthday gift to wrestle a foe. His brutal match against Seth Rollins on Monday was easily the best segment of the night.
Garfunkel and Oates’ “Ode” to Sports
Garfunkel and Oates is still struggling to find its footing, but this week, it aired its best episode yet — the girls seeing how long they can go without their dates realize that they’re not talking — and included this great song about sports fanaticism. It might be time to start watching this comedy.