This Week’s Top 5 TV Picks

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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 five best bets for the coming week. This week, Baz Luhrmann’s ambitious Netflix hip-hop drama The Get Down finally returns to finish off its first season; Louis C.K. returns to Studio 8H; and Gus Fring returns to scare the shit out of us all. May the funk be with you.

Now: The Get Down

The first half of the first season of The Get Down (it was split in two because Baz Luhrmann) introduced us to its very attractive cast of young dreamers in the Bronx circa 1977. The half-season ended with the triumphant debut performance of the Get Down Brothers, lead by our man Zeke (Justice Smith) — whose lady, Mylene (Herizen F. Guardiola), decides to make the move to Manhattan to pursue her own singing career. The second half, which is streaming on Netflix as of today, skips ahead a year, and delves more deeply into the career struggles of its budding young musicians.

Saturday: The Son

Pierce Brosnan stars in this new AMC period piece, an adaptation of Philipp Meyer’s celebrated 2013 novel of the same name — a multi-generational, dynastic story about the rise and fall of a Texas family. The book took place in three different timelines: the early 1800s frontier days, 1915, during the “Bandit War,” and 2012. The show strips away the contemporary perspective in favor of a more immersive — and, frankly, a little dull — experience in old-timey Texas. The Son looks great, but I found it a bit of a snooze. Check it out for yourself when it premieres Saturday at 9 p.m. on AMC.

Saturday: SNL

Saturday Night Live is pulling out the big guns as it winds down its 42nd season, and after a few weeks of reruns, the show returns with a new episode this weekend hosted by none other than Louis C.K. The gig — C.K.’s fourth time hosting — follows his latest standup special, Louis C.K.: 2017, which Netflix released on Tuesday (and which I highly recommend). The Chainsmokers make their SNL debut as musical guests. As always, 11:30 p.m. on NBC.

Monday: Better Call Saul

Everyone’s favorite Breaking Bad spinoff continues its slow and brilliant crawl toward the events of the beloved AMC crime drama that went off the air in 2013. This season — as you may have guessed thanks to this well-timed Los Pollos Hermanos training video — introduces a familiar Breaking Bad character, the villainous Gus Fring, played by the excellent Giancarlo Esposito. And you better believe we’re gonna see more of that sad little mall food court Cinnabon where a present-day Jimmy-slash-Saul (Bob Odenkirk) now toils.

Tuesday: Brooklyn Nine-Nine

This perennially delightful cop comedy returns after a months-long hiatus to finish off its fourth season — which may very well be its last, since Fox has yet to renew the sitcom. Still, showrunner Dan Goor seems optimistic, and has said that the writing staff hasn’t penned a potential series finale. Tuesday’s episode will finally bring some closure re: Gina (Chelsea Peretti), who was hit by a bus in the last episode, back in January. Tune in on Tuesday at 8 p.m. on Fox.