TV

Marvel’s ‘The Punisher, Dee Rees’s ‘Mudbound,’ and More TV You Must See This Week

Other highlights include Seth Rogen’s new time travel comedy and a documentary about the making of ‘Man on the Moon.’
By  · Published on November 12th, 2017

Other highlights include Seth Rogen’s new time travel comedy and a documentary about the making of ‘Man on the Moon.’

This week, while some shows begin to wrap up their seasons or go on fall break, newcomers offer bold and varied choices. The long-awaited spin-off series about Marvel’s most vicious vigilante finally arrives, along with a raunchy sci-fi comedy directed by Seth Rogen and the American debut of a British hit miniseries filled with dark humor. New documentaries also explore the mayhem behind method acting taken to the extreme and the legacy of the Clutter family murders. Finally, Paul Reiser’s pet project finds a new home at Hulu while Netflix premieres its big award season contender.

To help you keep track of the most important programs over the next seven days, here’s our guide to everything worth watching, whether it’s on broadcast, cable, or streaming for November 12th –18th (all times Eastern):

Ill Behavior (Showtime, Monday 10:30pm)

How would you feel if one of your best friends told you they had Hodgkin’s lymphoma? What would you do if that same friend told you he is going to “heal naturally” and tries everything under the homeopathic sun but chemotherapy? You kidnap him, of course. Tom Riley stars as a man help captive by his friends (Chris Geere and Jessica Regan), who forcibly administer the treatment he needs with the help of an alcoholic oncologist (Lizzy Caplan). Peep Show creator Sam Bain is the mind behind this  six-episode British miniseries making its American debut. Perfect for anyone with a taste for twisted humor.

Future Man (Hulu, Tuesday)

If you are looking for something along the lines of Ready Player One and The Last Starfighter, but with more time travel and a raunchier sense of humor, you are in luck. Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Hulu’s new comedy follows a meandering janitor (played by Josh Hutcherson) who gets recruited to save the future thanks to his video-gaming skills. His mission includes going back to the 1980s and cock-blocking the man who triggers the extinction of humanity with a cure for herpes. Yes, you read right. Eliza Coupe, Derek Wilson, Haley Joel Osment, Keith David, Glenne Headly, and Ed Begley Jr. join Hutcherson’s chosen one in his time-traveling shenanigans.

There’s… Johnny! (Hulu, Thursday)

Before Leno, O’Brien, and Fallon, there was Johnny Carson. Creators Paul Reiser and David Steven Simon look back at the heyday of The Tonight Show in their latest project, which centers on 19-year-old Andy Klavin (Ian Nelson), a Nebraskan boy who stumbles his way into a job at his hero’s show as a gofer. As he learns to ropes of the showbiz, he meets famed executive producer Fred de Cordova (Tony Danza), the show’s comedy writers, and talent coordinator Joy (Jane Levy). Originally set to debut on NBC’s now defunct digital platform Seeso, this period dramedy has found its new home at Hulu.

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond — With a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton (Netflix, Friday)

Tales about actors treading the fine line between method performance and mental instability are as old as method acting itself. However, some of them are more than urban legends and would make Jared Leto’s used condom antics look like a mere publicity stunt. Such is the case of Jim Carrey’s performance as Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon. Director Chris Smith (American Movie) unearths footage from behind the scenes — captured by Kaufman’s former girlfriend Lynne Margulies and former writing partner Bob Zmuda — that was withheld by Universal for 18 years, and looks back at all the mayhem unleashed during that production. The documentary reflects on the parallels between the careers of two renowned names in comedy, and the limits (and excesses) of method performance.

Marvel’s The Punisher (Netflix, Friday)

Jon Bernthal’s performance as Frank Castle on Daredevil was so impressive that talks among Netflix executives about a Punisher series were happening even months before the character officially debuted. Ever since, we’ve been constantly teased with the idea, and now the R-rated spin-off finally arrives on the streaming service. As Castle finds himself in the middle of a military conspiracy, we meet familiar faces, like Daredevil’s Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), and new characters, such as Micro (Ebon Moss Bachrach), Castle’s handler. Hannibal producer Steve Lightfoot is in charge of what aims to be the darkest and most violent Marvel series, while Bernthal reprises the role along with Ben Barnes, Amber Rose Devah, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Michael Nathanson. One batch, two batch penny and dime. Here he (finally) comes.

Mudbound (Netflix, Friday)

Dee Rees’s latest film is Netflix’s strongest contender for the upcoming award season. The film premiered in Sundance early this year and gained such universal praise that the streaming service purchased it for $12.5M, and with good reason: Mudbound is Oscar material. Based on Hillary Jordan’s 2008 novel, the movie follows two families in rural Mississippi living in close quarters in the 1940s. On one side, there is Laura and Henry McAllan (Carey Mulligan and Jason Clarke), a couple who left the city to live on a vast farmland. On the other, Hap and Florence Jackson (Rob Morgan and Mary J. Blige), who farm cotton in a leased parcel of the McAllan’s land. As the threat of World War II looms over the country, both Henry’s brother Jamie (Garrett Hedlund) and eldest Jackson son Ronsel (Jason Mitchell) enlist. But by the time they return, racial tensions have reached breaking point. Framed by Rachel Morrison’s keen lens, Rees delivers – in the words of our own Matt Hoffman – an “astounding finale.”

 

Cold Blooded: The Clutter Family Murders (SundanceTV, Saturday and Sunday 9pm)

True crime is all the rage these days, but current hits like Mindhunter and Making A Murderer owe a huge debt to Truman Capote and the Clutter family murders. Nearly 60 years after the gruesome events, director Joe Berlinger (the Paradise Lost trilogy) re-examines the facts, the investigation, and the aftermath that Capote famously documented with his classic nonfiction novel “In Cold Blood,” as this two-night miniseries explores the allure of real-life crime stories.

SUNDAY

No Activity S1E1 (CBS All-Access) – series premiere

Outlander S3E9 “The Doldrums” (Starz, 8pm)

The Simpsons S29E6 “The Old Blue Mayor She Ain’t What She Used to Be” (FOX, 8pm)

Ghosted S1E6 “Sam” (FOX, 8:30pm)

Star Trek: Discovery S1E9 “Into the Forest I Go” (CBSAA, 8:30pm)

Family Guy S16E6 “The D in Apartment 23” (FOX, 9pm)

The Girlfriend Experience S2E3&4 “The List” & “Eggshells” (Starz, 9pm)

The Walking Dead S8E4 “Some Guy” (AMC, 9pm)

The Last Man on Earth S4E6 “Double Cheeseburger” (FOX, 9:30pm)

Curb Your Enthusiasm S9E7 “Namaste” (HBO, 10pm)

SMILF S1E2 “1,800 Filet-O-Fishes & One Small Diet Coke” (Showtime, 10pm)

White Famous S1E6 “Wolves” (Showtime, 10pm)

Vice Principals S2E9 “The Union of the Wizard & The Warrior” (HBO, 10:40pm) – series finale

MONDAY

Lucifer S3E7 “Off the Record” (FOX, 8pm)

Supergirl S3E6 “Midvale” (The CW, 8pm)

War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend (HBO, 8pm) – documentary premiere

Star Wars Rebels S4E9 “Rebel Assault” (Disney XD, 9pm)

The Gifted S1E7 “eXtreme measures” (FOX, 9pm)

Scorpion S4E8 “Faire is Foul” (CBS, 10pm)

The Good Doctor S1E7 “22 Steps” (ABC, 10pm)

Ill Behaviour S1E1 (Showtime, 10:30pm) – series American debut

TUESDAY

DeRay Davis: How To Act Black (Netflix) – comedy special premiere

Future Man S1 (Hulu) – series premiere

The Mindy Project S6E10 “The Last One” (Hulu) – series finale

The Flash S4E6 “When Harry Met Harry…” (The CW, 8pm)

Lethal Weapon S2E6 “Gold Rush” (FOX, 8pm)

NCIS S15E8 “Voices” (CBS, 8pm)

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S3E6 “Helen Hunt” (The CW, 9pm)

This Is Us S2E8 “Number One” (NBC, 9pm)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine S5E6 “The Venue” (FOX, 9:30pm)

The Mayor S1E7 “Here Comes the Governor” (ABC, 9:30pm)

American Horror Story S7E11 “Great Again” (FX, 10pm) – season finale

Kevin (Probably) Saves the World S1E7 “Dave” (ABC, 10pm)

Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders S1E8 (NBC, 10pm) – season finale

The Hunt for the Zodiac Killer S1E1 (History, 10pm) – miniseries premiere

WEDNESDAY

Riverdale S2E6 “Chapter Nineteen: Death Proof” (The CW, 8pm)

The Blacklist S5E8 “Ian Garvey” (NBC, 8pm)

Speechless S2E7 “”B-r-i-British I-n-v-Invasion” (ABC, 8:30pm)

Beyond a Year in Space (PBS, 9pm) – documentary premiere

Modern Family S9E7 “Winner Winner Turkey Dinner” (ABC, 9pm)

MythBusters S20E1 (Science Channel, 9pm) – season premiere

Criminal Minds S13E7 “Dust and Bones” (CBS, 10pm)

Designated Survivor S2E7 “Family Ties” (ABC, 10pm)

Mr. Robot S3E6 “eps3.5_kill-process.inc” (USA, 10pm)

The A-Word S2E2 “Getaway” (Sundance, 10pm)

You’re the Worst S4E12&13 “Like People” & “It’s Always Been This Way” (FXX, 10pm) – season finale

Broad City S4E8 “House-Sitting” (Comedy Central, 10:30pm)

THURSDAY

Back S1 (Sundance Now) – miniseries American premiere

There’s… Johnny! S1 (Hulu) – series premiere

Gotham S4E9 “Let Them Eat Pie” (FOX, 8pm)

Grey’s Anatomy S14E8 “Out of Nowhere” (ABC, 8pm)

Supernatural S13E6 “Tombstone” (The CW, 8pm)

Arrow S6E6 “Promises Kept” (The CW, 9pm)

Project Runway S16E14 (Lifetime, 9pm) – season finale part 2

Scandal S7E7 “Something Borrowed” (ABC, 9pm)

The Orville S1E10 “Firestorm” (FOX, 9pm)

Van Helsing S2E7 “Everything Changes” (Syfy, 9pm)

Better Things S2E10 “Graduation” (FX, 10pm) – season finale

Ghost Wars S1E7 “Whistle Past the Graveyard” (Syfy, 10pm)

How to Get Away With Murder S4E8 “Live. Live. Live.” (ABC, 10pm)

S.W.A.T S1E3 “Pamilya” (CBS, 10pm)

FRIDAY

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond – With a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton (Netflix) – documentary premiere

Marvel’s The Punisher S1 (Netflix) – series premiere

Mudbound (Netflix) – movie premiere

Saving Capitalism (Netflix) – documentary premiere

Active Shooter: America Under Fire S1E8 (Showtime, 8pm) – series finale

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend S3E6 “Josh Is Irrelevant” (The CW, 8pm)

Once Upon a Time S7E7 “Eloise Gardener” (ABC, 8pm)

Jane The Virgin S4E6 “Chapter Seventy” (The CW, 9pm)

The Exorcist S2E7 “Help Me” (FOX, 9pm)

Z Nation S4E8 “Crisis of Faith” (Syfy, 9pm)

Superstition S1E5 “Tangled Web” (Syfy, 10pm)

SATURDAY

Night of Too Many Stars (HBO, 8pm) – live event broadcast

Cold Blooded: The Clutter Family Murders S1E1 (Sundance, 9pm) – mini documentary series premiere

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency S2E6 “Girl Power” (BBC America, 9pm)

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