What to Watch on TV this Weekend: Jenn's Guide

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April 22 – April 28, 2016

So, SNL really delivered last weekend by bringing Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) back in full character. I literally felt all tingly inside, overridden with joy and excitement. If you’ve watched SNL this season, you’ve seen Larry David’s spot-on impersonation of Sen. Bernie Sanders. The show’s opening skit had Bernie facing off with Hillary Clinton (Kate McKinnon) and being questioned by audience member Elaine Benes. She was every bit as fiery as she always was, and recognizable Seinfeldisms reemerged, including “yada yada-ing over the best part” and “You’re bald!”

Speaking of JLD, she’s back this Sunday at 10:30 p.m. as VEEP season 5 begins, gifting us with 10 glorious episodes. This is, hands down, my favorite comedy of recent years. It’s partially because finally, after all these years, we get to see Louis-Dreyfus curse – and she’s damned good at it. The show delivers laugh-out-loud, intelligent humor, but also has that ability to bring a near discomfort for the viewer (think: Curb Your Enthusiasm). It’s a delicate balance between laughing until you cry, and actually pitying the characters for the messes they’re in each week.

Having lobbied on The Hill in D.C. for many years as a journalist, I can tell you that the behavior of the aids and staff members is highly accurate as well. They are regular folks, navigating impossible situations and trying to please unbearable people, just as many of us do at our jobs every day. They’re just doing it in suits at our nation’s capital. Tune in Sunday night, and be prepared. You’re gonna laugh.

Here are a few suggestions for the upcoming week of April 22 – April 28.

20/20

Friday, April 22 – ABC – 10 p.m.

I can’t put my finger on exactly when my life took the detour from beers in bars to sofa time with a news magazine murder mystery. But, it did, and 20/20 has met my need of high drama for many years now. Occasionally, the show hits on a current cultural topic, rather than a “who dun it?” These episodes are enjoyable, sure. But my favorites continue to be the episodes that keep the focus on murder and mayhem. After all, I am a Gemini.

Game of Silence

Thursday, April 28 – NBC – 10 p.m.

As kids, Jackson Brooks and his three best friends spent their summers in small-town Texas. The boys found themselves with an opportunity to help a young girl, Jessie, but their good intentions landed them in a detention facility for nine months. The life-changing experience creeps up 25 years later, when they are forced to confront the mystery they thought they’d left behind – and maybe find a little justice. It’s produced by the executive producers of "CSI" and "Friday Night Lights," which none of us could quit! Good stuff.

The Detour

Monday, April 25 – TBS – 9 p.m.

No matter how much comedy infiltrates my life, it’s never enough. You may remember Jason Jones as a longtime correspondent on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. He was hilarious then, and now, he is executive producing a comedy series with the help of his wife, fellow comedian Samantha Bee. The show is inspired by his personal family vacation experiences. Jones’ character, Nate, plans a road trip from New York to Florida with his wife and kids. The rest – as they say – is just funny, witty, smart history!

Little Women of LA

Wednesday, April 27 – Lifetime – 8 p.m.

I have to admit, before I developed an addiction to this show, I didn’t know much about little people. I only knew that “little people” is the proper way to refer to them (never “midget”). As it turns out, they bask in drama, just as normally sized people do. The situation is a slightly tougher for this group of little dynamos, because they truly are making an effort to socialize with others who also are little. That shrinks the social circle considerably, and we get to watch them nearly kill one another – week after week. This is the perfect episode to watch if you’re new to the show, because it’ll recap the season.

Lip Sync Battle

Thursday, April 28 – SPIKE – 9 p.m.

Finally, a real use of your time in seventh grade spent singing into a hairbrush. Reality television meets musical competition! This idea gained popularity when it was first introduced on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. In each episode, two celebrities face off, performing their best lip syncing skills. Two rounds into the competition, the audience picks a winner. This week, Joel McHale goes up against Jim Rash (both from the cult favorite show Community). From the trailer, we learn that Rash gives McHale a bit of a lap dance. Well, a lot of a lap dance. Can’t wait!

The Catch

Thursday, April 28 – ABC – 10 p.m.

Mirelle Enos plays Alice Vaughan, a private investigator who couldn’t prevent her own fiancé from conning her out of millions. We watch on the edge of our seats as Alice faces her biggest detective challenge yet: reclaiming her own future. As Alice pursues her sneaky ex, separate story lines unfold. In this episode, the P.I. team agrees to help a female captain in the army who is facing harassment by her colleagues. I like getting to know these characters who are well developed, with room to grow.

Scandal

Thursday, April 28 – ABC – 9 p.m.

Apparently, the life and times of real-life crisis manager Judy Smith – whose clients have included Monica Lewinsky and Justice Clarence Thomas – were interesting enough for a television spinoff. Olivia Pope (played by Kerry Washington) is a former White House communications director who opens a Washington, D.C., crisis-management firm. Watching her and her team turn others’ problems into opportunities get juicy, but we learn that the management of their own lives proves a bit more difficult. Heck, even the U.S. President has an affair, so you gotta watch.

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