TV history, and cable's History channel, will tell you: Never bet against the Bible. While History's greatest-hits approach to The Bible (airing Sundays through Easter) continues to reap blockbuster ratings, GSN launches a second season of The American Bible Challenge (9/8c), its highest-rated game show, which could just as easily be called Are You Smarter Than a Divinity Student?
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First, comedy tonight (since that's what was made available for review): NBC's current best sitcom, Parks and Recreation, ended its February sweeps run with some incredibly sweet moments: the impromptu nuptials of Leslie and Ben ("I love you and I like you"), Ann Perkins' awkwardly heartfelt invitation to Chris to be her would-be baby's daddy, the way everyone rallied to lift Andy's spirits after he's rejected by the police academy.
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Will Nicki Minaj's "wife" Kree make the cut? How about Devin, the (quoting Nicki again) "Spanish Ken doll?" And could this be the end of the road for such curiosities as Zoanette "What's Tone Got To Do With It" Johnson and the appropriately named Charlie Askew? All will be revealed as Fox's American Idol moves back to Hollywood for a 90-minute live results show (8/7c), where America decides this year's Top 10 — but I wouldn't be surprised if the judges get a "wild card" pick should one or more of their faves fail to capture the voters' attention.
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All systems are a go for a fifth season of Archer. The animated FX spy comedy was renewed Wednesday.
"Archer is one the very best comedy series on...
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Under the familiar heading of "shows gone too soon," ABC's robust, though at times berserk, military thriller Last Resort is the only failed freshman series from this season's underwhelming fall crop that I would argue deserved more of a chance — or at least a tryout in a more appropriate time period — to catch on as it figured out its sprawling narrative. With the great Andre Braugher and the appealing Scott Speedman leading a strong and (on the island at least) exotic cast, this action drama about a rogue nuclear sub standing up against a homeland gone haywire is unlike anything else on network TV. Which made it a risk, though one well worth taking, and at least ABC let the producers complete the initial 13-episode order, which now comes to a too-early, but let's hope satisfying, end (Thursday, 8/7c).
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