Hemlock Grove (Netflix, Anytime) — There’s not jack sh*t on TV on Friday and Saturday, so if you’re aching for some mediocre horror, you can dive into the second season of the Netflix series, although early notices have not been kind.
The Leftovers (HBO, Sunday 10 p.m.) — Everyone among the critics says this episode is the one to watch, that the third episode will CHANGE OUR LIVES. I haven’t watched it yet, but then again, I liked the first two episodes just fine. However, I wouldn’t object to a remarkably strong third episode, if only so viewers will stick around and continue to watch it with me. It’s not like the old days, before Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, when people would give a new drama a half season or so to find its feet … oh wait, didn’t both of those shows start off slow, too (especially The Walking Dead)?
The Strain (FX, Sunday 10 p.m.) — Before the Sunday premiere, here’s everything you need to know about The Strain. I get the sense from the reviews so far that FX’s Guillermo del Toro series is schlocky good fun. I’m OK with that, although I’m less OK with another Sunday night at 10 p.m. drama, especially now that …
Masters of Sex (Showtime, Sunday 10 p.m.) — … Master of Sex is set to return. One of my favorite new shows of 2013, Lizzy Caplan, Michael Sheen, and the soft-core porn and nudity are back, but it’s all in service of the plot!
Ray Donovan (Showtime, Sunday 9 p.m.) — Ray Donovan also returns for its second season, and I still want to know who Jon Voight had to bang to get that Emmy nomination, and what kind of sick f**k would give Jon Voight a nomination for sleeping with him/her?
Fifa World Cup Final (ABC, Sunday 3 p.m.) — Germany vs. Argentina, followed by four more years of Americans not talking about soccer.
