TV

David Simon’s New Porn Drama, the Return of ‘Broad City,’ and More TV You Must See This Week

Other highlights include the ‘Top of the Lake’ follow-up series, the last season of ‘The Mindy Project’ and Seth MacFarlane’s ‘The Orville.’
By  · Published on September 10th, 2017

Other highlights include ‘Top of the Lake: China Girl,’ the last season of ‘The Mindy Project,’ and Seth MacFarlane’s ‘The Orville.’

This week is full of new beginnings: HBO introduces the latest David Simon’s series, The Deuce, while Seth MacFarlane debuts his sci-fi effort, The Orville. The follow-up miniseries Top of the Lake: China Girl finally arrives to America as Detective Griffin starts over in Australia, Season 4 of Broad City will find Abbi and Ilana in new jobs, and The Mindy Project goes into uncharted territory in its last season. Also: a benefit for hurricane victims in need.

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 September 10th – 16th (all times Eastern):

The Orville (Fox, Sunday 8pm)

If asked, not many people would relate Seth MacFarlane with science fiction. However, as the voice actor, animator, comedian, and singer has proved throughout the years, he can wear many different hats. The Family Guy creator was one of the executive producers of the new Cosmos, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and now he dips his toe deeper into space with his new series, The Orville. The dramedy is a straight-up homage to Star Trek set 300 years in the future, with MacFarlane starring as the captain of the USS Orville, Adrianne Palicki as his first officer and ex-wife, and a crew that includes Scott Grimes, Penny Johnson Jerald, and Chad L. Coleman, among others. This week’s pilot is directed by Jon Favreau.

The Deuce (HBO, Sunday 9pm)

The Deuce is one of the most highly anticipated series of the new fall season and it’s easy to see why: it is the latest drama created by The Wire’s David Simon and his frequent collaborator, novelist George Pelecanos, and the show explores the rise of the adult entertainment industry in New York City, with the late 1970s as a backdrop. James Franco stars in a dual role, playing mob-embedded twins Vincent and Frankie Martino, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as independent sex worker “Candy” Merrell, who sees in the porn industry an opportunity for a big break.

Top of the Lake: China Girl (Sundance Channel, Sunday 9pm)

Top of the Lake: China Girl picks up four years after the events of Jane Campion’s original series, this time in Australia. Detective Robin Griffin (played once again by Elisabeth Moss) returns to Sydney and tries to rebuild her life, but the body of an Asian girl washes up on Bondi Beach and the quest for the killer starts again. Nicole Kidman and Game of ThronesGwendoline Christie join Moss for the six-hour miniseries, which our own Farah Cheded calls a “gratifying continuity and beautiful evolution” of Top of the Lake and “the wonderful weirdness of Jane Campion.”

My Love, Don’t Cross That River (PBS, 10pm)

This week’s documentary presented by POV is one of South Korea’s biggest box office hits, sharing the love story of a couple in their 76th year of marriage. Our doc-focused sister site, Nonfics, calls it “an emotional roller coaster, lightly raising its spirits with scenes of Jo and Kang in their brightly colored matching outfits and then diving again into mortality with naught but a moment’s notice.”

Hurricane Harvey Benefit (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX, Tuesday 8pm)

The telethon set to raise funds for the victims of Hurricane Harvey has a list of guests full of stars, ranging from hosts Stephen Colbert, Ellen DeGeneres, Jimmy Fallon, and Oprah Winfrey to actors George Clooney, Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks, Dwayne Johnson, Matthew McConaughey, Tyler Perry, and Adam Sandler; accompanied by musical performances by  Beyoncé, Drake, Tim McGraw, Questlove, Gwen Stefani, and Barbra Streisand, just to name a few.

The Mindy Project (Hulu, Tuesday)

It’s been two years since Hulu picked up Mindy Kaling’s romantic comedy series after Fox cancelled it. Now The Mindy Project arrives to its sixth and final season on the streaming service. The show started with Mindy in pursuit of love in Manhattan, and the fifth season wrapped with her proposing to (and marrying) Ben (Bryan Greenberg), so it seems fitting that the final season finds the protagonist exploring new territories, like marriage and family life, through its trademark humor. Be sure to check out Natalie Mokry’s new feature celebrating The Mindy Project here.

Broad City (Comedy Central, Wednesday 10pm)

Abbi and Ilana (Abbi Jacobsen and Ilana Glazer) will keep up with the shenanigans in a new time slot. The fourth season of Broad City will arrive right after South Park (a vote of confidence from Comedy Central) and it will follow the dynamic duo as they work new jobs, travel to Florida, trip on mushrooms, and celebrate their ‘friendversary’, among many other intrepid quests,  accompanied by guest stars such as RuPaul, Steve Buscemi, Jane Curtin, Peri Gilpin, Denis O’Hare, Wanda Sykes, Fran Drescher, and Shania Twain.

First They Killed My Father (Netflix, Friday)

Angelina Jolie tackles the historical biopic from the director’s chair once again, with an adaptation of Loung Ung’s memoir “First They Shot My Father.” Written by Ung and Jolie, the film depicts Ung’s experiences during the Khmer Rouge years of the Pol Pot regime and her time as a child soldier in the middle of the Cambodian genocide. The cast includes only Cambodian actors and extras, speaking Khmer language, and the movie was filmed on location in an effort to make the portrayal as authentic as possible.

Sunday

The Orville S1E1 “Old Wounds” (FOX, 8pm) – series premiere

Outlander S3E1 “The Battle Joined” (Starz, 8pm) – Season 3 premiere

Teen Wolf S6E17 “Werewolves of London” (MTV, 8pm)

Top Gear America S1E7 “The Best” (BBC America, 8pm)

The Walking Dead (AMC, 8pm) – Season 8 preview special

The Deuce S1E1 “Pilot” (HBO, 9pm) – series premiere

Fear the Walking Dead S3E9 “Minotaur” (AMC, 9pm)

Ray Donovan S5E5 “Shabbos Goy” (Showtime, 9pm)

Top of the Lake: China Girl S2E1 & S2E2 (Sundance Channel, 9pm) – season premiere

Get Shorty S1E6 “Epinephrine” (Epix, 10pm)

The Strain S4E9 “The Traitor” (FX, 10pm)

Ballers S3E8 “Alley-Oops” (HBO, 10:30pm)

Insecure S2E8 “Hella Perspective” (HBO, 11pm)

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver S4E23 (HBO, 11:30pm)

Rick & Morty S3E7 “The Ricklantis Mixup” (Cartoon Network, 11:30pm)

Monday

Bachelor in Paradise S4E9 (ABC, 8pm) – Season 4 finale

Hooten & The Lady S1E8 “The Caribbean” (The CW, 9pm) – Season 1 finale

Preacher S2E13 “The End of the Road” (AMC, 9pm) – 75-minute Season 2 finale

Top of the Lake: China Girl S2E3 & S2E4 (Sundance Channel, 9pm)

American Dad! S14E22 “West to Mexico” (TBS, 10pm) – Season 14 finale

My Love, Don’t Cross That River (POV) (PBS, 10pm) — documentary TV premiere

Tuesday

Difficult People S3E8 “Criminal Minds” (Hulu)

Heroin(e) (Netflix) – short documentary premiere

Jeff Dunham: Relative Disaster (Netflix) – comedy special premiere

The Mindy Project S6E1 “Is That All There Is?” (Hulu) – Season 6 (final season) premiere

Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Harvey Relief (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX, 8pm)

Abacus: Small Enough to Jail (Frontline) (PBS, 10pm) — documentary broadcast premiere

American Horror Story: Cult S7E2 “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” (FX, 10pm)

Manhunt: Unabomber S1E8 (Discovery Channel, 10pm) – Season 1 finale

Wednesday

Swedish Dicks S1E8 (Pop, 8pm)

Suits S7E10 “Donna” (USA, 9pm) – Season 7 finale

Broad City S4E1 “Sliding Doors” (Comedy Central, 10pm) – Season 4 premiere

The Sinner S1E7 “Part VII” (USA, 10pm)

South Park S21E1 (Comedy Central, 10pm) – Season 21 premiere

You’re the Worst S4E3 “Odysseus” (FX, 10pm)

Baroness von Sketch Show S2E1 (IFC, 11pm) – Season 2 premiere

Thursday

Riviera (Sundance Now) – series premiere

Project Runway S16E5 (Lifetime, 9pm)

Better Things S2E1 “September” (FX, 10pm) – Season 2 premiere

Zoo S3E12 “West Side Story” (CBS, 10pm)

The Guest Book S1E8 “Story Eight” (TBS, 10:30pm)

Friday

American Vandal (Netflix) – series premiere

First They Killed My Father (Netflix) – movie premiere

Strong Island (Netflix) – documentary premiere

Room 104 S1E8 “Phoenix” (HBO, 11:30pm)

Saturday

Halt and Catch Fire S4E5 “Nowhere Man” (AMC, 9pm)

La La Land (HBO, 10pm) – cable premiere

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