Welcome back to Broadcast Views and the return of new TV episodes! Starting this week I’ll be giving you my picks for the week that are your best bets for superlative entertainment.
MONDAY
“Scorpion” returns with genius kid Ralph (Riley B. Smith) in the hot seat with the FBI after he inadvertently reveals the location of a CIA safe house. Walter (Elyes Gabel) and the team most assuredly have his back. This show just keeps getting better and better and is my pick of the night. You’ll also want to check out the return of “NCIS: Los Angeles.” While undercover, Callen (Chris O’Donnell) becomes a hostage in the takeover of a building rigged with explosives.
TUESDAY
My pick of the night for Tuesday is, of course, “Marvel’s Agent Carter.” While “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is on its Winter break, Hayley Atwell and Dominic Cooper, as Peggy Carter and Howard Stark respectively, step in to show us the post-World War II beginnings of the modern day S.H.I.E.L.D.. Also worth checking out is the return of “NCIS: New Orleans” as Pride (Scott Bakula) finds himself the intended target of a deadly explosion.
WEDNESDAY
New series “Empire” is the one to watch on Wednesday. Terence Howard and Taraji P. Henson headline this musical drama about a hip-hop dynasty on the road to possible ruin. I’m predicting this to be the break-out hit of mid-season. Let’s see if I’m right. Also worth your time is the Debra Messing led “The Mysteries of Laura.” This one was admittedly slow out of the gate, but I think it has found firm footing.
THURSDAY
Thursday’s pick of the night is the return of “The Big Bang Theory.” The girls get to decide what the gang does and this leads to a confrontation between Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki). Eight and a half years old and this show is still as funny as ever. A close second for my pick of the night is “Elementary.” Thankfully, this show has managed to avoid the third season slump that plagues most other series and has undergone a very slight reinvention that has served it well.
FRIDAY
For Friday we tune in to cable for my pick of the night. “Banshee” returns for a third season on Cinemax. Undoubtedly, the dust will not settle from the season two finale before things go sideways again. This is one that is not on many people’s radar and it really should be. It’s infectiously good and will hook you by the end of the first episode you watch. A show diametrically opposite in tone to “Banshee” is “Girl Meets World,” also returning on Friday. I freely admit that this one is only of interest to those who nostalgically remember “Boy Meets World,” but it’s my column and I’ll recommend what I like.
That’s the picks for this week. There are a few favorites that have already returned, such as “The Good Wife” (Sundays), “Madam Secretary (also Sundays), as well as “Blue Bloods” and “Hawaii Five-0” (both on Friday) and all four are always worth checking out.
There are lots more returns and premieres in the weeks ahead, so please come back each Monday to find out what’s worth watching!