TV Tips

Ken Burn's "The Vietnam War" series on PBS was superb, but you knew that. Here are some lesser-known (and very lesser-known) tips.

The Deuce (HBO)
A non-titillating immersion into the 1970s porn scene by the creators of The Wire. Only saw the premiere so far, but, man, did they manage to evoke the New York of that era. I'm glad David Simon's finally moved on from Treme, which I couldn't watch (it's hard to appreciate fiction - in that case, about a jazz trombonist - when you're way too close to the topic).

You're the Worst (FXX)
Probably my favorite comedy series of the past few years. Romantic comedy featuring really dreadful people. The acting is so, so good (and subtle). The writing is intelligent and meticulous. There are relatively dry stretches, but they're always a necessary part of the writers' long game. Don't miss. Highly binge-able.

Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)
Can't talk about this in polite society anymore. Chuckleheaded fans have made asses of themselves, and now this show is a "You like that?" trigger term for a great many people. Yes, I like that. In fact, I love that. Everyone smart agrees this is one of the smartest TV shows ever created. Is it moral? Not particularly obviously so. But it raises smart questions about morality which, alas, non-smart fans fail to notice.

Fuck, That's Delicious (Viceland)
Reality show with a hip hop crew acting all outrageous for the cameras. Yawn. But most of it is about chowhounding, and one of them actually knows his stuff, food-wise. Fast forward between the food scenes. I first heard about this, strangely, via a Harrison Ford interview. On a cable channel you didn't know you had (note that if you're looking for this show in listings, it's usually just listed as "That's Delicious").

The Chris Gethard Show (truTV)
Are you a fan of bad TV? Uncle Floyd, the old Doctor Who, Joe Franklin, et al? This seems, at first glance, like more of that. But if you keep watching, it's quite a mind game. A crap show with pretensions? A serious show posing as crap? Shameless pandering to ditzy millennials or knowing millennial genius? I don't know and don't care. They have strangely famous guests, obviously embarrassed by the amateurishness, adding yet more puzzlement to the mix. Try to catch the episode with John Oliver, currently airing. And give it time...you'll need to suppress your initial aversion.


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