Worth Watching: ‘Good Fight’ Finale, ‘Questlove’s Potluck’ and ‘Top Chef,’ a ‘Cake’ With Bite
A selective critical checklist of notable Thursday TV:
The Good Fight (streaming on CBS All Access): Of all the shows I regret seeing their seasons come to a premature close because of the pandemic shutting down production, this crackerjack legal drama tops the list. The seventh episode, by no means intended to be the last of the fourth season, is typically audacious, with Liz (Audra McDonald) leading the firm on an independent investigation into the controversial prison death of one of her bêtes noirs: notoriously well-connected sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. (Yes, the infamous Memo 618, which has haunted the lawyers all season, rears its head.) With everyone buried in sorting through evidence, this is an especially bad time for the senior partners, including Diane (Christine Baranski) and Adrian (Delroy Lindo), to be called into the office of corporate overlord Gavin Firth (a sly John Larroquette), who calls for a 20% reduction in personnel. As they plot a survival strategy, the Epstein rabbit hole leads to an outrageous final reveal. Can’t wait till next season.
Questlove’s Potluck (10/9c, Food Network): Comfort food has never felt quite so necessary as during this period of self-quarantine, and in a star-studded dinner party remotely hosted by Roots frontman and noted foodie Questlove, viewers will be treated to a virtual feast in a TV event supporting America’s Food Fund. Among those sharing favorite recipes and cocktails from their respective tables: Tiffany Haddish, Patti LaBelle, Eva Longoria, George Lopez, Kenan Thompson, Gabrielle Union, Olivia Wilde, Roy Wood Jr., Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott, and Amy Schumer with chef husband Chris Fischer. Expect a few spit-takes with this much comic talent brought together.
Top Chef (10/9c, Bravo): If you’re hankering for a more traditional hour of culinary entertainment, the cooking competition continues with Tom Collichio making his final call on who to bring back into the game from Last Chance Kitchen. In the last challenge before the remaining players leave Los Angeles for the finale in Italy, they head to Santa Monica and the iconic Michael’s restaurant, where pioneering California Cuisine chef Michael McCarty tasks them to reimagine one of his most famous dishes.
Cake (10:30/9:30c, FXX): The anthology of experimental short films returns for a special buzz-worthy episode with bite. “Thirsty” adopts the point of view of a mostly unseen but often heard mosquito (voiced charmingly by Maya Rudolph), who runs the gamut of emotions from obsession to jealousy after falling for an athletic man (Insecure‘s Jay Ellis) once she takes her first sip. Clocking in at under 15 minutes, this left me thirsty for more.
Inside Thursday TV: CNN and 60 Minutes journalist Anderson Cooper takes over the hot seat on ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (8/7c)… NBC’s Council of Dads (8/7c) hopes to muster some holiday cheer in the first year since the passing of Scott (Tom Everett Scott), renowned for his festive spirit among other admirable qualities. While widow Robin (Sarah Wayne Callies) frets she won’t live up to her late husband’s example, Scott’s BFF Oliver (J. August Richards) has his own heartbreak to contend with. Blue Christmas, anyone?… After a mission goes awry on NBC’s Blindspot (9/8c), FBI director Weitz (Aaron Abrams) is confronted by villainous CEO Madeline Burke (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) to test his loyalty and find a possible mole… Sitcom veteran Kyle Bornheimer guests on CBS’s Broke (9:30/8:30) as Jackie’s (Pauley Perrette) ex-husband, Barry, whose arrival prompts Jackie to seek full custody of her son, Sammy (Antonio Corbo)… Freeform’s Siren (10/9c) dives into its third-season finale with an undersea battle between the mermaid tribes.
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