What to Watch This Weekend: An Outlander Wedding and the Premieres of The Good Wife and Madam Secretary
What to watch on Friday, September 19...
8pm, PBS
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History
In "The Common Cause (1939-1944)," Franklin leads America through World War II, while Eleanor strives to preserve New Deal reforms at home and also comforts wounded troops abroad. Though ailing, Franklin also decides to keep his condition secret and run for an unprecedented fourth term as president.
8pm, Nickelodeon
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
"Into Dimension X!" sends the Turtles… well, you guessed it. But in this outre new environment, only Mikey seems to be able to tell heads from tails.
8:30pm, Disney
Girl Meets World
Boy Meets World did its share of time-travel episodes, so it's only natural that Cory would dust off the Wayback Machine for his daughter. "Girl Meets 1961" sends Riley's history class back to 1961 New York City, where young troubadour Bob Dylan takes Greenwich Village by storm and star ad-man Don Draper struts his stuff on Madison Avenue.
10pm, Syfy
Z Nation
"Fracking Zombies" finds the survivors on a dangerous mission to obtain fuel in New Jersey. I'll bet Newark Mayor Cory Booker is on hand to supply a couple gas canisters and then smack down a handful of zombies for good measure.
10pm, Cinemax
The Knick
Thackery and Bertie take a new surgical procedure out for a spin in "Start Calling Me Dad." Outside the O.R., Thackery fields a salesman's pitch, Cornelia develops wedding jitters, and Everett tries to help Eleanor move past her grief.
LATE-NITE:
– James Spader on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, 11:35pm, NBC
– Morgan Freeman and Génesis Rodriguez on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, 12:37am, CBS
WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING TONIGHT?
What to watch on Saturday, September 20...
MINISERIES FINALE, 8pm, PBS
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History
Hey, remember up above when I mentioned that FDR ran for a fourth term? Well, there's good news and bad news on that front in "A Strong and Active Faith (1944-1962)." Though he keeps the White House, he passes away in April 1945, less than a month before V-E Day. After his death, Eleanor continues fighting for civil rights and women's equality, as well as advocating for human rights as a delegate to the United Nations.
DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE, 9pm, HBO
On the Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay Z
The First Couple of American Music wrap up their 2014 On the Run Tour with a show at Paris's Stade de France, taped on September 12 and 13.
9pm, AMC
Hell on Wheels
Cullen takes measures to safeguard his family in "Under Color of Law," while Campbell brings on a new federal marshal to safeguard the streets.
9pm, BBC America
Doctor Who
The Doctor and Clara get their Bonnie and Clyde on in "Time Heist," tasked with stealing from the cosmos' most dangerous bank. Upping the degree of difficulty, it isn't currency they're trying to abscond with—it's a bunch of those pens that are chained to the counters.
9pm, Starz
Outlander
"The Wedding" celebrates Claire's (compulsory) marriage to Jamie. If you're still shopping for gifts, unclaimed items on the registry include a picture frame, a six-slice toaster, and a time portal to the 20th century.
11pm, Starz
The Chair
Shane's provocative script creates ripples throughout his casting and location-scouting endeavors. Elsewhere in "Mentionable is Manageable," the producers are persona non grata at Anna's casting session.
WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING TONIGHT?
What to watch on Sunday, September 21...
SEASON 7 PREMIERE, 8pm & 9:30pm, PBS
Miss Marple
The super-sleuth returns with a pair of puzzling cases set against scenic backdrops. First, "A Caribbean Mystery" finds an island resort guest's vacation cut short by foul play. Then in "Greenshaw's Folly," a botanist's country home is the site of strange and nefarious doings, including the untimely demise of the butler.
SERIES PREMIERE, 8:30pm, CBS
Madam Secretary
Téa Leoni stars as newly appointed Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord, who is reluctantly drawn back into the world of politics, diplomacy, and intrigue in this new drama. The pilot hits her with an international hostage crisis as soon as she takes the reins at Foggy Bottom. And yes, it will be official What to Watch This Weekend policy to use the words "Foggy Bottom" as often as possible when synopsizing this show.
9pm, HBO
Boardwalk Empire
Margaret is bedeviled by Rothstein's widow, Chalky is befuddled by his new partnership, and 1884 Nucky is bewitched by a vacationing girl. Meanwhile in "What Jesus Said," Luciano and Siegel negotiate with Narcisse.
9pm, Lifetime
Witches of East End
Reeling from Tarkoff's actions, Joanna goes to extremes in "The Fall of the House of Beauchamp." Elsewhere, Dash's secrets come to light, and Wendy and Joanna reconnect with their dad.
SEASON 6 PREMIERE, 9:30pm, CBS
The Good Wife
In "The Line," Eli's all, "Yo Alicia, run for state's attorney!" and Alicia's all, "Nah bro," and Eli's all like, "WTF you'd be great! Run!" and Alicia's all, "OMG I said no, shut up!" (I mean, they'll probably say it much more elegantly than that, but that's the gist of it.) Meanwhile at Florrick/Agos, an internal crisis looms even as Diane contemplates joining the ranks.
FOX FINALE, 9:30pm, Fox
American Dad!
Roger hooks up with fellow alien Kim Kardashian in "Blagsnarst, a Love Story," but it isn't long before her foibles leave him desperate to break things off by any means necessary. This is the series' final first-run episode on Fox; it shift to its new home of TBS on Monday, October 20.
10pm, WGN America
Manhattan
Frank and Charlie devise a cunning plan in "Spooky Action at a Distance," and based on that title, I'm guessing it's the sort of plan that will be quickly thwarted by five itinerate teenagers and their unusually anthropomorphized Great Dane.
10pm, FX
The Strain
Zack puts his life on the line for Mariela in "The Third Rail." Meanwhile, Setrakian, Eph, Vasiliy, and Nora search for the Master's lair, careful to observe the RPG rule that allows no more than four people in a standard questing party.
10pm, Showtime
Masters of Sex
A TV crew plans to document Masters and Johnson's work in "One for the Money, Two for the Show." I dunno, a whole show based on these two and their studies? I can't see that ending up on television.
SERIES PREMIERE, 11:30pm, Cartoon Network
Mr. Pickles
The latest addition to the Adult Swim ranks centers on a seemingly harmless Border Collie who is actually demonically evil. "Tommy's Big Job" opens the series with the titular pooch wreaking his usual homicidal havoc, while his owner and best pal, six-year-old Tommy, seeks gainful employment.
SEASON 9 PREMIERE, 11:45pm, Cartoon Network
Squidbillies
Early gets involved in the marriage equality fight in "Hetero-cephalo Agenda." No doubt Sean Hannity's people can't book him for a guest slot fast enough.
WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING TONIGHT?
And now, let's all vote to crown the What to Watch Tonight Episode Title of the Week!
