Sunday nights hold an embarrassment of televised riches, particularly over the next month or so.
AMC and HBO alone bring a stunning array of programming at us, with the likes of Mad Men, Rubicon, Boardwalk Empire, and Bored to Death set to enthrall and titillate us, and with Showtime bringing out its big guns with Dexter's fifth season kicking off tonight as well. Let's run it down:
Mad Men – AMC, 10PM
Incredibly, Mad Men seems to keep getting better as it heads into the final turn of its fourth season. Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce are coping with new challenges on multiple fronts just as the country is on the brink of bewildering changes, including social unrest, the civil rights movement, and Vietnam. And with all that, last week's "The Beautiful Girls" focused on the unique career and personal trajectories of the equally fascinating trio of Peggy, Joan, and Faye. Tonight's "Hands and Knees" promises: "An unannounced visitor at the Francis home rattles Betty."
Rubicon – AMC, 9PM
My guess/suspicion is that Rubicon is the best show on television that almost no one you know is watching (a little like Mad Men circa Season One?). It's an intelligent, patient, even brooding show that rewards your interest and attention. In fact, it keeps getting better each week as we learn more about lead character Will Travers (James Badge Dale) and, particularly of late, the fascinatingly oblique likes of Kale Ingram (Arliss Howard) and Truxton Spangler (Michael Cristopher), amidst intrigue and suspicion both within and without of intelligence agency API. This week's "In Whom We Trust" seems to finally portend a convergence of the main and Katherine Rhumor (Miranda Richardson) storylines: "Will secretly reaches out to Katherine and uncovers Hadas' last project; Tanya is sent to rehab; Ingram grows more suspicious to Truxton."
Boardwalk Empire – HBO, 9PM
Has there ever been a case where a show pilot outperforms even the most dazzling of pre-premiere hype? The Boardwalk Empire pilot was so good that, even at 75 minutes and a mere introduction to a whole new world set in Atlantic City circa 1920 and the dawn of Prohibition, it can go against many of the finest dramatic films of all time and hold its own. Tonight's "The Ivory Tower" indicates that we will learn more about lead character Nucky Thompson, played by the outrageously good Steve Buscemi: "Agent Nelson Van Alden visits Nucky; Nucky discusses the upcoming election with his mentor."
Bored to Death – HBO, 10PM
The quirky and deliciously entertaining comedy returns for its second season. Is there a weirder or better comedic trio on TV than Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifanakis, and Ted Danson (who has never been better as publishing tycoon and pot smoker-in-chief George Christopher). Season Two kicks off with the following: "Jonathan is hired by a policeman; George learns that his new publisher plans to cut costs; Ray fails a yoga test with Leah."
Dexter – Showtime, 10PM
Dexter's fifth season premieres tonight and "starts up right after the events of last season with Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) coming home and finding his baby son Harrison sitting in a pool of his wife Rita's blood due to her murder at the hands of Trinity." With Rita no longer a grounding force in Dexter's life, there's no telling what kind of mayhem will go down.
Other: Eastbound & Down, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Desperate Housewives, The Amazing Race, Undercover Boss
More Premieres & Returning Shows Tonight
There are some serious non-slouches in this group of shows as well, including the beginning of a 22nd season for the astonishingly durable Simpsons. And I must admit that as a fan of Big Love (though debatable after the most recent season, which was weak-ish) I'm curious to check in on Sister Wives.
Significant & Notable
Most importantly of all: don't forget to fire up those DVRs as it's going to a jam packed night of great TV.
