I fear “Game of Thrones” has now overtaken the still-wonderful “Mad Men” as my favorite series this year. Things I loved about last week’s installment:
* The vaguely Captain America-ish armor sported by Joffrey’s future fool.
* The Hound taking Sansa’s side with regard to her “peasant superstition” and Joffrey remaining silent after being publicly contradicted.
* Tywin now thinks enough of son Tyrion to let him succeed Ned Stark as the King’s Hand.
* Tyrion’s confidence in his new position. (Will imperious Joffrey and his disdainful grandfather Tywin ever discuss how Westeros is to be run? I very much look forward to that exchange.)
* Baelish’s nonchalance as he reported that a winter lasting longer than five years would result in “fewer peasants.”
* The discussion of one Mance Rayder -- the Mr. Kurtz of the Night’s Watch -- who likely won’t show his face until at least season three.
* Robb’s confab with Jamie Lannister and Robb’s direwolf.
* Cersei’s chat with Littlefinger about power. Given that it occurred so late in the episode, I really thought we were about to lose The King’s Master Of Coin for good!
HBO says of tonight’s superb “The Night Lands”:
In the wake of a bloody purge in the capital, Tyrion chastens Cersei for alienating the king’s subjects. On the road north, Arya shares a secret with Gendry, a Night’s Watch recruit. With supplies dwindling, one of Dany's scouts returns with news of their position. After nine years as a Stark ward, Theon Greyjoy reunites with his father Balon, who wants to restore the ancient Kingdom of the Iron Islands. Davos enlists Salladhor Saan, a pirate, to join forces with Stannis and Melisandre for a naval invasion of King’s Landing. Written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; directed by Alan Taylor.
More in the text invisible.
* If I’m not mistaken, Joffrey, Sansa, Jamie and Renly all sit this week out.
* Tyrion badassery reaches brave new heights this week!
* Saan provides proof there are people of color in Westeros.
* Arya, almost missing entirely from the premiere, gets great scenes this week.
* It’s a big episode for Jon Snow and incest aficionado Craster.
* Dragonmistress Dany is again relegated to a single scene. (She sits out next week completely but makes up for lost time in 2.4)
* Theon Greyjoy’s first grown-up visit to his Iron Islands homeland holds many surprises, and demonstrates that George R.R. Martin likes returning to a theme.
Last week Don almost met the Rolling Stones, we learned Lane didn’t throw away those résumés, SCDP hired its first Jew (whom I sense will eventually serve as Peggy’s love interest) and we learned Betty got both a tumor and fat. (I think the guy who plays Theon Greyjoy would have made an excellent Young Mick Jagger.)
AMC says of tonight’s “Mystery Date”:
Don runs into someone from his past. Joan makes a decision, and Roger gives Peggy extra work.
Someone from Don’s past? Duck Phillips? Sal Romano? Rachel Menken? Anna’s niece Stephanie? Or is the “someone” really from Dick’s past?
Last week Richmond got some bad news about his spine, Sarah interviewed a crabber, Belko put a gun to use, Mitch was MIA and Stan met with his old boss.
AMC says of tonight’s “Numb”:
Holder falls from grace while Sarah tracks down Rosie's backpack. Richmond confronts the truth about his situation and Stan gets in deeper with the mob while Mitch resurfaces.
Mitch resurfaces? Does she turn up alive?
Returning tonight:
The Big C (9:30pm Showtime)
The Borgias (10pm Showtime)
Nurse Jackie (9pm Showtime)
Sunday Night Baseball (8pm ESPN)
Premiering tonight:
The Client List (10pm Lifetime) stars Jennifer Love Hewitt as a conservative Texas mother and massage therapist who begins handing out happy endings to make ends meet.
The Pitch (11:04pm AMC) is a reality show that “chronicles the incredible lengths, intense stakes and tight deadlines top advertising agencies encounter when they take aim at a major new piece of business.”
Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On (9pm TVGuide) is a reality show following the Grammy-nominated trio (or quartet if you count Carnie Wilson twice) two decades after “Hold On.”
* “Game of Thrones” is gaining uncommon ratings momentum; its second season premiere set a new series high.
* The second season premiere of “The Killing” hit a 0.5, failing to match the 0.7 it scored with its first season finale.
* Sunday freshmen “Once Upon A Time” and “GCB” fell to all-time lows against CBS and Dick Clark’s Academy of Country Music Awards.
* “The Good Wife” has been renewed for next season. “CSI Miami,” which gets better ratings than “Good Wife” and airs its season finale tonight, has not yet been renewed for next season.
Sundays, Jan. 29-April 1, 2012
(Adults 18-49; repeats in gray; older weeks in parentheses)
3.1 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) CMAs
2.8 (2.9) (2.9) (2.9) (3.4) (---) (3.1) (3.0) (---) (3.5) Once Upon A Time
--- (2.6) (2.7) (2.9) (2.8) (2.2) (2.8) (---) (---) (---) The Amazing Race
2.6 (2.6) (2.6) (2.6) (2.5) (---) (2.2) (1.8) (---) (---) Desperate H'wives
2.5 (2.1) (2.8) (2.8) (2.8) (1.6) (2.8) (2.5) (1.1) (3.1) Family Guy
--- (2.1) (1.8) (2.1) (2.1) (1.1) (2.2) (---) (0.6) (2.3) CSI Miami
2.0 (2.0) (2.2) (2.2) (2.1) (1.5) (2.2) (1.8) (1.0) (2.4) American Dad
2.0 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Game of Thrones
1.9 (2.1) (2.0) (2.3) (2.2) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) GCB
1.8 (1.8) (1.8) (2.0) (2.3) (1.8) (2.6) (---) (---) (---) Apprentice
--- (1.8) (1.9) (1.7) (1.9) (---) (2.1) (---) (---) (2.2) The Good Wife
1.7 (2.0) (2.1) (1.9) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Bob’s Burgers
1.7 (1.9) (2.4) (2.3) (2.5) (1.6) (2.6) (2.0) (0.8) (2.4) The Simpsons
1.4 (2.3) (2.2) (1.7) (1.6) (1.3) (1.8) (2.8) (0.5) (1.5) 60 Minutes
1.2 (1.2) (1.3) (1.4) (2.2) (---) (2.0) (2.0) (0.7) (1.9) AFH Videos
1.2 (1.5) (1.5) (1.6) (1.5) (1.0) (1.2) (1.2) (0.8) (1.3) Cleveland Show
1.1 (1.4) (1.2) (1.2) (1.5) (0.9) (---) (1.3) (1.2) (2.1) Real Housewives Atl
1.0 (1.3) (0.9) (1.2) (1.0) (1.2) (1.0) (1.1) (---) (1.3) Ax Men
1.0 (1.0) (1.1) (0.9) (1.0) (1.1) (---) (1.6) (---) (---) Dateline
1.0 (1.2) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Mad Men
0.9 (---) (2.9) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) College Basketball
0.9 (---) (1.0) (1.0) (1.1) (---) (1.4) (---) (---) (---) Khloe & Lamar
0.8 (0.8) (0.9) (1.0) (1.2) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Army Wives
0.8 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Celebration Gospel
0.8 (---) (1.0) (1.9) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Frozen Planet
--- (0.8) (1.0) (1.1) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Harry’s Law
0.8 (0.7) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Loiter Squad
0.8 (0.7) (0.7) (0.6) (0.7) (---) (0.8) (0.7) (---) (1.1) Mob Wives
0.7 (0.5) (0.7) (0.7) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Breakout Kings
0.7 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) River Monsters
0.7 (0.8) (0.6) (0.7) (0.8) (---) (0.8) (0.8) (0.5) (0.7) Shameless
0.7 (0.8) (0.7) (1.0) (0.9) (0.8) (0.9) (0.6) (---) (---) Worst Cooks
0.6 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Bridesmaids
0.6 (---) (0.6) (0.8) (0.9) (---) (1.0) (---) (---) (---) Ice Loves Coco
0.6 (---) (---) (---) (0.6) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Iron Chef
0.6 (0.9) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Long Island Medium
0.6 (0.8) (0.5) (0.6) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Shahs Of Sunset
0.5 (---) (0.4) (---) (0.3) (---) (0.4) (---) (---) (---) Californication
0.5 (0.6) (0.5) (0.7) (0.5) (0.4) (---) (---) (---) (0.6) Cupcake Wars
0.5 (0.6) (0.6) (0.8) (0.6) (0.5) (0.6) (0.9) (---) (---) Full Metal Jousting
0.5 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) The Killing
0.5 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Undercover Boss UK
0.4 (---) (0.3) (---) (0.4) (---) (0.4) (0.5) (0.4) (0.6) House of Lies
0.4 (0.7) (---) (0.5) (0.5) (---) (---) (---) (---) (0.7) Watch What Happens
0.4 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Wicked Tuna
0.3 (---) (---) (0.6) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Shake It Up
0.2 (---) (0.3) (1.2) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Next Chapter
0.2 (---) (0.3) (1.2) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Master Class
0.2 (---) (0.1) (---) (0.2) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Stevie TV
