Welcome back to Tune In: our weekly newsletter offering a guide to the best of the week’s TV.
Each week, Variety’s TV team combs through the week’s TV schedule, selecting our picks of what to watch and when/how to watch it. This week, Tracy Morgan debuts a new Netflix special, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” Season 3 premieres, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson returns to host “SNL.”
“Tracy Morgan: Staying Alive,” Netflix, Tuesday
“30 Rock” star and stand up comedian Tracy Morgan returns to the stage for his first comedy special since the traffic collision in June 2014 that almost claimed his life. Filmed at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey, Morgan will talk about his new lease on life since the incident, learning to walk again, and even “falling for” his physical therapist.
“Downward Dog,” ABC, Wednesday, 9:30 p.m.
“Fargo” Season 2 breakout Allison Tolman leads this half-hour comedy about a woman named Nan as observed from the point of view of her lonely and philosophical dog, Martin (voiced by Samm Hodges). While Martin lays around at home questioning the motives of the neighborhood cat and exercises newly acquired “superpowers” to open the doggie door with his mind, Nan spends her days at advertising agency Clark and Bow, struggling to prove herself to clients and senior management.
“The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” Netflix, Friday (CRITICS’ PICK)
This sprightly show only got better in its second season, as it quietly but intelligently began exploring the trauma that Kimmy did her Midwestern best to repress early in the show’s run. The third season promises more complications from the past, with Kimmy’s nemesis, the Reverend (Jon Hamm) back in her life. The show has a very impressive roster of guest stars lined up for the 13 episodes in its third season: Laura Dern, Daveed Diggs, Rachel Dratch, Ray Liotta, Andrea Martin and Maya Rudolph will all stop by, and returning guest stars include Fred Armisen, Anna Camp, Josh Charles, co-creator Tina Fey and Amy Sedaris.
“Saturday Night Live,” NBC, Saturday, 11:30 p.m.
The long-running NBC sketch series will wrap-up its very well-received 42nd season with host Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and musical guest Katy Perry. Will the highest-paid actor in the world appear in a sketch with Alec Baldwin’s Donald Trump or Melissa McCarthy’s Sean Spicer? Johnson has teased a run at the Oval Office, so could this be the platform he uses to launch his 2020 campaign? Probably not, but there should be laughs to be had regardless.
