It’s a big day in Gotham City as two different Batman-themed shows hit television just as filming for Joker 2 begins in Belleville, NJ, not too far from where Scholar Jason rests his head. We’re not covering one of those shows as it’s PPV, and in spite of his proximity, that’s not Jason’s pick as we also see the unlikely return of one of his favorites, an unlikely program that exists thanks to COVID-19, and like COVID-19 surprisingly hasn’t really gone away.

JASON’S PICK:
Staged [BritBox]
John Krasinski earned a ton of goodwill for his positivity-themed video series, before throwing it all away by cynically selling the rights to CBS All Access. Goodwill, however, was never any part of this other program built within the parameters of the pandemic. David Tennant and Michael Sheen collaborated on Zoom to create this meta series as exaggerated, neurotic(-er?) versions of themselves while they aimed to put on a version of a Pirandello play. In the second season, the pair upped the meta as they played different, supposedly real versions of themselves after the web series was such a smash, a U.S. studio decided to make a movie based on it. Of course, they were being replaced for the roles. What will the third season of this inventive, meta-burrito of a show bring. Well, if you have BritBox, find out tonight.

BRAD’S PICK:
Gotham Knights [The CW, 8p]
Batman’s dead and his son has been framed for Bruce Wayne’s death. Joker’s daughter has all been accused. Looks like it might be up to Robin to keep it all together. The first couple episodes of Gotham Knights haven’t been great, but they have been fun. Tonight, the mutant gang gets some revenge–and hostages. i’m sticking around to see where this show goes.

BUT, WAIT, THERE’S MORE:

• You may have seen up-and-coming Canadian comedian/writer/actor Mae Martin in their well-reviewed series Feel Good or numerous other places. Based on its trailer, their Netflix special Mae Martin: SAP looks like pure storytelling hilarity. It was directed by Abbi Jacobson. We’re not sure what that adds to it all, but we love Abbi, so it can’t be bad.
• Ana Gasteyer’s running Twitter bit(?) about promoting her show American Auto on NBC is so endearing, plus it does not hurt that the show is really good, so we’re gonna add that there’s a new episode of American Auto on NBC. Watch it! We also hope that is renewed.
• We’re not sure who Kane Brown is as none of us are particularly country fans, but it’s a cool-ass country-music-style name so if you would like to know more about Kane Brown, tonight’s CMT program, CMT Storytellers: Kane Brown, will likely be a better place to consult than your local library. Although, you should go to your local library regularly as well.
• We’ll end, because why not, with a new HGTV show which sounds like it had to have been around forever, but nope, it’s new, Renovation 911. It’s based in Minneapolis and is helmed by two renovating sisters–by which we mean siblings, not two unrelated but hip and in-tune women who interior design (they’re probably hip, but we don’t judge that). We do, however, gotta salute HGTV for being one of those rare cable networks that has remained true to its name and initial mission.