“Glee”
Tuesday 9:28pm, Fox
When we left the musical rejects of McKinley High last December, everything had been wrapped up nicely. The glee club won sectionals. Mr. Schuester discovered that his wife was a lying sociopath and hooked up with the adorable guidance counselor. Finn realized he didn’t knock up his girlfriend. And Sue Sylvester got a bit of comeuppance. As we launch into the final nine episodes of Season 1, look for a Madonna tribute episode featuring “Glee”-ified tracks from the Material Girl (time to reload your iTunes account), plus guest spots by Olivia Newton-John and Neil Patrick Harris, and multiple episodes featuring Broadway stars Idina Menzel (Wicked) and Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening), who head up a rival glee-club juggernaut.
“High Society”
Wednesday 9:30pm, CW
This candid reality show is tanking in the ratings, so don’t expect a second season. However, it is the highlight of my weekly DVR viewing, a delicious misfire starring a cast of buffoons. “Society” is a “Hills”-style look at Manhattan’s rich and spoiled, centered mostly around dull but pretty socialite Tinsley Mortimer. The real interest lies in the supporting cast, which features party girl Jules Kirby, who spends each episode throwing around racial, sexual and class epithets, but smirking the whole time, clearly playing bad for the cameras; hateful and useless Paul Johnson Calderon, who constantly begs his family for cash and moons over guys who are way too good for him; and clueless social climber Devorah Rose, bent on revenge against Tinsley for some completely imagined slight, but hilarious in her delusion. Meanwhile, Tinsley’s mom spends episodes trying to prove that Tinsley’s new German prince boyfriend is secretly a Nazi. They are the worst human beings imaginable, and watching them fail so spectacularly and publicly is a treat to be savored.
“Romantically Challenged”
Monday 9:30pm, ABC
ABC has done surprisingly well with sitcoms this season, as “Cougar Town” and the exceptional “Modern Family” have connected with audiences, and even derivative “The Middle” has found a niche. I’m curious to see how this new show does. The cast is promising: gorgeous TV vet Alyssa Milano plays a recent divorcee out on the dating scene for the first time in decades, while yummy and charming Kyle Bornheimer (“Worst Week”) plays her sad-sack romantic best friend. The whole set-up feels tired already, but it’s from a writer of “Family Guy” and “Politically Incorrect,” so there’s got to be something subversive in there. Right?
