Watch or Washed: What's on TV This Week?

See it or skip it? This is what's worth watching on TV this week.

Nathan Reese,

Lauretta Charlton,

Ross Scarano,

Frazier Tharpe,

Andrew Gruttadaro

December 15, 2014

Image via Complex Original

"Watch or Washed" is a new weekly column in which Complex Pop editors highlight popular television shows that are either worth checking out or, sadly, totally washed. Here are this week's:

The Eric Andre Show

Verdict: Watch

When: Friday at 12:15 a.m. EST

Where: Cartoon Network

Why: The biggest problem with The Eric Andre Show is that nobody knows about it, or nobody knows what it’s about. And Eric Andre isn’t wasting his time giving anyone an introduction. Instead, he’s destroying his set at the beginning of every show, jamming his hand into a running blender as part of a gruesome hidden camera sketch, or grossing out Lauren Conrad to the point that she runs away.

Admittedly, The Eric Andre Show—which could be described as what would happen if Tim & Eric were about five times sicker and made a late-night program—isn’t for everyone. It takes public access parody and gross-out humor as far as possible, and it might be the only show on TV right now that literally makes my skin feel like its crawling. But when you’re not focusing your efforts on trying to hold back vomit (right, LC?), you’re laughing hysterically at the show’s non-sequiturs and all-out vulgarity. It’s also surprisingly exciting to watch a show and wonder how far it’ll take its IDGAF approach. So just give yourself over to Eric Andre (and Hannibal Buress, the show’s bizarro Andy Richter and low-key MVP) for 11 glorious minutes and become part of the Weird Team. You no longer have an excuse for ignoring the insanity.—Andrew Gruttadaro

2 Broke Girls

Verdict: Washed

When: Monday at 8 p.m.

Where: CBS

Why: Surprise! Rejoice! For there is one constant in this otherwise unpredictable life: CBS is still home to the most mind-numbing sitcoms imaginable. I don't know how anyone with one single solitary taste bud watches this show, but lo and behold, it's a hit or something close enough to it, in its fourth season (thus ripe to be flipped for syndication money) at that. This isn't just bad humor, it's shrill (pray to your god that Beth Behrs makes enough money from this that she never feels compelled to work again) and stock, and not in an endearing throwback way. It's like the writers mail in their pages in between drugged-out benders in hotel rooms where they're working on the Great American Novel. Where can I buy a Free Kat Dennings t-shirt? —Frazier Tharpe

The Affair

Verdict: Watch

When: Sunday at 10 p.m.

Where: Showtime

Why: Men, take note: Your lady is watching this show with her girlfriends and they are talking about what kind of sex that they really, really want. Yes, this is a show about infidelity. No, cheating on your spouse is never a good look. But The Affair isn't some tawdry melodrama. At its best, it is a case study about the wiles of passion. At its worst, it's about watching attractive people bang on the beach. The cinematography shimmers with the warm glow of Long Island's soft sunlight. The winning cast—Ruth Wilson (Luther), Dominic West (The Wire), Josh Jackson (never heard of him), and Maura Tierney (ER)—make even the most boring sex seem attractive and pleasurable.

If you're not into sex (and, you know, why would you be?), The Affair's narrative structure is interesting, too. Every episode is presented from two different perspectives, with 30-minutes each devoted to the version of events according to Alison (Wilson) and Noah (West). Both characters are recounting their story to a detective who is in charge of an ongoing investigation. The show's creators have done a good job of adding very subtle changes to each scene depending on who's being interviewed. By the forth episode, it basically becomes an adult version of Spot the Difference. (You also get to spot who's lying through their teeth.)

But, wait, did I mention the hot sex yet? There's some pretty good shagging going on in The Affair, and while I'm pretty sure that's not the only reason why it's been nominated for a Golden Globe, I'm sure it didn't hurt. —Lauretta Charlton

MasterChef Junior

Verdict: Watch

When: Tuesday at 8 p.m.

Where: FOX

Why: It's the finale! The dirty south faces off against NoCal on the season finale of Gordon Ramsay's MasterChef Junior. It's Logan, and aspiring oceanographer (and chef, obviously) versus Samuel, the kid with Skrillex hair. Logan, who hails from Memphis, is the favorite going into the nail-biting conclusion, but Samuel makes up for his lack of wins (comparatively speaking) with extreme swagger and checkerboard Vans.

If you haven't watched the show before, FOX is airing the last two episodes tonight. If you've seen Ramsay's other TV show, Hell's Kitchen, understand that you won't be tuning into an hour of child abuse. Ramsay does not curse at the children. A father of four, he alternates between firm criticism and genuine compassion. Turns out that when Ramsay hugs a child, it's really, really moving. These kids just wanna cook, man. You get to watch 11-year-olds live out their dreams and get better at what they love. I'm tearing up right now. I need a moment. —Ross Scarano

Elementary

Verdict: Washed

When: Thursdays at 10 p.m.

Where: CBS

Why: Surprise! CBS still has the most basic procedurals, too. It pains me to trash anything the great Lucy Liu is involved with but.... excuse me, I'm still lightweight drowsy from the two episodes I watched to check in.

Don't trust anyone who claims to really be about this TV shit but says they're anti-procedural. If TV viewing were a food pyramid, the procedural is the junk food column. Heavy, awards-bait cable dramas that depress you more often than not are cool and all, but every now and then it's good to kick back, turn your brain's flame to low and watch an absurdly sexually frustrated not-yet-couple solve open-and-shut crimes. A good procedural is dependent on two, very obvious factors: appealing chemistry between the leads, and engaging cases.

As it stands Sherlock (ex Mr. Jolie, Jonny Lee Miller) and Liu's Watson are rebuilding after a beef, I gathered? Maybe it's unfair to judge the chemistry right now, but I've also seen the series before—it's as sterile as ever. And the mysteries are so boring and dry after I finally woke up (whaddya know, the recognizable guest star did it!) I had to moisturize. But I'd rather this than live in a world where Lucy Liu is unemployed. —Frazier Tharpe