‘Fargo’ takes another strange detour
Tonight’s episode of “Fargo” (10 p.m., FX, TV-MA) is as gripping and harrowing as anything you’ll see on television or in the movie theater. And that’s both its promise and its problem. Just as soon as we think we’ve got this story figured out, it goes off in another direction. Or perhaps enters another dimension.
The first 15 minutes or so unfold with minimal dialogue as Nikki Swango (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) escapes the prison bus that crashed in gruesome fashion at the end of last week’s episode. The less said about this walk in the woods and narrative departure the better.
This isn’t the first time this season that “Fargo” has gone off on a strange tangent. Remember Gloria’s (Carrie Coon) trip to Los Angeles and our detour into a forgotten science-fiction story? The return to a peculiar storyline also brings back Ray Wise (“Twin Peaks”) as a friendly stranger. He met Gloria in a bar in LA and appears here (in a bowling alley, no less) to offer advice and cosmic wisdom to Nikki. But perhaps I’ve already said too much.
Did I mention that this was the “Christmas” episode? Holiday music has rarely been used to such ominous effect.
CMT FAVORITES
Charles Esten hosts the 2017 CMT Music Awards (8 p.m., CMT, Spike, TV Land). Look and listen for performances by Blake Shelton, Brett Eldredge, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett. Winners in categories including Collaborative Video of the Year, Breakthrough Video of the Year, etc. have been chosen by fans voting online.
The wired world that allows voters to elect their CMT favorites also enables people to take college courses online. TCM invites movie buffs to enroll in a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on the films of Alfred Hitchcock.
The course, conducted in partnership with the education platform Canvas Network and Ball State University, will run from June 26 to Aug. 7, and refer to Hitchcock movies and related programming running on TCM during that period. Past TCM courses have explored film noir and slapstick comedy.
“Students” can enroll now at Hitchcock50.canvas.net.
PENULTIMATE ‘TALE’
Serena’s doubts about the Commander grow on the secondto-last episode of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” streaming today on Hulu.
‘US’ STAYS PUT
Kate’s new boyfriend supports her efforts to lose weight on “This Is Us” (10 p.m., NBC, repeat, TV-14). For reasons still being discussed by TV scheduling obsessives, NBC has changed its mind and won’t be moving “Us” to Thursday nights and will leave it on Tuesday nights. That’s the plan. For now.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
› “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-14) anticipates Game 3 of the NBA Finals (9 p.m., ABC) between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors.
› Set behind the scenes of a talk show, the comedy “Nightcap” (8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Pop, TV-PG) enters a second season.
› Grandma makes an ultimatum on “The Carmichael Show” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
› “Big Star Little Star” (9 p.m., USA, TV-PG) features former baseball star David Ross, actress Teri Polo and singer Howie Dorough and their kids.
› A motorcycle rally proves fatal on “NCIS: New Orleans” (8 p.m., CBS, repeat, TV-14).
› Cello shots on “Little Big Shots” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-G).
› Team Arrow suits up on “Arrow” (8 p.m., CW, repeat, TV-14).
› Missing bikers revive a 30-year-old mystery on “Criminal Minds” (9 p.m., CBS, repeat, TV-14).
› Battling for a white apron on “MasterChef” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
› Participants grovel to please rich celebrities on “The F Word With Gordon Ramsay” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
› Taking on Nazis on “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” (9 p.m., CW, repeat, TV-14).
› Misadventures in baby-sitting on “Superstore” (9:30 p.m., NBC, repeat, TV-14).
› A patient is reluctant to reveal her secret on “Code Black” (10 p.m., CBS, repeat, TV-14).