We never really leave high school. At least on television. From “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” to “Room 222,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “My So-Called Life,” “Dawson’s Creek,” “Freaks and Geeks” and “Riverdale” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14), the lives of teenagers, their joys and angst, peer pressure and budding sexuality have offered fodder for TV comedies, dramas and melodramas.
Which brings us to the new Syfy series “Deadly Class” (10 p.m., TV-MA). It’s basically about an academy to train assassins, a Hogwarts for psychotic killers.
Based on a comic book/graphic novel series of the same name, “Deadly” projects the pretentious, curdled, arrested-adolescent humorlessness all too common to that literary genre.
For reasons never really explained or justified, the action takes place in the 1980s. We meet the thoroughly miserable Marcus (Benjamin Wadsworth) in a cartoon flashback. He’s trudging behind his bickering parents when a suicidal homeless person throws herself off San Francisco’s Coit Tower, killing them instantly, leaving him to abusive foster parents and homelessness.
Wanted by the San Francisco police for torching his orphanage, Marcus is recruited by Master Lin (Benedict Wong), the aphorism-spouting headmaster of King’s Dominion, a splatterpunk prep school.
Just because students are being trained in the art of poison, swordplay, chokeholds and neck-breaking (by teachers including Black Flag’s Henry Rollins!) doesn’t mean they’re not as insecure, conformist, mean and vulnerable as the kids in “The Breakfast Club.”
While this is supposed to reflect some kind of 1980s counterculture, the cast of characters resembles a grab bag from a costume shop: a wannabe gangster, a flamenco-inspired Latina lovely, a brazen Billy Idol impersonator, a sub-Dolph Lundgren Soviet stereotype and other assorted cliches.
The best thing about “Deadly Class” is its soundtrack. The comic and the series have inspired a 150-song fantasy playlist on Spotify, featuring everything from Public Enemy to X and Gary Neuman, The Cure and The Specials. Feel free to dim the lights, lock yourself in your room and brood for days!
“Deadly Class” takes a few “Mr. Robot”-like stabs at anti-corporate conspiracy, but it’s basically just teen confusion corralled into homicidal rage. Its message seems to be, “Don’t just sit around feeling sorry for yourself; go out and kill somebody!”
At the risk of sounding like an old-fashioned fuddy-duddy, “Deadly Class” would be decidedly unhealthy if it weren’t so dumb.
— “Nature” (8 p.m., PBS, TV-G, check local listings) explores the special relationship between humans and horses that has evolved throughout civilizations.
— “In Pursuit With John Walsh” (10 p.m., ID, TV-14) debuts with profiles of two men wanted for murdering their wives.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— Halstead breaks the rules on “Chicago Med” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— “Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14) quells a crisis in the Nutmeg State.
— Foster’s frankness has a price on “Chicago Fire” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— Floki finds something special on “Vikings” (9 p.m., History, TV-14).
— A lawyer’s death has political repercussions on “Chicago P.D.” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— “The Dictator’s Playbook” (10 p.m., PBS, TV-14, check local listings) profiles Saddam Hussein.
CULT CHOICE
Showtime anticipates spring with two Kevin Costner baseball favorites, “Bull Durham” (8 p.m.) and “Field of Dreams” (10 p.m.).
SERIES NOTES
Leonard struggles with responsibility on “The Big Bang Theory” (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … Murray offers distractions on “The Goldbergs” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … A declaration of independence on “Young Sheldon” (8:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … Not-so-friendly wagers on “Schooled” (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
A missing tape exonerates an imprisoned Marine on “NCIS” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) … Joel McHale joins the shenanigans on “The Masked Singer” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … Pedal pushers on “Modern Family” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG)… Tragedy distracts Spencer on “All American” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) … Will’s ex resurfaces on “Single Parents” (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
Weapons of mass destruction on “FBI” (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) … Alec Baldwin hosts “Match Game” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
LATE NIGHT
Keegan-Michael Key is booked on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) … Jake Gyllenhaal, Pete Holmes and Rebecca Traister are booked on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS) … Jimmy Fallon welcomes Don Cheadle and Rita Ora on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Stephan James and Sharon Van Etten appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (11:35 p.m., ABC).
Jim Gaffigan, Frankie Shaw, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Jason McGerr visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) … Cobie Smulders and Joel Kim Booster appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS).
(Kevin McDonough can be reached at [email protected].)
