Television changes every day, but some things remain the same. New series debut in January, and despite their early arrival, some rank high when the “worst new shows of the year” lists are compiled in December.
Creator Lon Zimmet appears to be headed for that ranking for the second time in three years. Back in 2018, he brought us “LA to Vegas,” a dim-witted Fox comedy about a budget airline.
His new series, “Outmatched” (8:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14), has the distinction of being the only non-animation comedy commissioned by the leaner, smaller Fox network this season. Maggie Lawson (“Psych”) and Jason Biggs (“American Pie”) star as Mike and Cay, decidedly regular parents who have been blessed, or saddled, with three high-scoring geniuses among their four children. A variation on “Young Sheldon” from the parents’ point of view, “Outmatched” paints Mike and Cay as victims who feel that their “normalcy” has been transgressed by alien visitors. They are so horrified by the notion that their children are smart (and smarter than they are) that they hide from them and praise the relative slow-wittedness of their one “normal” child.
Mike is supposed to be a contractor, but he can barely deal with the hinges on the doors of his kitchen cabinets. Cay works at the tables at a nearby Atlantic City casino, where she’s seen browbeating blackjack players on behalf of “the house.” Cay has a mean bully streak that she not only admits to, but enjoys.
Her cruelty extends to one of her son’s nerdy friends, a pocket-calculator type who falls outside of their vision of “normal.” They think nothing of pranking him and even consider deliberately giving him a peanut allergy so they don’t have to be seen with him. And we’re supposed to find this funny.
There’s 11-and-a-half months of television yet to arrive. So there’s no telling if “Outmatched” will rank among 2020’s worst. But as a show that celebrates the cruelty of proudly stupid people who despise anything that threatens their notion of the norm, “Outmatched” may emerge as a symbol of our era.
— As streaming services pop up every day, it’s best to have must-see show to stand out in a crowd. Disney+ struck gold with “The Mandalorian” and attendant “Baby Yoda” chatter.
CBS All Access has been pretty much defined by its “Star Trek: Discovery” series. Now, they’ve sweetened the pot with “Star Trek: Picard,” starring Patrick Stewart reprising his role as a Starfleet captain. Originally envisioned as a miniseries, it has been expanded to a series and has been renewed for a second season before anyone glimpsed a moment of the first. Look for some familiar faces from “The Next Generation” and “Voyager” incarnations, including Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis and Jeri Ryan.
— A quarter-century after a kidnapped child was reported dead, her sister discovers evidence of her survival in the French crime drama “The Red Shadows,” streaming on Sundance Now.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— A car crashes into a bar on the third season premiere of “Station 19” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-14), and efforts to save them continue on “Grey’s Anatomy” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
— Vanessa’s snoring irks Mike on “Last Man Standing” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG).
— An old informant needs help on “Deputy” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— A choir competition coincides with other milestones on the season finale of “Perfect Harmony” (9:30 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
— Nominees discuss their songs on “The Gayle King Grammy Special” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
— An actress accuses a mogul of rape “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (10 p.m., NBC, r, TV-14).
— Delilah and Eddie’s revelation reverberates on “A Million Little Things” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
— After agreeing to fix a fight, a corrupt boxer (John Garfield) sees the light in the 1947 drama “Body and Soul” (10 p.m., TCM).
SERIES NOTES
On two helpings of “Young Sheldon” (CBS, r, TV-PG): carpooling (8 p.m.); Dr. Sturgis recovers (9 p.m.) … Amy hires a new assistant on “Superstore” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14) … A highway to heck on “Supernatural” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14) … A backstage drama on “The Unicorn” (8:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … A celestial contrivance on “The Good Place” (8:30 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
Snappy patter on “Will & Grace” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14) … Coven Day does not go as planned on “Legacies” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) … Twelve steps and then some on “Mom” (9:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).
LATE NIGHT
Kehinde Wiley sits down on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) … Yamaneika Saunders, Tim Dillon and Andrew Santino visit “Lights Out With David Spade” (11:35 p.m., Comedy Central) … Jimmy Fallon welcomes Noah Centineo, Wendy William and Griselda on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Eric McCormack, Lewis Black, Chelsea Cutler and Adam Marcello visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC).
