Reasons to binge watch: Muppets, succubus and pigeons in bikinis

Gone are the days of your good ol' weekly print publication, TV Guide. This is the golden age of television, where a chaotic array of TV shows lies scattered amongst us in a heap of broadcast, cable and internet streaming networks. In this day and age, finding a TV show is about as easy as swimming through a murky sea muddled with strange creatures, odd characters and potentially hazardous plot development. Cast the decision-making anxiety aside, readers. I’ve separated the sheep from the goats, and selected the best shows you don’t want to miss this week. Get ready to sink into television oblivion like a feather floating down an empty canyon.

Monday

Lost Girl After a winter hiatus, the SyFy series about Bo, a supernatural succubus who feeds off of the sexual energy of humans, returns with the show’s final episodes. Midseason debut returns Mon., Feb. 1 at 10 p.m. on SyFy.

Tuesday

The Muppets The reboot of our favorite felt characters shot in The Office-style mockumentary format returns. New episodes start Tues., Feb. 2nd at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Fresh off the Boat Based on celebrity chef Eddie Huang’s memoirs, the comedy about a Taiwanese-American family who leave Washington D.C. to start a cowboy-themed steakhouse in Orlando, FL. Who knew that trying to assimilate and chase the American dream in a circa-1990’s Orlando could be so funny? Season three kicks off  Tues., Feb. 2 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.

American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson A companion piece to American Horror Story, the first season of the new FX drama follows the justice system, publicity, and personal lives surrounding the O.J. Simpson trials. The show is already raking in high reviews for it’s strong ensemble of actors comprising of Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J. Simpson; Sarah Paulson as prosecutor Marcia Clark; John Travolta as Robert Shapiro; Courtney B. Vance as Jonnie Cochrane; David Schwimmer as Robert Kardashian; and Selma Blair as Kris Kardashian, and more. Premieres Tues., Feb 2nd at 10:30 p.m. on FX.

Wednesday

Madoff The dramatic mini-series follows the meteoric rise and tragically swift demise of former Wall Street financial advisor Bernie Madoff (Richard Dreyfuss), most notoriously known for operating a Ponzi scheme – and one of the largest cases of fraud in U.S. history – which raked in over $65 billion dollars. The two-day mini-series airs on Wed., Feb. 3 and Thurs., Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Thursday

Animals HBO’s new animated series, brought to you à la the Duplass Brothers, personifies downtrodden animals living in New York City. They discuss existential crises, love, morals, and many other things that call for dark and witty dialogue. The show is created by Phil Matarese and Mike Luciano, who also voice many of the characters on the show. Expect a shiny pile of all-star voiceovers including Eric Andre, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Rocky, Marc Maron, Adam Scott, Wanda Sykes, Zach Woods, Molly Shannon, Kurt Vile and more. Series debut on Thurs., Feb. 5 at 11:30 p.m. on HBO.

Vice The investigative global news documentary hosted by Vice Media founder Shane Smith returns to HBO for a fourth season. Topics covered will include the mass shootings in Paris, women’s rights in Afghanistan, Martian exploration, and much more. Thurs., Feb. 5 at 11 p.m. on HBO. 

Sleepy Hollow Ichabod Crane faces the Jersey Devil, a.k.a. Dr. Japhet Leeds, a.k.a. Benjamin Franklin’s alchemist arch nemesis who carries a twisted obsession in the Dark Arts, played by The Knick’s Charles Aitken. The season three midseason premiere returns Thurs., Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. on Fox.

Sunday

Super Bowl 50 The NFL is putting away traditional Roman numeral format and moving to Arabic numerals for it’s 50th anniversary, changing the name from Super Bowl L to Super Bowl 50. Watch the Carolina Panthers square off against the Denver Broncos at Levi’s Stadium (home of San Francisco’s 49ers) to compete for the final championship title of the 2015 NFL season. Nothing like a chilling ballad amidst the classic American alpha-male grunting action to change up the pace: Coldplay headlines the halftime show performance, with special guest star Beyonce – who will probably add a bit more pep to get our blood pumping again. Kickoff at 6:30 p.m., Sun., Feb. 7 on CBS, with live streaming on CBSSports.com.

The Venture Bros. Long awaited by fans of the show, Rusty, Dean, Hank, and Brock return with new adventures in the animated cult series. Season six drops Sun., Feb. 7 at midnight on Adult Swim.

Ying Lo writes about television and entertainment for Creative Loafing. She has a blog or you can find her flunking social media @yinglo. Let her tell you how best to binge watch every Monday.