1. Invincible Season 4 Ep. 5
97/100 – Prime Video – Next Ep. April 8 – 4 AM*
Wow. Invincible is known for its ridiculously strong character development and brutal animation, but it’s what makes the show so great. Complaints from the last episode and lingering worries fade away as the coalition departs Earth to confront the Viltrum Empire, in what feels to many like a travel episode and a setup for a much larger battle ahead. Instead, Conquest arrives after a near-death final fight from last season and goes toe-to-toe with Mark yet again in a shorter, heavily gruesome battle that sees Marko victorious, but at what cost, as his entire body has spilled out onto the planet’s ground. It’s a brutal, extremely high- octane and well-animated final 10- minutes that combines with the most emotional scenes in the season so far with Omni Man finally seeing Debbie and his full-impact on Earth after he left. Everything needed for a smash-hit episode of Television is apparent here and thus why Invincible Season 4 episode 5 sits atop not only this TV Weekly but also as the best episode of television of the year so far.
2. Fire Force Season 3 Ep. 25
92/100 – Crunchyroll – Series Complete
The finale of the Fire Force series has finally aired, and it is one of the most fantastic and heartfelt endings to any of the new generation anime. After Shinra eliminates all despair from the world and creates a new soul world, he relinquishes everyone’s powers and revives the dead, ushering in a world far more peaceful than the one that existed before the Great Cataclysm. It’s beautifully animated and full of nostalgia for many Soul Eater fans, as the relationships from the season reach closure and the characters move forward with their lives. It’s a great final episode that sits as one of the best of the series and solidifies Season 3 of Fire Force as one of the best seasons of anime in recent memory.
3. One Piece Ep. 1156
91/100 – Crunchyroll – Next Ep. April 10 – 7 AM*
One Piece is one of TwilightRoom’s personal favorites, and it has returned as a seasonal anime with a bang—adapting Shanks’ test for Bartolomeo and following the Straw Hat crew as they leave Egghead en route to Elbaph. The animation is now better than ever, which is a high standard given it is already the best animation in all of anime. There is still so much more to cover in this new section and so many exciting moments that are soon to be animated, but Episode 1 does a great job of setting up the new style and updating the audience on what the three real Emperors of the Sea are up to at the moment.
4. The Pitt Season 2 Ep. 13
88/100 – HBO MAX – Next Ep. April 9 – 9 PM*
Many episodes of The Pitt end on crazy cliff hangers that do a great job of bringing the audience back and ready for the next episode, while still maintaining a more realistic portrayal of the ER experience. Episode 13’s cliff hanger is perhaps one of the darkest yet as we see what many have speculated the entire season, a breaking point for Robbie who is clearly having suicidal thoughts and intends to possibly never come back to his ER. It’s an intense moment between him and Dana, who clearly share a son–mother dynamic that Robbie seems to be resisting in this scene. The episode in totality is another great one, with Whittaker as a stand-out for me yet again, but with that cliff hanger the episode is elevated to one of the best of the season with only two more hours left in the shift.
5. Paradise Season 2 Ep. 8
87/100 – Hulu – Season Complete
Paradise Season 2 has been a massive success and shoots up the ranks of not only one of the best shows of the year, but one of the best shows Hulu has ever released. The season finale is just as impactful as the first seven episodes, bringing together all the carefully developed storylines and heartfelt backstories as the bunker is evacuated, and Sinatra delivers her most emotional moment of the series by sacrificing herself so the rest of the cast can survive. Much has been set up for a great Season 3, but the bar has also been set much higher than anyone expected.
6. Daredevil Born Again Season 2 Ep. 2 & 3
86.0/100 – Disney + – Next Ep. April 7 – 9:00 PM*
A double episode drop comes to Disney + this week after a Daredevil Season 2 premiere that lacked luster, to put it plainly, and the release of these two episodes take a giant step up in quality, action, and pure emotion, that the show has clearly missed. These episodes introduce a new masked broadcaster who spreads pro-Fisk propaganda and keeps constant pressure on the mayor-turned-King of New York, while Fisk retaliates by urging citizens to watch for Matt, putting more eyes on his increasingly less-masked presence. The standout moment of these episodes is the breakout sequence, where Daredevil, aided by both expected and surprising allies, frees Fisk’s imprisoned vigilantes and outspoken critics, ending the episode on a note that feels simultaneously dark and hopeful. The audience has been craving R-rated action and complex storytelling in a darker Marvel world from this show, and these two episodes truly deliver on that promise, and with early reactions suggesting the rest of the second season stays firmly on this path Season 2 looks to be a hit.
7. Rooster Ep. 5
85/100 – HBO MAX – Next Ep. April 12
– 10:00 PM*
Rooster Episode 5 continues the same day-to-day teacher-writer comedy story but adds a new character, bringing Greg’s ex-wife Elizabeth into town to guest speak and hangout with the cast set-up thus far. The newest episode is certainly one of the funnier episodes of the series so far and that really contributes to its higher rating. The episode really gets on its feet well and makes the characters much more likeable and potentially part of a show that can become something great. While episodes 1–4 felt more like the show was testing the waters and relying on the pull of its lead actor and striking lighting to hook viewers, episode 5 finally establishes why this series may be here to stay.
8. Abbott Elementary Season 5 Ep. 18
84/100 – Hulu – Next Ep. April 9 – 8:30 PM*
Episode 18 of Season 5 is another holiday episode, this time for April Fools as the kids with some secret help prank the teachers for the entirety of the episode. It’s another funny episode that makes me feel like a broken record here, but Abbott Elementary truly is one of the most consistent television shows ever made. A framework of funny holiday episodes, and realistic but funny teaching skits that truly entertain for 20 minutes a week and almost weekly for the past few years. Eva is consistently one of the most hilarious characters in any show, and her blend of confidence and paranoia in this episode is yet another highlight in an already solid episode.
9. Survivor Season 50 Ep. 6
84/100 – Hulu/Paramount+ – Next Ep. April 8 – 8 PM*
The newest episode from Survivor was one that came with quite a bit of intrigue as the episode was teased with a blood moon tribal concept that unfortunately just turned out to be a three-way split tribal sending 3 people home including quite a bit of luck-based separations. Likely, all three of the players sent home at the end of the episodes, were not going home in full-tribe vote and are all seemingly favorites of many fans. For TwilightRoom, entertainment in this show is what we look for in our ratings, and three tribals and an exile island journey for Rizzo and Ozzy is about as entertaining as it gets on Survivor, especially with the first solo immunity challenge of the year thrown into the mix as well. With the rest of the players at least included in the jury, chaos is likely to ensue and the rest of the season should be packed with amazing moments.
10. Your Friends & Neighbors Season 2 Ep.1
82/100 – Apple TV+ – Next Ep. April 9
– 8:00 PM*
After a surprisingly great first season starring John Ham, Your Friends and Neighbors returns for a Season 2 picking up right where season 1 left off, Coop and Mel unsure of their future together or apart, and a new rich man entering the neighborhood played by James Marsden who has been all over TV and film as of late. The premiere episode doesn’t do much to change from what season 1 did so well, but does enough to re-intrigue the audience into a higher-scaled version of the show. The suburban heist’s are back and the over-the-top rich people problem’s drama is running rampant again in what seems like it is going to be another solid season of television from Apple TV+ here.
11. DTF St. Louis Ep. 6
81/100 – HBO MAX – Next Ep. April 12
– 9:00 PM*
DTF St.Louis is such an interesting show, it’s hard to pin it down to one genre or one type of motive to make the audience feel a certain way, but it sure is unique. Episode 6 is really an episode that illuminates a lot of what happens up to Floyd’s death, that starts-off and seemingly ends the show. We see the events of the Tiger Tiger plot line and the full falling-out of Carol and Floyd’s sexual life. It’s an episode that sits at the same level as the series, as it is not extraordinary or that much better than other shows, but not bad by any means. The finale is set to conclude the series next week, beginning with what audiences can assume is the truth behind Floyd’s death, a potentially great final episode that we at TwilightRoom are eagerly anticipating.
12. Company Retreat Ep. 6 - 8
80.0/100 – Prime Video – Season Complete
The second season of the Jury Duty concept comedy has finished with another solid entry, but after such an out-of-the-ordinary take on the typical company retreat, Anthony, our main character, seems visibly over the shenanigans by the final two episodes. It’s a great finale, with a more heartfelt resolution to the fake deal than expected, and it’s definitely the highlight of this week’s batch of episodes. However, the lead-up to the final days of the retreat, particularly the talent show and some of the staged skits, clearly seems to be fatiguing Andrew. It’s a good enough end to the season to make the concept worth it for another, and a solid recommendation to people looking for something new, but not enough to elevate the show to a better standard than its first season.
13. Imperfect Women Ep. 4
80/100 – Apple TV+ – Next Ep. April 7 – 9 PM*
After three episodes of the new mystery drama on Apple TV, Imperfect Women finally delivers a solid and worth the wait episode that focuses much more on Nancy and the events leading up to her death, and how her past clearly affects her future. Her character is given more depth and intrigue than any character focused upon in the main storyline and makes me feel like the woman the show kills in its first episode was perhaps more suitable as the main character than anyone else. The episode won’t blow you away but it will certainly drag you into the story a bit and here is hoping that trend sticks around for episode 5.
14. Shrinking Season 3 Ep. 10
80/100 – Apple TV+ – Next Ep. April 7 – 9 PM*
Sure there are certainly aspects to Episode 10 of Shrinking that make up for a lot of the lack of real plot advancement or confusing creative decisions from episode 9, but the bottom line here is as a viewer I am starting to feel a large amount of emotional fatigue from the last few episodes. I think the general idea that has made this show so great is still very much present, but the writing and the dramatics are turned-up as high as possible this Season especially with how characters treat the show’s main character Jimmy, and to the audience it comes off exhausting. There needs to be some ebb and flow in this type of show, and for many characters there is, but not for Jimmy, and it really hurts the show’s back half. What started as Shrinking’s strongest season to-date is finishing as possibly its weakest, with one episode remaining and high hopes for a bounce- back finale.
15. Monarch Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Ep. 6
78/100 – Apple TV+ – Next Ep. April 8 – 10 PM*
A seriously up-and-down Season 2 for Monarch, that seems to be getting more praise from other outlets then it is ours, returns to the human politics of the story and further away from the beasts for the most part of the episode. When we finally start to lose hope for any high‑octane action to make the show feel worth our time, we get a glimpse of a Titan X attack that hints at the kind of series we’ve been waiting for, one that doesn’t come around very often. At this point the audience should just gather the information about the show’s characters and hope for a climax or huge moment that pays off all the waiting that has hurt this show.
16. My Hero Vigilantes Season 2 Ep. 13
78/100 – Crunchyroll – Season Complete
Vigilantes ends with a very traditional anime season end, a sum up and aftermath of the big event from its penultimate episode while adding some more character depth to Koichi which is drastically needed. The show had trouble focusing on its characters the entire season, despite doing well with its returning ones from the main show, while a Season 3 is imminent so much needs to be improved upon here to feel like that season is substantial.
17. That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime Season 4 Ep. 1
77/100 – Crunchyroll – Next Ep. April 10 – 7 AM*
There is this type of anime that has become more and more widespread where the main character from the beginning is clearly overpowered and never gonna lose. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is at the top of the list of these types of shows. It’s a concept that becomes overcluttered with characters very quickly as every antagonist becomes part of the main group of protagonists after their arcs. Season 4 seems like a set up of episodes to organize where the village that has been created is at, and how monsters and humans seem to be getting along, as well as setting up a new antagonist for the 60-episode season 4 journey we are about to start.
