TV Rundown: August 3-8: 'Tyrant', 'The Leftovers' & more!

Tyrant: Barry made his boldest grab for power yet, as it becomes increasingly clear that he might be the titular “tyrant” to which the title refers. At first unassuming, Barry continues to descend into a moral void with every passing episode. He has known the depths of Jamal’s madness since the third episode and his lack of action has been disturbing.

Jamal’s latest act of violence towards the end of this week’s episode, while predictable, made for a head-scratcher. There was no motive whatsoever. New to the mix was Molly’s sister, a flighty home-wrecker looking to “find herself” at an opulent palace. It’s a character reminiscent of Tammy’s sister on “Friday Night Lights” who came to live with them at casa de Coach.

Teen Wolf: The outbreak of a supernatural virus caused the school to be consumed by an illness. An interesting exception was Lydia’s mom. Could it have something to do with Lydia’s status as a Banshee? Maybe she inherited it from her mom? 

Pretty Little Liars: Hannah might finally be turning things around, thanks to Spencer intervening in a much-needed conversation with Caleb. Spencer wisely laid out her bullet points and with compassion, gave him the wake-up call he desperately needed. Elsewhere in Rosewood, Jenna was at the brunt of the Liar’s anger. After 5 seasons it is still hard to understand why the Liar’s feel no compassion for Jenna, who they played a hand in blinding for life. Ali outright caused her to go blind and yet the Liar’s (except Hanna) adore her and blame Jenna for trying to get even. Why shouldn’t she be upset?

The Leftovers: I finally tried to watch the pilot for HBO's buzzy drama and stopped at the 20 minute mark. Bleakness at its bleakest, before the first 20 minutes were up, a dog was brutally killed without any provocation and the perpetrator was allowed to roam free. None of the characters conveyed the slightest inkling of likability and the depressing aura that radiated from the series was crippling.

Arduous shots of pedestrian activity became so tortuous to behold, that it felt like punishment for daring to tune in. Personally, it wasn’t a creative universe that was worth continuing to spend time in. It’s saying something when not even the great Brad Leland of “Friday Night Lights” could stoke the fires of interest. 

General Hospital: After a tumultuous waiting period, Alice finally got her donor heart due to Sonny actually performing a good deed through a little subterfuge. Unsettling is how Morgan has dominated a storyline that should be Michael-centric.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Per Wyatt’s idea, most of Forrester Creations’ headed to Paris for a lavish photo shoot near the Eiffel Tower to promote HFTF (Hope for the Future) and the newly appropriated diamond. The big story was the climax of Hope’s “Sleepless in Seattle” challenge to Liam. The destruction of Wyatt’s character continued as he begged, pleaded and has now schemed for a woman, who clearly has no interest in him. The question becomes, will there be anything left of this character to salvage after this?

Exchange of the Week: “Pretty Little Liars”: Explaining how much Ali has taken over her life, Hannah says “Even the doorknob smells like her”. To which Spencer responds, “Why were you smelling the doorknob?” 

[Image by FX]

Did any of these TV moments standout to you? Are you still watching “The Leftovers”? Is Barry really a “Tyrant”? Are you ready for “The Bold and the Beautiful” love triangle to finally end? Eclectic Pop wants to hear from you! You can share your thoughts by tweeting @EclecticPop or leaving a comment below.