Welcome back to another edition of TV Corner Notes, where I recap the week in TV—from TV reviews to buzzy headlines and everything in between. Let’s dive in.
Emmy Nominations Reactions: The Race Is On
The 77th Primetime Emmy nominations are in, and it’s shaping up to be a thrilling year. Severance leads the pack with a whopping 27 nominations, followed by The Penguin with 24, while The White Lotus and The Studio each earned 23. Over in comedy, The Bear pulled in 13.
The categories feel tighter than ever, making it especially fun to speculate. My top picks for Best Comedy? The Studio, Abbott Elementary, and Hacks. And when it comes to Best Drama, The Pitt is my personal favorite. Bonus: Noah Wyle picked up his first Lead Actor in a Drama nomination, and it's well deserved.
In the Talk Series category (though we should call it Late Night), The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert are all nominated. Will The Late Show win?
Late-Night Shocker: The End of The Late Show
Speaking of endings, I broke down the news in a special Friday edition of TV Corner Notes: CBS is ending The Late Show in May 2026. Even days later, it’s still hard to wrap my head around it.
The future of late-night TV feels uncertain. Ratings are down, budgets are tight, and increasingly, these shows no longer carry the same cultural weight they once did. If this really is the end of CBS late-night, we might be looking at a lineup of syndicated reruns, old movies, or worse, expanded local news blocks. Let’s hope something bold and fresh is on the horizon.
Landman Season 1 Review: Texas-Sized Drama
I finally caught up with Landman, Paramount+’s oil-field drama starring Billy Bob Thornton, and it was worth the wait. Thornton plays the VP of operations at an oil company, and the show smartly weaves together industry intrigue, family tension, and political chaos.
If you imagine Yellowstone mixed with a dash of There Will Be Blood, you’re not far off. The tone is gritty yet pulpy, and Thornton is in his element of gruff, sharp, and unexpectedly funny. The cast is stacked: Jon Hamm brings gravitas, Kayla Wallace holds her own, and Ali Larter gives a performance.
Kayla Wallace, in particular, shines—she brings a quiet intensity and often steals scenes even when opposite heavy-hitters like Thornton. All told, I’d give Season 1 a solid 8.5 out of 10.
Pushed to the Edge: The Institute Episode 3 Review: "Graduation"
This week's episode of The Institute, titled "Graduation," puts Luke through some of his most intense tests yet, pushing him to the edge. With the help of the increasingly valuable Avery, Luke and Nicky begin to take real steps towards planning their escape. Avery's powers don't just make him a powerful ally, but also give the group a new level of insight, especially when it comes to seeing where their friend, Kalisha, was taken.
Speaking of Kalisha, she's officially "graduated" to the elusive "Back Half" of the facility, but the celebration is short-lived. She is soon taken to the even worse "Back Half" facility, and to make matters more chilling, Avery's connection to her cuts out altogether, just as he's using his ability to see where she's been taken. Talk about a chilling moment. The show masterfully conveys the terror of this "graduation" and the unknown fate that awaits those moved to the Back Half.
Meanwhile, Tim starts pulling on the first threads that have him interested in The Institute, spurred on by his visits with Annie. Sadly, Annie doesn't survive the episode; whether from an alcohol overdose or something far more suspicious remains unclear. His earlier conversation with the journalist certainly casts some serious doubts on the official story, right? This development expertly draws Tim further into the mysterious happenings surrounding the facility.
"Graduation" builds well on last week's momentum, offering a suspenseful, emotionally charged chapter. The tension ratchets up, the stakes get tighter, and the introduction of Avery as a key part of Luke's growing rebellion injects a welcome dose of Stranger Things-esque team dynamics. While some of the dialogue slows things down at times, the overall pacing and eerie atmosphere more than make up for it. The episode truly deepens the mystery and raises the stakes significantly for all characters involved.
All in all, I give this episode an 8 out of 10.
Streaming Ads
If streaming services are considering raising prices, have you ever wondered if they could improve the ads that appear? They could even show ads only when they're really relevant. It is frustrating when a scene ends, and just as the next one starts, an ad suddenly appears out of nowhere. It's confusing and annoying. Do you feel the same way?
What did you think of this week's TV? Are you reeling from the Emmy announcements? Still processing the Late Show news? Or maybe you’ve already binged Landman? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Until next time,
Adam
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