Andrew Mercado’s TV Guide: Housewives, racists and rappers

TV critic Andrew Mercado’s rundown on what to watch on the box this week

Real Housewives

The Mick 7.30pm Sunday on FOX8

This is the funniest sitcom pilot I have seen in years but we all know that following episodes sometimes don’t live up the promise of its first look. Hopefully the series can continue with its outrageous premise with Kaitlin Olsen from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia starring as Mickey, a wild child who never grew up and finds herself having to look after her three rich and bratty nieces and nephews. It has just been renewed by Fox for a second season and it’s well worth a watch.

The Real Housewives of Sydney 8.30pm Sunday on Arena

After Melbourne and Auckland, Matchbox Pictures now unveils its third Australasian entry in the franchise hit. And this cast undoubtedly features the most desperate try-hards yet. From this first episode, most of the women are trying to outdo each other with outrageous behaviour and ostentatious displays of wealth. Except, that is, for Melissa Tkautz (and I will declare here that she is a former colleague). Because she already has a profile, Tkautz doesn’t feel the need to be a show pony and is much more cautious with her words and actions. Meanwhile Lisa Oldfield, who is probably still not over the failure a decade ago of Nine’s disastrous chat show The Catch-Up, calls her husband the ‘C’ word and spends far too much time talking to her young children about penis and poo – and she isn’t even the most unlikable Housewife! If you are a fan, grab a drink and strap yourself in. If not, you have been warned.

Is Australia Racist? 8.30pm Sunday on SBS

SBS kicks off its Face Up To Racism week with this provocative documentary that surveys 20,000 Aussies to answer the show’s title. Ray Martin, who has done such a great job hosting the similarly themed First Contact, is back to travel around the country and share some revealing social experiments and interviews. Then, later in the week, SBS airs Date My Race on Monday, Tuesday it’s Insight and on Wednesday it’s The Truth About Racism, hosted by Yassmin Abdel-Magied. The Sudanese-born Muslim-Australian has recently faced a barrage of criticism from multiple News Ltd columnists after her fiery exchange with Jacqui Lambie on Q&A. No doubt this will get her another serve from the usual suspects.

Atlanta 9.20pm Tuesday on SBS Viceland

Actor/rapper/comedian/producer/writer/director Donald Glover could not be more hot right now. He’s gone from 30 Rock to Community and will soon star in the new Spiderman movie, the standalone Han Solo Star Wars movie and do the voice for a new version of Disney’s The Lion King. In between, he has also been scoring big and winning awards (Golden Globes, American Film Institute Awards, Critics Choice Television Awards etc) with this acclaimed comedy drama about the Atlanta rap scene. It’s a perfect fit for Viceland and a second series is coming in 2018.

Training Day 10.30pm Sunday on Seven

With American one-hour dramas sinking lower and lower in Australian ratings, it should be no surprise that this latest TV series, based on yet another movie, is practically premiering in a graveyard slot. Bill Paxton replaces Denzel Washington and if it’s anything like the recent Lethal Weapon TV series, expect this to be just as, if not more, violent. Pass.

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