Bless This Mess | Tuesday, 9:30 p.m., ABC
ABC sitcom “Bless This Mess” is more than just a hipster update of “Green Acres.” Series star Lake Bell (“In a World”) says its “kind-spirited” humor has broader appeal than the 1965-71 CBS comedy. “It’s not elite. It’s very accessible for my family, my mom and her friends, and my godchildren from 6 to 12 years old, and then all my hipster friends in between,” says the Manhattan native. Written by Bell and Elizabeth Meriwether (“New Girl”) and filmed on a 500-acre ranch in Santa Clarita, Calif., the series follows a newlywed couple, Mike and Rio (Dax Shepard and Bell), as they escape the hustle, bustle and short tempers of New York City for a dilapidated Nebraska farm. Surprise: They discover rural life isn’t really the simple life, and their love of biscotti and gluten-free noodles is not shared by their quirky new neighbors, played by actors including Ed Begley Jr., Lennon Parham, David Koechner and Pam Grier.
Bell, a married mother of two who turned 40 last month, recently spoke by phone with The Post from LA.
How did you settle on the topic of fleeing city life?
We kept coming back to this idea of the fish out of water. My husband is from Texas and Louisiana and extremely capable — if the apocalypse comes, he is the guy to call. I’m from Manhattan; I can organize a pantry pretty well, but other than that I really would rely on him. So there was fun to be had with the idea of movies like “City Slickers,” “The Money Pit” — and obviously “Green Acres” comes to mind.
Why are Rio and Mike married for only about a year?
When you first get married, you’re putting your best version out there. What’s so interesting is that newlywed sweet spot, where you peel back the onion to expose your true self. The things that are endearing or sweet become maybe annoying or unsavory.
What’s the show’s appeal for city folk?
There is a zeitgeist where you are entrenched in your phone, computer, subway systems — things move at a very high RPM. That’s why we see articles about families going to buy a plot of dirt in rural America, or Instagram accounts of Brooklynites who start a goat farm in Vermont. There’s something romantic and idealistic about slowing down and being forced to nurture something that feels more real.
How does a farm setting inform the comedy?
All I can say is there are lots of animals in this show. We do not shy away from physical comedy. We are not too proud to make a joke with a chicken or 12.
Speaking of animals, talk about the scene in the first episode where we learn Rio has an unhealthy fear of cows.
There is a bovine concern that is slightly inflated, but there is a backstory that justifies it. I am not afraid of cows. Between takes when I am acting with the bovine thespians, I tend to hug them. This is a real headline: I have been licked on my head by a cow and I didn’t know a cow tongue was abrasive, like an exfoliant. I was like, “Is this doing something for my skin?” I couldn’t tell what was happening, but I let it occur. Once you have kids, you’ll let any kind of animal lick your head.
— Eric Hegedüs
And here’s what else to watch this week:
The Village | Tuesday, 9 p.m., NBC
Katie (Grace Van Dien) sees Sarah (Michaela McManus) in a new light during her first day of work at the nursing home. Ron (Frankie Faison) and Patricia (Lorraine Toussaint) host an open mic night with a surprise performance by someone from their past. With Warren Christie and Dominic Chianese.
Game of Thrones | Sunday, 9 p.m., HBO
Season premiere. The armies of the Unsullied, the North and the Dothraki gather at Winterfell to attack the Night King. Jon Snow (Kit Harington) learns big news. Cersei (Lena Headey) fancies a new crossbow. With Kristofer Hivju and Iain Glen.
60 Minutes | Sunday, 7 p.m., CBS
Anderson Cooper tours the “Game of Thrones” warehouse and tries on one of the White Walker masks. Star Kit Harington also shows him a model of Ned Stark’s (Sean Bean) severed head.
Killing Eve | Sunday, 8 p.m., AMC/BBC
Eve (Sandra Oh) is assigned a new case. Recuperating from her wounds, Villanelle (Jodie Comer) meets a good Samaritan with a hidden agenda. With Fiona Shaw and Alex McDonnell.
The Big Bang Theory | Thursday, 8 p.m., CBS
The concept of what it would mean for women everywhere if Amy (Mayim Bialik) were to win a Nobel Prize causes her to have a meltdown.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Thursday, 8 p.m.,NBC
Holt (Andre Braugher) and Jake (Andy Samberg) investigate a case at Kevin’s university. Back at the precinct, Terry (Terry Crews) takes the squad out for lunch.
Fosse/Verdon | Tuesday, 10 p.m., FX
Rising Broadway star Gwen Verdon (Michelle Williams) meets ambitious young choreographer Bob Fosse (Sam Rockwell), who’s already on his second wife. Their lives will never be the same.
