1) “Surviving Earth” debut, 8 p.m., NBC. Some 252 million years ago, the Earth was locked in a heat wave. Many creatures died; some (shown here_ persisted, plodding toward the poles and the high ground. It’s a dramatic story, told with great special effects. But attempts to lighten it (special-effect creatures frolicking) seem pointless; leave that part to the superb “Americas,” rerunning at 9. Read more…
Who would imagine a night when Megan Thee Staillion was only approximately the 43rd most flashy person?
That was Sunday’s Tony Awards, in which the three goals seemed to be: 1) More; 2) Even more; and 3) A whole lot more.
Certainly, I was delighted with the result: “Schmigadoon” (shown here) won for best musical; that may nudge people to see the original version, a gem that’s streaming on Apple.
And Cinco Paul was showered in honors — even if he was sort of invisible. Read more…
1) “The Floor” finale, 8-10 p.m., Fox. There are some wild combinations here — a “wine” category for someone who’s not old enough to drink (shown here, right), a “world religions” one for someone who’s never been in a church. Ultimately, we see the show’s strength and its flaws and unfairness. The strengths prevail, in a fast-paced finish. Read more…
Even in a show about a young drug dealer, there’s room for wizened character and veteran actors.
Consider “Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” which starts its fifth and final season at 8 p.m. Friday on Starz. The show began with a teen druglord-wannabe; still, it also has room for people who have done Shakespeare, Broadway and situation comedies, including:
— Tony Danza, 75, who began doing sitcoms almost a half-century ago. Now he’s a Mafia godfather.
— Wendell Pierce, 65, who jumps between Shakespeare’s “Othello” onstage and a good-nature police captain in “Elsbeth.” Now he plays what he calls “just one of the coolest, most laidback gangsters in South Jamaica, Queens.”
— And Patina Miller (shown here), 41. She’s been a vibrant musical-theater star on Broadway and in London. Now she plays what Pierce calls “a character we’ve never seen before — a Black woman leading a crime family.” Read more…
1) “American Experience,” 9 p.m., PBS. For 38 years, this has given us great documentaries, winning 30 Emmys and 14 Peabodys. It was suspended this season (after federal funding cuts), but now it starts a splendid summer of reruns. This one views Woodstock (shown here); due to pledge-periods, some stations will carry it at a different time or night. Then “Experience” movies to Fridays, starting June 19, for multi-parters on George H.W. Bush, John Kennedy and the moon race. Read more…
1) “American Ninja Warrior” season-opener, 9-11 p.m., NBC. The 18th season starts with people who are easy to root for. A teen farmgirl works out by chasing chickens … a cowboy sometimes carries his disabled wife … Kathy Zimmerman (shown here) and her family have a homemade, backyard course. Now re-designed obstacles have all of them swinging and scrambling. Read more…
1) Tony Awards, 8-11 p.m, ET, CBS. The night will be stuffed with big musical numbers. There are the nominated new musicals — “Schmigadoon” (shown here), “Titanique,” “The Lost Boys” “Two Strangers” — and revivals (“Ragtime,” “Rocky Horror,” “Cats”), plus the original “Book of Mormon” cast. And Pink, who hosts, joins a 30th-year tribute to “Chicago.” Read more…
1) Band of Brothers,” 9 a.m. to 11:19 p.m., Sundance. On the anniversary of the D-Day invasion, we can re-see a superb mini-series (shown here) about an Airborne company that was there. The first episode involves training, but the second (at 10:41 a.m.) sees men parachute behind enemy lines on June 6, 1944. The story continues through the end of the war and beyond. Read more…
1) “Dutton Ranch,” Paramount+. Here’s a pivotal episode in what has quickly become a great series. Last week, a tragedy shattered the cattle ranch. Now Rip (shown here) and Beth take surprising steps to rebuild their life. Also, their adopted son had found a hot lover and a chatty friend; now he, too, confronts tragedy. Read more…
When soccer ends and the world goes home, Fox will have Part II of its summer line-up.
In mid-July, it will debut one show, start new seasons of two (including Gordon Ramsay’s “Kitchen Nightmares,” shown here in a previous episode) and resume three more.
For now, Fox is obsessing on the World Cub, which brings soccer teams to the U.S., Mexico and Canada, from June 11 to July 19. Every game will be on Fox or Fox Sports1, in addition to Telemundo and streaming on Peacock and Fox One.
To clear the way, the network started many of its summer shows early and will finish three of them early. “Farmer Wants a Wife” and “Bear Grylls is Running Wild” end on June 9, “The Floor” on June 10.
But some others will be back. The plan,announced today (Tuesday) includes: Read more…
Best-bets for June 11: Earth swelters; soccer soars 
Best-bets for June 10: final “Floor”; brilliant drama 
Best-bets for June 9: two finales, plus Woodstock 
