Best-bets for May 19: “Voice” ends, “Stargirl” begins

1) “Stargirl” debut. 8 p.m. CW. When her mom remarries, Courtney is whisked from California to small-town Nebraska, where the high school is full of Hollywood-stereotype mean kids. She’s not happy. Then, of course, she finds her dad ha s a magic staff that only she can control. After a messy start, “Stargirl” becomes a well-crafted tale of angst and awe. Brec Bassinger (shown here) is immensely likable as Courtney and Luke Wilson brings real depth as her dad. Read more…

1) “Stargirl” debut. 8 p.m. CW. When her mom remarries, Courtney is whisked from California to small-town Nebraska, where the high school is full of Hollywood-stereotype mean kids. She’s not happy. Then, of course, she finds her dad ha s a magic staff that only she can control. After a messy start, “Stargirl” becomes a well-crafted tale of angst and awe. Brec Bassinger (shown here) is immensely likable as Courtney and Luke Wilson brings real depth as her dad.

2) “The Voice” finale, 8-11 p.m., NBC. On Monday, the final five singers had a last chance to grab viewers. Tonight’s first hour reruns the performances by Thunderstortm Artis. CammWess, Toneisha Harris, Micah Iverson and Todd Tilghman. Then – after lots more music –we’ll have a winner.

3) “American Experience: Mr. Tornado,” 9 p.m., PBS. With different weather, Ted Fujita might have been killed in 1945. The U.S. had planned to drop an atomic bomb on his home town of Kokura; there was cloud cover, so Nagasaki became the alternate target, Fujita soon studied the impact there and in Hiroshima, developing a “micro-burst” theory, key to aviation. At the University of Chicago, he became a tornado expert, creating the “f-scale.” Here’s a fascinating profile.

4) “Frontline,” 10 p.m., PBS. As COVID-19 peaked in Northern Italy, Dr. Francesca Mangiatordi eyed her colleagues. “They are almost expressionless now,” she says in this compelling film (with English sub-titles). “They’re like walking ghosts.” We meet a young man, 18, in critical condition, a woman, 30, who says: “I’ve got three girls; tell me the truth.” We follow the doctor home, where her husband has underlying conditions. “Without them, we don’t know how to do anything,” their daughter says.

5) “The Story of Soaps,” 9-11 p.m., ABC. Generations ago, TV’s prime time was a male domain. Agnes Nixon and others went to the soap operas, finding ways to mix romance and topical drama. This film includes superstars of the soap world (Susan Lucci, Genie Francis, Deidre Hall, Erika Slezak) and beyond – Carol Burnett, Bryan Cranston, Jon Hamm, Donna Mills, John Stamos and more.

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