Day: June 5, 2020

CW adds “Pixels” now, “Devils” later

The CW network has added a summer show, indirectly. It has also solidified its makeshift fall line-up.
The network bought “Devils,” a 10-part Italian-French mini-series (involving murder and high-finance) that includes Patrick Dempsey. That will air in the fall, sliding the quirky “Dead Pixels” (show here) to a spot sometime this summer.
Any summer addition is important, at a time when COVID shutdowns have left networks with short supplies. Several summer shows – CBS’ “Amazing Race,” Fox’s “Filthy Rich” and “NeXt,” CW’s “Pandora” and “The Outpost” – were diverted to the fall; others (ABC’s “Bachelorette” and “Bachelor in Paradise,” Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance”) are on hold. Read more…

Oprah sets two-night special on racial crisis

Oprah Winfrey (shown here) is entering the national discussion of racial issues, just when she’s needed the most.
Winfrey’s special – “Where Do We Go From Here?” – will sprawl over two nights and 19 cable networks. It will be 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday (June 9-10) on her own Oprah Winfrey Network and others (including Discovery, HGTV, TLC, ID and Food) in the Discovery system. Read more…

Best-bets for June 7: A Tonyless (but fun) night

1) No Tonys, CBS. This was supposed to be the night CBS had the Tony awards, filled with song and dance and fun. Alas, COVID put Broadway (and the Tonys) on hold. If you still want a musical, there are choices: CBS has John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in “Grease” (1978, shown here) at 8:30 p.m., complete with singalong lyrics onscreen; FX has Hugh Jackman as “The Greatest Showman” (2017) at 8 and 10 p.m. Both have so-so stories, salvaged by vibrant music. Read more…

Week’s top-10 for June 8: Two shows leave, five arrive

1) “Man With a Plan” series finale, 8:30 p.m. Thursday, CBS. When Matt LeBlanc’s “Friends” ended its 10-year run, it was a big deal. When his “Plan” ends a four-year run … well, it’s worth noting. This is a consistently adequate comedy, with LeBlanc in the cliched TV role of a semi-bumbling husband and dad. In the finale, he and his wife (played by Liza Snyder; they’re shown here) near their 20th anniversary. That’s in a week that mostly has debuts, season-openers and a mid-season return. We’ll look at those shows next. Read more…