Best-bets for Aug. 13: Two strong series conclude

1) “Icon: Music Through the Lens” finale, 9 and 10 p.m., PBS. At first, photographer Gered Mankowitz says, his work seemed temporary. “The idea that a (rock-music) photo would have a life a year later” was odd. Then life changed; photos of Janis (shown here) and Mick and such filled books and galleries. Photographers were special … until super-cameras arrived. “Do we really need a camera that can make me an omelet?” Neal Preston asks. In 60 years, the annual number of images increased 460-fold; these excellent hours offer vivid stories. Read more…

1) “Icon: Music Through the Lens” finale, 9 and 10 p.m., PBS. At first, photographer Gered Mankowitz says, his work seemed temporary. “The idea that a (rock-music) photo would have a life a year later” was odd. Then life changed; photos of Janis (shown here) and Mick and such filled books and galleries. Photographers were special … until super-cameras arrived. “Do we really need a camera that can make me an omelet?” Neal Preston asks. In 60 years, the annual number of images increased 460-fold; these excellent hours offer vivid stories.

2) “Schmigadoon” finale, any time, Apple TV+. From the start, this has been a marvel – fresh, fun wonderfully inventive. On a retreat to improve their relationship, two doctors reached a town where everyone behaves like a musical-comedy character. She (Cicely Strong) soon joined the singing; he didn’t. The songs are cleverly written and beautifully performed and choreographed. This finale has fewer songs than usual, but is an appropriate ending to a six-part gem.

3) More streaming. This has been an amazing week for the streamers. It started Monday with Hulu’s “Reservation Dogs,” with the droll wit and quiet depth of “Atlanta” or “Better Things.” On Thursday, sci-fi fans got season-openers of “Titans” (HBO Max) and the animated “Star Trek: Lower Decks” (Paramount Plus). Today, Apple has both “Schmigadoon” and “Ted Lasso,” Amazon has the second season of the “Modern Love” anthology and Netflix has “Beckett,” a John David Washington movie.

4) “Spin,” 8 and 10:55 p.m., Disney. An Indian-American teen obsesses on being a DJ, which isn’t what her parents want. The movie sandwiches two more new shows, the animated “Descendants: The Royal Wedding” at 9:40 p.m. and the start of a kids’ competition, “Disney’s Magic Bake-Off,” at 10:05.

5) “Burden of Truth,” 8 p.m., CW. Last week, an excellent episode ended rather absurdly, with Joanna (Kristin Kreuk), a defense lawyer, suddenly being arrested for some unstated offense. Now we learn what that’s about. And Luna, a brilliant law student who is Joanna’s half-sister, rushes to help.

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