Best-bets for Nov. 14: tough times in fact and fiction

1) “American Experience: Taken Hostage,” 9-11 p.m., PBS; concluding Tuesday. For 444 days, Americans were held hostage in Iran. The crisis engulfed the final year of Jimmy Carter’s presidency, ending just as Ronald Reagan was being inaugurated. This richly detailed film views the ordeal of the hostages, but also goes back to see decades of American links with the autocratic shah, leading to protests (shown here) and his overthrow. Read more…

1) “American Experience: Taken Hostage,” 9-11 p.m., PBS; concluding Tuesday. For 444 days, Americans were held hostage in Iran. The crisis engulfed the final year of Jimmy Carter’s presidency, ending just as Ronald Reagan was being inaugurated. This richly detailed film views the ordeal of the hostages, but also goes back to see decades of American links with the autocratic shah, leading to protests (shown here) and his overthrow.

2) “The Cleaning Lady,” 9:02 p.m., Fox. Tension builds after last week’s murder of an informant. Garrett, the FBI guy, blames himself and suspects a mole …. Thony fears for her family and sends everyone away … And Arman must somehow link with his estranged wife. The result is, in this show’s style, written and played with understated power.

3) “The Voice,” 8-10 p.m., NBC. A month from the finale, the top 16 acts perform live. That’s followed by a “Quantum Leap” rerun with a steep challenge: Ben is transported to 1879 when – as a pacifist – he must confront a band of outlaws.

4) “Bob (Hearts) Abishola,” 8:30 p.m., CBS. After sputtering in a mid-life funk, Bob was energized by a fresh idea: Instead of worrying about overseas suppliers, start making socks in Detroit. Abishola was happy to see his enthusiasm … but frets when he mortgages the house to pay for factory space.

5) “Touch of Evil” (1958), 8 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. At first, this seemed to be doomed by odd decisions: To star (as a Mexican narcotics agent), the studio chose Charlton Heston … who asked that it be directed by Orson Welles … who was later fired, with the film re-edited. Eventually, people noticed the brilliance of Welles’ approach. On its 40th anniversary, “Touch” was restored to his version. The result is a black-and-white, “film noir” masterpiece.

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