Mike Hughes

“Aretha” soars along a vast and soulful life

Some lives are neat and fun-sized; they can easily be condensed into a movie or less.
Then there are the grand exceptions: Starting at 9 p.m. Sunday (March 21), the National Geographic Channe;’s four-night, eight-hour mini-series (shown here) will view the overflowing life of the late Aretha Franklin.
“Aretha had such … a long career,” writer-producer Suzan-Lori Parks told the Television Critics Association, She had “a beautiful life, full of peaks and valleys that we can only imagine living.”
Her music reflected that range. She went from gospel to jazz, then was dubbed “the queen of soul.” She rocked; she dabbled in disco. And when Luciano Pavarotti turned ill, she sang opera at the Grammys. Read more…

After a long delay, FX packs power

“Mayans M.C.” is roaring back – full-throttle, as always.
The motorcycle drama (shown here) as returned to its slot at 10 p.m. Tuesdays. Add that to “Snowfall” (10 p.m. Wednesdays) and FX – the best channel on basic-cable – is finally near its full strength.
Both shows faced half-year delays because of the pandemic, leaving FX with few originals. Now both are in their usual state – passionate, profane, fiercely violent, fervently emotional. Read more…

Best-bets for March 17: potent, passionate music

1) “A Grammy Salute to the Sound of Change,” 9-11 p.m., CBS. Starting Sunday, viewers can savor Cynthia Erivo’s awesome vocal skill. In National Geographic’s “Genius: Aretha,” she ranges from gospel to disco. First, catch her here, singing John Lennon’s “Imagine.” There’s much more: John Fogerty does “Fortunate Son” and “Promised Land” … Gladys Knight (shown here) and others do Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” Greats songs are done by Andra Day, Billy Porter, Yolanda Adams and more. Read more…

Best-bets for March 16: brutal bikers and feel-good family

1) “Mayans M.C.” season-opener, 10 pm., FX. One of TV’s best (and roughest) dramas is finally back. It’s been 16 months since the previous season ended. Now this border town is filled with soldiers; the bikers have lost their drug sources. Dita Galindo convinced EZ and Angel (shown here in a previous episode) to kill her, making it look like a suicide. Their dad (Dita’s ex-lover) is despondent; so is her son, the drug boss. The result – acted and directed with subtle skill – is deep and dark and brutal; the final minutes are especially nasty Read more…

Best-bets for March 15: bachelor, bullets, “Bloodlands”

1) “The Bachelor” finale, 8 p.m., ABC. Tonight, Matt James can choose Michelle Young (a Minnesota teacher, shown here with James) or Rachael Kirkconnell (a Georgia designer), in a show filmed prior to the controversy: James is the first Black bachelor; Kirkconnell has attended a pre-Civil War South party and allegedly mocked classmates who like Black men. Host Chris Harrison suggested leniency; for the 10 p.m. follow-up, he’s replaced by Emmanuel Acho, author of “Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man.” Read more…

“Bloodlands” reflects brooding beauty of Northern Ireland

The coastal expanse of Northern Ireland seems to be waiting for a tough murder mystery.
Now it has one. “Bloodlands” (shown here) opens Monday (March 15), for a four-week run on the Acorn streaming service.
“The idea came from that very distinct sense of place,” writer Chris Brandon told the Television Critics Association. He wanted “a story that really used the landscape of Northern Ireland.” Read more…

Best-bets for March 14: Music soars with Grammys, “Idol”

1) Grammy awards, 8-11 p.m.ET, CBS (5 p.m. PT, rerunning at 8:30). After 40 years, Ken Ehrlich – creator of the “Grammy moments” mash-ups – has retired from producing the show. He avoided comedians, but now now Trevor Noah hosts. Performers include Billie Eilish (shown here), BTS, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Cardi B, Dua Lipa, Post Malone, Brandi Carlile, Brittany Howard and Megan Thee Stallion, plus DaBaby, Lil Baby, Bad Bunny, Doja Cat, Black Pumas and country’s Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris and Mickey Guyton. Read more…

Week’s top-10 for March 15: basketball’s best, soul’s superstar

1) “Genius: Aretha,” opener, 9 and 10:08 p.m. Sunday, National Geographic; rerunning at 11:05 p.m. and 12:12 a.m. Few humans could match the awesome range and talent of Aretha Franklin. Cynthia Erivo (shown here) can. In these first two hours (of a four-night, eight-hour run), she ranges from gospel and soul to jazz and a gripping ballad. She’s also a gifted actress, in a story that bounces between Franklin’s youth and early career, but has a sameness – type-A guys (her dad and her husband) intruding on greatness. Read more…

Best-bets for March 13: Bieber and basketball

1) “Kids Choice Awards, 7:30-9 p.m., Nickelodeon, rerunning at 9:30. Kenan Thompson hosts and Justin Bieber (shown here) performs – a year later than expected. Bieber was scheduled for last year, until the show was delayed two months and done virtually. This one will also be virtual, but he’ll sing “Anyone” and (with Quavo) “Intentions.” His wife Hailey will appear; so will Kim Kardashian, Lin-Mamuel Miranda, Gal Gadot, BTS, Millie Bobby Brown, Anthony Anderson, Jennifer Garner, Tiffany Haddish and more. Read more…