The 50th anniversary of Earth Day may be a more solitary, indoor affair this year.
If so, TV will try to fill the void with lots of Earthly films. They range from gorgeous Disney films (shown here) to urgent Earth-in-crisis films. Highlights include: Read more…
1) “God Friended Me,” 8 p.m., CBS. Next week, this likable show ends its two-season run. Tonight’s episode might set that up: Earlier, Miles responded to a “God account” suggestion by helping Rose re-unite with Lt. Freemont. The problem: Now Trevor (Ben Rappaport) says that ruined his life. While trying to help Trevor resolve his feelings for Rose, Miles (shown here) starts pondering his feelings for Cara. Read more…
1) “Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince,” 9-11 p.m. Tuesday, CBS. Yes, the at-home specials have been welcome. Still, here’s what we haven’t had lately – all-out, rock spectacle. Taped Jan. 26 in Los Angeles, this was stuffed with stars – Alicia Keys, Common (shown here), John Legend, Chris Martin, H.E.R., Beck. Usher, Juanes, Mavis Staples, Susanna Hoffs and Gary Clark Jr., plus the Foo Fighters and Earth, Wind & Fire. Performing together are Prince’s old colleagues – Sheila E, Morris Day, Time and Revolution. Read more…
(Here are the five TV best-bets for Saturday, April 18; feel free to use in any form, all or some, print and/or web)
1) “One World: Together at Home,” 2-8 p.m. on streamers (YouTube, Facebook, etc.), 8-10 p.m. on ABC. CBS, NBC and CW. Here’s a music mega-show, with Lada Gaga lining up top stars, including Taylor Swift (shown here), Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Billie Eilish and Eddie Vedder. Other musicians, working from home, include Alicia Keys, Camila Cabello, John Legend, Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves and more. Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert co-host the network part.
Read more…
In the midst of a pandemic, with his plans tossed aside, Oliver Jeffers was talking about joy.
Yes, joy. That goes back to his Belfast boyhood, with a mother bed-ridden by multiple sclerosis.
“We’d ask how she was and every day she’d say, ‘Great,’” recalled Jeffers, whose sunny, animated film (shown here) reaches Apple TV+ on Friday (April 17). “She said, ‘Every day that the sun comes out and I see my four children, I’m happy.’” Read more…
1) “Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story” (2015), 8-10 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. Harold Michelson drew movie storyboards, then became a production designer, Oscar-nominated for “Star Trek” and “Terms of Endearment.” His wife Lillian was a researcher; married for 60 years, they were even the namesakes for King Harold and Queen Lillian in “Shrek.” This documentary is sandwiched by two terrific films – “Some Like It Hot” (1959) at 5:45 p.m. ET and “Deliverance” (1972) at 10. That’s on a strong Hollywood night, including Jack Nicholson (shown here) in “The Departed”; see next paragraph. Read more…
1) “In the Dark” season-opener, 9 p.m., CW. The first season started strong, meandered, then ended fiercely. Murphy (Perry Mattfeld), who is blind, realized Dean is a crooked cop who killed her friend. She kicked him into a car crash, barely surviving. Now “Dark” is in strong shape, thanks to two supporting characters – Brooke Markham (shown here withg Mattfeld) as Murph’s only friend and Morgan Krantz as the oft-hapless owner of a guide-dog business. Desperate to keep the business going, they stole drug money. Consequences follow. Read more…
(This story, written last week, is now a tad dated. A newer commentary is at the top of the page.)
Two new TV specials are joining the music-from-home trend.
It will be a light hour of Disney tunes (complete with singalong) on Thursday … and then a marathon of global pop stars on Saturday. Details are:
– Thursday: “Disney Family Singalong” will be 8-9 p.m. on ABC, with stars performing from home, while animated characters show the lyrics. There will be songs from recent movies, including “Moana” and “Frozen” and (Auli’i Cravalho, shown here, and Josh Gad will perform) and older films. Read more…
1) “Chicago P.D.” season-finale, 10 p.m., NBC. The seventh season ends (earlier than planned) with a quietly powerful episode. It starts with trying to catch thugs selling mini-Uzis. There are complications – there usually are – and then the real plot takes over. We won’t spoil any twists, except to say it’s a deep dilemma for Atwater, superbly played by LaRoyce Hawkins (shown here). The advice he gets – from his boss and from an ex-alderman (Wendell Pierce) now in prison – is complex and layered. So is the story. Read more…
The coronavirus shutdown is starting to have another TV impact – shorter seasons and quicker finales.
It’s a subtle change — two or three fewer episodes, before the reruns begin – with a redeeming factor: This week, two of NBC’s season-finales – “New Amsterdam,” at 9 p.m. Tuesday and “Chicago P.D” (shown here with Jason Beghe) at 10 p.m. Wednesday (April 14-15) – are terrific. Two others – “Chicago Med” and “Chicago Fire,” 8 and 9 p.m. Wednesday – are so-so, but we’ll settle for two out of four. Read more…
