Mike Hughes

Best-bets for June 25: “Dads,” “Dark,” Diana

1) “Council of Dads,” 8 p.m., NBC. Basically, everyone is mad at everyone: Luly (shown here) rages at Anthony, for never mentioning that he (not Scott) is her father. Theo fumes at Anthony for ignoring his dreams of being a chef. Everyone’s mad at Anthony for leaving and at Luly because her family essay went online. Now all of that peaks as a hurricane roars in … and a baby is due … and much more. You can gripe about overkill and about too many lunk-headed moves, but it still adds up to a gripping hour. Read more…

Best-bets for June 24: Peaceful past had music and beach party

1) “Taking the Stage: African American Music and Stories That Changed America,” 8-10 p.m., ABC. Who knew that 2017 – just three years ago – would already be sweet nostalgia? This reruns a special at the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (shown here). The line-up of beloved souls includes Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, Stevie Wonder and the Obamas. There’s more – Common, Usher, Ne-Yo, Christina Aguilera, John Legend, Dave Chappelle, Mary J. Blige and the Foo Fighters. Read more…

PBS offers masterful documentaries

Two documentaries arrive Tuesday, with nothing in common … except for first-rate craftsmanship.
One is a joyous profile of Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison (shown here); the other is an angry look at convicted drug entrepreneur John Kapoor. Together, they show how good PBS’ non-fiction can be.
The network had already planned to make this the summer of women’s history, leading to the 100th anniversary (Aug. 26) of the women’s vote; it had also planned gay-rights specials linked to Pride Month. Then it quickly added black-history and coronavirus reports.
The Morrison profile straddles both the black and women’s themes; the Kapoor one is prime “Frontline” – deep, dark and angry. A look at both: Read more…

Best-bets for June 23: Dancers, docs and teen superheroes

1) “World of Dance,” 10 p.m., NBC. The bad news is that Fox’s first-rate “So You Think You Can Dance” has made it official: It will have to skip this summer. Fortunately, this show is a solid substitute, with smart judges and gifted dancers. Tonight, the callbacks have 10 teams competing for four spots. Our only complaint is a lack of variety: With a few exceptions – including Latin rhythms from Showstoppers (shown here) – there’s a sameness to the numbers. Read more…

Best-bets for June 22: Organists and magicians shine

1) “Independent Lens: Pipe Dreams,” 10 p.m., PBS (check local listings). Here’s a documentary formula that has worked well lately: Pick a competition, meet some contestants in advance, then follow them and hope you get lucky. That’s worked for a spelling bee, a crossword contest, a science fair and even duck-stamp artists. Now it works wonderfully for a pipe-organ competition. “Dreams” (shown here with Alcee Chriss) has great visuals, powerful music and interesting people from the U.S., China and Germany. You’ll root for them. Read more…

Now, the tense world of … pipe organs?

There’s a formula that keeps working beautifully in documentaries.
Find a competition – preferably a big one, national or international. Profile some contestants in advance. Then follow them and hope you get lucky.
That plan has worked for a spelling bee (“Spellbound,” 1999) … crossword puzzles (“Wordplay,” 2006) … teen scientists (“Science Fair,” 2018) … and even for duck-stamp artists (“Million Dollar Duck,” 2016). And now it works for pipe organs.
“Pipe Dreams” (shown here with Alcee Chriss) airs at 10 p.m. Monday (June 22) on most PBS stations. It visits the Canadian International Organ Competition, with young organists working instruments so massive that the judges see them only via TV screens. We meet: Read more…

ABC decides “Black-ish” lives matter

This is a hectic time for ABC’s shows – especially the ones that try to make us laugh.
Suddenly, “Black-ish” (shown here) is back on the fall schedule … “Call Your Mother” is off it … Jimmy Kimmel is taking the summer off … And next month, something fairly rare – a new summer sitcom – will debut.
All of those came in separate announcements, during a time when forces – from COVID shutdowns to protest coverage – keep bringing change. They are: Read more…

News flash: Trump saves Juneteenth

Donald Trump told the truth the other day.
(No, really, he did. I wouldn’t make that up.)
In a Wall Street Journal interview, Trump said: “I did something good. I made Juneteenth famous.”
And he did, really. Evidence of that comes as networks – big broadcast ones and little cable ones – suddenly altered their plans for today (June 19), when celebraions (a past one is shown here) are planned. That started with the morning newscasts and will continue on into latenight. Read more…

Week’s top-10 for June 22: It’s awards time … twice

1) BET Awards, 8-11 p.m. Sunday, CBS and BET. Amid the surge of interest in black history and culture, CBS decided (for the first time) to simulcast BET’s awards. Comedian Amanda Seales hosts a virtual ceremony stuffed with music. That includes Chloe x Halle (shwon here at the Super Bowl), Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, country’s Kane Brown and Wayne Brady, known for comedy until he won “The Masked Singer.” Others include DaBaby, D Smoke, Jonathan McReynolds and Megan Thee Stallion. Read more…

Best-bets for June 21: A packed night of music and drama

1) “United We Sing,” 8-10 p.m., CBS. Harry Connick Jr. and his filmmaker daughter Georgia (they’re show here) take a road trip to honor workers. They meet famous friends (Oprah Winfrey, Brad Pitt, Queen Latifah, Drew Brees) and hear music from the greats of jazz (Herbie Hancock, Jon Batiste, Wynton and Branford Marsalis) and more (Tim McGraw, Cyndi Lauper. John Fogerty, Andra Day, Jame Foxx, Little Big Town). Then Connick, Irma Thomas and Trombone Shorty perform in iconic New Orleans locations. Read more…