The “Sesame Street” gang will be back on CNN on Saturday – this time, talking about racism, not COVID-19.
“Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism” will be at 10 a.m. ET. It will also by on www.cnn.com, plus the CNN apps and CNN en Espanol. Read more…
1) “D-Day: The Sixth of June” (1956), 6 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. On this sixth of June, we can watch a film about the attack – 76 years earlier – that changed the course of World War II. That’s entwined with a story of two officers (one British, one American) in love with the same woman. Two other movies have true stories with war as a backdrop: At 8 p.m. ET, TCM has the epic “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962, shown here with Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif); at 8, AMC has Bradley Cooper in the subtly moving “American Sniper” (2014). Read more…
1) “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (2019), 8 p.m., Starz. In troubled times, we need the reassuring presence of Fred Rogers – and of Tom Hanks (shown here, right and left). Both remind us that people are basically good … some people exceptionally so. In this true story, a cynical reporter hesitantly meets Rogers (Hanks). Read more…
(This was the original Tony-night story, complicated by a late change: FX dumped “Greatest Showman” — it’s now set for June 19 — and replaced it with “Selma.”)
Once a year, TV viewers get a window into Broadway.
Usually, it’s fresh and fun and frothy; this year, the window is closed. Instead, we’re supposed to watch Hugh Jackma being Barnum (shown here) or John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John being cute. Read more…
PBS – already known for its coverage of racial issues – has set a fresh emphasis for this month.
On Wednesday (June 3), it announced a flurry of new shows and reruns, including a play (“Twilight Los Angeles: 1992, shown here) and many documentaries. That requires cooperation, because some will be on days (Thursdays through Saturdays) when stations have their own line-ups. The plan includes:
– Thursday (June 4): “The Talk – Race in America,” 9 p.m. It’s a 2017 documentary about black families telling their children how to react if stopped by police. Read more…
ABC has set a primetime news special for today (Tuesday, June 2).
At 9 p.m., it will air “America in Pain: What Comes Next?” Combining to anchor it will be three of its anchors – Robin Roberts (shown here, “Good Morning America”), David Muir (evening news) and Byron Pitts (“Nightline”). Read more…
1) “In the Dark,” 9 p.m., CW. This strong hour starts and ends with sharp jolts. Murphy (Perry Mattfeld), who’s blind, is mired way too deep. Trying to help a former boyfriend in prison, she let the guard-dog business be used to stash drugs. After a fight with her roommate Jess, she’s sleeping there … when the first jolt comes. You can argue that the story has too many coincidences; still, it’s told well, with two of TV’s best supporting characters, the wary Jess (Brooke Markham, shown here with Mattfeld) and their shaky young boss Felix. Read more…
1) “CMT Celebrates Our Heroes,” 8 p.m., CMT, rerunning at 10. Country stars were the first to embrace this at-home music trend. When their April awards show was postponed, they filled a CBS special with songs from homes, barns and beyond. Now they offer music plus tributes. The line-up includes groups (Lady Antebellum, shown here, and Little Big Town) and individuals — Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, Kelsea Ballerini, Sam Hunt, Kristen Bell, Lauren Daigle, Brandi Carlisle and more. Read more…
Many people are still figuring out this notion of social-distance entertainment.
Then there’s Billy West. As a voice actor (including “Futurama,” show here), he’s worked both ways – alone or, preferably, with a crowd.
“It’s always better to have an ensemble,” West said. “There’s an energy that gets generated through all the people. It’s in the air.”
He was talking by phone … which is what he’s been doing lately. A voice actor can work without leaving home. “The equipment is so terrific now,” he said. “They’re doing television shows off Zoom.” Read more…
