As other issues seize our attention, TV may be ignoring one key date: Aug. 26 marks the 100th anniversary of women’s vote in federal elections.
Well, semi-ignoring, anyway. CW has announced a special for that night, “Women in Film Presents: Make It Work!” It will include generations of Hollywood women, from Jane Fonda (shown here), 83, to Beanie Feldstein, 27.
And PBS has already had a string of shows, now available online. Details include:
CW: The special isn’t about the anniversary, butit has chosen as logical date to air. It’s part of an effort to remind employers to hire women and people of color, as they rebuild their workforce.
The night will include music, comedy and brief celebrity testimonials. Involved are a wide range of familiar stars – Jane Fonda, Jennifer Garner, Alfre Woodard, Connie Britton, Rosario Dawson – and relative newcomers, including Beanie Feldstein and Elizabeth Gillies.
Hulu: It has “Mrs. America” on its “FX on Hulu” hub, portraying efforts to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. That aired last fall and has eight Emmy nominations, including best mini-series. Tracey Ullman, Margo Martindale and Uzu Aduba drew supporting-actress nominations as Betty Friedan, Bella Abzug and Shirley Chisholm; Cate Blanchett was nominated for best actress as their nemesis, Phyllis Schlafly.
PBS: Many stations will be in their pledge drives on Aug. 26, but the network has already run a long list of specials this year. Many are at pbs.org, PBS Passport and the PBS app, including:
– “The Vote,” a two-part, four-hour look at the decades-long effort to get the vote. It’s from “American Experience.”
– “Trailblazers,” an “American Masters” film.
– “And She Could Be Next,” a two-part “POV,” following several women’s political campaigns, some successful and some not.
– “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover,” interviewing women considered rising stars.