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…
1) “World of Dance” (shown here in last week’s opener), 10 p.m., NBC. Here is true diversity – in style, in roots, in everything. A Dutch group creates stunning visuals with arms alone, even before the legs begin; a Navajo group offers a swirl of color and motion. One couple has been dancing together for 26 years … another for one year, while the guy works full-time at McDonald’s. It’s a dazzling set of auditions, with a bonus: Unlike other shows, these judges – Jennifer Lopez, Derek Hough and Ne-Yo – bring insightful comments. Read more…
It was a glimpse of American life, TV-style.
People raged over the death of an unarmed black man in police custody. They chanted, marched, threw rocks and bottles.
Also, Kelly Osborne worried about her hair color. And Rebecca Romijn fretted about her roots. And Lindsay Lohan (shown here), happy with her reddish hair-coloring, wanted to get just the right wave.
Both things were happening simultaneously Friday on our TV sets. Switch back and forth and you might decide that television is pretty strange. Or life is pretty strange. Or, at least, that social critics are correct when they say there are two Americas Read more…
1) “The Baker and the Beauty” finale, 9 and 10 p.m., ABC. Let’s credit this for good intentions. Avoiding the usual TV turf (cops and courts and doctors), the show flipped the Cinderella tale: Daniel – a decent chap working at the family bakery – accidentally met Noa, a pop-culture star. Now they reconnect (shown here) after a falling-out, with Daniel wanting a normal life; his sister hopes her quinceanera can mend their parents’ rift. The second hour has turning points for the parents and for Daniel and Noa. Read more…
Note: When passions erupt, thoughtful discussions can vanish. The story below was about a contemplative special that CNN scheduled for tonight, May 31. The problem: Protests continued loudly; CNN kept its cameras there, putting the special on hold. Here’s the original story, now in limbo.)
CNN is reacting quickly to racial issues that have now hit close to home.
“I Can’t Breathe: Black Men Living and Dying in America” will be 8-10 p.m. ET Sunday, with Don Lemon hosting. Read more…
1) “CMT Celebrates Our Heroes,” 8 p.m. Wednesday, CMT, rerunning at 10. Country stars were the first to switch to at-home music. When their April awards show was postponed, they filled a CBS special with songs from homes, porches, barns and beyond. Now they offer music plus tributes. The line-up includes Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, Kelsea Ballerini, Sam Hunt, Kristen Bell, Lauren Daigle, Brandi Carlisle, Lady Antebellum and (shown here in pre-distancing days) Little Big Town. Read more…
1) “Quiz” opener, 10:03 p.m., AMC, rerunning at 12:09 a.m. Back in 1998, British viewers obserssed on “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?” Ratings soared … people schemed ways to get on the show … and some went to extremes. This terrific, three-week mini-series starts with the trial of a couple accused of cheating, then flashes back to the start. Brilliantly directed by Stephen Frears (“The Queen”), it mixes humor and humanity, with great work from Matthew Macfayden (shown here celebrating) as a suspect. Read more…
