Month: April 2021

Weekly Previews

Week’s top 10 for April 26: TV’s eternal classics

1) “Sesame Street: 50 Years of Sunny Days,” 8-10 p.m. today, ABC. The week starts and ends with eternal concepts. First, “Sesame” (shown here), which began 51-and-a-half years ago. It soared via TV savvy – clever songs, fun graphics, crisp editing and (especially) Muppets. But this special will focus strongly on the serious side – from a 1992 attempt (which was scrapped) to address divorce to the current look at racial justice. Guests include Anthony Fauci, Jill Biden, Stevie Wonder, Whoopi Goldberg and more. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 22, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 24: It’s a musical evening

1) Musicals. On the eve of the Academy Awards, here are three excellent musical films with Oscar links. “Dreamgirls” (shown here, 2006, 8 p.m., HBO) drew an Oscar for Jennifer Hudson, a nomination for Eddie Murphy and great work from Beyonce, Jamie Foxx and more … “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018, 8 p.m., FX) has Rami Malek’s Oscar-winning work as Freddie Mercury … “Moana” (2018, 6:50, Freeform) was nominated for best animated feature and for one of its songs, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 22, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 23: Romeo and Juliet, cops and crooks

1) “Great Performances: Romeo and Juliet,” 9 p.m., PBS. This had seemed like a sure hit for the National Theatre in London – Shakespeare’s classic, starring (shown here) Josh O’Connor (Charles in “The Crown”) and Jessie Buckley (the killer nurse in the latest “Fargo”). Then the pandemic brought a bold move: Skip the audience and film the show in the theater building, starting with minimal sets. The result is brilliantly directed and perfectly played; even Shakespeare skeptics might approve. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 21, 2021
Stories

A drama star by accident, Buckley shines

This wasn’t supposed to be Jessie Buckley’s life, you know.
It was supposed to be all-music. She would do concerts and musicals, just as she’d been doing since she was a kid in County Kerry.
Instead … she’s a noted Shakespearean. “I am as surprised as everyone else,” Buckley (shown here) – starring with Josh O’Connor in a beautifully crafted “Romeo and Juliet,” at 9 p.m. Friday (April 23) on PBS – told the Television Critics Association. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 21, 2021
News and Quick Comments

PBS plans a big, busy summer

A year after the pandemic put summer TV into a tailspin, things seem to be nearly normal.
PBS has just announced a summer line-up that includes four dramas, three classical concerts (including a solo concert by Anna Netrebko, shown here in operatic splendor), two Washington, D.C., events and – as usual – a ton of non-fiction. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 20, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 22: Earth Day rules TV

1) “Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World” (PBS) and “2040” (CW), both 8 p.m. Thunberg, now 18, planned to take a school year (2019-20) off and travel the globe, studying and speaking about climate change. Huge problems followed, including the pandemic, but this three-hour film remains uplifting and idealistic. That’s one of two Earth Day specials on broadcast networks; “2040” (shown here) offers an optimistic view, looking at current programs and envisioning an improved climate in 20 years. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 20, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 21: fierce finish for a strong season

1) “Snowfall” season finale, 10 p.m., FX, rerunning at 11. Some fierce collisions have been propelled by two things: A reporter (tipped by Franklin’s father) wrote about Teddy’s CIA guns-for-drugs scheme; also, Leon accidentally killed the niece of Manboy, a rival gang boss. (Franklin, Leon and Manboy are shown here.) Last week, Teddy killed the reporter after a car crash; Franklin killed Manboy and his gang. Here are the aftershocks, some quiet and some not. This would be a great series finale, but “Snowfall” will return. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 19, 2021
News and Quick Comments

An outsider shakes the Philadelphia courts

To some people, the idea — Larry Krasner (shown here) running for Philadelphia district attorney – seemed bizarre.
He had never been a prosecutor. He had spent 30 years as a defense attorney, often representing protesters and suing police. The police-union president called the idea “hilarious.”
Except Krasner won quite easily, even surprising himself. “I was a political unknown,” he told the Television Critics Association. Originally, “I thought I had about a 40 percent chance to win.”
Then came the tough part, traced in “Philly DA,” an eight-hour series starting 9-11 p.m. Tuesday (April 20) on PBS: He wanted to de-emphasize some crimes and to quit asking for cash bail for most. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 19, 2021
Stories

Separated by 76 years, they’re Earth Day giants

This was like a downsized climate summit.
The world’s two best-know nature activists met, reflecting different eras: David Attenborough is 94; Greta Thunberg (shown here) is 18.
He started working on his first animal show a half-century before she was born; later, he began including warnings about climate change. “I’ve been promoting this for a long time,” he tells her in a PBS film. “But the big changes came when you spoke.” Now both have their say:
– She’s at the core of PBS’ “Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World,” which debuted on Earth Day and reruns at 8 p.m. on three Wednesdays. It’s a journey across North America and Europe, including that brief chat (shown in the May 5 episode) with Attenborough. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 18, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 20: an angsty night for teens and bikers

1) “Cruel Summer” debut, 9 and 10 p.m., Freeform. Here is a remarkable performance by young Chiara Aurelia – virtually a triple role, all within one character. We meet Jeanette as a shy and likable teen (shown here) who secretly envies the beautiful Kate (Olivia Holt). A year later, she has Kate’s life and boyfriend; a year after that, she’s widely hated. Bouncing between the three summers, we slowly learn her actions (or inaction) changed everything. And we see the mixed impulses that can live inside one teen. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 18, 2021