1) “Nature: Saving the Animals of Ukraine,” 8 p.m., PBS. Encased in horror, people still rush to the rescue. “To save animals is to remain human,” says Asha Serpinska, 77. Evacuees (shown here) clung to cats and dogs. Lions were rescued from private zoos. A 13-year-old house cat survived a 60-day ordeal. It became a national hero; so did a little dog who finds land mines. It’s a richly human story. Read more…
It isn’t easy to face questions about your imminent death – even a fictional death.
Still, Lance Barber did that with his usual ease. In February, the Television Critics Association asked about the possible passing of his his “Young Sheldon” character, Sheldon’s dad George (shown here).
“I had fingers crossed from the beginning. (hoping) I would make it to the end,” he said.
Then he almost did. Last Thursday (May 9), a week before the show ends its seven-year run, viewers received a jolt: In the final minute, two friends arrived to say George had died of a heart attack.
Now that consumes the show’s finale. After reruns (including the pilot film) at 8 and 8:30 p.m. Monday, the last episodes are 8 and 8:30 p.m. Thursday (May 16). One focuses on the funeral, the other on the aftermath. Both manage a rare feat – being deeply and subtly moving, while also including humor. Read more…
1) “Tonight Show” anniversary. 9-11 p.m., NBC. After some stumbles, NBC had a fresh idea: Jimmy Fallon — then 39, boyish and upbeat — took over “Tonight” on Feb. 17, 2014. Ratings soared, then feel due to Covid, strikes and other shows’ focus on Trump-era satire. Now Fallon (shown here) is No. 3 in ratings, but thriving. In prime time, he’s had three game shows plus this clip-filled special. Read more…
After helping NBC survive the strikes, two dramas will be rewarded with cushy timeslots this fall.
“The Irrational” (shown here) will be at 10 p.m. Tuesdays, after the second “Voice” night. “Found” will be at 10 p.m. Thursdays, after two “Law & Order” shows.
They’ll be joined by just one new drama – “Brilliant Minds,” with Zachery Quinto – and two new comedies. One, from the “Superstore” producer, is set in a hospital and will be paired with “Night Court”; the other, starring Reba McEntire, will be paired with “Lopez vs. Lopex.”
To make room, the network is moving “Law & Order: Organized Crime” to the Peacock streamer and dropping several others. They includes “Magnum P.I.,” the sci-fi shows “Quantum Leap” and “La Brea” and the Jon Cryer comedy “Extended Family.” Read more…
1) So You Think You Can Dance,” 9:02 p.m., Fox. This starts with a four-person routine that makes one thing clear: These are remarkably gifted dancers, working with great choreographers. (They’re shown here in a previous week.) One dancer faces sharp pain, but all four – Madison Alvarado, 21; Dakayla Wilson, 19; Anthony Curley and Easton Magliarditi, 18 – dance brilliantly. Three advance to next week’s finale. Read more…
1) “Young Sheldon” series finale, 8 and 8:30 p.m.,Thursday, CBS. A great series wraps after seven seasons. Its finale has extra impact, after the jolting finish to the May 9 episode, when we learned Sheldon’s dad had died. Today (May 13), CBS reruns the pilot film (shown here) at 8 p.m. and another episode at 8:30. Then Thursday’s finale includes Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik as the adult Sheldon and Amy. Read more…
1) “Interview With the Vampire” season-opener, 9 p.m., AMC. After deep mourning for her daughter, who died at 5, Anne Rice created Claudia, who has the body of a child (when she became a vampire), the soul of an adult. She was 5 in the book, 11 in the movie and 14 here. Now she’s been recast: Delainey Hayles (sown here) is richly emotive, in a sometimes-brutal hour in 1940s Romania. Read more…
As the season winds down, TV is filled with fresh news.
That includes a super-streamer combination, a “Law & Order” shift and a return of such shows as “The Bear” (shown here), “Ted” and (via spin-off) “Orphan Black.” Details include:
— Two large streamers plan to offer a combined deal this summer. One side already has Disney+ and Hulu; now it will offer a super-streamer combination with Max, which was created when Discovery gobbled up Warner Brothers. Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. Maya Rudolph has been a steady force on “SNL.” She was in the cast for seven years, then made at least 20 guest stops, winning an Emmy for her portrayal of Kamala Harris. She’s also starring in the terrific “Loot” (shown here) on Apple TV+. Still, she’s only hosted twice (winning another Emmy for one of those). Here’s her third turn, a week before the season finale; Vampire Weekend is the music guest. Read more…
If you’re in a hurry to see summer-TV shows, then Fox is your network. It starts one on May 16 and willl add five more before the end of the month.
And if you don’t want summer shows? Alas, the other networks also begin soon.
NBC starts “America’s Got Talent” on May 28 … ABC adds Sunday movies on June 2 (starting with “Inside Out”), but holds everything else until a spurt starts with “Bachelorette” on July 8 ….CBS builds its summer around the three-a-week “Big Brother,” starting July 17.
By then, Fox’s shows will be deep into their run. The network has one new show (“The Quiz With Balls”), four season-openers (including “Food Stars,” shown here with Gordon Ramsayand Lisa Vanderpump) and two shows that are returning after filling in during or shortly after the strikes. The line-up — chronologically, with at least one more show expected — is: Read more…
