Equality in space? It faced some hurdles

One day in 1961, Ed Dwight’s high-flying life took an abrupt turn.
“I had a very successful military career … flying five different airplanes, which is a pilot’s dream,” he recalled.
Then he got word that he should prepare to become the first Black astronaut. He didn’t particularly want it, but his mother did; so did John Kennedy.
Dwiight’s story is at the core of “The Space Race” (shown here with Victor Glover, Dwight and Leland Melvin), an intriguing documentary about Blacks and NASA. It reaches Hulu and Disney+ on Tuesday (Feb. 13), after debuting at 9 p.m. Monday on the National Geographic Channel. Read more…

Best-bets for Feb. 11: It’s a super Sunday

1) Super Bowl, 6:30 p.m. ET, CBS. For the fourth time in five years, the Kansas City Chiefs are here. They’ve won two of those and their stars (Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce) fill pop culture. Now they face the San Francisco 49ers (shown here), in a year that had no dominant teams. In the regular season, the Chiefs were 11-6; the 49ers were 12-5, then needed two come-from-behind wins in the playoffs. Read more…

Best-bets for Feb. 10: soulful surge, plus Oscar films

1) “Super Bowl Soulful Celebration,” 8 p.m., CBS. We’re in a stretch that soars with gospel music. On Friday, Erica Campbell co-hosted a PBS concert; now she links with her sister, in the gospel duo Mary Mary. There’s also a chorus of pro football players, plus R&B and pop (Earth, Wind & Fire, Robin Thicke) and Kirk Franklin (shown here), who will be featured in a PBS gospel documentary, Monday and Tuesday. Read more…

Week’s top-10 for Feb. 12: Sheldon leads a stampede of openers

1) “Young Sheldon” season-opener, 8 p.m. Thursday, CBS. The final season starts with life swirling. Sheldon is in Germany with his mom (shownhere) for summer classes; back home, a tornado has flattened his grandmother’s house. Everyone huddles together, including the newly engaged Georgie and Mandy and their baby. It’s a big, busy and exceptionally funny episode, a promising start for the season. Read more…

Best-bets for Feb. 9: gospel surge starts, “Transplant” ends

1) “Gospel Live,” 9 p.m., PBS. Over five days, we’ll hear spectacular voices do stirring songs. Henry Louis Gates co-hosts this concert, with great moments from Shelea, Erica Campbell (shown here), John Legend and more. He also has a terrific gospel documentary Monday and Tuesday. In between, CBS has “Super Bowl Soulful Celebration” at 8 p.m. Saturday and Andra Day before the Super Bowl on Sunday. Read more…

Spanning a 200-year gap, Hallmark meets Austen

Two fonts of romance – Jane Austen and the Hallmark Channel – are finally together.
The channel has been around for 31 years, the Austen books for 223. Both have wise women fall in love (carefully and chastely) with sturdy men.
Now – each Saturday in February – Hallmark has an Austen-oriented tale.
“She was so ahead of her time,” said Deborah Ayorinde, who stars as Elinor in a “Sense and Sensibility” remake (shown here) on Feb. 24, adding: “A lot of the things that Elinor was dealing with, I felt like I could relate to.” Read more…

Apple — the new HBO? — offers size and spectacle

An old tradition – the Television Critics Association tour – has returned, with a surprise:
For now, it seems, Apple TV+ — with “The New Look” (shown here) and other large mini-series — has become the new HBO.
Certainly, the old HBO is still around and sometimes thriving. “Successiion” has gobbled up all those Emmys and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” has returned.
But in the past, HBO led the semi-annual TCA sessions. It delivered the biggest stars (Robin Williams, Nicole Kidman, Garth Brooks, Briitney Spears, etc.) and shows (“Sopranos,” “Game of Thrones”). This time? Under new ownership (as part of Warner Bros. Discovery), it didn’t show up. Read more…

Best-bets for Feb. 8: key reruns for “Sheldon,” “Ghosts”

1) “Young Sheldon” season-finale rerun, 8 p.m., CBS. Unlike some comedies, this is at its best when it has a busy story; now that peaks. In last week’s rerun, Sheldon and his mom planned to go to Germany for his summer classes also, his brother finally had his marriage proposal accepted. Now comes the trip and a tornado (shown here), setting up next week’s great start for the final season. Read more…

Bet-bets for Feb. 7: At last, ABC is funny again

1) “Abbott Elementary” (shown here) season-opener, 9 and 9:30 p.m., ABC. One of TV’s top shows is back. In its first two seasons, it’s had 15 Emmy nominations (including two for best comedy) and four wins – writer and actress (both Quinta Brunson), supporting actress (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and casting. This two-part opener has Janine (Brunson) planning a district-wide Career Day Read more…

Best-bets for Feb. 6: extended fun and loopy “La Brea”

1) “Extended Family,” 8:30 p.m., NBC. This show often has Jon Cryer (right) as TV’s usual bumbling dad. Tonight, however, offers a neat exception: With his ex-wife elsewhere, Jim (Cryer) and her new boyfriend (Donald Faison, left) are supposed to watch the kids. Emerging is a teen trauma – the sort of thing Jim is really good at. Cryer, who used to star in teen-trauma movies, handles it neatly. Read more…