Blige’s songs, with love and pain, guide two movies

For an actor, it can be imposing to step inside a Mary J. Blige production … and inside a Blige song.
“It reminds me of my mom,” Ajioba Alexus said. “Because we would dance to Mary J. Blige’s songs in the kitchen.” Now she stars in two Lifetime movies (shown here, with co-star Da’Vinchi), produced by Blige, that use titles of those songs
— “Real Love” was Blige’s first hit back in 1992 – four years before Alexus was born. It was No. 7 on Billboard’s overall chart and No. 1 on its rhythm & bluyes chart. Read more…

Best-bets for June 15: a big night for comedy reruns

1) “Animal Control,” 9 and 9:30 p.m., Fox. During its first season, this show offered an agreeable mix of big sight gags and solid character humor. It will be back next season, but now it wraps up a stretch of reruns. Both episodes deal with the triangle of three sweet-spirited souls – Emily (the terrific Vella Lovell), Shred (shown here, right) and Rick. Also, Frank (Joel McHale, left) struggles with his macho self-image. First, he’s benched in basketball; then he resists mourning. Read more…

Tony telecast: Yes, TV can still be fun

For three splendid hours, we were reminded how much fun TV can be.
These were the Tony Awards that almost didn’t happen. Only a compromise allowed the show to go on (scriptless) during the Writers Guild strike; flaws and all, it was terrific.
And yes, there were flaws. It was a mostly humorless night … the acceptance speeches were repetitious … a “tribute” to John Kander and Joel Grey was bizarre … and host Ariana DeBose didn’t sing.
But the big moments overwhelmed all of that. We were reminded that musicals – Broadway (shown here with a previous performance of “New York, New York”) and beyond – can be spectacular, and that TV can do a great job of showing them off. Read more…

Best-bets for June 14: laughs, temptation and brutality

1) “The Full Monty” debut, Hulu. The 1997 movie showed a British town where the blue-collar jobs had vanished; desperate, the guys did a one-night strip show. Now, 26 years later, we meet the same guys (and same actors), in delightful sorts of disarray. Brilliantly co-written by Simon Beaufoy (who did the original and “Slumdog Millionaire”), this gives the best moments to Gaz’s daughter Destiny (she and her dad are shown here), a smart rogue who sparks a hilarious plot twist. Read more…

Best-bets for June 12: basketball, Bob, buffalo soldiers

1) “Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts,” 10 p.m., PBS. In their 85-year history, the all-Black units (dubbed “buffalo soldiers”) saw extremes. They were a symbol of freedom – guarding the transcontinental railroad, being the first park rangers at Yosemite (shown here), fighting in world wars. Still, this film says, they also fought against freedom – in Cuba, Mexico, the Philippines … and at home, in the “Indian Wars” and suppressing striking miners in Idaho. Read more…

Best-bets for June 11: Songs soar on Tonys show

1) Tony Awards, 8-11 p.m. ET, CBS. Each year, this ripples with great Broadway musical moments There should be more than ever this time, in a show that’s unscripted, due to the writers’ strike. Expect music from host Ariana DeBose (shown hosting last year’s Tonycast), from the nominated musicals — revivals (“Sweeney Todd,” “Into the Woods,” “Camelot,” “Parade”) and new (“Some Like It Hot,” “New York, New York,” “Kimberly Akimbo,” “& Juliet,” “Shucked”) — and more, including “Funny Girl” and a Joel Grey tribute. Read more…

Best-bets for June 10: “SNL” stars, past and present

1) “Gilda Live” (1980), 8 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies, and “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. Here’s some fun for “SNL” fans, past and present. First, is a film of a Broadway show; deftly directed by Mike Nichols, it has Gilda Radner (shown here) at her best, in gently amusing sketches and songs. Then an “SNL” rerun has Miles Teller as host and Kendrick Lamar as music guest. Read more…

Jesus’ life becomes a primetime series

Having dumped its superheroes, the CW network is now going with the ultimate hero.
Gone are Superman, Batman, Stargirl, Arrow, The Flash and more. Arriving is Jesus.
On July 16, the mini-network will air “The Chosen” (shown here) on Sundays. The show, first funded by crowdsourcing, already has 25 episodes (from three seasons) CW plans to air the last of those on Christmas Eve. Read more…