April 19 – April 25
A new ‘Spiderwick,’ Sly & Arnold face off & a docuseries about a couple of dope brothers
All sorts of creative people get the spotlight in ‘The Express Way with Dule Hill’ on PBS.
All times Eastern.
FRIDAY, April 19
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Christian Slater, Joy Bryant and Jack Dylan Grazer star in this fantasy flick (above) about two teen boys and their sister who discover that magic (and magical creatures) are real when they move with their mom into their ancestral home. Based on a popular sci-fi series of YA books, it was previously made in to a theatrical movie in 2008 with Freddie Highmore, Seth Rogen and Martin Short (Roku).
The Never Ever Meets
New relationship series takes online dating into the real world by “introducing” couples who’ve been “seeing each other” virtually, but never met in person, putting them in a house together for three weeks. Can their love survive? (8 p.m., Own).
SATURDAY, April 20
High Hopes
All the stoners will dig the “4.20” premiere date of this new reality series (above) about a pair of Belarus-born brothers with “high hopes” of taking their California cannabis business to the next level (Hulu).
Predator v Prey
It’s like a very high-tech version of the old Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, with a forensic look at the world’s most formidable apex predators (below), including lions, cheetahs and crocodiles and what makes them so good at what they do (8 p.m., BBC America).
SUNDAY, April 21
Secrets of the Octopus
Actor Paul Rudd narrates this new installment of the Emmy-winning “Secrets Of…” franchise, about one of the most unique creatures on the planet—the octopus, with three hearts, blue blood and the ability to squeeze through spaces the size of their eyeball (NatGeo, streaming tomorrow on Hulu and Disney+).
The Jinx—Part II
Documentary series continues the convoluted tale of the late real estate heir and convicted murderer Robert Durst, who became a suspect after the disappearance of his first wife, the murder of his longtime friend and the killing of his neighbor (10 p.m., HBO).
MONDAY, April 22
Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy of Love Canal
The true story of one of the nation’s most notorious environmental disasters and the women who fought the chemical industry and the government…and won! (9 p.m., PBS).
The Proof is Out There: Military Mysteries
Two combat veterans delve into weird and unexplainable things happening from World War I into present day (10 p.m., History).
Independent Lens: One with the Whale
Find out why hunting whales is a matter of life or death for residents of a coastal Alaska community through the experience of a teen who becomes the youngest in his village to harpoon a whale, only for his family to face a barrage of online critics who fail to understand the importance of the hunt to the community (PBS You Tube channel).
TUESDAY, April 23
TMZ Presents Arnold & Sly
Hollywood’s two icon muscle men—Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone—sit down together for a first-time TV discussion of their once-fierce rivalry that turned into an equally fierce friendship (8 p.m., Fox).
The Express Way with Dulè Hill
The actor from TV’s rebooted The Wonder Years and Psyche embarks on a cross-country road trip in this new four-part series, exploring local visionaries, activists, changemakers and pioneers who are using their creative talents to bring change to their communities (9 p.m., PBS).
WEDNESDAY, April 24
A Brief History of the Future
Is the future bleak, or bright? This documentary, which weaves together history, science and other factors from an array of thinkers, developers and storytellers, leans toward the latter (9 p.m., PBS).
THURSDAY, April 25
My Mane Problem
Celebrity stylist Dr. Boogie gives advice to people on very personal “hair journeys” by examining their scalps and addressing what’s going on inside their heads. And who wouldn’t want to take advice from an expert named Dr. Boogie? (ALLBLK).
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Now available in paperback, Greg Melville’s engrossing Over My Dead Body (Abrams) is a fascinating dive into cemeteries, our traditions of commemorating and memorializing death, and how “final resting places” have shaped the work of poets, architecture and pop culture.
If you’re “of the age” to remember songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker’s “Mr. Bojangles,” you’ll enjoy Mr. Bojangles Dance (McFarland). Author Ryan B. Case traces the life of the song through the overlapping trajectories of the “down and out” man in a New Orleans jail cell who inspired it, former President Richard M. Nixon—who was moved to tears by it—and Sammy Davis Jr., who turned it into a pop hit. It’s a wide-ranging ride through the turbulent Sixties and Seventies, all sung to the tune of “Mr. Bojangles.”
BRING IT HOME
Jason Statham stars in the action-packed The Beekeeper (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment), about a man—yes, a beekeeper—whose violent past as part of a clandestine organization past puts him on a brutal path of vengeance. Watch out for his stinger! With Josh Hutcherson, Jeremy Irons, Phylicia Rashad and Minnie Driver.
The new remastered 4K re-release of director Martin Scorsese’s classic double-cross gangster tale The Departed (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) comes loaded with extras, including deleted scenes, a making-of doc and the true story on which it’s based. The all-star cast includes Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg.
The Media Tourist 