What to watch, and more! Nov. 14 – 20
A new John Lennon doc, a JoBros Christmas, Ken Burns’ Revolutionary War and Charlie Brown’s T’Giving TV tradition
FRIDAY, Nov. 14
One on One
Documentary offers a rare inside at the first year of former Beatle John Lennon and wife Yoko Ono living in New York City in the early 1970s, when the city was rocked by an explosion of creativity and political activism (8 p.m., HBO).
A Very Jonas Christmas
The Jonas Brothers usher in the holidays with this lively movie in which they face a series of escalating problems as they try to make it from London to New York for Christmas. Watch for guests Billie Lourd, Laverne Cox, Andrea Martin, Kenny G, Randal Park…and Jessie Tyler Ferguson as Santa! (Disney+).
SATURDAY, Nov. 15
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
It’s over 50 years old, but this Peanuts classic never gets old as Peppermint Patty invites the gang to Charlie Brown’s house for Thanksgiving, and Snoopy decides to cook his own feast with some help from his friends (Apple TV+).
SUNDAY, Nov. 16
Landman
Taylor Sheridan’s series about oilmen in the boomtowns of West Texas begins season two tonight, with Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, Andy Garcia and Ali Larter returning to their roles (Paramount+)
The American Revolution
Peter Coyote narrates director Ken Burns‘ new docuseries, a sprawling, six-part, 12-hour examination of America’s war for independence. The all-star cast also features Kenneth Branagh, Josh Brolin, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep and Samuel L. Jackson (PBS).
MONDAY, Nov. 17
Gingerbread Land: The Biggest Little Holiday Competition
Top bakers face off in the “biggest little gingerbread competition” ever, building edible worlds from scratch. Hosted by Oliver Hudson (9 p.m., Food Network).
June Farms
New original unscripted series about June Farms, in West Sand Lake, N.Y., and its staffers during the hustle-bustle wedding season (Prime).
TUESDAY, Nov. 18
Smurfs
When Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is taken by a pair of evil wizards, the Smurfettes lead a mission into the real world to rescue him. Other voices in the new animated adventure include Rihanna, Nick Offerman, James Corden, Dan Levy, Amy Sedaris, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham and Alex Winter (8 p.m., MGM+).
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 19
The 59th Annual CMA Awards
Morgan Wallen and Laney Wilson (above, also the night’s host) lead the pack of nominees—with five nods each, including Entertainer of the Year—for the live ceremony honoring the best in country music, with performances by BigXthaPlug, Luke Combs, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Shaboozey and more (8 p.m., ABC)
Champagne Problems
Minka Kelley stars as an ambitious M&A executive who travels to France to secure the acquisition of a world-renowned Champagne brand, but her plans are upended when she falls into a whirlwind romance with a charming Parisian—who turns out to be the founder’s son (Netflix).
Man on the Inside
Season two finds Charles (Ted Danson, above) going undercover at a college to become a “mole” in a PI’s secret investigation. Mary Steenburgen, Max Greenfield, Stephanie Beatriz and more make guest appearances (Netflix).
THURSDAY, Nov. 20
Ghosts
Sam and Pete get on each other’s nerves during a book tour road trip, when an air strike threatens their ability to get home in time for Thanksgiving (8:30 p.m., CBS).
BRING IT HOME
In Splitsville, two couples discover the farcical downside to open marriage. Starring Adrina Arjona, Kyle Marvin, Dakota Johnson and Michael Angelo Covino (who also directed).
In the bonkers true tale of Secret Mall Apartment (Music Box Films), a group of young artists build a habitable place for themselves inside, yes, a shopping mall—and live there for four years, while filming it all. But their squirreled-away apartment wasn’t a prank, they say. Instead, it was a living art project, one with a meaning and message about community.
The first two seasons of the Emmy-winning The Morning Show, about the turbulent highs and lows of a fictitious New York news network—with an ensemble cast led by Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Anison and Billy Crudup—now comes to DVD and Blu-ray. Time to catch up on all the scandal, rivalry, loyalty, power grabs and more!
A college quarterback with his eye on prize of going pro meets his NFL idol…and a hella lot of weirdness. Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers star in Him, a grueling gridiron-centric horror show. (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment).
READ ALL ABOUT IT
For young readers (and Swifties!) in your realm, consider giving them What Are Taylor Swift’s Eras (Penguin Young Readers), with all the deets about her record-setting Eras Tour, which spanned five continents and included more than 150 shows. See the outfits! Re-live the albums and the songs! All all hail, Taylor Swift!
Learn about the long history of what we surround ourselves with inside the places we live, in The Story of the Interior (Thames & Hudson), which explores the social, cultural and technological history of interior design from prehistory into the modern era. And how what we live “in” shapes how we live, work, learn and play.
NOW HEAR THIS
Frank Sinatra’s “melancholy masterpiece” album of lost love and heartbreak, In the Wee Small Hours (Blue Note), celebrates its 70th anniversary with a newly remastered vinyl release. Tracks include “Mood Indigo,” “Ill Wind,” “Dancing on the Ceiling” and “This Love of Mine,” with tunes from the songbooks of Cole Porter, Richard Rogers, Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael and others.
Fans of classic rock will dig Bold as Love, the newly released and freshly remixed box set commemorating the 1967 album from The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Sony). It’s four discs of guitar-god goovery, with tracks in both stereo and mono, rarities, rehearsals, live cuts and TV and radio promo appearances. Plus a 44-page book, and Hendrix’s version of another band’s hit song of the day, “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
The 25th anniversary reissue of Brian Wilson: Live at the Roxy Theatre (Oglio Records) shows the genus co-founder of The Beach Boys on stage in Hollywood performing the magic of his music. Available in a variety of formats (single CD, an expanded version, digital and LPs), it includes performances of Beach Boys classics including “California Girls,” “I Get Around,” “Good Vibrations” and more, plus other songs.
Paul McCartney’s post-Beatlesband, Wings, is the subject of the new hit-filled musical anthology available in multiple formats (LPs, CDs and Blu-ray discs). It charts the band through its course of becoming one of the biggest-selling acts of all time, and it’s packed with songs including “Band on the Run,” “Listen to What the Man Said,” “With a Little Luck,” “Junior’s Farm,” “Live and Let Die,” “Helen Wheels,” “Silly Love Songs” and much more (Umusic).
Get your ya-ya’s out with the new Super Deluxe Edition of Black and Blue (Interscope/Ume), an colossolly expanded remix collection of The Rolling Stones’ groundbreaking 1976 album. Available as 5 LPS or 4 CDs, it contains all the hits—“Hot Stuff,” “Fool to Cry,” “Hand of Fate”—plus a gollywhopping amount of extras, including a Blu-ray of a live Stones concert, a 100-page book, outtakes and jams. I know: It’s only rock ‘n’ roll. But I like it!
The Media Tourist 