Category Archives: Television

Apr 05 2024
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Books, DVDs, Movies, Photography, Pop Culture, Sports, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

April 5 – April 11

Kelsea gives trophies, Julianne Moore schemes & darkness creeps across America

All times Eastern.

Kelsea Ballerini hosts the CMT Music Awards.

FRIDAY, April 5
Scoop
Gillian Anderson and Rufus Sewell lead the cast of the dramatized inside story of the explosive BBC television interview with Britain’s Prince Andrew, in which he disastrously tried to defend and distance himself from the Jeffery Epstein sex-trafficking scandal (Netflix).

Mary & George
Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine star in this new psychodrama limited series (below) based on the scandalous true story of a treacherous mother and son who schemed, seduced and killed to conquer the 17th century Court of England…and the bed of King James I (9 p.m., Starz).

On the Case with Paula Zahn
New season, new cases, including murder mysteries two teen girls in Alabama, a popular DJ’s wife in Atlanta and a U.S. Navy recruit in Florida, plus a love triangle gone very bad (10 p.m., ID).

SATURDAY, April 6
Two For One
New series features 12 nights of double features curated by celebrated Hollywood filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Olivia Wilde and Paul Thomas Anderson, and hosted by TCM’s own Ben Mankiewicz (8 p.m., TCM).

CMT Music Awards
Kelsea Ballerini hosts the ceremony—and is among the top nominees—live from Austin, Texas, with accolades for the top-voted videos and artists in country music (8 p.m., CBS)

SUNDAY, April 7
Collector’s Call
Host Lisa Whelchel returns for season two, spotlighting collectors and their collections celebrating “Weird Al” Yankovic, Star Wars, Pearl Jam, Bozo the Clown, and more pop-culture icons (6:30 p.m., MeTV).

MONDAY, April 8
My Parkinsons
Three individuals navigate their lives with the neurodegenerative disease (10 p.m., PBS).

The First 1,000
Primetime special takes a look inside the TV-verse of NCIS, celebrating the milestone of 1,000 episodes of the wide-ranging worldwide hit franchise (9 p.m., CBS). 

Eclipse Across America
In ancient times, people thought the daytime darkening of a total solar eclipse meant the world was ending. But they didn’t have TV platforms to team up and tell them what was going on, like in this live telecast of the event hosted by David Muir with coverage spanning 10 cities across North America (2 p.m., ABC, National Graphic Channel, Nat Geo Wild, Disney+ and Hulu).

26.2 to Life
Documentary about incarcerated men at San Quentin Prison training for a 26.2 marathon. Ready to run, indeed! (9 p.m., ESPN).

TUESDAY, April 9
Brandy Heville & The Cult of Fast Fashion
Documentary uncovers the toxic culture of the clothing brand popular with young girls, and the global ramifications of mass-produced, Instagram-fueled clothing known as “fast fashion” (9 p.m., HBO).

Mud Madness
Get down and dirty with this series (above) that follows the off-road subculture of extreme Big-Tire mud racing and its passionate fans (9 p.m., Discovery).

WEDNESDAY, April 10
The Challenge: All Stars
Former contestants and winners reunite in South Africa for the latest installment of the reality-show competition spinoff of The Real World and Road Rules (Paramount +).

Tryouts
Seven-episode series looks at intense competitions for spots as lifeguards, cheerleading, Monster Truck drivers, women’s fast-pitch softball and dancers (ESPN+).

THURSDAY, April 11
Patti Stanger: The Matchmaker
The relationship guru (the CEO of Millionaire’s Club International) helps looking-for-love people find romance, with the help of The Bachelor’s Nick Vaill (8 p.m., The CW).

Lovers & Liars
New dating competition is built around 24 women and three men on a tropical island and a chance to win $100,000—if the guys can tell the 12 “real” contestant lovers from the “liars” who’ve been “planted” there to deceive them and bring home the big bucks (9 p.m., The CW).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Meet some eye-popping “body artists” and marvel at photos of their masterpieces in Tattoo You (Phaedon), a highly visual collection of contemporary groundbreaking tattoo lovers and doers. With almost 700 photos, it’s an ink-tastitic journey into how an ancient artform continues to evolve at the intersection of art, culture, fashion and self-expression. 

Do you take pics of your cute kitties and adorable doggies? Well, why? In Why We Photograph Animals (Thames & Hudson), naturalist author Huw Lewis-Jones digs into the reasons that our “wildlife” friends are favorite camera fodder…and what our animal pics say about us. Highly recommended for pet lovers of all kinds.

BRING IT HOME

Kathryn Newston and Cole Sprouse star in the wickedly dark comedy Lisa Frankenstein (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment), about a misunderstood high school girl and her crush…who happens to be a handsome corpse. It’s a wink-wink tribute to the teen-slasher movies of the ‘80s with a Gothic movie-monster twist.

Mar 29 2024
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Books, History, Movies, Photography, Pop Culture, Sports, Television, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

March 29 – April 4

All about a “wild and crazy guy,” Ewan McGregor holes up in a hotel & how Julius Caesar became a legendary tyrant

Find out about the wide-ranging career of Steve Martin in the documentary two-parter ‘Steve!’

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, March 29
Spermworld
Go into the unregulated realm of baby making with this investigative documentary about sperm donors and hopeful parents (10 p.m., FX).

The Beautiful Game
Inspiring tale of a homeless football team advances to compete at the global street soccer championship games in Rome (below). With Bill Nighy and Michael Ward (Netflix).

Steve!
Two-part documentary about comedian actor Steve Martin, chronicling his upbringing, his years of “wild and crazy guy” standup and the esteemed acting icon he’s become today (Apple TV+). 

SATURDAY, March 30
Beyond the Aggressives
New documentary series catches up with the subjects of the original late-90s, early 2000 series about “Aggressives” or “AGs,” a term for Black queer, sexually dominant women (Paramount+)

SUNDAY, March 31

A Gentleman in Moscow
Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (above) star in this eight-episode drama about a Russian count in the aftermath of his country’s revolution who finds himself exiled to a room in an opulent hotel and threatened with death if he ever steps foot outside again (9 p.m., Paramount+).

Parish
Crime thriller stars The Mandalorian’s Giancarlo Esposito as a New Orleans businessman drawn back into his former life in organized crime after the murder of his son. With Skeet Ulrich and Bradley Whitford (below left), who digs into his role as a covert crime lord (10 p.m., AMC).

MONDAY, April 1
Vanderpump Villa
Docudrama series follows Lisa Vanderpump and her staff as they live, work and play on an exclusive French estate (Hulu).

IHeart Radio Awards
Justin Timberlake, Green Day, TLC, Jelly Roll, Laney Wilson and many more will perform at this live event honoring the year’s top music-makers—plus a special tribute performance to this year’s Icon Award recipient, Cher (8 p.m., Fox).

TUESDAY, April 2
The Weakest Link
New season of the competition series hosted by Jane Lynch starts tonight, in which contestants must work together to build a “chain” by answering trivia questions (9 p.m., NBC).

Julius Caesar: The Making of a Dictator
Hail, Caesar! That’s the title of one of my favorite Coen Brothers films, but this new documentary series explores how the nearly-five-centuries old Roman democracy was destroyed and dismantled in less than two decades and turned into a dictatorship—and how Caesar became one of history’s most notorious tyrants (9 p.m., PBS).

Underdog
Documentary about Doug Butler, an aging Vermont dairy farmer with an offbeat passion: dog mushing (Amazon, Apple TV and other streaming platforms).

WEDNESDAY, April 3
A Brief History of the Future
What will tomorrow and beyond look like? This optimistic documentary hosted by “futurist” Ari Wallach offers a fresh, hopeful projection of what we might expect in the decades to come if we can overcome the existential threats we see today (9 p.m., PBS).

Loot
SNL veteran Maya Rudolph (below) stars in (and produces) this snappy workplace comedy about a recent divorcee recovering from her former marriage to a tech billionaire (Apple TV+).

Star Trek: Discovery
Blast off for the final season of the hit series iconic sci-fi spinoff starring Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp and Mary Wiseman, as the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery once again heads across the universe for one more intergalactic adventure (Paramount+).

THURSDAY, April 4
Ripley
Andrew Scott plays Tom Ripley, based on the bestselling novel series by Patricia Highsmith, about a grifter who finds himself in an international swirl of deceit, fraud and murder (Netflix).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Tired of staying in the same ol’ hotels? Secret Stays (Aussouline) by former Conde Nast Traveler editor Melinda Stevens, transports armchair adventurers to some of the most unique, mostly unknown hotels around the world, from secluded abbeys to ancient manors and larger-than-life mansions. Lavishly illustrated. 

What did people do before written history? Stefanos Geroulanos’ The Invention of Prehistory (WW Norton) shows how the endless quest to know our humanity was shaped—and often misshaped—by all sorts of theories and notions of barbarians, Neanderthals, Amazon women and utopian paradises…and often became the ideological foundations for repressive regimes that considered people as less than human.

 

Mar 22 2024
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Books, DVDs, History, Movies, Pop Culture, Television, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

March 22 – March 28

A day of Hobbits, all about TV “sluts” and & Holy Moses!

Hobbits, trolls, ogres and dragons—all in the Hobbit Trilogy!

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, March 22
The Fox
A farm laborer in Austria finds an orphaned fox cub amidst the carnage of World War II and adopts it in this heartwarming tale based on a true story (Prime & Apple TV).

Shirley
Regina King stars (below) as America’s first Black congresswoman and political icon Shirley Chislom in her trailblazing run for president in 1972 (Netflix).  

SATURDAY, March 23
The Hobbit Trilogy
Middle Earth-ers, unite—for all three Hobbit movies (An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug, and The Battle of the Five Armies), based on author J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic fantasy novels (begins 7 a.m., TNT).

SUNDAY, March 24
In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon
This docu-bio examines the life and music of the famed singer-songwriter (below) from his Simon & Garfunkel days to his massive concert in Central Park and the recording of his latest album (MGM+).

MONDAY, March 25
Greener Pastures
Independent Lens documentary follows the lives of four Midwestern families over five years as they deal with climate change, the pandemic and the rise of megafarms that have led to economic uncertainty and isolation (10 p.m., PBS).

Lethally Blonde
Using your physical beauty and sexuality to climb the ladder of success can lead to some dangerous—and deadly—outcomes, as shown in this true-crime series hosted by Holly Madison, who knows a thing or two about it as the former girlfriend of Playboy magnate Hugh Hefner (10 p.m., ID).

TUESDAY, March 26
The Invisible Shield
Four-part documentary series examines the “hidden” public health infrastructure that makes modern life possible, protecting us from the constant threat of death and disease through a massive, inter-connected network of largely unsung heroes—physicians, nurses, scientists, engineers, reformers and government officials all working to make our lives more livable (10 p.m., PBS).

Godzilla Movie Marathon
He’s the king of the monsters, for sure, and today you can watch two of his contemporary big-screen movies, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Godzilla vs. Kong. Didja know: Godzilla’s been a movie star since 1954? The original Godzilla rubber suit weighed well over 200 pounds? And his name is a mashup of words for “gorilla” and “whale”? Now you do! 

The Truth vs. Alex Jones
Grieving Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting parents face the blustery conspiracy theorist  in four years of landmark defamation trials (9 p.m., HBO).

WEDNESDAY, March 27
AI Revolution
Is artificial intelligence taking over the world? Meet some of the scientists at the forefront of this new frontier as they explore the promise, perils and possible future of the unprecedented technology taking the world by storm (9 p.m., PBS).

Testament: The Story of Moses
From outcast and murderer to prophet and liberator of the Hebrew people, this three-part series (below) explores the life, redemption and legacy of one of most iconic VIPs of the Bible (Netflix).

THURSDAY, March 28
The Baxters
New faith-based family drama series stars Roma Downey and Ted McGinley as a couple with five adult children, all working through the challenges of life (Prime Video).

We Were the Lucky Ones
In this limited series based on the bestselling novel, a Jewish family separated at the start of WWII is determined to survive and reunite (Hulu).

BRING IT HOME

The newly restored Paint Your Wagon (Kino Larber) is a classic Western musical comedy from 1969, starring Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood. It features the song “They Call the Wind Maria,” and a musical appearance by a very young group that would come to be known as The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Fun fact: Marvin drank alcohol every day of the shoot and was often drunk on the set—and it showed. Co-star Jean Seaburg said Marvin’s singing voice was “like rain gurgling down a rusty pipe.”

READ ALL ABOUT IT

A supplement to the previous volume spanning TV’s earlier years, the new Encyclopedia of Television Shows (McFarland) by Vincent Terrace covers 2017-2022 and lists more than a thousand programs released on broadcast, cable TV and streaming services, along with cast, airdates, plots and other details. If you’ve ever wondered about all those dramas and sitcoms you never had time to check out—like America’s Most Musical Family, Living Biblically or Moonbase 8—this is your book!

Wanna go on a road trip back in time? A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages (wwnorton) by Anthony Bale is a road map to a nearly forgotten time—long before airplanes and automobiles—when explorers traipsed across forests and deserts and sailed the ocean in search of riches, lands to conquer, or adventure. What was that like? Now you can know!

In “Sluts” on the Small Screen (McFarland), author Libbie Searcy spotlights television’s fascination with “promiscuous women” in TV shows including Frazier, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Golden Girls, Grey’s Anatomy and more, showing the variety of ways sexually voracious characters are portrayed—and the roles they play in furthering our fascination with empowerment, entertainment and exploitation.   

 

Mar 15 2024
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Books, DVDs, Movies, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

March 15 – March 21

All times Eastern.

Kristen Wiig resorts to comedy, Lindsay Lohan gets her ‘Wish’ & all about a porn star, hush money and a president

Kristen Wiig stars in Palm Royale.

FRIDAY, March 15
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
Calling all Swifties! The mega-hit theatrical treatment of Taylor Swift’s record-setting tour had fans literally dancing in the aisles. Now you can watch it at home—and experience songs that weren’t included in the theater! (Disney+)

Manhunt
Tobias Menzie (from The Crown, Game of Thrones and Outlander) stars in this new conspiracy thriller series about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and the hunt for his killer, John Wilkes Booth (Apple TV+).

Irish Wish
Lindsay Lohan (yep, that Lindsay Lohan, from Mean Girls and The Love Bug) stars in this romcom (above) about a bridesmaid who travels Ireland and makes a wish for her own true love after a painful breakup. And guess what happens? With Jane Seymour and Ayesha Curry (Netflix).

SATURDAY, March 16
Friday Night Sext Scandal
This lurid telemovie was inspired by real stories of teenage boys “hunting” for nude pics of female classmates (8 p.m., Lifetime).

SUNDAY, March 17
Nolly on Masterpiece
Helena Bonham Carter stars in this new series as a real-life soap opera actress of the 1960s and ‘70s, Noele Gordon, whose firing at the height of her career created fan outrage and front-page news (9 p.m., PBS).

Quiet on the Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV
Two-night docuseries reveals the insidious environment of children’s TV programming in the late 1990s, where allegations of cover-up, abuse, sexism and inappropriate conduct with underage stars swirled around shows including All That, Zoey 101 and The Amanda Show (9 p.m., ID).

MONDAY, March 18
Stormy
Documentary about the former porn actress and stripper (above) brought into the public spotlight when she was paid hush money to cover up her dalliances with then-president Donald Trump (Peacock).

Photographer
In this highly visual new series, award-winning filmmakers chronicle the impressive work of nine different photographers covering everything from fashion to warfare (National Geographic).

TUESDAY, March 19
The Valley
Vanderpump Rules spinoff follows a group of close-couple friends as they relocate from West Hollywood to San Fernando Valley while navigating bustling businesses, rocky relationships and feisty friendships (9 p.m., Bravo).

WEDNESDAY, March 20
Top Chef
The kitchen is open for season 21, heating up the culinary scenes of Milwaukee and Madison, Wisc., with a new batch of rising-star chefs competing for the coveted title (9 p.m., Bravo).

Palm Royale
New all-star comedy series, set in the tony high-society circles of Palm Beach, stars Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern and Allison Janney, along with Ricky Martin, Mindy Cohn, Julia Duffy and Leslie Bibb (Apple TV+).

THURSDAY, March 21
Road House
Remake of the ‘80s classic about an ex-UFC fighter named Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) who takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys nightclub (below). Rest in peace, Patrick Swayze (Prime).

The Long Shadow
After a woman is murdered in England, local police struggle to catch her killer while a desperate mother makes a difficult decision to keep her family financially afloat in this new British series based on a real-life case (Sundance Now and AMC+).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Rock fans will flip for Zip It Up! The Best of Trouser Press Magazine 1974-1984 (Trouser Press), a new 440-page collection of the iconic rock ‘zine’s coverage of seminal classic rock, glam rock, prog rock, art rock and reggae music and its makers of the time, including Todd Rundgren, R.E.M., Peter Tosh, T. Rex, New York Dolls, the Go-Gos and hundreds of others. Dig it, dig it, dig it!

BRING IT HOME

One of the year’s top movie romcoms is Anyone But You (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment), about a couple (Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell) who have to pretend—after a disastrous first date—they’re still lovey dovey to not ruin a destination wedding in Australia. It’s sexy fun, and you can now own it on Blu-ray.

Mar 08 2024
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DVDs, Movies, Pop Culture, Television, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

Friday, March 8 – Thursday, March 14

Hollywood’s biggest night, Millie Bobbie Brown & the dragon, and real American cowboys

All times Eastern.

Host Jimmie Kimmel pre-tapes an Oscars segment with “Weird Barbie” (Kate McKinnon).

FRIDAY, March 8
Damsel
Millie Bobby Brown stars in this grim fairy tale action-adventure as a young woman who agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find that the royal family has “chosen” her as a sacrifice. What will she do when she’s thrown into a cave with a terrifying fire-breathing dragon? (Netflix)

Watch out for those dragons, Millie!

First Time Female Director
Comedy flick about a young writer (Chelsea Peretti, who also wrote and directed) struggling to corral the eclectic cast and misguided production of a Southern-style play. With Megan Mullally, Amy Poehler, Andy Richter and Max Greenfield (Roku Channel).

SATURDAY, March 9
Hunting Housewives
When four gal friends head out for a much-needed retreat away from their husbands and kids, they find themselves stranded in the wilds after a plane crash—and running from stalkers who consider them prey. With Denise Richards and Nene Leakes (9 p.m., Lifetime). 

SUNDAY, March 10
The Academy Awards
What films, actors and others will take home a golden statue, Hollywood’s most prestigious movie award? Tune in tonight for the 96th annual bestowal of the Oscars, hosted again by late-night personality Jimmy Kimmel (7 p.m., ABC).

MONDAY, March 11
The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys
Docuseries looks at the high-stakes word of farming and ranching in rural Missouri, where the McBee family is on the brink of becoming a billion-dollar business (Peacock).

TUESDAY, March 12
Password
New season of the iconic game show begins tonight with hosts Keke Palmer and Jimmy Fallon and a slew of upcoming celebrity players, including Lauren Graham, Johnny Knoxville, Howie Mandell, Meghan Trainor and Wiz Khalifa (10 p.m., NBC).

Wildcard Kitchen
New culinary competition combines poker and kitchen expertise. Interesting! Hosted by Eric Adjepong (9 p.m., Food Network).

The Boat
New streaming series stars Daisy Haggard and Paterson Joseph (above) as friends who stumble upon a shipwrecked boat full of cocaine—and attract the attention of some dangerous people who want it back (Amazon Freevee).

WEDNESDAY, March 13
The Amazing Race
Meet the new 13 teams who’ll compete on the hit series’ 36th race around the world (9:30 p.m., CBS).

Little Wing
Brian Cox and Kelly Reilly star in this adaptation of a New Yorker magazine article, a heartwarming coming-of-age story about a teenage girl, a broken family and a bird (Paramount+).  

THURSDAY, March 14
Apples Never Fall
Family life can be complicated indeed, especially on TV—as this new series (starring Sam Neill, Annette Bening, Jake Lacy and Alison Brie) shows. Based on the book by Laine Moriarty (Peacock).

The Girls on the Bus
Melissa Benoist, Carla Gugino, Natasha Benham and Christina Elmore star in this new drama series (above) about four female journalists in the traveling press corps covering the campaign trail to the White House (Max).

BRING IT HOME

The Color Purple (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) is a bold and rousing remake—produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and Quincy Jones—of the 1985 classic featuring an all-new, all-star cast (Taraji P.Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins and Halle Bailey) and pull-out-the-stops musical numbers from the later Broadway play. Extras include documentaries and making-of features.

Time to get wet again with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment), as Aquaman (Jason Momoa) teams with his brother, the King of Atlantis (Patrick Wilson), to defeat an old, malevolent underwater foe. With Dolph Lundgren, Amber Heard, Randall Park, Martin Short…and Nicole Kidman as the Queen of Atlantis.

READ ALL ABOUT IT

What kind of music goes with outer space? In The Music of Space (McFarland), author Chris Carberry takes a wide-ranging look at the music and the composers who’ve helped create, define and fine-tune the “sounds” of space in movies and TV, from The Day the Earth Stood still to Star Wars and beyond And what’s that sound coming from the International Space Station? Is that a guitar? Yes!

Mar 01 2024
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DVDs, Movies, Television, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

March 1 – March 7, 2024

Adam Sandler’s in space, Kate Winslet rules, all about Jackie O, and Zac Efron’s imaginary friend

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, March 1
Spaceman
Adam Sandler leads the cast in this far-out sci-fi drama (above) about an astronaut sent on a mission to the far reaches of the galaxy, where he meets a spider-like creature that helps him deal problems he left back on Earth. With Paul Dano, Carey Mulligan, Kunal Nayyar and Isabella Rossellini (Netflix).

The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin
A legendary 18th British highwayman comes to life in this new comedy series as the legendary British robber (Noel Felding) sets on a series of wildly absurd escapades when he’s made the reluctant leader of a band of outlaws (Apple TV+).

SATURDAY, March 2
Single Black Female 2: Simone’s Revenge
Amber Riley, Raven Goodwin and K. Michelle reprise their roles in this sequel about an investigative-crime TV host, her new love interest, amnesia and some serious sister issues (8 p.m., Lifetime).

OWN Spotlight
Host Oprah Winfrey sits down for an insightful chat with Angela Bassett about the award-winning actor’s four-decade-spanning career and her recent honorary Academy Award (9 p.m., Own).

SUNDAY, March 3
The Regime
Kate Winslet stars in this dark comedy series (above) about an authoritarian regime unraveling from within. With Hugh Grant and Martha Plimpton (9 p.m., HBO)

I Am Jackie O
Find out in this new doc all about Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, who became a media sensation after her husband’s assassination, eventually marrying a Greek tycoon and reinventing herself in the literary world—and forever living in pop consciousness as the embodiment of youth, culture and sophistication (8 p.m., The CW).   

MONDAY, March 4
So You Think You Can Dance
A new crop of hoofers put ‘em down and pick ‘em up for the judges of the 18th season of the primetime dance competition, hosted again by Cat Deeley (9 p.m., Fox).

MasterChef Junior
Look out! The kids are back in the kitchen. Season nine of the pint-size cooking competition begins tonight, with judges that include superchef Gordon Ramsay and his daughter, Tilly (8 p.m., Fox).

Queens
Angela Bassett narrates this new series about notable matriarchies of the animal kingdom, bringing the natural world into focus through a fem-centric lens. (8 p.m., NatGeo).

TUESDAY, March 5
Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda
Special recorded in London features a lineup of Gadsby and other genderqueer comedians (Netflix).

The Cleaning Lady
New season begins tonight of the crime drama about a Cambodian doctor who comes to America for medical treatment to save her son, eventually forced to take matters into her own hands and becoming entrenched in the criminal underbelly of Las Vegas (9 p.m., Fox).

WEDNESDAY, March 6
Full Swing
Hit the greens (while you’re just sit on the couch!) for season two of this documentary about pro golfers on the PGA tour (Netflix). 

Extraordinary
Becoming an adult is rarely easy, and season two of this British import comedy series (above) continues the drama of a group of 20-somethings who’ve discovered something in common: They all have superpowers (Hulu).

Animal Control
Joel McHale returns for season two of this workplace comedy (below) about a group of animal control workers who discover that critters may be simple, but humans are not (9 p.m., FOX).

THURSDAY, March 7
Ricky Stanicky
When three childhood best friends pull a prank that gets them into trouble, they invent the imaginary Ricky Stanicky to take the fall. Twenty years later, the now-grown buddies take “Ricky” to a whole ‘nother level—hiring a celebrity impersonator to bring him to real life. Starring Zac Efron, John Cena, Andrew Santino and Jermaine Fowler (Prime).

The Gentlemen
Director Guy Richie extends his hyperactive Gentleman-ly film empire with this new streaming entry, starring Theo James as a young cannabis heir in the criminal underworld (Netflix).

BRING IT HOME

Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz and Shailene Woodley star in Ferrari (Neon Films), set in 1957 as the former auto racer faces bankruptcy, personal problems at home and the prospect of a big race across Italy.

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Feb 23 2024
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Movies, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

Feb. 23 – Feb. 29

‘Priscilla’ streams, George Jones gets the all-star treatment & Timothy Chalamet is young Willy Wonka

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, Feb. 23
Priscilla
Director Sofia Coppola’s acclaimed fem-centric drama based on Elvis Presley’s former wife and her life with the King comes to streaming today. Starring Callee Spaeny as the child who became a bride, and Jacob Eldori as Elvis (Max).

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy
Animated sci-fi comedy sitcom follows a group of deep-space docs battling illegal time loops and cosmic STIs as they try to keep their personal lives from falling apart under the zero-gravity stress. It’s like a far-far far out ER, with voices by Keke Palmer, Maya Rudolph, Stephanie Hsu, Natasha Lyonne and Kieran Culkin (Prime).

SATURDAY, Feb. 24
George Jones: Still Playin’ Possum
The late, great county icon (above) is celebrated on the 10th anniversary of his death in a special concert by Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Brad Paisley, Jelly Roll, Wynonna and others, and their renditions of “Golden Ring,” “She Thinks I Still Care,” “Whose Gonna Fill Their Shoes,” “The Race is On” and many other George Jones hits (9 p.m., PBS).

Sense and Sensibility
Part of the network’s Jane Austen “Loveuary” programming, this original movie takes a page or two from the late romance novelist with its tale of sisters torn between lovers when they move into a modest cottage in the British countryside (8 p.m., Hallmark).

SUNDAY, Feb. 25
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
How many ways can those dead people walk??? This newest spinoff of the franchise stars Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira as two fan-favorite characters from the show, lovebirds who find themselves in yet another war with—you guessed it—the walking dead (AMC).

Vegas: The Story of Sin City
Cruise deep into the history of the iconic place that became the HQ for Elvis and the Rat Pack, sprouting from the desert like an oasis of vice and spicy, spectacular diversion from the seeds of visionary developers and infamous mobsters (10 p.m., CNN).

MONDAY, Feb. 26
The Voice
Limber up the vocal chords for season 25 of the hit singing competition, which kicks off tonight with host Carson Daly and returning judges Reba McEntire, Chance the Rapper, John Legend, joined by first-timers Dan + Shay (8 p.m., NBC).

TUESDAY, Feb. 27
As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial
Documentary follows rap artist Kemba as he explores the growing “weaponization” of rap lyrics by law enforcement and how they been used as evidence in criminal trials for decades (Paramount+).

Shōgun
Global event series (above), a new adaptation of the bestselling novel by James Clavell, is set in Japan in the year 1600 at the dawn of a century-defining war and features an acclaimed Japanese cast (Hulu).

God Save Texas
Trilogy of documentary films by Richard Linklater and other Texas filmmakers spotlight some of hot topics in one of the most controversial states in the country—a superprison in Huntsville, where one quarter of the town’s population is incarcerated; the downside of Houston’s oil boom; and a town on the border with Mexico where immigration issues really hit home (Max).

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 28
Code 8 Part II
(Below). An ex-con janitor’s attempts at staying out of trouble run aground when he helps a young teen escape from corrupt police officers. Maybe his telekinetic powers can help! With Robbie Amell and Stephen Amell, who created and starred in the 2016 short scifi film on which the new series is based (Netflix).

Iwájú
New highly visual animated saga about a young Nigerian girl in the future who learns the dangers hidden in her world and that of her best friend (Disney+).

THURSDAY, Feb. 29
Elsbeth
Terry Preston (from The Good Wife, True Blood, The Good Fight and Claws) returns in this new drama series (below) as an unconventional attorney who helps the NYPD corner criminals (10 p.m., CBS).

Me, Hereafter
New true-crime docudrama innovatively takes you inside gripping murder investigations, as if they were voiced “from beyond” from the deceased victims (Hulu).

BRING IT HOME

Enter the wonderful world of Wonka (Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment), the delightful, candy-coated musical story of how a young chocolate maker (Timothee Chalamet) became the confectionary impresario we all know as Willie Wonka. The supporting cast includes Keegan-Michael Key, Sally Hawkins and Olivia Colman. 

Feb 16 2024
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Movies, Pop Culture, Television, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

Feb. 16 – Feb. 22

Dolly goes to the dogs, a classic flick gets musical & J-Lo reveals her love life

Musical icon Dolly Parton presents a parade of pets Wednesday night on CBS.

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, Feb.16
This is Me…Now: The Film
Jennifer Lopez takes center stage (below) in this highly visual “reimaging” of her highly scrutinized love life, which includes seven boyfriends and husbands before her (current) beau, actor Ben Affleck (Prime).

The Color Purple
It was mostly snubbed for major Oscar nominations, but the musical remake of The Color Purple (below) is nonetheless an exhilarating, emotional experience, with a heart-tugging story and standout performances by an all-star cast (Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Halle Berry, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Ciara, and H.E.R.). Watch it streaming today (Max).

SATURDAY, Feb. 17
An American in Austen
A librarian (Eliza Bennett, below) who thinks no one can live up to Mr. Darcy suddenly finds herself inside her favorite Jane Austen novel, Pride & Prejudice, where the famous author offers advice on her love life (8 p.m., Hallmark Channel).

SUNDAY, Feb. 18
American idol
New season premieres tonight as judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Ryan Seacrest seek the cream of the crop of American’s new singing talent (8 p.m., ABC).

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Emmy-winning late-night satirical news show kicks off its 11th season (11 p.m., HBO).

MONDAY, Feb. 19
James Brown: Say It Loud
Two-night documentary event examines the legacy of the King of Soul as a creative force, cultural ambassador and internationally famous Black changemaker, with interviews from Mick Jagger, LL Cool J, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and many more (8 p.m., A&E).

The Madame Blanc Mysteries
Season three premieres about the respected antiques dealer (Sally Lindsay), whose expertise with “relics” comes in handy solving a series of murders in a lovely French village (AcornTV).

TUESDAY, Feb. 20
Ready to Sell Out
Comedian/actor Mike Epps takes the stage for his fourth Netflix standup special, with zing-y twists on where all his money’s gone, his love life, and more (Netflix).

Crime Nation
Dive into riveting true crime stories with expert analysis, exclusive reporting and interviews with people at the center of the investigations—including crime enthusiasts, digital detectives and social media sleuths who have sometimes helped solve cases (The CW).

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21
Constellation
Eight-part psychological thriller stars Noomi Rapice (below) and Jonathan Banks in a wild tale of an astronaut who returns to Earth after a disaster in space…only to discover that key pieces of her life are missing (Apple TV+).

Hunt for the Oldest DNA
Scientists decipher ancient genetic blueprints to reveal amazing new facts about creatures that once thrived in the once-lush Arctic (9 p.m., PBS).

Dolly Parton’s Pet Gala
The country superstar goes to the dogs (and other critters) in this star-studded runway show featuring celebs and the best in canine fashion from Parton’s pet line…and appearances by Young Sheldon’s Iain Armitage, Neil Patrick Harris, Jane Lynch, Jessica Simpson and more (9 p.m., CBS).

THURSDAY, Feb. 22
Avatar: The Last Airbender New animated spinoff of the hit blockbuster franchise furthers the adventures in the water, on the land, and in the air (Netflix).

Feb 09 2024
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Books, DVDs, Movies, Pop Culture, Television, Uncategorized

The Entertainment Forecast

Feb. 9 – Feb. 15

Marissa Tomei gets ‘Upgraded,’ Justin Hartley tracks bad guys, plus Black spacemen & pet shenanigans

Sara Silverman gets ‘stupid’ with all kinds of pets.

All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, Feb. 9
Upgraded
Camila Mendes and Archie Renaux star in this romcom set in the art world, where an intern at an art museum pretends to be the director, setting off a white lie that sets off a glamorous chain of romance, perks and opportunity…like flying first-class—and causes some very serious problems (Prime). 

Gospel Live!
Henry Lewis Gates Jr. hosts a celebration of roof-raising gospel music, with performances by John Legend, Erica Campbell, Anthony Hamilton and others, performed in front a live audience at a church in Los Angeles (9 p.m., PBS).

SATURDAY, Feb. 10
Super Bowl Soulful Celebration 25th Anniversary
Cedric and Entertainer and Tichina Arnold (of TV’s The Neighborhood) host this pre-taped pre-game concert blowout (ahead of tomorrow’s game), which has come along way from its humble roots as a gospel-themed brunch in Miami (8 p.m., CBS)

CMT’s Campfire Sessions
A sweet lead-up to Cupid’s big day, country stars gather ‘round the campfire for acoustic performances of some of the format’s greatest love songs. Performers include Chris Young, Darius Rucker, Sara Evans, Caitlyn Smith and Tenille Townes (10 p.m., CMT).

SUNDAY, Feb. 11
Tracker  
Justin Hartley (from This is Us) stars in this new series (above) as a lone-wolf survivalist who roams the country tracking down bad guys and using his expert skills to help law enforcement and ordinary citizens (on CBS, following the Super Bowl).

MONDAY, Feb. 12
Gospel
Two-night special event traces the history of Black spirituality through worship and song, hosted by professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. (check listings, PBS).

The Space Race
Documentary (above) about pioneering Black astronauts, scientists and engineers who joined NASA to serve America’s space program in the 1960s, even as their country was failing to achieve equality for them back on Earth (NatGeo).

TUESDAY, Feb. 13
Five Blind Dates
Australian import movie about a woman told by a fortune teller that she’ll meet her soulmate in the next five blind dates she goes on (Prime).

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14
The New Look
Ben Mendelsohn stars as Christian Dior and Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel in this new drama series (above) about how the iconic designers (and others) navigated the horrors of World War II and launched modern fashion (Apple TV+)

Players
Romcom about moving from one-night stands into a steady relationship stars Gina Rodriguez and Daymon Wayans Jr. (Netflix).

THURSDAY, Feb. 15
Bold & Bougie
Reality series follows a group of Black female entrepreneurs (above) who have charted their own professional—and personal—courses (9 p.m., AMC). 

Far North
Tonight’s two-episode premiere of the international crime caper dramedy is inspired by New Zealand’s largest meth bust, as an Australian gang’s lucrative drug deal with a global cartel goes away and they’re left stranded with 500kg of speed, nowhere to turn…and a boatload of lies (AMC+).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Memory is one of the mysteries of the mind, but psychology and neuroscience professor Charan Ranganath sheds some eye-opening new light on the subject in Why We Remember (Doubleday), a fascinating tour of the role our recollections play in our lives, from recalling faces and names to learning new things, making decisions, charting career courses, dealing with trauma and finding happiness. Also, why we keep forgetting to lock doors, turn off ovens, and…hey, where’s my car keys?

Now that technology has advanced to the point where everyone has a camera on standby (on our ever-present mobile phones), the lavishly illustrated Collaboration: A Potential History of Photography (Thames & Hudson) is a fascinating examination of why—and how—photographs are mementoes, historical records, art, souvenirs…and “collaborations” representing what’s in front of the camera and who’s behind it. This deep dive into the wide world of photography should be required reading for all shutterbugs.

2.15

BRING IT HOME          

Jack Black’s cult-classic gonzo movie masterpiece from 2006, Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny, now finally debuts on Blu-ray, with his cohort and collaborator Kyle Glass and musical guests and celeb cameos from Fred Armisen, Amy Poehler, Dave Grohl and Ronnie James Dio. Plus commentary, behind the scenes and more! (Shout! Factory)

Feb 02 2024
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Books, Humor, Movies, Pop Culture, Television, Uncategorized

The Entertainment Forecast

Feb. 2 – Feb. 8

Spy shenanigans, dummies on stage, and big South American blockheads

All times Eastern.

They’re spies deep undercover—as a married couple!

FRIDAY, Feb. 2
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
New series stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine (above) as two employees of a mysterious spy agency that offers them a glorious life of sexy espionage, world travel and a home in a dreamy Manhattan brownstone. The catch: They have to change their names and get married (Prime).

The Tiger’s Apprentice
Based on this best-selling novel, this animated family film—about a Chinese American teenager and mythical tiger—features the voices of Soo Hoo, Henry Golding, Sandra Oh and Michelle Yeoh (Paramount +).

Love & WWE: Bianca and Montez
Go beyond the ring and into the lives of pro wrestling’s hottest couple, Bianca Belair and Montez Ford (above), in this new docuseries (Hulu).

SATURDAY, Feb. 3
Jeff Dunham: I’m With Cupid
Get ready for Valentine’s Day with this comedy special filmed in Tampa, Fla., featuring the ventriloquist and his dummy cohorts Walter, Bubba J, Peanu, Jose Jalapeno and more (8 p.m., Comedy Central).

SUNDAY, Feb. 4
The Grammy Awards
SZA, Phoebe Bridgers, Jon Batiste, Brandy Clark, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish are among the top contenders for this years’ live industry-voted ceremony honoring the best in all genres of music (9 p.m., CBS).

The Harlem Hellfighters
Hour-long documentary produced by Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts examines the predominately Black military unit fought nearly impossible odds to become an extraordinary fighting force in World War II (9 p.m., History).

Curb Your Enthusiasm
The Emmy Award-winning series begins its twelfth and final ten-episode season tonight, with Larry David wrapping it up as an over-the-top version of himself (Max).

MONDAY, Feb. 5
Sister Una Lived a Good Life
Touching documentary chronicles the inspring journey of a Boston-born, California-raised Irish Catholic nun, who lived a life full of bawdy humor, fun and good deeds, eventually succumbing to cancer and planning her own funeral (8 p.m., PBS). 

TUESDAY, Feb. 6
Cybersleuths: The Idaho Murders
True-crime fans will want to tune into this three-part docuseries which looks at the surging world of self-appointed online sleuths who sifting through clues to the savage slaying of four University of Idaho students in 2022 (Paramount+).

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 7
The Connors
John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf and Sara Gilbert head into season six of the prime-time comedy series, grappling with more financial pressures, parenting issues, marriage ups and downs and aging (8 p.m., ABC).

Easter Island Origins
Those enigmatic oversized stone heads facing the ocean on a South American island? Now new research reveals intriguing evidence of their origins and the ancient people who created them (9 p.m., PBS).

THURSDAY, Feb. 8
Tokyo Vice
Ten-episode second season of the dramatic series starring Ansel Elgort (above) goes even deeper into the Japanese criminal underworld (Max).

Impractical Jokers
The master pranksters (above) return for a tenth season of hidden camera hijinks featuring a host of celebrities in cameos (10 p.m., truTV).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

I’ve known the guys in Sawyer Brown since their earliest days, just after they won TV’s Star Search and got signed in the mid-80s to Nashville’s Capitol Records. In The Boys and Me (Forefront, Feb. 6), front man Mark Miller recounts his four decades in the hit-making, hard-touring band, which became a radio mainstay with “Step That Step,” “Thank God for You” and some 50 other hits. Find out how a kid from Ohio found went from stunt skiing at Disney World to leading a country music supergroup to the top of the charts.  

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