What’s Worth Watching: ‘Game of Thrones’, ‘Bloodline’, The National Memorial Day Concert and more for Friday, May 27 thru Sunday, May 29
Game of Thrones (Sunday, 9/8c): While we mourn good old “Hold-the-Door” Hodor, it’s probably fair to say we might get over our grief if the long-awaited showdown between Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and the murderously pious High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) ends with the Lannisters finally freed from the yoke of those unholy rollers. Mind you, we have major issues with this villainous family, but enough with the vile saints-in-burlap already. Time to move on. Same goes for Arya (Maisie Williams), who faces a difficult choice in her latest assignment in Braavos. Please, Girl, just run away from those mind-numbing Faceless whatevers.
Bloodline (Available Friday, Netflix): The second season of this atmospheric, slow-burning thriller set in the muggy Florida Keys revisits the powerful Rayburn family, who find anything but redemption in the wake of having rid themselves of black-sheep brother Danny (Ben Mendelsohn). The cover-up takes its toll on ambitious lawman John (Kyle Chandler) and his sibs (Linda Cardellini, Norbert Leo Butz), especially as they tentatively welcome Danny’s son, Nolan (Owen Teague), into the conflicted clan.
National Memorial Day Concert (Sunday, 8/7c, PBS: check local listings at pbs.org): Always a very moving way to kick off the summer season, this yearly concert tribute from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capital honors the military and their families, with a lineup including American Idol winner Trent Harmon (singing the National Anthem) and fellow alum Katharine McPhee, The Beach Boys, Broadway star Alfie Boe, country singer Trace Adkins, opera diva Renee Fleming, actors Esai Morales and S. Epatha Merkerson.
Inside Weekend TV: A special edition of ABC’s 20/20 (Friday, 10/9c), “Cosby on Trial,” updates the recent A&E documentary Cosby: The Women Speak (produced by ABC’s Lincoln Square Productions) to reflect this week’s ruling by a Pennsylvania judge that the disgraced comedian can now be tried on criminal charges of sexual assault. … Making the late-night rounds this week, Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders is the top-of-show interview guest on HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher (Friday, 10/9c). … You’ll never guess who the player is among the houseful of sex-starved computer geeks in HBO’s hilarious Silicon Valley (Sunday, 10/9c). It’s definitely not Richard (Thomas Middleditch), who sabotages his new romance by obsessing over tabs vs. spaces (it’s a keyboard thing). … The funniest subplot yet this season on HBO’s Veep (Sunday, 10:30/9:30c) involves the unlikely congressional campaign of the ungainly Jonah (Timothy Simons) in New Hampshire. But it’s presidential daughter Catherine (Sarah Sutherland) who ultimately rocks the White House with a surprise announcement. If anyone would ever listen. … The focus on Showtime’s haunting Penny Dreadful (Sunday, 10/9) turns to the Wild West this week, as Ethan (Josh Hartnett) eludes several hunting parties in a grueling desert trek to his Talbot Ranch homestead. Brian Cox guests as the patriarch in a homecoming that’s anything but happy.
