Worth Watching: The Grammys, ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’ ‘Walking Dead’ Returns, Margaret the Rebel Princess
A selective critical checklist of notable weekend TV:
The 61st Annual Grammy Awards (Sunday, 8/7c, 5/PT, CBS): Legendary divas command the spotlight during the music industry’s biggest and most eclectic awards night. Alicia Keys hosts from L.A.’s Staples Center, and while the show will be packed with performances from today’s leading artists of varying genres — including Oscar hopeful Lady Gaga, singing from A Star Is Born — the highlights are likely to be a series of salutes to longtime greats. The late Aretha Franklin will be honored with a tribute performed by Fantasia, Yolanda Adams and Andra Day. Diana Ross, celebrating her 75th birthday this year, takes the stage for a special performance. And beloved country great Dolly Parton returns to the Grammys for the first time since 2001, singing new material while her classic hits are covered by the likes of Katy Perry, Little Big Town, Maren Morris and Kacey Musgraves.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (Saturday, 8 pm/HBO and PBS, check local listings at pbs.org): There won’t be a dry eye in your neighborhood as Morgan Neville’s acclaimed documentary — unconscionably passed over for an Oscar nomination — makes its way to Fred Rogers’ chosen medium, TV. An evangelist for decency, Rogers spoke (and sang) directly and deeply to children for generations on his deceptively simple-seeming Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. This lovely film, a necessary tonic of civility for today’s combative culture, captures Rogers’s rare and emotionally affecting ability to connect with his young viewers, who flocked to his “I like you as you are” message. The child within all of us will never forget Mister Rogers.
The Walking Dead (Sunday, 9/8c, AMC): The tedious ninth season of the zombie-world thriller resumes with Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) wandering aimlessly now that someone inexplicably left his cage open. The rudderless heroes are busy coming to terms with the tragic death of Jesus (Tom Payne) and the emergence of the creepy Walkers, the new Big Bads who walk around in the skins of the dead. I can’t believe I’m actually missing the (much-improved) spinoff Fear the Walking Dead.
Margaret: The Rebel Princess (Sunday, 10/9c, PBS, check local listings at pbs.org): “Bad girls have all the fun” is a maxim that applies even — or possibly especially — to Britain’s royal family. That’s the thrust of a gossipy two-part documentary (concluding next Sunday) covering the scandalous peaks of Princess Margaret’s very public life, which reflected the changing mores of 1960s and ’70s culture with her choices in fashion, pastimes (motorcycle riding! clubbing!) and, naturally, men.
Inside Weekend TV: BBC America’s visually spectacular Dynasties nature series continues (Saturday, 9/8c) with the focus on a pack of painted wolves in Zimbabwe, led by matriarch Tait — who faces a challenge from daughter Blacktip, when her own pack runs out of space and may need to encroach on Tait’s lands… Mob scion Victoria Gotti executive produces her own Lifetime biopic, Victoria Gotti: My Father’s Daughter (Saturday, 8/7c), featuring General Hospital’s Maurice Benard as the “Teflon Don” and Chelsea Frei as his embattled offspring… Halsey is both host and musical guest on NBC’s Saturday Night Live (11:30/10:30c) — but first, in honor of his historic Super Bowl win, SNL replays Tom Brady’s 2005 guest-hosting stint in prime time (Saturday, 10/9c)… If you haven’t succumbed yet to movie-awards fatigue, BBC America presents The EE British Academy Film Awards (Sunday, 9/8c), aka the BAFTAs, hosted from London’s Royal Albert Hall by Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley… “Like” it or not, CNN Special Reports goes inside social media’s biggest and (lately) most controversial platform in Facebook at 15: It’s Complicated (Sunday, 9/8c).
Conversation17 Comments
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O
I wasn't born in the 70s but everyone old and young knew the iconic Saturday night CBS line up of All in the Family, MASH, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart and Carol Burnett. I would love it if they tried to have a real Saturday night comedy line up on television again. I know its a huge risk but hell what have they got to lose? If it doesn't work move them to other nights but at least try to give people who would love to have something to watch on Saturday nights something. It could actually work
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G
Well, depends on if the comedies CBS (or NBC, ABC, and Fox) airs on that night would have a big enough audience, maybe not as big as those you mentioned but good enough to not be among the lowest rated...
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G
Can't wait to see what current headlines are in the Cold Open and "Weekend Update" of tonight's "Saturday Night Live"!
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C
It's got to be Baldwin as Trump doing the State of the Union thing.
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G
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking especially that line about "If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation!'
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R
Hmm, Saturday is pretty much a wasteland, as usual. Not even a rerun of something good on CBS. Sunday is ruined too. Supergirl is a repeat, and of course CBS is a complete loss as well. The Simpsons will be new on Sunday, but that's only a half-hour.
Oh wait, TCM will be showing The Thin Man later, at 9:45. So at least the evening will end on a good note. 🙂
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C
I thought you liked The Zoo which has 2 new episodes on Sunday. (One isn't exactly new...it's a compilation of scenes about zoo babies...might be some new footage though.)
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R
Oh, that's news to me. I'm used to The Zoo being on on Saturdays. I didn't check Animal Planet's lineup for Sunday. Thanks for the info.
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C
If you'd read my original post, you would have known that already. I usually mention Animal Planet shows except for the rare ones I don't care for like Tanked!
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R
I did see your original post, but when I saw Walking Dead & Talking Dead, my eyes probably glazed over. :-p
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G
Did you ever get a chance and watch all of the Thin Man sequels ? Most are lots of fun.
I also recommend the Topper sequels, they are also very enjoyable especially the third in the series title Topper Returns, its a muti- murder mystery with lots of comedy and the same cute dog from the Thin Man series. I can watch these movies over and over again.
I found all of them on You Tube. Pretty clear also.
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R
The original Thin Man movie I've seen quite often. The 2nd one has been on often enough for me to see it a few times. The only other one I remember offhand is when Nick & Nora go to Nick's hometown and stay with his parents. I may have seen some or all of the others, but maybe only once.
Note: the name "The Thin Man" is actually misleading. In the original movie someone describes an unknown character as a "thin man," or maybe mentions the shadow of a thin man, I don't recall. Many people must have assumed the term referred to Nick, especially since the following movies are were also called The Thin Man.
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C
Whee! All my weekend shows are back! Tonight, I'm going to watch the Mr. Rogers movie, Victoria on Masterpiece, and Planet Earth: Dynasties!
Tomorrow, it's the return of Walking Dead, Talking Dead, Simpsons, Family Guy, and The Zoo plus a weekly episode of Worst Cooks!
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R
The Walking Dead...Any idea what that "Bonus scene from the Season 9 mid-season finale" is???
(It comes on for an hour [66 minutes] BEFORE the "real" NEW episode.)
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C
My listings say: "In this bonus scene from the Season 9 mid-season finale, Henry interrupts Enid as she's leaving the infirmary."
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R
OK...so...would you guess that the WHOLE 66 minutes is "Henry interrupts Enid as she's leaving the infirmary"...or...do you think it might just be a REPEAT of the Season 9 mid-season finale with a (5-10? minute) bonus scene just thrown in???
(I know...I know..."Just watch the damn thing and if it's a REPEAT...move on!!!")
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C
No, I wouldn't guess that. I think it's obvious that it's a repeat with the described bonus scene added in.
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