Worth Watching: ‘Mayans’ Road Trip, a Famous ‘Feud,’ ‘Frontline’ Investigates Flint Water Crisis, ‘Mr. Mercedes’
A selective critical checklist of notable Tuesday TV:
Mayans M.C. (10/9c, FX): What better way for biker brothers to bond than on a road trip? In the Sons of Anarchy spinoff, that’s EZ’s (J.D. Pardo) strategy as he patches up his rift with Angel (Clayton Cardenas) by sharing a family secret, then taking a ride up north to Stockton. But, as you’d expect on this raucous show, they can’t help but roll into trouble, courtesy of a local club of racist knuckleheads. Or, as Angel delicately puts it, “You guys watch some b.s. TV show and think a vest and two wheels make you a club?” (Wonder what b.s. TV show he’s talking about?) Back on the home front, both the Mayans and the mercenaries are on the hunt for runaway little Mili — but she’s not the only one who impulsively goes missing, causing a stir in the world of the Galindos.
The Feud and Flint’s Deadly Water (PBS, 9/8c and 10/9c, check local listings at pbs.org): Two of PBS’s best non-fiction series are in high gear, starting with American Experience delving into the circumstances behind The Feud — which would be the deadly conflict between the Hatfield and McCoy clans in 1880s Appalachia. The family’s rivalry is ignited by post-Civil War development in the region, with the Hatfields profiting from the timber trade while the agrarian McCoys struggled to survive on the family farm. When a clash on Election Day 1882 costs a Hatfield his life at the hands of three McCoy brothers, the stage is set for violent retribution that made the history books.
The ever-topical Frontline airs the results of a two-year investigation into the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, revealing that lead poisoning was only part of the problem, and that an outbreak of Legionaires’ disease caused by waterborne bacteria may have claimed more lives than were officially reported. Along with exclusive interviews, Flint’s Deadly Waters combs through state e-mails and other documents to report the failure of government officials to stop the crisis and whether anyone will ever be held accountable for the ensuing tragedy.
Mr. Mercedes (10/9c, AT&T Audience Network): Stephen King‘s acclaimed Bill Hodges trilogy continues, though out of order, with the third season tackling the second book in the series: Finders Keepers. Once again, curmudgeonly retired detective Hodges (Brendan Gleeson) teams with sidekicks Holly (Justine Lupe, currently in Succession) and Jerome (Jharrel Jerome, Emmy-nominated for When They See Us) to look into the murder of renowned local author John Rothstein (Bruce Dern). The stakes are raised when it’s discovered that several of his unpublished works, worth millions, are missing.
Inside Tuesday TV: Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire) suffers, and makes others suffer, in the wrenching four-part British mystery drama The Victim (streaming on BritBox). She plays Anna Dean, still grieving the murder of her young son 14 years later, when she publicly accuses family man Craig Meyers (James Harkness) of the crime, leading to retaliation and legal consequences that may leave viewers wondering who indeed is the victim here… In the Netflix stand-up comedy special Bill Burr: Paper Tiger, the comedian (F is for Family) entertains an audience at London’s Royal Albert Hall with his unsparing takes on everything from male feminists to Michelle Obama’s book tour… ESPN’s 30 for 30 series presents Rodman: For Better or Worse (9/8c), a profile of outrageous NBA legend Dennis Rodman, whose extensive interview with director Todd Kapostasy touches on his remarkable and turbulent career, and his controversial relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
