Worth Watching: Randall’s Trauma on ‘This Is Us,’ MLK Jr. Day on ‘mixed-ish,’ ‘Project Blue Book’ Tackles Roswell
A selective critical checklist of notable Tuesday TV:
This Is Us (9/8c, NBC): There’s a reason Sterling K. Brown has Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Awards, and multiple nominations, for his role of Randall Pearson, the deeply sensitive adopted son and (not the greatest storyline) newly minted Philadelphia councilman. This episode could easily secure him future nominations, when Randall’s anxieties for his family are triggered by a home-invading burglar. Flashbacks reveal a history of night terrors even before his beloved father Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) died. And now that he’s carrying the secret that his mother, Rebecca (Mandy Moore), is experiencing “‘mild cognitive impairment,” Randall’s need for control is severely shaken. It’s another great showcase for a great actor.
mixed-ish (9/8c, ABC): The black-ish spinoff takes us back to 1986, when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first nationally recognized. It’s a big day for the Johnson family, with Paul (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) eager to speak about his personal connection to the late civil-rights leader at the school assembly. Fearing embarrassment from their peers, the kids decide to ditch. On the work front, Alicia (Tika Sumpter) wants to hold father-in-law Harrison (Gary Cole) to his promise to take pro bono civil-rights cases on the holiday instead of golfing. Good luck with that.
Project Blue Book (10/9c, History): The speculative period piece, revisiting once-classified investigations into UFOs, opens its second season with a doozy: the iconic Roswell incident. In the first episode of a two-part story, astrophysicist Dr. J. Allen Hynek (Game of Thrones‘ Aidan Gillen) and Captain Michael Quinn (Michael Malarkey) follow General Harding (Neal McDonough) to the New Mexico site, reopening the file on the infamous 1947 crash after an anonymous townsperson threatens to expose evidence of extraterrestrials.
Inside Tuesday TV: PBS’ absorbing Finding Your Roots (8/7c, check local listings at pbs.org) investigates the Jewish heritage of actor Jeff Goldblum, revered Fresh Air radio host Terry Gross and GLOW star Marc Maron… With International Holocaust Remembrance Day next Monday, PBS marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz with a special edition of Secrets of the Dead (9/8c, check local listings at pbs.org), “Bombing Auschwitz,” which explores the debate on whether the Allies should have bombed the camp, risking Jewish lives to avoid future atrocities… PBS’s Frontline (10/9c, check local listings at pbs.org) follows with “The Last Survivors,” featuring interviews with some of the last survivors of the Holocaust… Fox’s The Resident (8/7c) finds a way to bring Conrad (Matt Czuchry) back to Chastain, when he encounters a popular soccer star with mysterious symptoms… National Geographic Channel’s Running Wild with Bear Grylls (10/9c) ends its season with Zachary Quinto (Star Trek) racing through a Panamanian jungle with the adventurer to reach an extraction point before a storm reaches land… The outrageous Southern-fried comedian Fortune Feimster (The Mindy Project) scores her first Netflix comedy special, Fortune Feimster: Sweet & Salty, with reflections on her childhood as a Girl Scout and how a certain movie helped her realize she was a lesbian.
Conversation7 Comments
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R
3 NEW shows I've just checked out:
Everything's Gonna Be Okay (Freeform)...Very interesting (but sad) premise...QUITE unique and extraordinary cast...
Avenue 5 (HBO)...what The Orville could have been...if its humor had been sophisticated...
The Outsider (HBO)...the first two episodes were VERY intriguing...but then Cynthia Erivo showed up...WOW!!!
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T
Tonight, it's NCIS and what looks to be an awesome New Amsterdam!
Manifest was awesome last night!
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J
I'm in a quandary... more things tonight in too few timeslots. I may have to put off some of my viewing until tomorrow. I always like Finding Your Roots--very interesting and eye-opening. Also, Secrets of the Dead sounds like something to watch. Additionally, this week NOVA continues its journey through the solar system, this time discussing Saturn (but I may not have to worry about that until tomorrow). ANd of course there's FBI, which is my usual must-watch show on Tuesday.
Fred, re Carter: Yes, it was quirky and off-beat as usual. In fact, there were some sort of over-the-top moments. But it was enjoyable, as it was in the first season. A few changes, but nothing that's going to be to the detriment of the show. At some point in the not-too-distant future, there should be a way for you to watch it.
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G
My post deleted again earlier this morning. So I'll try again.
Thank you for the Carter analysis. I hope you enjoy the season.
Meanwhile none of my shows were worthy of a mention today. I'll watch both FBIs and the penultimate episode of Emergence which is actually part one of a two part season (likely series) finale. Not sure what I'm watching live though probably FBI: Most Wanted.
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R
Except for Sports events and Election Night returns...I don't watch anything LIVE...
(That's why God gave us DVRs!!!)
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R
I record every show I watch just in case I fall asleep or have something that must be done. However I strive to watch as many of my favorites live . Chief reasons:
I hate trying to avoid spoilers!
I love discussing episodes with family , friends and online asap.
I feel an urge to watch my favorites asap. Especially the shows with lots of twists and cliffhangers.
Lastly knowing me , if I rely on the DVR for everything, I will fall behind and end up deleting worthy shows.
Right now I'm up to date with all my shows.
Tonight watching my FBI shows live and watching Emergence at 11 if I can stay up.
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Although Emergence has not been renewed...(like many other ABC shows have been)...I don't think it's been (officially) Canceled...(yet)...
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