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What You Should Watch This Weekend if You Have Kids or Miss ‘Downton Abbey’ What You Should Watch if You Have Kids or Miss ‘Downton Abbey’
(14 days later)
Welcome to Watching, The New York Times’s what-to-watch guide. We comb through releases big and small to email readers twice a week with our timely recommendations. You can browse previous guides here, and to receive recommendations straight to your inbox, sign up here. Stay tuned for our coming website.Welcome to Watching, The New York Times’s what-to-watch guide. We comb through releases big and small to email readers twice a week with our timely recommendations. You can browse previous guides here, and to receive recommendations straight to your inbox, sign up here. Stay tuned for our coming website.
The sad truth is that I’ve have a song from the NBC series “Smash” stuck in my head for three whole days. And not even one of the great ones. No, I’ve been humming “History Is Made at Night.” That’s Tier 2 at best! Thanks for nothing, brain.The sad truth is that I’ve have a song from the NBC series “Smash” stuck in my head for three whole days. And not even one of the great ones. No, I’ve been humming “History Is Made at Night.” That’s Tier 2 at best! Thanks for nothing, brain.
This weekend, in an attempt to dislodge said doo-wop number, I’ll be finishing up my “Southland” rewatch (if you’ve never seen this police drama, you should start) and seething with jealousy that England is able to enjoy a new season of “The Great British Bake-Off.” We in the States have to just practice patience, I guess.This weekend, in an attempt to dislodge said doo-wop number, I’ll be finishing up my “Southland” rewatch (if you’ve never seen this police drama, you should start) and seething with jealousy that England is able to enjoy a new season of “The Great British Bake-Off.” We in the States have to just practice patience, I guess.
See you Monday, pals.See you Monday, pals.
“Horrible Histories,” Hulu“Horrible Histories,” Hulu
Watch if you wish Monty Python were more factual, or if you imagine you’d be the coolest social studies teacher.Watch if you wish Monty Python were more factual, or if you imagine you’d be the coolest social studies teacher.
“Horrible Histories” is a beloved series of kid-geared books, and it’s been adapted into several TV formats, including this brilliant live-action sketch version that premiered in Britain in 2009. It’s deeply silly and frequently hilarious, and is hosted by a rat puppet — but it’s also genuinely educational, and covers a wide variety of historical topics (Socrates, Joan of Arc, the Titanic). There are 82 episodes available, and it’s very consistent, so there’s no bad episode to pick. There’s occasional toilet humor, but if you’re trying to convince an 11-year-old to give it a go, that might be a selling point.“Horrible Histories” is a beloved series of kid-geared books, and it’s been adapted into several TV formats, including this brilliant live-action sketch version that premiered in Britain in 2009. It’s deeply silly and frequently hilarious, and is hosted by a rat puppet — but it’s also genuinely educational, and covers a wide variety of historical topics (Socrates, Joan of Arc, the Titanic). There are 82 episodes available, and it’s very consistent, so there’s no bad episode to pick. There’s occasional toilet humor, but if you’re trying to convince an 11-year-old to give it a go, that might be a selling point.
“I Miss Downton Abbey!” Sunday, 9 p.m., some PBS affiliates (check your local listings).“I Miss Downton Abbey!” Sunday, 9 p.m., some PBS affiliates (check your local listings).
Watch if … well, you get it.Watch if … well, you get it.
I’m surprised that more shows don’t have self-canonizing specials like this, especially this long after their finales. I’d totally watch a “Are You Still Thinking About ‘Mad Men’?” special. Or “‘Lost:’ Like, It’s Been a Few Years, You Can Chill.” Or “‘ER’ Was So Good.” So many people complaining about the “nostalgia boom,” so few people making the sort of nostalgia I am deeply interested in.I’m surprised that more shows don’t have self-canonizing specials like this, especially this long after their finales. I’d totally watch a “Are You Still Thinking About ‘Mad Men’?” special. Or “‘Lost:’ Like, It’s Been a Few Years, You Can Chill.” Or “‘ER’ Was So Good.” So many people complaining about the “nostalgia boom,” so few people making the sort of nostalgia I am deeply interested in.
“Spiral” (“Engrenages” in France), Netflix (four seasons), Hulu (five seasons).“Spiral” (“Engrenages” in France), Netflix (four seasons), Hulu (five seasons).
Watch if you like gory, bleak foreign murder mysteries.Watch if you like gory, bleak foreign murder mysteries.
The French series “Spiral” premiered in 2005, so it predates most of the shows that are like it — “The Killing” and “The Bridge” specifically. Do I even need to say that the series begins with the discovery of a dead woman’s mutilated, mostly nude body? It does. But it also has depth and potency, particularly in its character development, if not always in its plotting. The eight-episode first season focuses on one particular investigation, and subsequent seasons keep the cop and lawyer characters but vary the cases.The French series “Spiral” premiered in 2005, so it predates most of the shows that are like it — “The Killing” and “The Bridge” specifically. Do I even need to say that the series begins with the discovery of a dead woman’s mutilated, mostly nude body? It does. But it also has depth and potency, particularly in its character development, if not always in its plotting. The eight-episode first season focuses on one particular investigation, and subsequent seasons keep the cop and lawyer characters but vary the cases.
“Monkey Thieves,” Hulu.“Monkey Thieves,” Hulu.
Watch if you like monkey business. Ho, ho.Watch if you like monkey business. Ho, ho.
You might think this is about people who steal monkeys, à la the absolute worst moment in “Law & Order” franchise history, but it’s the monkeys themselves who are the thieves!You might think this is about people who steal monkeys, à la the absolute worst moment in “Law & Order” franchise history, but it’s the monkeys themselves who are the thieves!
HBO’s misery-packed limited series “The Night Of” ends its eight-episode season Sunday night with an extra-lengthy installment. (It’s almost two hours long.) If you need to brush up a little, our recaps of the previous episodes can be found here.HBO’s misery-packed limited series “The Night Of” ends its eight-episode season Sunday night with an extra-lengthy installment. (It’s almost two hours long.) If you need to brush up a little, our recaps of the previous episodes can be found here.
She’s a tomboy who doesn’t fit in at the local community center — not at her brother’s boxing ring and not on the all-girls dance team. But 11-year-old Toni (Royalty Hightower) wants to belong. Unfortunately for her, fitting in means potentially catching a mysterious seizure-like condition that has befallen the dancers. They call it “the fits,” which gives the movie its name.She’s a tomboy who doesn’t fit in at the local community center — not at her brother’s boxing ring and not on the all-girls dance team. But 11-year-old Toni (Royalty Hightower) wants to belong. Unfortunately for her, fitting in means potentially catching a mysterious seizure-like condition that has befallen the dancers. They call it “the fits,” which gives the movie its name.
“The Fits” is an impressive debut for both Hightower and the director Anna Rose Holmer. Hightower’s understated performance allows her (and us) to observe the gender divided corners of her community center. And Holmer makes every one of her visually stunning scenes count by getting close to the action and slowing down the fast-paced hits, kicks and fits. (Watch on Amazon or iTunes) — Monica Castillo“The Fits” is an impressive debut for both Hightower and the director Anna Rose Holmer. Hightower’s understated performance allows her (and us) to observe the gender divided corners of her community center. And Holmer makes every one of her visually stunning scenes count by getting close to the action and slowing down the fast-paced hits, kicks and fits. (Watch on Amazon or iTunes) — Monica Castillo
Something silly: Uproxx’s explainer about CBS’s incoherent animals-are-turning-against-us drama “Zoo” is a thing of beauty.Something silly: Uproxx’s explainer about CBS’s incoherent animals-are-turning-against-us drama “Zoo” is a thing of beauty.
Something serious: The Hollywood Reporter’s feature “Little People, Big Woes in Hollywood: Low Pay, Degrading Jobs and a Tragic Death” is a long, worthwhile read.Something serious: The Hollywood Reporter’s feature “Little People, Big Woes in Hollywood: Low Pay, Degrading Jobs and a Tragic Death” is a long, worthwhile read.
Something surprisingly interesting: At first I scoffed, but Atlas Obscura’s “I Made a Shipwreck Expert Watch ‘The Little Mermaid’ and Judge Its Nautical Merits” is actually fascinating. Maritime archaeology! What a cool job.Something surprisingly interesting: At first I scoffed, but Atlas Obscura’s “I Made a Shipwreck Expert Watch ‘The Little Mermaid’ and Judge Its Nautical Merits” is actually fascinating. Maritime archaeology! What a cool job.