Back from a long walk on West Highland Way, I began the radio show with Scottish music, naturally, but also weird songs that came up along the way (“One Step Beyond!”). Music from a Glasgow show by the American group the Delines reverberated, and I learned more about Icelandic music since that was the only audio offered by Icelandair.
Took time to remember the contributions of Bob Neuwirth, who died last week at 82, and Robert Moog, born this day in 1934. Played some new releases of old bands from The Clash to The Rolling Stones. Also sampled the new Wilco. Here’s the link to the archived show. The setlist follows.
Sir David Attenborough is old, but not so old that he knows firsthand the era he’ll be covering in his latest nature series, “Prehistoric Planet” (Apple TV+, streaming) which won’t feature the world’s current creatures, but reproductions of dinosaurs.
Nor are the characters in a new series about Troy Adams’ go-kart track quite as young as the title may indicate, “Baby Drivers” (Discovery+, streaming).
The sci-fi animated “Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045” (Netflix, streaming) returns for a second season.
Season finales abound, on “The Neighborhood” (CBS, 8 p.m.), “All American” (CW, 8 p.m.), “Bob Hearts Abishola” (CBS, 8:30 p.m.), “NCIS” (CBS, 9 p.m.), “All American: Homecoming” (CW, 9 p.m.) and “NCIS: Hawaii” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
The one to watch, though, is “Better Call Saul” (AMC, 9 p.m.), which takes a pause after tonight’s episode; resuming with the final six episodes of the series in July.
Feds prepare their charges on “We Own This City” (HBO, 9 p.m.).
From South Korea comes “Welcome to Wedding Hell” (Netflix, streaming), a drama about a couple trying to plan their wedding date.
It’s not enough to name that tune, according to the game show “Don’t Forget the Lyrics!” (Fox, 8 p.m.), hosted by Niecy Nash, making its season premiere.
The former U.S. Marine who was detained in Russia since 2019 before being released last month, is interviewed by Jake Tapper about his ordeal on the special “Finally Home: The Trevor Reed Interview” (CNN, 8 p.m.).
Carrie Underwood, Michael Bublé, Melissa Etheridge and Flo Rina and Earth, Wind & Fire are among the special guests on the finale of “American Idol” (ABC, 8 p.m.) where, oh yes, a new “idol” is also named from the final three of Noah Thompson, HunterGirl and Leah Marlene.
The underrated “61st Street” (AMC+, streaming) has its first season finale. Don’t worry, the season makes its cable premiere May 29.
There is a season finale for “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (ABC, 7 p.m.), but honestly, did you even know it had been back on?
Jack and Duncan get famous for being on a local TV ad on “Duncanville” (Fox, 7:30 p.m.).
The church saga “Saints & Sinners” (Bounce, 8 p.m.) ends its sixth and final season.
Pop’s Diner fails to be declared an historic landmark on “Riverdale” (CW, 8 p.m.).
“The Simpsons” (Fox, 8 p.m.) has its 33rd (!) season finale, with Hugh Jackman lending his voice as a magical singing janitor.
Natasha Lyonne of “Russian Doll” hosts the 47th season finale of “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) with musical guest Japanese Breakfast. Finales usually bring out a lot of ex cast members (including Lyonne’s husband Fred Armisen). But it may well also be the last show for an array of cast members including Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, Kyle Mooney, Aidy Bryant and Michael Che.
“Planet Earth: Dynasties II” (BBC, 8 p.m.) returns for a second season, with David Attenborough narrating stories of the puma, elephant, chetah, hyena, meerkat and macaque.
A death threat against Signund Freud is the case on the first of two episodes of “Murdoch Mysteries” (Ovation, 7 p.m.).
Sports dominates primetime broadcast TV with Miami at Boston (ABC, 8:30 p.m.) in the NBA playoffs; Michigan at Birmingham (NBC, 7:30 p.m.) in USFL action and Nashville SC vs. Atlanta United FC (Fox, 7:30 p.m.) in major league soccer. What, no baseball?
The concluding half of Judd Apatow’s biographical documentary “George Carlin’s American Dream” (HBO, 8 p.m.) considers his legacy.
The made for TV “Romance to the Rescue” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.), Nathan With and Andrea Brooks play a couple who meet through their dogs.
A beloved national park is the setting for the made-for-TV thriller “Disappearance in Yellowstone” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.) with Lucie Guest and Jonathan Scarfe.
Jade Bird and Dayglow play an “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m.) from last year.
The genius of longtime comedian and social observer is explored by comedy student and director Judd Apatow in the two-part documentary “George Carlin’s American Dream” (HBO, 8 p.m.), featuring eager participation from a load of other comics including Stephen Colbert, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Patton Oswalt and Bill Burr. It concludes Saturday.
A group of Canadian comics specializing in sketch comedy, meanwhile, are celebrated in the documentary “The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks” (Amazon Prime, streaming).
Andy Samberg and John Mulaney would seem the unlikely voices to embody “Chip n’ Dale: RescueRangers” (Disney+, streaming). But that’s the charm of this feature, reuniting the chipmunks in a fancy animated and live action hybrid that has a lot of inside cartoon jokes to keep it going. Others lending their talents include Will Arnett, Eric Bana, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Kiki Layne and J.K. Simmons.
Simmons also co-stars with Sissy Spacek in the new series “Night Sky” (Amazon Prime, streaming) about a couple who find a portal to another planet in their backyard.
In “The Valet” (Hulu, streaming), a new film premiering today, Samara Weaving plays a movie star who grabs a valet (Eugenio Derbez) to pretend to be her boyfriend after she’s caught by paparazzi with her married lover (Max Greenfield).
Emmy Rossum, once of “Shameless,” dons the big blonde wig, the pink Corvette and other attributes to become “Angelyne” (Peacock, streaming) in a five-part limited series about the woman who created a sensation when she plastered herself on Los Angeles billboards in the 1980s, deeming herself a superstar even if nobody else did.
First a series of spy novels, and then a movie starring Michael Caine, “The Ipcress File” (AMC+, Sundance Now, streaming) finds new life as a series with Joe Cole of “Peaky Blinders” taking the lead role in the Cold War saga; Lucy Boynton and Tom Hollander co-star.
Comedian Adam Conover looks into how government works in his new six-part series “The G Word withAdam Conover” (Netflix, streaming).
Contemporary comedians celebrate their forebears in “The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up” (Netflix, streaming).
The Argentine murder of a photojournalist Luis Cabezas in 1997 may have involved the country’s elite according to the new documentary “The Photographer: Murder in Pinamar” (Netflix, streaming).
Actual gospel star Yolanda Adams stars as a fictional gospel star in the new drama “Kingdom Business” (BET+, streaming) and Serayah plays opposite as a gospel pole dancer.
The heady and innovative “Atlanta” (FX, 10 p.m.) has its penultimate season finale.
A new four-part documentary series about the work of wellness and spiritual influencer Teal Swan (pictured), a survivor of severe childhood abuse, tends to think she instead leads a cult, currently in Costa Rica, according to the series title, “The Deep End” (Freeform, 10 p.m.). A rare doc for the network, it also streams on Hulu.
Singles from the UK come to the U.S. to date in a high school situation — and possibly win money— in the new series “Lovestruck High” (Amazon Prime, streaming).
Texas twins Chris and Calvin LaMont help families find their dream homes on the new “Buy It or Build It” (HGTV, 9 p.m.).
“Colombia — Wild and Free” (PBS, 10 p.m.) is a new two-part nature documentary on the South American country, concentrating first on its eastern half. It concludes next week.
Closer to home is the nature special “Miami Wild” (Smithsonian, 8 p.m.).
The whole container ship mishap blocking theSuez Canal in March 2021 gets an analysis on “Nova” (PBS, 9 p.m.).
Hey look what’s back after three years: “So You Think You Can Dance” (Fox, 9 p.m.). Its 17th (!) season features a new slate of judges consisting of Stephen “Twitch” Boss, JoJo Siwa and Matthew Morrison replacing Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and company. But returning as host is Cat Deeley. It starts, of course, with auditions.
Because I was rushing out the door at the end of my last show, I didn’t have time to post the archived show until now, when you now determine whether my anticipation for a 96 mile trek on Scotland’s West Highland Way was accurate or warranted.
Now that I’ve returned (having made the trek, soggily), here’s the set. It’s shorter than usual – under three hours! – and concentrates on the contemplation of step after step of walking — after a few songs about the merry month of May (with one about the first of May, and one about the third; but none about the second).
Will be back on www.cygnusradio.com Monday at 1 p.m. EDT — 6 p.m. Glasgow time. Here’s the link to the May 2 show. The setlist follows.
The original cast of the Tony-winning “Spring Awakening,” including Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele and John Gallagher Jr., reunites after 15 years with a one-time concert event, captured in the documentary “Spring Awakening: Those You’ve Known” (HBO, 9 p.m.).
One of the deadliest disasters in California history, a dam collapse in 1928 that killed more than 400 people is retold in an episode of “American Experience” (PBS, 9 p.m.).
It’s followed by the concluding episode in the three part “Frontline” (PBS, 10 p.m.) on the oil industry’s infuriating efforts to derail action on climate change over the years. .
True crime gets a game show patina in the new series “Who Do You Believe?” (ABC, 10 p.m.) in which side by side stories of a single crime are told, leaving viewers to figure out what’s true.
It caps an ABC night that begins with the extreme mini-golf competition “Holey Moley” (ABC, 8 p.m.) is back for a new season with Rob Riggle and Joe Tessitore.
It comes alongside the return of the brainy quiz show “The Chase” (ABC, 9 p.m.), hosted by Sara Haines and featuring Victoria Groce, Brandon Blackwell and Buzzy Cohen joining as new chasers. Other game show tonight: “Name That Tune” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
