Russia never really got performance art. Nor did they ever understand punk music.
So when the radical young women in an artists’ collective called Pussy Riot pulled on their day-glo ski masks for a performance that crashed into the altar at Christ the Savior Cathedral a year ago, the deck was stacked against them.
There hadn’t been much reaction when the group did something similar at Red Square, so the young women were probably shocked when they were thrown in jail for two years hard labor after a show trial on charges of religious hatred (actually they were fighting the intersection of church and state in the 40 seconds they were performing). Others were shocked, too, worldwide and Pussy Riot became an international incident with a nearly indecent name.
A pair of filmmakers who followed the case from the start pull the ski masks off the thoughtful women (some of whom had participated in much more confrontational performance art, such as mass copulation at a biology lab) and show the state overreaction for what it was in the documentary “Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer” (HBO, 9 p.m.). Much of the drama is created for Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin in the bewildering show trial where the three arrested women, Nadia Masha and Katia are literally in a gilded glass box, to be poked and photographed by hoardes of media but are prevented from talking amongst themselves. The absorbing tale kicks off a summer of what look to be pretty strong Monday night documentaries for HBO.
Not satisfied with just one singing competition, “The Voice” (NBC, 8 p.m.), which is down to its final five, the network previews a second one, “The Winner Is…” (NBC, 10 p.m.), hosted by Nick Lachey, in which a half dozen acts compete for $1 million. Its regular run is in July.
Jon Tenney and Rebecca Romijn star as former Secret Service agents who are now private investigators in the new series “King & Maxwell” (TNT, 10 p.m.), based on the books of David Baldacci. It accompanies the return of “The Closer” spin-off, “Major Crimes” (TNT, 9 p.m.), which has a new deputy district attorney played by Nadine Velazquez.
The new “Street Outlaws” (Discovery, 10 p.m.) looks into the world of street racing in Oklahoma City. Also new, “Last Call Food Brawl” (Destination America, 10 p.m.) pits chefs in a different city each week to come up with the best late night grub. And “The Freshman Class” (Food Network, 10:30 p.m.) follows students at the Louisiana Culinary Institute through their studies.
Just as in the days of the old summer replacement shows, the warm season is a time for comics to get new opportunities. Conan O’Bein writer Deon Cole gets his own half hour of video clips, “Deon Cole’s Black Box” (TBS, 10 p.m.) and John Oliver takes the desk at “The Daily Show” (Comedy Central, 11 p.m.) beginning a summer-long sitting in for Jon Stewart, who takes time off to direct his first film.
Ratings are bottoming out at “The Bachelorette” (ABC, 8 p.m.). People don’t like to watch insincere men.
“Switched at Birth” (ABC Family, 8 p.m.) is back with new episodes.
Charlie Sheen quietly returns to prime time broadcast TV as his FX cable show “Anger Management” (Fox, 9:30 p.m.) fills a hole at the network.
On “Mistresses” (ABC, 10 p.m.), Savi wants to tell her husband about her office indiscretion but he’d probably be so bored, he’ll probably turn the channel too. (Better for him to ask her: Savi is your name? Really?)
The lesson for the trip to Mexico on “The Real Housewives of Orange County” (Bravo, 9 p.m.) is not so much don’t drink the water as it is don’t drink.
The month-long Monday night salute to actress Eleanor Parker continues with “Caged” (TCM, 8 p.m.), “Chain Lightning” (TCM, 9:45 p.m.), “Of Human Bondage” (TCM, 11:30 p.m.), “Never Say Goodbybe” (TCM, 1:30 a.m.), “Pride of the Marines” (TCM, 3:15 a.m.) and “Escape Me Never” (TCM, 5:30 a.m.).
It’s Boston at Tampa Bay (ESPN, 7 p.m.) in Monday Night Baseball.
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Jennifer Connelly, Henry Cavill, Little Mix, Howie Mandel. The View: Lionel Richie, Mary McDonnell, Luciana Gimenez. The Talk: Chi-Lan Lieu, Marie Osmond. Ellen DeGeneres: Wendy Williams, Keaton Simons. Wendy Williams: Sam Champion, Rochelle Aytes.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Russell Brand, Michael Shannon, Haim. Jay Leno: Kevin Bacon, Mel B, Bad Company. Jimmy Kimmel: Amy Adams, Dave Franco, Lady Antebellum (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Russell Crowe, Sofia Coppola, Jaime King, Kelly Rowland. Craig Ferguson: Jonah Hill, Tony Kanaan. Tavis Smiley: Richard Haass, Rom Reiss. Jon Oliver: Seth Rogen. Stephen Colbert: Dan Savage. Conan O’Brien: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Maria Menounos, New Politics. Chelsea Handler: Lauren Conrad, Jeff Wild, Sarah Colonna, Josh Wolf, Ross Mathews.