This fall’s flurry about songs Bob Dylan composed 47 years ago in upstate New York has resulted not only in a five-CD package of 138 recovered recordings, but a mysterious box of lyrics that never had music put to them at all.
They were obtained by former Dylan cohort and band member, and now Grammy-winning producer T Bone Burnett and distributed to some creative recording artists he knows — Elvis Costello, Marcus Mumford, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes and Rhiannon Giddens, formerly of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
Working solo and apart, they tried to come up with musical approaches to Dylan’s lyrics, rather in a way that “Wagon Wheel” became an Americana singalong. The Dylanesque parts of the songs become lost in pure professionalism, smoothing out the appealing crags of the original basement jams. Some come fully prepared — Costello and James come with songs recorded on their iPhones; Costello’s recorded in a plane bathroom. Others are either understandably cowed by the task or aren’t so good under pressure. That makes them try even harder. In the end they have to perform as a band, one which, at one point, includes Johnny Depp for some unexplained reason (it was recorded at Hollywood’s iconic Capitol Records tower maybe).
Anyway, you get the idea during the documentary made during the making of the album, “Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) that it was at least a noble effort, if not entirely successful. But the surprise about Sam Jones’ film is that he gets Dylan himself to narrate what he remembers about the era, which isn’t much (the re-enactments that go along with it are much less convincing).
Two earlier posts about the project can be found here and here.
In the streaming world, “Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street” (Amazon Prime, streaming) is the best kids’ series in a while, chronicling the life of a trio of friends whose common suburban woes take some magical turns, as with the eccentric woman at the end of the street in the first episode. It’s a first time effort from a former preschool teacher David Anaxagoras that’s smart and engaging, and has appeal to those beyond its target it audience, like the old “Adventures of Pete and Pete.” The first six episodes are streaming now.
“Lilyhammer” (Netflix, streaming), the series starring Steven Van Zandt as a Jersey mobster in Norway, returns for its third season. Its problem used to come in trying to play to both U.S. and Norweigian audiences. The season premiere takes part largely in Brazil, where Roar has obtained an internet bride.
A natural documentary push the weekend before Thanksgiving is a handful of documentaries under the title “Eat: The Story of Food” on the National Geographic Channel.
The first of them, “Food Revolutionaries” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.) salutes figures from Julia Child to Christopher Columbus (he brought back tomatoes and red chills and dark chocolate from his voyage) to Chef BoyArDee. The scattershot show features a whole lot of talking heads, each of whom are asked to first spell their name.
They reappear in the second film, “Carnivores” (National Geographic, 10 p.m.), talking about the weirdest cuts they’ve had (“Testicles,” says Luella Lawson) and throwing out some unproven declarations (“meat is what makes us human”). Vegetarians would argue the opposite.
Elaine Page and John Mills star in a 1977 production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” from London’s Adelphia Theatre on “Great Performances” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings.
The movie version of the best seller about the pre-kindergartener Colton Burpo who finds afterlife certainty in the book “Heaven is for Real” (Starz, 9 p.m.) makes its cable premiere, with Greg Kinnear.
“Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.) closes out the year with guests John Cleese, Chris Matthews, Seth Rogen, Roland Martin and Canadian politician Chrystia Freeland.
“The Amazing Race” (CBS, 8 p.m.) moves to Malta.
The month-long Friday night salute to road movies on Turner Classic Movies brings some 70s nuggets, with Steven Spielberg’s “Duel” (8 p.m.), followed by “Slither” (10 p.m.), “Scarecrow” (midnight), “The Last Detail” (2 a.m.) and “The Rain People” (4 a.m.).
Men’s college hoops includes Dayton vs. Connecticut (ESPN2, 2:30 p.m.), Akron vs. Miami (ESPNU, 2:30 p.m.), Seton Hall vs. Nevada (CBS Sports, 4 p.m.), LSU vs Old Dominion (CBS Sports, 6:30 p.m.) and Marshall at Louisville (ESPNU, 9 p.m.).
In college football, it’s UTEP at Rice (Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m.), Air Force at San Diego State (CBS Sports, 9:30 p.m.) and San Jose State at Utah State (ESPN2, 9:30 p.m.).
NBA action includes Cleveland at Washington (ESPN, 8 p.m.) and Chicago at Portland (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Kate Walsh, Anna Camp. The View: Allison Janney, Norman Lear. The Talk: Martin Short, Chi-Lan Lieu. Ellen DeGeneres: One Direction, Jimmy Page. Wendy Williams: Lauren Lake, Joe Levy, Chelsea Peretti. Meredith Vieira: Shaquille O’Neal. Queen Latifah: Jeffrey Wright, Guillermo Diaz.
Late Talk
David Letterman: James Corden, Norman Lear, TV on the Radio. Jimmy Fallon: Julianne Moore, Michael Cera. Jimmy Kimmel: Jim Carrey, Bellamy Young, Oran “Juice” Jones (rerun). Seth Meyers: Taylor Schilling, Aaron Sorkin, Mike Lawrence (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Cillian Murphy, Jennifer Carpenter, Metallica. Carson Daly: Cristin Milioti, Bleached, Tommy Wirkola (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Gina Prince-Bythewood.