Tuesday TV: How Mixtapes Moved Hip-Hop
In the summer designated as the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the documentary “Mixtape” (Paramount+, streaming) concentrates on a new way the music got around, being sold out of the trunks…
Capital Radio, 7-31-23: Adieu Tony, Sinéad
A week’s absence means.a lot of memorials to note, including Tony Bennett, who died 10 days ago at 96; Sinéad O’Connor, who passed at 56; and Randy Meisner, who died…
Monday TV: Further Comedy from Canada
Another new Canadian comedy joins the lineup. “Run the Burbs” (CW, 8:30 p.m.) stars Andrew Phung as a stay at home-dad in a Vietnamese family. It joins the recently premiered…
Sunday TV: Working to Keep a Boat Afloat
Strangers come together to survive at sea in the new reality competition “Survive the Raft” (Discovery, 9 p.m.), hosted by Nate Boyer. The 21-day test will reward a winning team. …
Saturday TV: Not Really Very Much, Frankly
On the new six-part documentary series “Farm Dreams” (Nat Geo Wild, 10 p.m.), a nature specialist with the splendid name of Indy Officinalis (pictured) helps farmers go into aqua, micro,…
Friday TV: Beanie Babies’ Rise and Fall
Zach Galifianakis stars as the super eccentric Ty Warner, creator of Beanie Babies, in the new feature “The Beanie Bubble” (Apple TV+, streaming) that depicts how women were really behind the…
Thursday TV: Ellie Kemper Takes a Hike
Ellie Kemper plays a divorcee who hikes the Appalachian Trail with strangers in the rom-com “Happiness for Beginners” (Netflix, streaming), based on Katherine Center’s novel of the same name. Luke…
Other Things I’ve Written Recently
A story about the Robert Houle exhibition "Red is Beautiful" at the National Museum of the American Indian, for Smithsonian Magazine.com. A review of a revival of the musical "Fela!"…
Wednesday TV: Shark Week Spills to HBO
How has the acquisition of HBO by Discovery-Warner Bros. changed its programming? Look no further than Ivy Meeropol’s documentary “After the Bite” (HBO, 10 p.m.) about the effects of a…
Tuesday TV: ‘Jim Gaffigan: Dark Pale’
“Jim Gaffigan: Dark Pale” (Prime Video, streaming), his 10th standup special, is probably so named because he’ll address dark topics despite being pale. But maybe that refers to something else. …