‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ Faces the Future and 4 More Things to Watch This Weekend, May 19-21
Welcome to PeekTV, your daily look at the best that television has to offer. In each installment, we make three picks for the best shows to watch and…toss in a little extra.
The Weekend of May 19-21
What Happened Last Night?!
(Why is this man sulking? Find out what happened with last night’s TV picks.)
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Season 3, Netflix
Synopsis: As Ben Travers put it in his season review: Through six episodes, Season 3 has shown far less reliance on the past and an invigorating interest in the future. It’s not that Kimmy’s time underground got stale so much as her rapid development into adulthood would inevitably require more time to be spent in the present. We’ve covered a lot of her arrested development, and now it’s time to see what kind of story an adult Kimmy has to tell. So far, it’s a damn good one.
Why You Should Watch: “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” has been a feather in Netflix’s comedy cap ever since its first season dropped. With Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess and Carol Kane at the middle of an unconventional New York story, the show is always worth checking in on. Now that it seems to be giving Kimmy center stage to pursue her life going forward, that can only mean more laughs for the strong-as-hell female at the center.
“The Wizard of Lies”
HBO, Saturday – 8:00 p.m.
Synopsis: In 2008, stockbroker, investment advisor and financier Bernie Madoff made headlines around the world when he was arrested for perpetrating perhaps the largest financial fraud in U.S. history.
Why You Should Watch: It’s been a while since we’ve seen Robert DeNiro really throw himself into a role. While his verison of Bernie Madoff might not be on par with Jake LaMotta, it’s clear that the havoc that the infamous investor visited on DeNiro’s beloved New York City made this a more personal endeavor for the actor. And it’s clear the parallels to another of DeNiro’s public targets are on his mind. The result is a film that doesn’t shy away from showing the widespread financial and psychological devastation that Madoff caused.
“Bob’s Burgers”
“Paraders of the Lost Float” – FOX, Sunday – 7:30 p.m.
Synopsis: In the Season 7 finale, a forecast of rain on the day of the Bog to Beach celebration leads Teddy to convince Bob to enter a float in the parade, which would lead to an easy win.
Why You Should Watch: “Bob’s Burgers” is one of TV’s great ongoing animated series, especially when it pulls out the stops for a season finale. Bonus points for a) involving Teddy and b) getting the family out of the restaurant. When the Belchers venture out into the city, (very funny) hilarity often ensues.
Read This!
You’re probably going to watch “Twin Peaks” this weekend. No one knows what to expect — except maybe some pie and a return trip to the red room. But the speculation that now fuels “Twin Peaks” fandom helped give rise to our modern conception of the internet, as Liz Shannon Miller explains. Check out the story for some unsurprisingly keen insights from legendary media scholar Henry Jenkins and to see the persistent fan question that Mark Frost finally has given an answer to.
#BestTVLines2017 Contender of the Day
“The Good Place” – Episode 13, “Michael’s Gambit”
Eleanor: “Holy motherforking shirtballs.”
(Still reeling from that tremendous Season 1 finale? Liz Shannon Miller is here to explain why it hit so hard.)
Late Night Blind Recommendation: Beck Bennett on Late Night with Seth Meyers
“Saturday Night Live” crosses the finish line on a transformative, revitalizing season with this weekend’s episode. What better way to get ready to say goodbye to Season 42 (and Bobby Moynihan) than by bringing together one of the unsung MVPs of the current cast and someone who held that time during the previous generation. (Note: this episode is a repeat, but it’s worth it to watch again just for this Baby Boss anecdote.)
Movie of the Night Day: Jimi: All Is By My Side – Showtime, Saturday – 11:00 AM
This Jimi Hendrix biopic is one worth setting the DVR for. A fitting companion piece to reruns of “Guerrilla” (which is worth catching up with if you haven’t done so already), both projects showcase John Ridley’s distinct storytelling sensibilities. Playing with distorted sensory details and honing in on single perspectives, this film gets at Hendrix’s essence without having to rely simply on his music. In the pantheon of acting performances by musicians, Outkast vet Andre Benjamin has his work in this film as a major calling card.
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Back tomorrow with more PeekTV. In the meantime, h’yeeeeeeeeeeee!
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