Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage (HBO film on HBO Max) — All was not what it seems for this three-day music festival that was meant to revive the countercultural idealism of its 1969 predecessor. Well, things weren’t “peace and love” in 1999, but rather, a total disaster by most standards. Mosh pits, blazing heat, a distinct lack of sanitation, and an absence of free water led to riots and looting, all of which were not deterred by the scant security measures. Decades later, this documentary looks back upon a pivotal moment when rose-tinted nostalgia evaporated under the hard truths exposed by this mismanaged festival. All pre-Fyre Festival!
Ted Lasso: Season 2 (Apple TV+ series) — First thing’s first: Everyone who’s caught a glimpse of this Bill Lawrence co-created and developed series loves it. That’s a notable feat, considering that star Jason Sudeikis first portrayed the title character way back in 2013 for NBC Sports’ promos for Premier League coverage. Fast forward to the fresh hell that was 2020, and the show surfaced as one of the year’s lone bright spots. Ted Lasso is somehow both relentlessly and charmingly cheery, and do check out Brian Grubb’s power rankings from the season premiere.
Ultra City Smiths: Season 1 (AMC+ series) — Fans of Robot Chicken will undoubtedly want to check out this stop-motion animated selection from Stoopid Buddy Stoodios and showrunner Steve Conrad. Expect very adult-oriented humor and the voices of Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard, Alia Shawkat, Tim Meadows, John C. Reilly, Bebe Neuwirth, Jason Mantzoukas, and Damon Herriman. The show revolves around a corrupt city and a sort-of whodunit with the most unorthodox detectives (literally baby dolls). Hey, this show has Dewey Crowe, so why ask for logic?
And back to some regularly scheduled programming:
Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes (HBO, 9:00pm) — Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ronan Farrow’s podcast undergoes this miniseries treatment. This week, Farrow and his fact checkers fend off threats from Harvey Weinstein’s team, and an undercover spy reveals how he was hired to gather evidence on Farrow before becoming a Farrow source.
The Beast Must Die: (AMC, 9:00pm) — Jared Harris and Cush Jumbo star in this revenge-thriller series (which originally aired on BritBox UK and achieved a viewing record) that has already been renewed for a second season. This week, Frances works out how to set her plan into motion.
Roswell, New Mexico (CW, 8:00pm) — Season 3 begins with Liz adjusting to new Los Angeles life and career while the gang’s still working out whether to worry about that stranger from the cave.
The Republic Of Sarah (CW, 9:00pm) — This show follows the ending of tranquility of Greylock, N.H., after a stash of valuable coltan leads to new overlords, and a rebellious teacher (Sarah Cooper) steps in to halt the madness. This week, Greylock’s newly sovereign, and their Congress must deal with the very relevant subject of immigration, since Greylock is so hot right now.
