Monday, May 31, 2021

Watching: A Punk-Rock Comedy

And a return to the wilderness.
Author Headshot

By Margaret Lyons

Television Critic

Dear Watchers,

Mark those calendars, friends: The 2022 Oscar awards are scheduled for Sunday, March 27, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced recently. The ceremony was originally scheduled for Feb. 27.

Have a great week.

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I want something fun

From left, Faith Omole, Sarah Kameela Impey, Juliette Motamed, Lucie Shorthouse and Anjana Vasan in a scene from "We Are Lady Parts."Saima Khalid/Peacock

'We Are Lady Parts'

When to watch: Arrives Thursday, on Peacock.

This new six-episode British comedy follows a group of young Muslim women and their punk band, Lady Parts, as they attempt to book their first gig. The show is bubbly and charming, and it's among the very few series to portray Muslim women with depth and humor. Amina (Anjana Vasan) is a music-obsessed microbiologist whose guitar skills land her a spot in the band — which would be great except for her overwhelming, barf-inducing stage fright and the fact that she hasn't told her B.F.F. about her new crew. Because there are so few episodes, this season feels a little more like a prelude than an anthem, but it certainly hits all the right notes. If you like "Chewing Gum," "Derry Girls" or "Never Have I Ever," watch this.

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Uh, fun in a different way

The contestants on the new season of "Alone."History Channel

'Alone'

When to watch: Thursday at 9:30 p.m., on History.

Yay, my favorite survivalist show is back. On "Alone," wilderness enthusiasts are dropped in remote locations (this season: Chilko Lake, in British Columbia) with 10 tools of their choosing; whoever lasts the longest wins $500,000. The contestants each film themselves, so the show is more intimate than "Naked and Afraid" and less ginned up than other competition shows. "Alone" is oriented toward both poetry and agony, with abundant philosophical musings but also medical evacuations for constipation. There's a bozo or two every season, but overall the tenacity and expertise on display here are a marvel to behold.

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Also this week

A contestant uses tweezers to stack tiny cans on "Small Fortune."Trae Patton/NBC
  • The new game show "Small Fortune," hosted by Lil Rel Howery, premieres Monday at 10 p.m. on NBC. All the obscure tasks on the show are done in miniature; everything is dollhouse size, and the challenges are glorified tests of fine motor skills. If you like "Holey Moley," but you wish it were teeny tiny, rejoice.
  • The finale of "Philly D.A." airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. on PBS. (Check local listings.)
  • The fifth and final season of "Kim's Convenience" arrives Wednesday, on Netflix.
  • Season finales this week include: "Nancy Drew," "Station 19," "Grey's Anatomy," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Law & Order: Organized Crime." They've all been renewed.

EXTRA-CREDIT READING

critic's notebook

Telling the Story of the Tulsa Massacre

An array of TV documentaries mark the centennial of one of America's deadliest outbreaks of racist violence.

By Mike Hale

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How 'Friends' Helps People Around the World Learn English

Language teachers say the show is a near-perfect amalgam of easy-to-understand English and real-life scenarios that feel familiar even to people who live worlds away from the West Village.

By Mike Ives

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A Black Composer's Intense Opera Gets a Rare Staging

William Grant Still's one-act "Highway 1, U.S.A." runs in St. Louis through June 17.

By Seth Colter Walls

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Film or Real Life?

Sometimes a place is more than just a place; it can be a scene. Even the blankest backdrops, like a parking lot or a sun-baked freeway, can shimmer with cinematic potential. Four photographers showed us the movie moments that they found all over.

By Jolie Ruben, Amanda Webster and Raillan Brooks

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7 Podcasts to Soothe Your Back-to-Normal Anxiety

These shows will help you to navigate whatever complex feelings you're having about the world reopening, and ease you back into society at your own pace.

By Emma Dibdin

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For 'F9,' Making Stunts That Stick

The concept of electromagnets factors heavily into the new film, creating the impression of cars stuck together and leaving stacks of wreckage in a way only the "Fast and the Furious" films know how.

By Mekado Murphy

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Lance Loud Was an Early Reality Star. He Was Also a Gay Punk Pioneer.

Loud was part of "An American Family" in 1973, but his wild band, Mumps, never signed a record deal. Now their songs are being released on the 20th anniversary of his death.

By Jim Farber

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