Dragon Ball Figures: Watching: What to Watch This Weekend

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August 27, 2021

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By Margaret Lyons

Television Critic

Dear Watchers,

"Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy," which aired on CNN earlier this year, is now streaming on HBO Max.

Have a beautiful weekend.

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This weekend I have … 90 minutes, and I'm popular.

Amber Riley, as seen in "Wicked in Concert."Elman StudioLLC/Nouveau Productions LLC

'Wicked in Concert: A Musical Celebration'

When to watch: Sunday at 9 p.m., on PBS. (Check local listings.)

This new special is for only the "Wicked" super fans because despite several lovely performances, there's a baffling inertness to this "celebration." Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth provide bland talking-head intros to each number, but they don't actually appear together or even perform — their "For Good" was filmed in 2016. As we inch ever nearer to a "Wicked" movie, let this serve as a reminder for all involved that just doing a good job on the songs will not suffice.

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… two hours, and we all scream. We … all … scream.

From left, Molly Yeh, Chris Rivard, Allison Tila, Jet Tila and Daniel Levine in a scene from "Clash of the Cones."Food Network

'Ben & Jerry's: Clash of the Cones'

When to watch: Now, on Discovery+.

One essential rule of cooking competition shows: Never use the ice-cream maker. It's a finicky kiss of death, a time-suck kryptonite. So a show dedicated to making ice cream feels a little like dancing with the devil. But "Clash of the Cones," in which contestants compete to create Ben & Jerry's flavors, is so overwhelmingly good-natured that there's barely a swirl of danger — just tasty sounding flavors, well-crafted challenges and critiques that include such lines as, "It takes away from my chunk experience." If you like "The Great British Baking Show," try this. New episodes air Mondays on Food Network.

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… a few hours, and I like a little spookiness.

Kathrine Thorborg Johansen stars in "Post Mortem: No One Dies in Skarnes."Lars Olav Dybvig/Netflix

'Post Mortem: No One Dies in Skarnes'

When to watch: Now, on Netflix.

The occasional poppy tone of this Norwegian series (in Norwegian with subtitles, or dubbed with British accents) makes it seem like a winky comedy, but there's a dark and violent element here, too. Live (Kathrine Thorborg Johansen) roars back from the dead, right at the beginning of her own autopsy, and suddenly her hearing is incredibly sensitive and also she has this crazy thirst for blood. Being undead has its plusses and minuses, but if, like Live, your family runs the local funeral home, an outbreak of immortality is bad for business. "Mortem" is six engrossing episodes, and while its brutality is not for the easily squicked out, the much more upsetting feature is that it has the loudest eating sounds of anything I have ever watched.

Your newly available movies

A scene from the documentary "Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed."Netflix

Netflix wins the week in quantity, if not quality, with a gender-flipped remake of the late-90s rom-com "She's All That" ("He's All That") and documentaries about Caitlyn Jenner's Olympic exploits ("Untold: Caitlyn Jenner") and the troubling partnership behind the gentle-toned TV painter Bob Ross ("Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed"). Horror fans, however, may want to log on to Shudder for "Mosquito State," which makes surreal associations between Wall Street and a buzzing colony of bloodsuckers.

Unless otherwise noted, all titles can generally be rented on the usual platforms, including Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu and YouTube. SCOTT TOBIAS

'Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed' (Netflix only)

The melancholy result is that the painter with the spectacularly lulling voice, the hallmark 'fro and the liberating kindness remains a mystery; not the brand that's made millions but the guy who touched millions. — Lisa Kennedy (Read the full review here.)

'He's All That' (Netflix only)

Save for the cellphones the characters wield like weapons, Mark Waters's reboot lazily rehashes the 1999 film, although without its endearing weirdness. — Devika Girish (Read the full review here.)

'Mosquito State' (A Critic's Pick; Shudder only)

Borne along on the whine of insects and a lead performance of surpassing strangeness, "Mosquito State" is a disquieting merger of body horror and social commentary. — Jeannette Catsoulis (Read the full review here.)

'Untold: Caitlyn Jenner' (Netflix only)

She acknowledges that she used sports to avoid coming to terms with her gender identity, but she remains proud of what her creation achieved. It's an intriguing perspective that unfortunately receives little follow-up or elaboration, leaving the film flat-footed when it steps away from the track. — Teo Bugbee (Read the full review here.)

'Vacation Friends' (Hulu only)

The outrageous couples comedy is by now an established if not reliable genre. "Vacation Friends" has a quality advantage in the casting of the couples; Lil Rea Howery, Yvonne Orji, John Cena and Meredith Hagner are all guaranteed laugh generators. — Glenn Kenny (Read the full review here.)

Also newly available:

EXTRA-CREDIT READING

Spike Lee Re-Edits HBO Sept. 11 Series That Features Conspiracists

An episode of the eight-hour documentary series has drawn criticism for giving a platform to people who have long peddled debunked claims about what caused the towers to collapse.

By Julia Jacobs and Reggie Ugwu

Diego Luna Said Hello to Directing TV With a Show About Goodbyes

"Everything Will Be Fine," on Netflix, follows the dissolution — and the new beginnings — of a modern family. For Luna, it was about "making sure we are in charge of deciding what family should be for us."

By Laura Zornosa

In 'The Other Two,' Drew Tarver and Heléne Yorke Are Almost Famous

What's it like to be fame-adjacent? The premise of this dark HBO Max comedy was in some ways familiar territory for its two stars. That may not last.

By Alexis Soloski

She Wrote the History of 'Jeopardy!' Then She Changed It.

The reporting of Claire McNear, a journalist who had written a book on the game show, helped end Mike Richards's hopes of succeeding Alex Trebek as its host.

By Julia Jacobs

Bringing a (Jurassic) World of Star Power to Theme Park Queues

Hang out in line at a theme park this summer with Chris Pratt, or at least a video of him.

By Drew Taylor

Critic's Notebook

Aretha Franklin and the Futility of Trying to Portray Her Onscreen

The new film "Respect" is one of three recent attempts to understand the artist. Only the one that focuses solely on her music comes close.

By Salamishah Tillet

Emmy Awards

Emma Corrin Is Fine With Not Playing Diana to the Bitter End

The British actor, who received an Emmy nomination for playing Diana in "The Crown," is happy to be handing off the role as it takes a darker turn. "I feel very protective over her," she said.

By Trish Bendix

Why Are Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short Working Together? It's a Mystery.

The three stars forge an unexpected partnership in the Hulu crime comedy series "Only Murders in the Building."

By Dave Itzkoff

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