This week’s Netflix deep dive recommendation:
The Casketeers
Six Feet Under (I debated a “Down Under” pun, but it’s New Zealand, not Australia, and the Kiwis tend to be a bit sensitive about the rest of us conflating the two, so) meets Polynesian tradition on this lovely reality TV show about a family-run funeral home that caters to Polynesian and Maori clientele.
Run by a husband and wife, with a crew of charming Maori employees who barely tolerate the quirks of their boss, The Casketeers offers a look into cultural traditions likely unfamiliar to American audiences. The camaraderie they share, as well as the respect they demonstrate to each client, endear this business and reality enterprise to its viewers.
– Catherine McDonald
MONDAY
The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart: OK, so you know how The Bachelor and The Bachelorette are constantly featuring “concerts” by “musicians” that you’ve never heard of? Well, it looks like they decided to put all those people into the McMansion together for a singing/dating competition? I don’t know what this is nor do I care. Series premiere. 7 p.m., ABC
The Baker and the Beauty: A baker meets one of the Crystals from the reboot of Dynasty an international superstar and they fall in love or something. Series premiere. 9 p.m., ABC
Songland: Songwriters pitch their songs to Lady Antebellum in the season premiere. 9 p.m., NBC
Biography: Kenny Rogers: This was scheduled before his death. Still bummed about this. 8 p.m., A&E
Merle Haggard: Salute to a Country Legend: One of the things I learned from Ken Burns’ Country Music documentary: young Merle Haggard looked like Walton Goggins — but hotter. 9 p.m., A&E
So I was watching Ken Burns really great Country Music documentary series and now I can’t get over how much young Merle Haggard looked like actor Walton Goggins. Biopic maybe? pic.twitter.com/iu8lckYUR0
— Paul Myers (@pulmyears) September 26, 2019
TMZ Investigates: Tiger King – What Really Went Down?: BECAUSE WE JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH. 8 p.m., Fox
The Late Late Show with James Corden: He’s back. 11:30 p.m., CBS
TUESDAY
Sesame Street: Elmo’s Playdate: In this new special, Elmo, Grover, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby find ways to have a playdate virtually. God, it hurts my heart that we need this for our babies right now, but here we are. 6 p.m., HBO, HBO Latino, TBS, TNT, truTV, Cartoon Network and Boomerang
New Amsterdam: In the season finale, the doctors are alarmed when multiple patients develop similar symptoms. BUT DON’T WORRY, THIS IS NOT A PANDEMIC. They know we’re not ready yet. (But it’s definitely coming, don’t kid yourself.) 8 p.m., NBC
Deadliest Catch: The Alaskans compete with the goddamned Russians in the two-hour season premiere. 7 p.m., Discovery
WEDNESDAY
Mrs. America: The story of the Equal Rights Amendment, the women who fought for it, and the supervillain, Phyllis Schlafly, who led the conservative charge against it. Series premiere. FX on Hulu
What We Do in the Shadows: One of my favorite new shows from last year is back! Season premiere. 9 p.m., FX
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: They’re back and there is a SCANDALOUS story going around. Season premiere. 7 p.m., Bravo
Chicago Med: Unexpected season finale! 7 p.m., NBC
Chicago Fire: Unexpected season finale! 8 p.m., NBC
Chicago P.D.: Unexpected season finale! 9 p.m., NBC
Lego Masters: Totally expected season finale. 8 p.m., Fox
Nancy Drew: In the season finale, Nancy and her friends look into a new mysterious death. 8 p.m., The CW
The Innocence Files: A documentary series about The Innocence Project and their crusade to help these wrongfully convicted. Series premiere. Netflix
Outer Banks: Teens look for treasure and surf or something. Series premiere. Netflix
THURSDAY
The Disney Family Singalong: Erin Andrews, Bobby Bones, Michael Bublé, Auliʻi Cravalho, Jordan Fisher, Josh Gad, Derek Hough, Julianne Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, Little Big Town, Kenny Ortega, Donny Osmond, Thomas Rhett, Amber Riley, and John Stamos will all be signing Disney songs from the safety of their homes in this new special. 7 p.m., ABC
In the Dark: Season two premiere. 8 p.m., The CW
Indebted: Rebecca and Dave decide to put a modern spin on sitting shiva in the first season finale. 8:30 p.m., NBC
Devs: Lily arrives for her final confrontation. Season finale (which means I can now binge the whole thing, finally.) Hulu
FRIDAY
#blackaf: Kenya Barris, the creator of black-ish — which is based on his family life — stars in this new series which is … wait for it … based on his family life. Basically, this is black-ish with more cursing. Netflix
Bosch: Bosch deals with two new cases in the final season. Amazon Prime
Too Hot to Handle: Basically, imagine Love Island, but they’re not allowed to have sex. Series premiere. Netflix
Strike Back: The S20 reunite for one last mission in the series finale. 9 p.m., Cinemax
Friday Night in with the Morgans: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton Morgan host this new video talk show from their farm in upstate New York. The first episode will be a Supernatural family reunion, heads up. Series premiere. 9 p.m., AMC
SATURDAY
One World: Together at Home: Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert co-host this telethon to raise relief funds with performances and appearances by Alanis Morissette, Andrea Bocelli, Billie Eilish, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Burna Boy, Chris Martin, Eddie Vedder, Elton John, J Balvin, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Kerry Washington, Lang Lang, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. 7 p.m., ABC, NBC, CBS
Crikey! It’s the Irwins: Bindi’s Wedding: Listen, I’m not judging but 21 is a little young to get married. ALRIGHT, FINE, I’M JUDGING. 7 p.m., Animal Planet
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby: To be honest, this movie could be about 30 minutes shorter, but that said, I still love it. I don’t know how many times a year I say, “I’m gonna come at you like a spider monkey,” but it’s more than three. 9 p.m., Comedy Central
SUNDAY
The Last Dance: A 10-part documentary about Michael Jordan and the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls as they pursued their 6th championship win. 8 p.m., ESPN
The Longest War: A look at the human stories behind America’s involvement in Afghanistan — the longest war in American history. 9 p.m., Showtime
The Lake Erie Murders: So, this is a true-crime series about murders that took place around Lake Erie (duh) and what you should know about this episode is that it’s called “Cabin Fever.” No reason. 7 p.m., ID