Get dazzled by The Underground Railroad and a Pride docuseries over a busy weekend
Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Friday, May 14, and Saturday, May 15. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video, Friday, 12:01 a.m.): This new historical fiction drama is “Oscar winner Barry Jenkins’ limited series adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2016 novel, which imagines the 19th-century Underground Railroad as a literal railroad beneath Southern soil that Black people used to escape slavery. Perhaps Whitehead’s greatest achievement is that this premise isn’t ridiculous, and both the novel and series transcend blunt allegory with a haunting magical realism that openly embraces the horrors of slavery in America. Whitehead’s prose is engaging, but Jenkins’ visuals are searing. The Underground Railroad doesn’t hesitate to show slavery’s brutality in shocking, often gruesome detail: There’s the body horror of a man being whipped to near death and burned alive; the Rosemary’s Baby-style psychological terror of a woman having her child stolen from her for sinister purposes; and a slave catcher, relentless as the shark in Jaws, who stalks human prey and drags them back to hell. The Underground Railroad’s most consistently disturbing moments make up a historical reality we can’t escape, no matter how hard we try.” Read the rest of Stephen Robinson’s review here.
Pride (FX, Friday, 8 p.m.): This six-part docuseries launches with its first three episodes. In the series, renowned LGBTQ+ directors follow the struggle for LGBTQ+ civil rights in America going decade by decade. Tom Kalin directs the premiere about the ’50s, including Senator Joseph McCarthy’s governmental regulations ushering in an era of government-sanctioned persecution. The 1960s episode, directed by Andrew Ahn, follows marginalized communities who played an integral role in the advancement of the movement, and episode three, about the ’70s, is directed by Cheryl Dunye, whose personal journey is interweaved through archival footage and personal testimonies. Look out for more in-depth coverage on Pride on the site later this month.
Regular coverage
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+, Friday, 12:01 a.m.)
Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:29 p.m.): MadTV’s very own Keegan Michael-Key makes his SNL debut with first-time musical guest Olivia Rodrigo.
Wild cards
Halston (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): Executive produced by Ryan Murphy, this five-episode limited series stars Ewan McGregor as the legendary fashion designer whose empire is synonymous with luxury, sex, status, and fame during the ’70s and ’80s until a hostile takeover could make him lose it all. The show also stars Krysta Rodriguez as Liza Minnelli and Rory Culkin as Joel Schumacher. The rest of the lineup includes Vera Farmiga, Sullivan Jones, Rebecca Dayan, Bill Pullman, and Kelly Bishop. Keep an eye out for Danette Chavez’s review on the site later today.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+, Friday, 3:01 a.m., season premiere): “From the beginning, Disney +’s musical dramedy High School Musical: The Musical: The Series had a number of obstacles to clear before skeptics would deem it a success—that is, beyond its cumbersome name. First, it had to find a fresh perspective on a wildly popular movie trilogy after a decade-long cooling period. Then, it had to convince old and new fans alike that there was an interesting story beyond the growing pains of Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez. To that end, the first season delivered… [But] in its second season, HSM: TM: TS faces a new challenge: proving that season one’s successful execution wasn’t a fluke. After all, the finale ended with a (mostly) successful teen production of High School Musical: The Musical. Technically, they did the thing. What’s left to accomplish?” Read the rest of Shannon Miller’s review here.