Hello children of the screen. Not a duper dynamic few days of TV but here you go.
Sunday Aug. 23
The Vow (documentary series premiere 10pm HBO) “From Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning directors Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer (The Great Hack, The Square, Control Room) comes The Vow, a documentary series following a number of people deeply involved in the self-improvement group NXIVM over the course of several years. The series takes a deep, nuanced look at the organization faced with various charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, against its highest members – most notably founder Keith Raniere, who was convicted in June 2019 and is currently awaiting sentencing. Amidst claims by NXIVM participants of both profound transformation and devastating abuse, the series, like Noujaim and Amer’s previous films, seeks to reveal the issues behind the headlines and explore the emotional toll of unfolding events on these individuals.”
Endeavour (season finale 9-11pm on PBS) I keep hearing great things about this show, which i missed from the beginning. Season 7 ends tonight. You can watch all six previous seasons of this prequel to the long running British crime hit Insp. Morse on Amazon Prime right now and, presumably eventually, also Season 7.
Lovecraft Country (9-10pm HBO) continues with our intrepid travellers finding themselves where they’ve been, gulp, expected. I haven’t been this excited about a new TV show in a while. Horror, good acting, social justice… If you’re watching, share your thoughts.
Monday Aug. 24
The Republican National Convention begins its own four-night run with most networks checking in with coverage starting at 10pm but as last week for the Dems, CNN, PBS, CBC and some others will begin at 8pm
Family Business (Series premiere on Acorn, French, with English subtitles) “A mother-daughter lawyer pair juggle the ins and outs of running a family law practice, while balancing and navigating their own issues away from the office. From the bulldog being fought over by his divorcing owners to a fight over shady fertility trade dealings, every case presents a new challenge for mother Astrid Lartigues (Catherine Marchal, 36thPrecinct) and daughter Audrey (Ophélia Kolb, The Days that Made History).”
A Difficult Woman (Acorn TV) “This thriller stars Caroline Goodall (Schindler’s List, The Sculptress) as a woman who risks everything to avenge the death of her best friend. Anne Harriman (Goodall) has a brilliant career in research pathology working for an international drug company – there is strong talk of a United Nations position and she plans to move in with her lover of five years. But everything changes when a series of revelations, clues and scraps of information, both true and false, leads Anne out of her comfort zone and into a bizarre, shadowy landscape of political and criminal intrigue as she relentlessly pursues her friend’s killer.”
Tuesday Aug. 25
Trinkets (Season 2 premiere on Netflix) “When three teenage girls find themselves in the same mandated Shoplifters Anonymous meeting, an unlikely friendship forms between grieving misfit Elodie (Brianna Hildebrand), mysterious outsider Moe (Kiana Madeira), and Tabitha (Quintessa Swindell), an imperfect picture of perfection. They will find strength in each other as they negotiate the complicated dilemma of trying to fit in while longing to break out. From the Awesomeness studio, Trinkets is based on the young adult novel by screenwriter Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith (Legally Blonde, 10 Things I Hate About You, She’s the Man) who serves as creator and executive producer.”
Wednesday Aug. 26
Million Dollar Beach House (new series on Netflix) “is a bird’s eye view into the day-to-day life of the Hampton’s youngest and most exclusive group of real estate agents, documenting their private lives and posh coastline listings. With 2,500 realtors working the Hamptons market, earning a listing is fierce competition. Nest Seekers reps to-die-for, multi-million-dollar properties and not without personal drama between agents. Throughout the series, five brokers hustle from Memorial Day to Labor Day to buy and sell properties for their clients. From appeasing sellers who are unhappy with home staging to cutthroat open houses where agents are going after each other’s clients, Million Dollar Beach House has all the views, all the schmooze, and brokers with a lot to lose.”
Rising Phoenix (documentary premiere on Netflix) “tells the extraordinary story of the Paralympic Games. From the rubble of World War II to the third biggest sporting event on the planet, the Paralympics sparked a global movement which continues to change the way the world thinks about disability, diversity & human potential. Athletes featured in the film include Bebe Vio (Italy), Ellie Cole (Australia), Jean-Baptiste Alaize (France), Matt Stutzman (USA), Jonnie Peacock (UK), Cui Zhe (China), Ryley Batt (Australia), Ntando Mahlangu (South Africa) and Tatyana McFadden (US).”
What is d2tv anyway? I’m so glad you asked. This is the latest iteration of my TV writing/blogging that began back in 1986 or so? at the Winnipeg Sun, continued briefly in print and on the web at the Montreal Gazette and finally, here, for myself and YOU! Having newly (July 2020) left the full-time journalism business for a brief rest aka vacation, I am hoping to put more time and features on this blog, which is still currently mostly a collection of Canadian streaming and broadcast programming notes focussing on premieres of new and returning series, specials etc, with the occasional series finale thrown in for sentimental reasons. Reviews are, for the moment, only occasional. If you spot an error or oversight or have a recommendation to share, please do so in the comments or by emailing me at the above address. Glad you’re here. And isn’t this era of too much TV a great time to be alive?
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