That fact that it is basically May, and we’re nearing the end of the “official” TV season, is kind of freaking me out. Pretty soon, shows will be airing season–and in some cases, series–finales, and meanwhile, I have about three shows on my TiVo with at least half a season of episodes to get caught up on. (Looking at you “Ringer”!) Will I forsake summer TV and play catch-up? Or just let even more shows pile up until my TiVo dies, erasing everything and giving me an out? We shall see.
I can’t blame this TV-watching stress on my first pick, so don’t worry, I’m not going crazy. But I am highlighting “Two and Half Men,” which probably seems nuts. It’s just that Kathy Bates is showing up as the ghost of Charlie Sheen’s character on tonight’s episode, and that can’t pass by without notice…so, consider yourself noticed. 9 P.M. on CBS.
Speaking of going crazy: It’s a little hard–and depressing–to realize the L.A. riots were 20 years ago. TWENTY YEARS! I remember where I was when all that started to go down: here in S.F., getting out of a class at SF State, and heading to the M line on 19th Avenue to go home. A march started to form, with people chanting “No justice, no peace!,” and they took to the streets, blocking traffic and Muni, so I basically had to join the march and make my way to West Portal Station in the hopes I could catch an underground train there.
So my participation in the Rodney King protests were far from rioting, and even pretty far from actual protest, but I do remember just wanting to get home as soon as possible, and once I did, I stayed in all night, afraid the lower Haight and Hayes Valley were going to burst into flames around me. (They didn’t.)
On Tuesday, May 1st, you can watch the documentary Uprising: Hip Hop & the LA Riots at 9 P.M on VH1. And no, this isn’t a VH1-produced “Best Week Ever” type of doc, (“1992: The Best Riots Ever!”). It actually screened at SXSW, and looks pretty raw, so don’t be surprised if VH1 gives it a TV edit…
Staying in the realm of documentaries, on Thursday, May 3rd, Independent Lens will air Circo, the 2011 doc about a long-running family circus in Mexico, and its struggle to keep performing in a failing economy. 11 P.M. on KQED.
Which brings us to Sunday, May 6th, and the show I am most excited about this week: The return of the new “Sherlock” on PBS’s Masterpiece! Now, I’m not a rabid Sherlock Holmes fan, and in fact, the first season of this series was the first Sherlock Holmes adaptation I ever actually enjoyed. It might be because it plays more like an English version of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” (which was basically just an American version of Sherlock Holmes, let’s face it), and I like my Sherlocks to be a tad on the looney tunes side. And Benedict Cumberbatch’s Holmes is definitely that. Plus, Martin Freeman as Watson! Enough said. 9 P.M. on KQED.
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