Tune in Tonight by Kevin McDonough

Type: Text Feature
Frequency: Monday Saturday
Categories: Entertainment.

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Tune in Tonight delivers brief, accurate highlights of nighttime programming on broadcast and cable television seven days a week. Author Kevin McDonough brings a witty, insightful and occasionally offbeat approach to TV commentary, providing a lively and comprehensive overview of all nightly programs and giving readers each evening's major television events at a glance. In addition to prime time features and listings, Tune in Tonight features a daily "Cult Choice."


Tune in Tonight complements newspapers' increasingly detailed television coverage. Its unique modular format makes it flexible and allows editors to give their readers an entertaining, informative way to plan evening viewing and to keep on top of what is happening on the TV scene.

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Kevin McDonough

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Kevin McDonough worked in book publishing for fifteen years. He is the author of The Seventies: From Hot Pants to Hot Tubs (E.P. Dutton, 1991) and A Tabloid History of the World (Hyperion, 1997). As a book editor, McDonough specialized in film, television and popular culture projects. He has worked with celebrity authors including Bob Denver and Dwayne Hickman.

McDonough graduated from Hamilton College and now lives in upstate New York.

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  • WE ALL HAVE MOTHERS, EVEN CHER

    -- Few celebrities have endured at the level of fame Cher has, remaining popular for more than five decades. Except for the surviving members of the Beatles and Rolling Stones, few people, if any, who were at the top of the musical charts in 1965 are still around -- or matter. And Cher, who had a hit ("You Haven't Seen the Last of Me") as recently as 2010, enjoyed contemporary success years after Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger received their knighthoods.

    So who would expect Cher to be the center of the Lifetime Network's salute to Mother's Day?

    "Dear Mom, Love Cher" (10 p.m., TV-PG) takes the music, movie and television star back to her roots, telling the story of her remarkable mother, Georgia Holt. "Dear Mom" recalls Holt's Arkansas upbringing, her tumultuous marriages to six different men and her efforts to raise two daughters while pursuing a Hollywood career. "Dear Mom" includes never-before-heard recordings by Holt as well as a duet with her famous daughter.

    -- Between "The Bachelor" fantasy and the grotesque materialism of "Bridezillas" and other advertisements for the wedding-industrial complex, television's depiction of courtship and marriage has skewed toward shallow behavior, petulant selfishness and deranged narcissism. It's a wonder anybody gets, or stays, married at all. "Newlyweds: The First Year" (10 p.m., Bravo, TV-14) follows couples after the glow of the big-production wedding and honeymoon have faded.

    Of course, the thrill may be gone, but cameras are still in the picture. So expect drama, dysfunction, fits and fights.

    -- On a similar theme, the new series "Felt" (10:30 p.m., Logo, TV-14) also tackles issues of couples counseling and marital intimacy. It takes the transcripts from actual therapists' sessions and re-enacts them with puppets.

    -- A media zoo ensues when Janet accompanies Daniel into town on "Rectify" (10 p.m., Sundance, TV-14). This series has been renewed for a second season.

    Note: Viewers who didn't catch the recent acclaimed Sundance miniseries "Top of the Lake" can now stream it on Netflix.

    -- A turf war brings danger to the mayor's own family on the consistently entertaining dystopian-future Western "Defiance" (9 p.m., Syfy, TV-14). If you like the sci-fi/fantasy genre but haven't been following this show, you're missing out.

    TONIGHT'S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

    -- Live playoffs unfold on "The Voice" (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).

    -- A popular recording artist endures seven concerts in seven countries in seven days on "Rihanna 777" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

    -- Amy and Ricky set the date on "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" (8 p.m., ABC Family, TV-14).

    -- Brennan and Booth infiltrate a dance competition on "Bones" (9 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14).

    -- "First Ladies: Influence & Image" (9 p.m., C-SPAN) profiles Julia Grant.

    -- A 10-year-old kidnapping mystery ends with a grim discovery on "Hawaii Five-0" (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).

    -- Tom and Miles are on the same page on "Revolution" (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

    -- A whistleblower is found dead on "Castle" (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

    -- A stranger irks Norma on "Bates Motel" (10 p.m., A&E, TV-14).

    -- An older man finds a wife on the Internet in the documentary "Seeking Asian Female" on "Independent Lens" (10 p.m., PBS, TV-PG).

    CULT CHOICE

    Songs by Paul J. Smith and Oliver Wallace liven the 1950 cartoon musical adaptation of "Cinderella" (8 p.m., Disney). The studio is currently working on a new live-action version of the fairy tale, starring Lily James ("Downton Abbey") and directed by Kenneth Branagh.

    SERIES NOTES

    Robin forgets the location of buried treasure on "How I Met Your Mother" (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14) ... "Dancing With the Stars" (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) ... 7Lions performs on "Oh Sit!" (8 p.m., CW, TV-PG) ... Jeff thinks Brenda needs a giggle on "Rules of Engagement" (8:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).

    Caroline's dad needs a public defender on "2 Broke Girls" (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) ... Annie's fame takes her to Paris on "90210" (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) ... Mike binges on snacks on "Mike & Molly" (9:30 p.m., CBS, TV-14).

    LATE NIGHT

    Christiane Amanpour is scheduled on "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" (11 p.m., Comedy Central) ... Keith Urban, Guillermo Diaz and Jay Larson appear on "Conan" (11 p.m., TBS) ... Kat Dennings, Brad Wollack, Annie Lederman and Kurt Braunohler are booked on "Chelsea Lately" (11 p.m., E!) ... Robert Caro sits down on "The Colbert Report" (11:30 p.m., Comedy Central).

    John Krasinski, Kerry Washington and James Blake appear on "Late Show With David Letterman" (11:35 p.m., CBS) ... Jay Leno welcomes Magic Johnson, Savannah Guthrie and Fall Out Boy on "The Tonight Show" (11:35 p.m., NBC) ... Rod Stewart and Edie Falco appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (11:35 p.m., ABC).

    Steve Martin, Jenna Fischer and Edie Brickell visit "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" (12:35 a.m., NBC) ... Craig Ferguson hosts Isla Fisher and Jim Rash on "The Late Late Show" (12:35 a.m., CBS).

    (Kevin McDonough can be reached at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.)
    COPYRIGHT 2013 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

    published Monday, May 06, 2013

    PBS GOES IN SEARCH OF A MORE PERFECT UNION

    -- Apparently, we the people don't understand our own Constitution. According to a recent survey, fewer than four in 10 could name the three branches of the federal government.

    To help remedy this sad fact, or at least entertain the rest of us who actually paid attention in fifth grade, Peter Sagal (NPR's "Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me") hosts "Constitution USA with Peter Sagal" (9 p.m., PBS), a road- trip celebration of the nation's founding document, coinciding with the 225th anniversary of its ratification by the states.

    Sagal will travel from Rhode Island to California by way of Texas and Missouri to discuss this essential 4,418-word document and the history, myths and misconceptions surrounding it. He'll also rely on charts, animation and clips from popular films to illustrate key ideas and principles.

    -- The disparity between critical acclaim and TV ratings is hardly new. Few shows earned more brickbats from writers than "The Beverly Hillbillies," a CBS comedy about poor backwoods folks who became the peculiar neighbors of Hollywood millionaires after striking oil in their back yard.

    But viewers couldn't get enough. A list of the most- watched television events of all time includes plenty of Super Bowls, the Beatles' appearance on "Ed Sullivan," the finales of "MASH" and the "Who Shot J.R." episode of "Dallas." And it also includes a handful of regular episodes of "The Beverly Hillbillies."

    The "Hillbillies" exploited stereotypes well honed by Al Capp's comic strip "Li'l Abner" (and resulting Broadway musical and movie adaptations) as well as country vs. city comedy conventions dating as far back as ancient Roman theater. Although Jethro and Granny were often cartoon characters, most of the jokes on the show were at the expense of the city sophisticates who were in the thrall of Jed Clampett's money. (Or Elly May's pneumatic naivete).

    A half-century after the debut of "Hillbillies," cable reality series still steal from it. But without any of the "wit" or satire that contemporary critics felt was lacking in the original.

    "Duck Dynasty" has climbed to the top of the cable reality/comedy heap as a pale photocopy of "The Beverly Hillbillies," albeit one that never loads up the truck and moves to Beverly.

    The new series "Backyard Oil: Kentucky Boom" (10:30 p.m., Discovery) seems similarly stuck. This one follows a Kentucky family besotted by rising oil prices, trying to revive old wells. It's just too bad they'll never get to rub shoulders with Miss Hathaway.

    -- "Polygamy USA" (9 p.m., National Geographic) visits residents of Centennial Park, Ariz. Their community was founded by members of the Mormon Church who felt that the official religion's renunciation of polygamy was a spiritual wrong turn.

    TV-themed DVDs available today include "Space 1999: 30th Anniversary Edition."

    TONIGHT'S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

    -- Three finalists take the plunge on the season finale of "Splash" (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

    -- "Weight of the Nation for Kids" (6:00 p.m., HBO) looks at childhood obesity and attempts to change school cafeterias.

    -- Contestants prepare for a quinceanera party on "Hell's Kitchen" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

    -- Zoe returns to New York to recharge her batteries on the season finale of "Hart of Dixie" (8 p.m., CW, TV-PG).

    -- Mary Lynn Rajskub ("24") guest-stars on "New Girl" (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

    -- Mindy attends a frat party on "The Mindy Project" (9:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

    -- Clark unearths damaging news about his rival Holbrook on "Golden Boy" (10 p.m., CBS).

    -- A creature of unusual influence emerges on "Grimm" (10 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).

    -- A plane crash knocks out the power grid on "Body of Proof" (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

    CULT CHOICE

    -- A charming race car driver (Elvis Presley) battles tax problems in the 1968 musical "Speedway" (8 p.m., Encore), co-starring Nancy Sinatra and Bill Bixby. Not to be confused with "Spinout."

    SERIES NOTES

    Colin Hanks guest-stars on "NCIS" (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) ... "The Voice" (8 p.m., NBC).

    Deeks infiltrates an arms dealer's lair on "NCIS: Los Angeles" (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) ... "Dancing With the Stars" (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) ... "America's Next Top Model" (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-14).

    LATE NIGHT

    Mindy Kaling is scheduled on "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" (11 p.m., Comedy Central) ... Edie Falco, Marc Maron and Iron & Wine appear on "Conan" (11 p.m., TBS) ... Michael Buble, John Caparulo, Jen Kirkman and Brody Stevens are booked on "Chelsea Lately" (11 p.m., E!) ... Douglas Rushkoff sits down on "The Colbert Report" (11:30 p.m., Comedy Central).

    Zooey Deschanel, Jim Gaffigan, Pistol Annies and Todd Rundgren appear on "Late Show With David Letterman" (11:35 p.m., CBS) ... Jay Leno welcomes Zach Braff, Connie Sawyer and Patty Griffin on "The Tonight Show" (11:35 p.m., NBC) ... Mel Brooks, Simon Pegg and Goo Goo Dolls appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (11:35 p.m., ABC).

    John Krasinski, Eli Roth and the Breeders visit "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" (12:35 a.m., NBC) ... Craig Ferguson hosts Ryan Seacrest on "The Late Late Show" (12:35 a.m., CBS).

    (Kevin McDonough can be reached at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.)
    COPYRIGHT 2013 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

    published Tuesday, May 07, 2013

    'NATURE' BRINGS US BACK TO DOE

    -- According to poll figures I just made up, 73 percent of homeowners are obsessed about keeping squirrels out of their bird feeders and keeping deer from eating their vegetables, flowers and shrubs. Tonight's "Nature" (8 p.m., PBS, TV-G) will shed no light on the eternal battle between man and squirrel, but "The Private Life of Deer" is illuminating.

    According to "Private Life," there are more than 30 million white-tailed deer in the United States. That's up from fewer than a million a century ago. We're told that they rank among the most studied of all wild creatures. So how come most of us can share our backyards with deer and yet know so little about them? Where do they sleep? And when? When is their feeding time and how long does it take to digest a whole flowerbed?

    "Private Life" uses modern technology, including GPS tracking devices and night vision photography, to paint a picture of the deer as an affectionate and highly social creature. This portrait may soften the hearts of gardeners who've come to see it only as an azalea-eating parasite and a car repairman's best friend.

    -- "Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck" (8 p.m., TCM), directed by Laurent Bouzereau, recalls the Hollywood producer, who died last year at the age of 77.

    The son of famous 20th Century Fox mogul Darryl F. Zanuck, young Richard's career is forever linked to his stewardship of the studio during the tumultuous 1960s, when it careened from the success of "The Sound of Music" in 1965 to a string of big-budget musicals -- "Doctor Dolittle," "Hello, Dolly!" and "Star!" -- that seemed to exemplify Hollywood's profligate ways and an inability to connect with a changing audience.

    Zanuck would find his sea legs in the 1970s, when he collaborated with Steven Spielberg on "The Sugarland Express" and "Jaws." Over the decades, he would also foster close working relationships with filmmakers Ron Howard, Sidney Lumet and Tim Burton, with whom he was working at the time of his death.

    The title of the film, "Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking," is taken from a biography of Zanuck's father and is a phrase attributed to the mogul. This memorable edict has even inspired a song in the period musical at the heart of the NBC show "Smash."

    -- "Secrets of the Dead" (10 p.m., PBS, TV-PG) examines "Death on the Railroad," a 19th-century mystery about the deaths of 57 Irish immigrants who all expired within months of arriving on these shores.

    TONIGHT'S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

    -- The competition continues on "The Voice" (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) and "American Idol" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

    -- Malcolm has business to settle with the seismologist on "Arrow" (8 p.m., CW, TV-14).

    -- A sniper strikes on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

    -- A skating rink inspires some juvenile behavior on "Modern Family" (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

    -- "MythBusters" (9 p.m., Discovery, TV-PG) tests questions from the cast of "Deadliest Catch."

    -- A fake ghost hunter becomes a real corpse on "CSI" (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).

    -- Severide faces charges on "Chicago Fire" (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

    -- Juliette and Rayna compete for CMA Awards on "Nashville" (10 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

    -- Kal Penn hosts "The Big Brain Theory: Pure Genius" (10 p.m., Discovery, TV-PG).

    -- A bumbling Gus mistakenly implicates himself in a murder on "Psych" (10 p.m., USA, TV-PG).

    CULT CHOICE

    Elvis Presley plays a singing rancher and a Native American, to boot, in the 1968 musical comedy "Stay Away, Joe" (8 p.m., Encore).

    SERIES NOTES

    Family time on "Survivor" (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) ... Frankie sends out mixed Mother's Day signals on "The Middle" (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) ... Desk jobs on "Family Tools" (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

    A killer targets nannies on "Criminal Minds" (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) ... Lost footage looms large on "Supernatural" (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) ... Polly dates again on "How To Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)" (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

    LATE NIGHT

    Carey Mulligan is scheduled on "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" (11 p.m., Comedy Central) ... Simon Helberg, John Collins and Marina and the Diamonds appear on "Conan" (11 p.m., TBS) ... LaToya Jackson, Michael Yo, Kerri Kenney-Silver and Matt Braunger are booked on "Chelsea Lately" (11 p.m., E!) ... Dr. Richard Besser sits down on "The Colbert Report" (11:30 p.m., Comedy Central).

    Alyson Hannigan and Natalie Maines appear on "Late Show With David Letterman" (11:35 p.m., CBS) ... Jay Leno welcomes Craig Ferguson and Emeli Sande on "The Tonight Show" (11:35 p.m., NBC) ... Zoe Saldana, Bill Simmons and Fitz and the Tantrums appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (11:35 p.m., ABC).

    Rachel Maddow, Zachary Quinto and Lady Antebellum visit "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" (12:35 a.m., NBC) ... Craig Ferguson hosts Lauren Graham and Ben Dukes on "The Late Late Show" (12:35 a.m., CBS).

    (Kevin McDonough can be reached at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.)
    COPYRIGHT 2013 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

    published Wednesday, May 08, 2013

    published: Thursday, May 09, 2013

    SEASONS END FOR 'BLUE BLOODS,' 'VEGAS' AND 'TOUCH'

    -- There are 8 million people in the Naked City, but when it comes to some police procedurals, it's all in the family. What dead petty officers are to "NCIS," assaults on family and friends are to "Blue Bloods" (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14). This police drama and family saga ends another season, assured of renewal. In tonight's finale, the death of a family friend unites the Reagans to seek justice and vengeance, perhaps in that order.

    "Blue Bloods" isn't the only show to put a nearly absurd focus on the intimate. Few seasons of "24" concluded without some treachery in the president's family, or even in his marriage. Where would "Homeland" and "The Americans" be without family and marital intrigue? But on "Blue Bloods," the New York police commissioner (Tom Selleck) spends so much time forming a blue wall around his own home that you have to suspect some New Yorkers feel unprotected.

    "Vegas" (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) also concludes tonight, ending its first season and perhaps its last. I rarely get into the prediction business, but I thought the combination of Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis would make this cowboys 'n' Mafia period piece a hit. CBS was quick to pick the show up for a full season, but then thought better of it, cutting the number of episodes and then pulling it from Tuesday nights and exiling it to Fridays.

    One of my major beefs with "Vegas" was the decision to try to do historical set design on the cheap. Unlike "Mad Men" or "Magic City," which have lush art direction, "Vegas" was half-hearted. And sorry, you can't set a show in Las Vegas casinos in 1960 and not have everybody smoke.

    Another more-than-probable goner wrapping up tonight is "Touch" (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14). This numerological head-scratcher, starring Kiefer Sutherland, just never added up.

    "Kitchen Nightmares" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14) ends its season with a visit to a bakery in Scottsdale, Ariz. But the Gordon Ramsay franchise really knows no season; his series "MasterChef" returns on May 22.

    Contestants previously eliminated return to lend a hand or make mischief on the second-season finale of "Fashion Star" (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).

    -- "Bob Saget: That's What I'm Talkin' About" (10 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA) features the star of "Full House" and "America's Funniest Home Videos" regaling an audience with raunchy jokes and stories about his father, the man who helped shape his sense of humor and appreciation for the "filthy." Few comedians have straddled the line between TV-G and TV-MA as successfully, or for as long, as Saget.

    -- Why is the Military Channel showing three episodes of "Biblical Mysteries Explained" (8 p.m., TV-G; 9 p.m., TV-PG; and 10 p.m., TV-G)?

    TONIGHT'S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

    -- Featured employees from past episodes discuss their roles on "Undercover Boss" (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).

    -- On two helpings of "Shark Tank" (ABC, TV-PG): tell it to the Marines (8 p.m., r); a new variation on bicycling (9 p.m.).

    -- Al-Rahim pays Leonardo a visit on "Da Vinci's Demons" (9 p.m., Starz, TV-MA).

    -- Guns, gold mining, grizzly wrestling and other not-so-random acts of male overcompensation loom large on "Wild West Alaska" (10 p.m., Discovery, TV-14).

    -- A woman ignores advice about romance with a co-worker on "Dates From Hell" (10 p.m., ID, TV-14).

    -- During a podcast interview, Denis Leary questions Marc's manhood on "Maron" (10 p.m., IFC, TV-14).

    CULT CHOICE

    A womanizing trumpet player (Jack Benny) for a radio orchestra dreams that he's been sent by heaven to herald the apocalypse in the strange 1945 musical comedy "The Horn Blows at Midnight" (9:30 p.m., TCM), a spectacular box-office bomb for the popular Benny and director Raoul Walsh.

    SERIES NOTES

    A funny thing happens on the way to the altar on "Nikita" (8 p.m., CW, TV-14) ... "Dateline NBC" (9 p.m.) ... Lost footage is key to trial preparation on "Supernatural" (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-14) ... "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (10 p.m., NBC) ... "20/20" (10 p.m., ABC).

    LATE NIGHT

    Ryan Lochte, James Davis, Fortune Feimster and Ryan Stout appear on "Chelsea Lately" (11 p.m., E!, r) ... Chris Pine, Tom Dreesen and She & Him appear on "Late Show With David Letterman" (11:35 p.m., CBS) ... Jay Leno welcomes Aaron Eckhart, Sherri Shepherd and 98 Degrees on "The Tonight Show" (11:35 p.m., NBC) ... Mel Brooks visits "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (11:35 p.m., ABC, r).

    LL Cool J, Alyson Hannigan and Benedict Cumberbatch chat on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" (12:35 a.m., NBC).

    (Kevin McDonough can be reached at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.)
    COPYRIGHT 2013 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

    published Friday, May 10, 2013

    MOTHERS IN PERIL; CHRISTOPHER GUEST'S COMEDY OF PAIN

    -- Can't wait for Mother's Day? "Dangerous Intuition" (8 p.m. Saturday, Lifetime, TV-14) celebrates the psychic bonds between a mother and her child, even when separated by a messy divorce and an even uglier custody arrangement.

    Kate Aldrich (Tricia Helfer) thinks she has it all: a great husband, a beautiful daughter and a flourishing career. But then her husband, Dan (David Cubitt), dumps her for Laura (Estella Warren), a more "traditional" stay-at-home mother. Then the divorce settlement forces her to share custody of her beloved daughter, Izzy (Genea Charpentier).

    Reeling from emotional distress, Kate suffers a breakdown, strengthening the argument that a bitter, workaholic divorcee is not fit to raise a child. But then she's beset with frightening visions and premonitions that her daughter may not be safe in the care of Dan's new "Earth mother" wife. But given her history, will anyone believe her?

    Even by Lifetime movie standards, "Dangerous" goes out of its way to push the painful buttons of marital insecurity.

    -- Fans of female heartache can also sample "Beverly Lewis' The Confession" (9 p.m. Saturday, Hallmark), a 2013 melodrama so old-fashioned you half expect a mustached guy to tie a damsel to a railroad track. Sherry Stringfield stars as a handsome, dignified heiress stricken with a brain tumor and given scant weeks to live.

    But she'd rather die than let her estate go to her no-good, gambling-addict husband (Adrian Paul). So he hires a barmaid and aspiring actress to pose as the long-lost daughter she gave up for adoption. Meanwhile, the real daughter is out there, searching for answers and the mother she never knew. She's sweet as pie, honest and trusting to a fault -- and Amish to boot! Help yourself.

    -- Cringe comedy endures. Fans of NBC's "The Office," set to depart on Thursday, can rest assured that its painful-to-watch, uncomfortable brand of humor will not perish from the TV schedule. In fact, "Family Tree" (10:30 p.m. Sunday, HBO) returns the documentary-style theater of dread and discomfort to its roots.

    Series co-creator Christopher Guest didn't exactly invent the fake documentary, but his efforts, including "This Is Spinal Tap," "Waiting for Guffman," "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind," are among the most amusing and beloved of the genre that inspired the British and American versions of "The Office" and other series, most notably "Modern Family."

    The secret of Guest's success is to create a broad social canvas involving a rather small subject (rock has-beens, local theater, dog shows, PBS fund-raisers featuring ancient folk acts) and allow actors to improvise dialogue for deeply inhabited characters.

    "Family Tree" continues the tradition with Tom Chadwick (Chris O'Dowd), a miserable young man who has recently lost his job and his girlfriend. After inheriting a box of strange family heirlooms from a deceased aunt he can't remember, he embarks on a search for his roots. This genealogical journey allows him to interact with an onslaught of eccentric characters from all over Britain and eventually encounter long-lost and never-known cousins in far-flung California.

    Not that Tom has to travel to find peculiar relatives. Michael McKean ("Spinal Tap") plays his working-class father, Keith, a man of few words with a passion for low- to middle-brow British TV. His obsession allows "Family Tree" to showcase a series of TV parodies, including a 1970s slapstick police show called "Move it Along." Tom's sister, Bea (Nina Conti), was the subject of some minor trauma in her past. As a result, she's never seen without a hand-puppet monkey that helps her express her feelings. Unfortunately, the monkey is prone to the most depressing and undiplomatic utterances, casting a minor pall over every conversation.

    Like many of Guest's characters, Tom is an awkward mixture of amusing self-deception and gut-wrenching pathos. He's given to long, rattling observations that grow funnier (or more exquisitely wince-inducing) as they continue. He has an old-school mate, Pete (Tom Bennett), who is as obtuse as Tom but without any talent for self-reflection. Pete's long-rambling jags are merely self-serving, rude and frequently pointless. It's unclear if his character is a tribute to Ricky Gervais' comedy style or a vicious slap in his direction.

    "Family Tree" is not for every taste. Even fans of Guest's more popular and accessible "Best in Show" may find it too British and too "small" in focus. The series lacks some of the broad physical humor and obvious gags (like Parker Posey's deranged yuppie or Eugene Levy's two left feet) that brought a larger audience to that movie.

    Still, fans of this brand of humor cannot miss "Family Tree," an absurd and often brilliant meditation on life, death and the meaning of it all.

    SATURDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

    -- NASCAR action in the Bojangles' Southern 500 (6 p.m., Fox), live from Darlington, N.C.

    -- On two episodes of "My Cat From Hell" (Animal Planet, TV-PG): bullying behavior (8 p.m.); soiled possessions (9 p.m., r).

    -- The Indiana Pacers host the New York Knicks in Game Three of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (8:15 p.m., ABC).

    -- Scheduled on "48 Hours" (10 p.m., CBS): The ocean swallows evidence.

    -- Buzz Aldrin, Bobak Ferdowsi and Maria Bamford appear on "The Nerdist" (10 p.m., BBC America, TV-14).

    -- Kristen Wiig hosts "Saturday Night Live" (11:30 p.m., NBC, TV-14), featuring musical guest Vampire Weekend.

    SUNDAY'S SEASON FINALES

    -- Storybrooke's residents brace for a shock on "Once Upon a Time" (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

    -- A winner emerges on "Survivor" (8 p.m., CBS). A reunion (10 p.m.) follows.

    -- Tina can't get enough coffee on "Bob's Burgers" (8:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

    -- Tragic events force Emily to reconsider her plans on "Revenge" (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

    -- Stan finds himself possessed on "American Dad" (9:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

    SUNDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

    -- Scheduled on "60 Minutes" (7 p.m., CBS): Interviews with Microsoft's Bill Gates and Jessica Buchanan, a woman held captive by Somali pirates; a report on a program helping disabled veterans start their own businesses.

    -- Harry contends with a discount merchant on "Mr. Selfridge" on "Masterpiece Classic" (9 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings).

    -- John Goodman narrates "Great Bear Stakeout" (9 p.m., Discovery, TV-PG), an intimate look at grizzly bears in the wild.

    -- A husband's smothering mother ruins his first marriage and almost kills his second wife on "Evil In-Law" (9 p.m., ID, TV-14).

    -- Tyrion's status irks Shae on "Game of Thrones" (9 p.m., HBO, TV-MA).

    -- A junket to Helsinki is fraught with diplomatic danger on "Veep" (10 p.m., HBO, TV-MA).

    -- Pete's woes mount as the merger brings some painful adjustments on "Mad Men" (10 p.m., AMC, TV-14).

    -- Cesare celebrates a diplomatic triumph on "The Borgias" (10 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).

    CULT CHOICE

    Long a staple of Mother's Day programming, the 1981 biopic "Mommie Dearest" (8:15 p.m. Sunday, IFC) stars Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford, who turns motherhood into the most terrifying role of her career.

    SATURDAY SERIES

    Christmas makes way for murder on "NCIS" (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) ... Tom goes all out on "Smash" (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14) ... A police dog becomes a murder suspect on "CSI" (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) ... Playoffs on "The Voice" (9 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG) ... Zach Galifianakis guest-hosts "Saturday Night Live" (10 p.m., NBC, r, TV-14).

    SUNDAY SERIES

    A pretty piano teacher inspires Bart on "The Simpsons" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) ... More eliminations on "All-Star Celebrity Apprentice" (9 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) ... Peter buys the farm on "Family Guy" (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

    (Kevin McDonough can be reached at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.)
    COPYRIGHT 2013 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

    published Saturday, May 11, 2013

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