Behind the scenes with 'Hamilton'
A behind-the-scenes look at Broadway's groundbreaking musical, "Hamilton's America" will leave you seething with jealousy toward those who saw it in New York with creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. At least this season premiere of "Great Performances" offers you a taste of the hip-hop numbers, as well as insights from Miranda as he chronicles his eight-year journey from spark to stage. With commentary from former President George W. Bush, Stephen Sondheim and Jimmy Fallon.
8 p.m. Fri., TPT, Ch. 2
Baby, I'm a star
"Prince: Purple Reign" won't appease any fans disappointed by last week's underwhelming tribute at Xcel Energy Center. Leaning heavily on armchair experts and dated "revelations," this is a quickie documentary Prince would have ridiculed in song — if he even bothered to watch it.
8 p.m. Sat., Reelz
Fatal vision
Douglas Adams' comic novels can be difficult to translate to the screen, as anyone who sat through the film version of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" can attest, but "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" is off to a promising start. Elijah Wood plays a naive bellhop reluctantly traveling through a world populated with indestructible angels and demons. The plot is messy, but there's enough humor and jaw-dropping violence to appeal to those seeking a "Doctor Who" with more grit.
8 p.m. Saturday, BBC America
Bad to the bone
Jeffrey Dean Morgan attempts to complete his transformation from weak-hearted patient in "Grey's Anatomy" to blackhearted baddie in the new batch of "The Walking Dead" episodes. The lonnng introduction of his bat-wielding Negan in last season's cliffhanger didn't give me the chills I was hoping for, but don't underestimate the show's writers or Morgan, who proved in "Watchmen" and "The Good Wife" that pretty boys can be the most devilish of rogues.
8 p.m. Sun., AMC
Neal Justin
