Five shows our TV critic is watching this week

January 11, 2020 at 7:40PM
Anytime Fitness President Stacy Anderson is the subject of Wednesday's "Undercover Boss."
Anytime Fitness President Stacy Anderson is the subject of Wednesday’s “Undercover Boss.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Knowing the law

No one spins a better crime yarn than Richard Price. The "Clockers" author once again puts his unparalleled mastery of law enforcement and human nature to proper use in "The Outsider," a riveting new thriller based on Stephen King's novel of the same name about a detective who has second thoughts after arresting a Little League coach for the murder of a child. Jason Bateman, who plays the prime suspect, directed the first two episodes.

8 p.m. Sunday, HBO

Erotic city

Leslie Jones' departure from "Saturday Night Live" is a loss for the late-night series, but it's giving her a chance to explore other opportunities. In her new stand-up special, "Leslie Jones: Time Machine," the Emmy-nominated talent builds on her sexually aggressive character that often upended the "Weekend Update" desk, especially when she recalls the time she tried making a move on Prince.

Starts streaming Tuesday on Netflix

Training wheel

A new episode of "Undercover Boss" has Anytime Fitness President Stacy Anderson getting in disguise to check out gyms in Indiana and Georgia, but since the company is headquartered in Woodbury, producers shot several scenes in the Twin Cities. The series has been on the air since 2010, winning Emmys in 2012 and 2013 for outstanding reality program.

7 p.m. Wednesday, WCCO, Ch. 4

More than OK

If you like the new version of "Party of Five," you'll want to check out "Everything's Going To Be Okay," a promising new series about a family that's left to fend for itself after the sudden death of its patriarch. Star and creator Josh Thomas is pretty graphic while relaying his survival story, with barely censored sex scenes and some blunt talk about a girl's first tampon, but there's nothing mature viewers won't be able to handle.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Freeform

Coming to America

Some of the key players behind "The Big Sick" and "Master of None" have found a way to champion immigrant stories without making viewers feel like they're attending a naturalization ceremony. Each half-hour episode of the anthology series "Little America" spotlights a different character who overcame the odds in real life to triumph in everything from competitive squash to economics. You'll end up cheering for each and everyone of them, no matter your ethnic background.

Starts streaming Friday on Apple TV Plus


about the writer

about the writer

Neal Justin

Critic / Reporter

Neal Justin is the pop-culture critic, covering how Minnesotans spend their entertainment time. He also reviews stand-up comedy. Justin previously served as TV and music critic for the paper. He is the co-founder of JCamp, a non-profit program for high-school journalists, and works on many fronts to further diversity in newsrooms.

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