5 TV shows to watch: Willie Nelson special includes songs not always on your mind

What TV critic Neal Justin is watching this week.

December 15, 2023 at 2:00PM
Keith Richards pays his respects to Willie Nelson during the latter’s 90th birthday bash. (CBS/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

'Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration'

Anyone who has seen Nelson in concert recently knows he pretty much sticks to the same set list. But a birthday bash at Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl provided the legend a perfect excuse to go off script. Highlights from the two-day event in April that will air Sunday include Keith Richards joining in on "Live Forever" and Sheryl Crow dueting on "Far Away Places." While it's a jam-packed special, it's too bad that sets from Neil Young, Lyle Lovett and Dwight Yoakam didn't make the final cut. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, CBS

'Friends & Family Christmas'

The latest Hallmark Channel holiday flick includes all the standards: tree shopping, hot chocolate, one final smooch at the end. But the movie stands out because the main lovebirds are both female — a "twist" that once seemed unfathomable for the cable network. The fact that the bubbly characters don't make a big deal out of a same-sex courtship makes it even more special. 7 p.m. Sunday, Hallmark

'American Symphony'

Jon Batiste's Feb. 22 show at First Avenue promises to be one of the musical highlights of 2024; he's pure joy in concert. But this documentary shows how the former "Late Show" bandleader has struggled offstage, dealing with depression and supporting his wife as she battled cancer. If you weren't already eager to see Batiste live, you will be after watching this film. Netflix

'May December'

Former Oscar winners Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore may very well be in the running for more awards thanks to their performances in this Todd Haynes drama about women who are tougher — and sneakier — than they first appear. Portman plays an actor doing research before taking on the role of a woman (Moore) who went to jail for having an affair with a 13-year-old boy. Your sympathies bounce back and forth between the characters until you don't know whose side to take. It's a complicated, fascinating quandary. Netflix

'Archie'

Jason Isaacs nails both the look and voice of Cary Grant in this four-part docudrama about the screen legend, from his childhood days in vaudeville to his death in Davenport, Iowa. Too much of the story focuses on his marriage to Dyan Cannon (it's based on her book) but the running time allows for plenty of nods to famous films ("North by Northwest") and friends (George Burns). Film lovers will gobble it all up. Britbox

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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