TV shows to watch: Garth Brooks urges viewers to visit Minnesota in 'America's National Parks'

What TV critic Neal Justin is watching this week.

June 3, 2023 at 3:30PM
Voyageurs National Park, which has four large lakes and 26 smaller interior lakes, is featured in “America’s National Parks.” (Leila Navidi, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

'America's National Parks'

This nature series, narrated by Garth Brooks, starts its second season with a stop at Grand Teton National Park, a scenic but safe choice. Those looking for hidden treasures will be more enthralled with the upcoming episode on Voyageurs National Park in northeast Minnesota. Unfortunately, that journey, like all the ones in this series, is more interested in capturing animals foraging for food than offering tips for tourists. It's cute watching a beaver and otter participate in a showdown over a Voyageurs dam, but that's not a sight most visitors will ever see. The Minnesota episode doesn't air on cable until June 19, but the entire second season will be available for streaming later this week. 8 p.m. Mondays, National Geographic; Wednesday on Disney Plus.

'The Idol'

This new drama about a troubled pop star (Lily-Rose Depp) and her guru (The Weeknd) wasn't available for review. Maybe that's due to the bad buzz it has generated from stories about production problems and a shaky reception at the Cannes Film Festival. Based on reports from those who have seen it, "Idol" sounds like it is one of those projects where HBO is eager to prove just how edgy it can be. 8 p.m. Sunday, HBO

Lily-Rose Depp and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye in “The Idol.” (Eddy Chen, HBO via TNS/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

'Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love'

The 52-year-old comedian may seem too young to be picking up lifetime achievement awards, but she's as worthy as anyone of accolades like the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Her sweet-and-sour delivery has influenced a generation of female comics eager to take on raw topics without hiding their femininity. Silverman's latest special showcases her abilities to share smart jokes about abortion and the Holocaust while maintaining the tone of a kindergarten teacher. Max

Sarah Silverman attends the 75th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 12, 2022, in New York. (Dia Dipasupil, Getty Images/TNS/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

'The Ride'

This competition series looks at attempts by the Professional Bull Riders international organization to turn its sport into a team activity. But the episodes work best when they focus on the individuals who risk life and limb to last eight seconds on a bucking bull. The action is either thrilling or horrifying, depending on how you feel about cowboys getting tossed in the air. Amazon Prime

'Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets'

This docuseries starts off as an indictment of reality TV, particularly TLC's "19 Kids and Counting." But the filmmakers are ultimately more interested in targeting certain Christian groups with suspect practices. Amazon Prime

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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