Neal Justin's TV picks for Dec. 15-19 – '42nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors,' 'Well Groomed,' 'Soundtrack'
The "42nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors," taped last weekend, promises to be a touching broadcast, especially when the spotlight turns to "Sesame Street," which was celebrated just hours after the announcement that Caroll Spinney, the man in the Big Bird costume, had passed away. The night will also toast Sally Field, Linda Ronstadt, Michael Tilson Thomas and Earth, Wind & Fire. I can't wait to hear Aaron Neville and Trisha Yearwood harmonize on Ronstadt's "Don't Know Much."
7 p.m. Sunday, WCCO, Ch. 4
Color their world
Your enjoyment of "Well Groomed" will depend largely on how you feel about pet owners who make their dogs look like bags of Skittles with tails. The documentary allows for some criticism of these beauty show contestants, but for the most part, this is a celebration of groomers who pour their creative energy into putting their canines in coats of many colors.
8 p.m. Tuesday, HBO
Singing lessons
"Soundtrack," a musical drama about love and loss in La La Land, borrows more than a few notes from "This Is Us," especially in the way it messes with time and your emotions. But the comparisons won't be enough to attract viewers who can't tolerate characters suddenly breaking into song, even when the tunes are as familiar as Demi Lovato's "Sorry (Not Sorry") and Kelly Clarkson's "Heat." The cast mainly lip-syncs, but the impressive dance moves are all their own.
Starts streaming Wednesday on Netflix
Neal Justin
Tim Walz appears to learn of Taylor Swift endorsement on live TV