Neal Justin's TV picks for March 11-13: 'Flaked,' 'The 2016 Kids' Choice Awards,' 'Lady Day,' 'And Then There Were None'

March 10, 2016 at 6:23PM
Michele K. Short/HBO Audra McDonald stars in "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill."
Audra McDonald stars in “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Stormy weather

Audra McDonald does a fine job of impersonating Billie Holiday in "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill," but she's even better at bringing out the pathetic nature and pathos of an addict on the verge of death, with only her gift for melody intact. This version of the Tony-winning play, which McDonald will bring back to the stage in London this summer, was taped in a New Orleans club.

8 p.m. Sat. HBO

How dry I am

Will Arnett has parlayed his recent success into "Flaked," a well-meaning but laugh-deprived sitcom about a recovering alcoholic struggling to stay afloat in Venice Beach. Arnett, who co-wrote the series with Mark Chappell, gets points for dialing the crazy down, but it's never really explained why the community trusts his clearly unreliable character or why he's catnip to all the women. Perhaps they recognize his voice from "BoJack Horseman."

Now streaming on Netflix

Baby-sitting duties

Blake Shelton is the unusual pick for host of the 2016 Kids' Choice Awards. Maybe the selection committee thought fans would get a free spin in "The Voice" chair? To be fair, he is in the category for best male singer alongside whippersnappers Justin Bieber, the Weeknd, Nick Jonas, Ed Sheeran and Drake.

7 p.m. Sat. Nick

Missing persons bureau

Charles Dance, Miranda Richardson and a parlor full of other British actors who never found the time to visit "Downton Abbey" star in the miniseries "And Then There Were None," based on one of the bestselling crime novels of all time. If author Agatha Christie were alive today, she'd probably be too wrapped up in a "Law & Order" marathon to watch.

7 p.m. Sun. and 8 p.m. Mon. Lifetime

Neal Justin


FOR USE WITH FYI_TV CONTENT ONLY. KIDSí CHOICE AWARDS 2016: Pictured: Blake Shelton in KIDSí CHOICE AWARDS 2016 on Nickelodeon. Photo: James White/Nickelodeon. © 2015 Viacom International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Vanities: Trish Townsend ñ Stylist Kristi Fuhrann-Kerr ñ Groomer Retouching- Boris Kravchenko/ Angry Tablet Inc.
Shelton (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Will Arnett arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Arnett (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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