Neal Justin's TV picks for Sept. 20-22 – 'Inside Bill's Brain,' 'Jim Thorpe – All American,' "Between Two Ferns: The Movie,' 'The 71st Emmy Awards'

September 19, 2019 at 9:17PM
September 1, 1951 Lancaster Throws a Pass as Carlisle Star Film Story covers three of Thorpe's many sports Story of Jim Thorpe "Jim Thorpe-All American" is the Warner Brothers film story of the life and career of the Indian boy who has been rated one of the greatest all-around athletes of all time. With Burt Lancaster as Thorpe, the picture opens its Minneapolis run at the State theater Thursday. Charles Bickford plays Pop Warner, the famous Carlisle coach who discovered Thorpe, and Phyllis Thax
Burt Lancaster plays the legendary multi-sport star in “Jim Thorpe — All-American,” on TCM. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Revenge of the nerd

The first time the director of "Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates" met his subject matter, Gates was poring over a copy of the Minnesota state budget. This three-part documentary reveals Gates is much more than a bookworm, with an emphasis on his charitable causes, skills on the tennis court and rich sense of humor.

Now streaming on Netflix

Color commentary

TCM has recruited a couple of former Minnesotans for its monthlong tribute to college football. This weekend, former Viking (and "Hill Street Blues" star) Ed Marinaro introduces a trio of biopics, starting with 1951's "Jim Thorpe – All-American" starring Burt Lancaster. Next Friday, former Gophers Coach Lou Holtz weighs in on gridiron comedies.

7 p.m. Friday, TCM

Something to talk about

Zach Galifianakis' "Between Two Ferns" has been required coffee-break viewing on funnyordie.com for more than a decade. Now, after a lengthy hiatus, comes "Between Two Ferns: The Movie," with the antisocial talk show host embarrassing himself aside a star-studded lineup that includes David Letterman, Benedict Cumberbatch and Hailee Steinfeld.

Now streaming on Netflix

TV's big night

Voters are likely to throw "Veep" and "Game of Thrones" a heck of a farewell party at the 71st Annual Emmy Awards. But the evening's most compelling races involve the stellar limited series, which include "When They See Us." Sunday's Variety section has an interview with Minnesotan Michael Starrbury, who co-wrote that project's final episode, plus my extremely unscientific predictions on who will be the big winners.

7 p.m. Sunday, KMSP, Ch. 9

Neal Justin

This image released by Netflix shows billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates in a scene from "Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates," streaming Sept. 20. (Saeed Adyani/Netflix via AP)
Gates (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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