'Superman & Lois' and four other shows our TV critic is watching this week

February 19, 2021 at 2:40PM
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Ellis Haizlip with the J.C. White Singers on the set of “Soul!” (Provided by Alex Harsley/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Change is gonna come

"Soul!," the PBS program that celebrated African American dance, music and literature in the late '60s and early '70s, doesn't get mentioned much in TV history pieces. That makes the excerpts from the "Independent Lens" documentary "Mr. Soul!" all the more riveting. There's a good chance you've never before seen Billy Preston jam on a gospel tune or Stevie Wonder provide the music for a ballet number. After watching the clips — and hearing the back story of the show's ambitious creator Ellis Haizlip — you'll wonder what took so long.

9 p.m. Monday, TPT, Ch 2

Wonder twins

Just when you thought they've run out of ways to showcase the Man of Steel, out comes "Superman & Lois," in which the married couple move back to Smallville to raise teenage twins, one of whom has inherited Daddy's powers. The Big Guy is a snooze — as usual — but the focus on the kids is an inventive twist, one that makes this series a welcome addition to the CW's ever-expanding DC Comics family.

7 p.m. Tuesday, WUCW, Ch 23

The fix is in

"Home Improvement" stars Tim Allen and Richard Karn reunite to host "Assembly Required," a reality-competition series in which builders have to put together leaf blowers and fire extinguishers from a crate of goodies. The actual construction is a bit too technical for viewers who don't own a toolbox, but fans of Allen's grunting will be more than satisfied.

9 p.m. Tuesday, History

I will follow

The characters in "Ginny & Georgia" name-drop "Gilmore Girls" in the very first episode. But while both shows center around a young mother and her teenage daughter, the two have very little in common. This time, mom is a weed-smoking con artist constantly on the run, while her child is starting to sexually experiment with the boy next door. Lorelai would be mortified.

Starts streaming Wednesday on Netflix

Dream team

High school basketball has rarely looked as exciting as it does in "Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers," a docuseries about a California squad that includes the sons of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. The action moves too quickly for us to really get to know the teenagers, but the slam dunks and monster blocks are something to behold. Stick around for the third episode, in which the all-star team faces Minnehaha Academy at Target Center.

Starts streaming Friday on IMDb.tv

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“Superman & Lois” (The CW/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Antonia Gentry as Ginny and Brianne Howey as Georgia in “Ginny & Georgia.” (Netflix/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Sierra Canyon guard Bronny James (0) defended as Minnehaha guard Hercy Miller (15) took the ball down the court in when Minnehaha Academy played Sierra Canyon at Target Center in Minneapolis. (ANTHONY SOUFFLÉ • anthony.souffle@startribune.com/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Richard Karn and Tim Allen on “Assembly Required.” (Jason Elias • History Channel/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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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