TV critic's picks: April 3-9

April 2, 2011 at 6:22PM
"Pregnant In Heels"
"Pregnant In Heels" (Heidi Gutman/Bravo — Heidi Gutman/Bravo/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Sunday On the heels of Ken Burns' announcement that he's started production on a documentary about the Vietnam War comes the rebroadcast of "The Civil War" (7 p.m., KTCA, Ch. 2), a game changer for both the filmmaker and public television. This monumental project proved there was a mass audience for serious docs, as long as they are compelling and expertly produced. Further installments air at 8 p.m. through Thursday.

Monday Jerry Weintraub, the manager/promoter/producer behind Elvis Presley, John Denver and the "Oceans 11" franchise, is front and center in "His Way" (8 p.m., HBO), a documentary that's as juicy and lighthearted as Weintraub's autobiography, "When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead." George Clooney, George H.W. Bush and Julia Roberts are among the stars taking good-natured digs at their friend.

Tuesday It's challenging enough to be expecting a baby. Just imagine how much more difficult it would be if you were super rich. "Pregnant With Heels" (9 p.m., Bravo) looks at the heroic efforts made by Rosie Pope, a maternity concierge (can you major in that in college?) who caters to struggling wealthy women in New York City. We can only pray that the Red Cross will be lending a hand.

Wednesday Christian Slater revisits his Jack Nicholson impression for "Breaking In" (8:30 p.m., KMSP, Ch. 9), a somewhat amusing comedy about a high-tech security firm that's as committed to protecting companies as it is to playing practical jokes. There's solid chemistry among cast members, and Slater is slyly appealing as the firm's boss, but high-tech security doesn't seem like a sustainable setting for laughs.

Thursday "Gigolos" (10 p.m., Showtime) categorizes itself as reality TV, but these Las Vegas male escorts and their female clients seem about as authentic as fake breasts. You see a lot of skin and sex, raising the question of why anyone would allow their, um, performances to be on camera, unless they're porn actors who can't get a meeting with Seymore Butts. It's preceded by the season premiere of "Diary of a Call Girl" (9:30 p.m., Showtime), which at least has the decency to admit that it's scripted fare.

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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