Witnesses to history
Several of the outstanding documentaries commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots have been built around footage from cellphones and news cameras. John Ridley's "Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992" takes a different approach. The Oscar-winning writer, and creator of ABC's "American Crime," primarily relies on the memories of eyewitnesses, still vivid and haunting.
8 p.m. Friday, KSTP, Ch. 5
Queen Bee
C-Span will do its patriotic duty by airing the Trump-less "White House Correspondents' Dinner" (8:30 p.m. Saturday), but the real bash will be taking place down the street. Samantha Bee is the commander-in-chief for "Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner," an event so hot that Elvis Costello will provide the tunes at the after-party.
9 p.m. Saturday, TBS
Campus crime
"Sexual Assault in College: Tamron Hall Investigates" features some beautiful photography of the Twin Cities, a sharp contract to the ugly tale of rape near the University of Minnesota campus. The case of victim Abby Honold has gotten extensive coverage from the Star Tribune and other local media, but this televised special should give it the national attention it deserves.
7 p.m. Sunday, Investigation Discovery
No laughing matter
"Dear White People," the TV series, was not filmed at the University of Minnesota like the 2014 film that inspired it, but both of Justin Simien's projects share a militant approach in exposing racial tension on college campuses. Although it's billed as a comedy, you may feel guilty about giggling. The trailer has already disturbed some Netflix subscribers; the first few episodes won't do much to alleviate their discomfort.
Now streaming on Netflix
Neal Justin
