TV picks for Aug. 19: Buster Keaton, 'Happy Jail,' 'I Ship It'

August 18, 2019 at 7:00PM
Buster Keaton in THE GENERAL Courtesy Kino International.
Buster Keaton in “The General,” showing at 9 p.m. as part of Turner Classic Movies’ daylong tribute to the silent comic. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Silence is golden

TCM's Summer Under the Stars continues with an all-day tribute to silent-film great Buster Keaton. Those not familiar with his work should check out Peter Bogdanovich's thorough doc "Great Buster: A Celebration," followed by two laugh-out-loud classics: "The General" and "Sherlock Jr."

7 p.m., TCM

Redemption song

It's been a dozen years since the prisoners at a Filipino detention center went viral by dancing to Michael Jackson's "Thriller." But as the five-part series "Happy Jail" reveals, the smooth criminals have lost a step since a former convict took charge. Filmmaker Michele Josue takes full advantage of her access behind bars.

Now streaming on Netflix

Dream a little dream

"I Ship It" wants to be the next "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," with its head-in-the-clouds heroine (Helen Highfield) occasionally breaking into song, if only to shake up the mundane routine of her dead-end job. But the tunes lack spunk — as do the characters. A little more "crazy" would help.

8:30 p.m., WUCW, Ch. 23

Neal Justin

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