TV picks for Aug. 23-25: 'Halston,' '13 Reasons Why,' 'Central Florida,' 'Ballers'

August 22, 2019 at 9:02PM
Liza Minelli, Bianca Jagger, Andy Warhol and Halston at Studio 54.
Halston, right, and Studio 54 habitués Liza Minnelli, Bianca Jagger and Andy Warhol in 1978. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

New curriculum

The young-adult drama "13 Reasons Why" attracted lots of controversy in its first two seasons by focusing on a suicide-ain't-painless story line. Season 3 is less likely to cause a stir as the series transforms into a whodunit mystery over the murder of a school bully.

Now streaming on Netflix

Million-dollar pyramid

"On Becoming a God in Central Florida," a dramedy about a 1990s Ponzi scheme outside Orlando, would be sinful fun but the writers insert so many bizarre twists that viewers will think they're visiting Twin Peaks. Kirsten Dunst does her best playing a water-park employee who's supposed to be losing her soul on her scramble up the pyramid, but those adorable dimples keep giving her away.

9 p.m. Sunday, Showtime

Short yardage

"Ballers" was supposed to prove that Dwayne Johnson had genuine acting chops. It hasn't. The Rock is solid enough as an ex-football player flexing his muscle on the corporate side. But the sitcom, which starts its fifth season, doesn't even give him an excuse to raise an eyebrow. The only kick: watching Rob Corddry do a wicked impression of "Entourage's" Ari Gold.

9:30 p.m. Sunday, HBO

Clothes, but no cigar

"Halston," a flashy documentary on the influential designer, is merely a skin-deep profile — and the addition of a fictional narrator doesn't help. Despite the lack of revelations, it's worth checking out, if only to hear Liza Minnelli and director Joel Schumacher share memories about their fashionable friend.

8 p.m. Sunday, CNN

Neal Justin

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