TV picks for Feb. 16-17: Olivia Newton-John, 'Doom Patrol,' 'Presidents At War'

February 15, 2019 at 7:23PM
Dwight D. Eisenhower from HISTORY's two-night event "Presidents at War" premiering Sunday, Feb. 17 at 8PM ET/PT. Photo by Brendan George Ko
Copyright 2019
Dwight D. Eisenhower from “Presidents at War,” premiering Sunday. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

It gets you nowhere

"Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You" is being billed as a biopic, but it's really a nearly seamless collection of musical montages, with actress Delta Goodrem re-enacting the singer's greatest hits, which include breaking through with Bob Dylan's "If Not for You," sweating through the "Let's Get Physical" video and conquering cancer. The two-hour love letter is followed by "Biography Presents: The Olivia Newton-John Story."

7 p.m. Saturday, Lifetime

Temple of doom

"Deadpool" fans and "Hellboy" fans won't want to miss "Doom Patrol," an equally subversive entry in the comic-book genre featuring a motley crew of crimefighters badly in need of super-therapy. The wisecracking cast includes Brendan Fraser, Diane Guerrero and a morose river of slime.

Now streaming on DC Universe

Leading the charge

Despite a four-hour running time over two nights, "Presidents at War" doesn't make room for Abe Lincoln. The documentary is focused on more modern-day strategists, starting with Dwight D. Eisenhower and ending with George H.W. Bush.

7 p.m. Sunday and Monday, History Channel

Neal Justin

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