TV picks for Jan. 1-3: 'Starship Troopers,' 'Steve Jobs,' 'Downton Abbey,' 'Bordertown'

December 31, 2015 at 4:49PM
Steve Jobs in "Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine." (Photo courtesy Magnolia Pictures) ORG XMIT: 1173011
“Steve Jobs: Man in the Machine” is directed by Oscar winner Alex Gibney. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The exterminators

In between your fifth and sixth screening of the latest "Star Wars" adventures, revisit "Starship Troopers," a darker romp through the galaxies with Neil Patrick Harris and Denise Richards playing warriors who hate invasive bugs more than the Orkin Man does. The 1997 film is followed by two utterly missable sequels. 10 a.m. Saturday, Fuse TV

Inside Jobs

"Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine" manages to explore the life and times of the tech pioneer without the aid of Aaron Sorkin's walk-and-talk (and talk some more) dialogue. The documentary comes from Alex Gibney, who is also responsible for 2015's "Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief." Journalists and former Apple executives are among the talking heads. 8 p.m. Sunday, CNN

Come on-a my house

In the sixth and final season of "Downton Abbey," the family is less than amused by a charity drive that consists of strangers lining up outside their mansion for a peek at the lifestyles of the rich and famous. "I don't know why anybody would pay money to take a look," sniffs Mr. Carson, who despite marriage in his future is still carrying on a romance with upstairs-downstairs life. It doesn't take an Anglophile to recognize the nod to the show's unexpected, and mostly deserved, popularity, which will most likely reach a fever pitch by the March finale. 8 p.m. Sunday, TPT, Ch. 2

Living on the edge

In "Bordertown," an animated update of "All in the Family," the Archie character is a border-patrol guard frustrated by his lot in life while "Meathead" is represented by a Mexican-American who wants to marry the bigot's daughter. None of the politically incorrect humor is sharp enough to trigger protests or accolades, although a bit about Philip Seymour Hoffman's drug use did make my jaw drop a millimeter. 8:30 p.m. Sunday, KMSP, Ch. 9

Neal Justin


Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith Crawley, from left, Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley in PBS' popular "Downton Abbey," which returns for its last season on Sunday. (Nick Briggs) ORG XMIT: 1178558
Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith Crawley, Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley in “Downton Abbey,” which returns Sunday. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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