TV picks for Jan. 17-18:  "Whitney," "Saturday Night Live," "Won't Back Down"

January 16, 2015 at 7:29PM
Yaya DaCosta stars as “Whitney Houston” in the all-new Lifetime Original Movie, Whitney, premiering Saturday, January 17, 2015 on Lifetime. Photo by Jack Zeman
Yaya DaCosta stars as “Whitney.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Her prerogative

"Whitney" focuses on the romantic relationship between Whitney Houston and a surprisingly sympathetic Bobby Brown. The film, which marks the directorial debut of Angela Bassett, is fairly lightweight with the exception of the dynamic vocals of Deborah Cox, who brilliantly channels the pop icon. 7 p.m. Saturday, Lifetime

Have a Hart

Red-hot Kevin Hart brings his manic energy to "Saturday Night Live" in the first episode of the new year. Sia provides the musical entertainment. Let's hope she avoids performing the dreadful songs she co-wrote for "Annie." 10:29 p.m. Saturday, KARE, Ch. 11

Extra credit

"Won't Back Down," a 2012 film about two women trying to save an economically challenged school, didn't reap a lot of awards, but it did get good performances out of Viola Davis, who's having a great season on "How to Get Away With Murder," and Maggie Gyllenhaal, who just picked up a Golden Globe for her work in "The Honorable Woman." 6:30 p.m. Sunday, FXX

NEAL JUSTIN

Kevin Hart arrives at the LA Premiere Of The Wedding Ringer at the TLC Chinese Theatre on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015, in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Rob Latour/Invision/AP)
Hart (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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