TV picks for Oct. 23: 'Black-ish,' 'Native America,' 'Darren Brown: Sacrifice'

October 22, 2018 at 5:29PM
Quechua shaman Puma leads a renewal ceremony at an ancient shrine above Cusco - the former capital of the Inca Empire.
credit: Providence Pictures
A Quechua shaman led a ceremony at an ancient shrine above Cusco, the former Inca capital, in “Native America.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Who's on first

Robbie Robertson, former frontman for the Band, has embraced American Indian music throughout his solo career. He goes one step further by narrating "Native America," a four-part documentary that shows the contributions made by forward-looking tribes long before Christopher Columbus set sail. The history lesson can get a bit scholarly at times, but as lectures go, this is an important one.

8 p.m., TPT, Ch. 2

Love thy neighbor

Most episodes of "Black-ish" feature some take on "father eventually knows best," but that self-improvement course often touches on hot-button issues. That's the case this week when Dre (Anthony Anderson) is reminded that calling the police on rowdy white and rowdy black neighbors can result in totally different outcomes. "Black-ish" may not be network TV's funniest sitcom, but it is the boldest.

8 p.m., KSTP, Ch. 5

Impractical magic

"Darren Brown: Sacrifice" sells itself as an important social experiment, as the English magician tries to show what prejudice man is capable of when he's tricked into believing he's got superhuman powers. But this feels like a big-budget version of "Candid Camera" that's no more impactful than pulling a rabbit from a hat.

Now streaming on Netflix

Neal Justin

BLACK-ISH - "Don't You Be My Neighbor" - The neighbors decide to rent their house out for homestays and it's causing problems for the Johnsons. Dre develops a newfound joy of calling the cops over petty neighborhood issues but begins to question the example he is setting for Jack. Meanwhile, Diane develops her first crush and Bow wants to help but lets Zoey take the lead on "black-ish," TUESDAY, OCT. 23 (9:00-9:30 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Kelsey McNeal)
MILES BROWN, ANTHONY
Anderson (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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