TV picks for Sept. 30-Oct. 2: 'Crisis in Six Scenes,' 'America Undivided,' 'Madam Secretary'

Start the revolution without him. In Amazon's "Crisis in Six Scenes," Woody Allen's first genuine crack at a TV series, the writer/director plays a hack more interested in landing a book deal than getting swept up in the 1960s counterculture. An intrusion by freedom fighter Miley Cyrus changes all that. This is old-fashioned, nebbish Allen with one stammering routine after another —his pitch to a network about a family comedy set in caveman times is a hoot — but the six episodes are about as revelatory as a rerun of "Laugh-In." Elaine May makes a rare, and rewarding, appearance as Allen's incredibly patient wife.

Now streaming on Amazon Prime

Either Rosario Dawson and Common are incredible actors, or they are both genuinely interested in underdogs facing crises across the country. I'm betting on the latter. In "America Undivided," the two celebrities, along with Norman Lear, sit down with families struggling with tainted water in Flint, Mich., high-priced housing in New York and violence in Chicago, for a moving exploration of when the American dream seems unreachable. Shonda Rhimes is one of the executive producers for this five-part series, which has also recruited Amy Poehler and America Ferrara as tour guides.

8 p.m. Friday, Epix

Louis XIV's reign in 17th-century Europe makes for both an engaging history lesson and juicy soap opera in "Versailles," the most expensive TV series ever produced in France. Don't let that little nugget of trivia scare you off; the sexually charged banter and rise of the king from spoiled brat to confident leader are all presented in English.

9 p.m. Saturday, Ovation

The third-season premiere of "Madam Secretary" promises another appearance from Morgan Freeman as the wisest chief justice in history, but in reality, he only pops up long enough to pick up a cup of coffee. Perhaps the Oscar winner was too busy directing this episode, in which Secretary of State Téa Leoni's conscience threatens the president's re-election bid. This series is smarter than most of today's network dramas, but it still has us missing "The Good Wife." Perhaps the Christine Baranski spinoff scheduled for CBS' digital arm next year will do a better job of filling that void.

Neal Justin