What our TV critic is watching this week: 'Spinning Out,' 'Dare Me,' Hoda Kotb

December 28, 2019 at 5:45AM
Kaya Scodelario and Evan Roderick in "Spinning Out."
Kaya Scodelario and Evan Roderick in “Spinning Out.” (Netflix/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Cheer down

Pop culture's campaign to give cheerleaders a bad name continues with "Dare Me," a new series about how far one Midwest teen will go to stay on top of the squad's pyramid. The routines are full of pep, but the overall spirit of this series, based on Megan Abbott's novel, is as dark as "The Walking Dead."

9 p.m. Sunday, USA

Ring-a-ding-ding

There are plenty of options for New Year's Eve dates, but I'm going with the resilient Hoda Kotb, who will be co-hosting "A Toast to 2019!" alongside Jenna Bush Hager, who has turned out to be a pretty solid substitute for Kathy Lee Gifford. The "Today" personalities welcome Kristen Bell, Martin Short and Maya Rudolph as a prelude to more traditional ceremonies with your regular emcees Carson Daly, Ryan Seacrest, Anderson Cooper and Steve Harvey on various channels.

7 p.m. Tuesday, KARE, Ch. 11

Take this for a spin

Figure skating might leave you cold, but "Spinning Out" may just cause you to fall in love with the sport — or at least with Kat Baker (Kaya Scodelario), a talented but unlucky skater who must team up with a richy-rich partner if she wants to keep her Olympics hopes alive. The music and moves are top-notch. January Jones has the juiciest role of her career as a bipolar mother trying in vain to chip away at the ice between her and her daughters.

Starts streaming Wednesday on Netflix

Neal Justin


Marlo Kelly in the premiere "Dare Me."
Marlo Kelly in the premiere “Dare Me.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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