TV Watchlist: 'Bridgerton' Is Finally Back, Marvel's Acclaimed 'X-Men '97' Ends and Fallon Gets a Special

Plus AMC's "Interview with the Vampire" and Prime Video's "Outer Range" both return for second seasons Week of May 11 – 17 This week we’ve got the long-awaited return of fan-favorites “Outer Range” and “Interview with the Vampire,” after first seasons that streamed two years ago, plus new "Bridgerton," a documentary about police brutality (“Power”), an animated feature about a phony unicorn (“Thelma the Unicorn”) and a 10th anniversary celebration of Jimmy Fallon’s time at “The Tonight Show.” There is certainly something for everyone this week. On with the television! Outer Range Thursday, May 17, Prime Video Source: Prime Video That’s right. “Outer Range” is finally back. Prime Video’s existential western, which follows a family (led by Josh Brolin and Lili Taylor) as they deal with a mysterious hole that has opened up on their property, first streamed more than two years ago, which is perhaps fitting for a series obsessed with the slippery nature of time. There was no guaranteed that it would be back; even with the massive star power of its cast (which also includes Imogen Poots, Tom Pelphrey and “Top Gun: Maverick” breakout Lewis Pullman) and seemingly limitless budget of its parent company, there was a question of whether or not it would return. But, thankfully, it has. There’s a new showrunner in place (Charles Murray taking over for playwright Brian Watkins) and even more intrigue this time around. If you loved “Outer Range” the first time around, there’s plenty of new oddness to enjoy and if you haven’t watched it yet, there’s still time to catch up (see below). (Given the amount of characters who consume the mysterious mineral found at the hole, there are lots more hallucinations/dream sequences this time.) “Outer Range,” even in its new configuration (with all episodes available to stream), remains one of the most compelling, more singular series streaming today. The show is worth a shot. And a third season. [[TRAILER](] X-Men ‘97 Wednesday, May 15, Disney+ Source: Disney+ One of the year’s biggest surprises was Marvel Animation’s “X-Men ’97.” Sure, we knew it would be nostalgic and fun, taking its cues from the hugely influential 1990s animated series. But the series, created by Beau DeMayo (mysteriously ousted hours before the first episode streamed), is far more complex – and far more mature – than we could have possibly imagined. And what will the finale hold? Considering the penultimate episode featured Magneto literally ripping Wolverine’s skeleton out, plus villainous machinations from Bastion (voiced by “White Lotus” star Theo James) and Mister Sinister (Christopher Britton), well, the X-Men might make it out alive (Disney+ has already announced a second season), but what will be left of them? [[TRAILER](] Thelma the Unicorn Friday, May 17, Netflix Source: Netflix “Thelma the Unicorn” could be your next animated obsession. It’s based on a children’s book by Aaron Blabey, the creator of the story that DreamWorks Animation’s “The Bad Guys” was based on, and was adapted by Jared and Jerusha Hess, the husband-and-wife filmmakers who were just nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Short. Jared directed “Thelma the Unicorn” with Lynn Wang, injecting some of the oddball humor that made his previous films “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Nacho Libre” resonate with audiences. Brittany Howard, lead singer of the Alabama Shakes, voices the title character, a small pony that dreams of being a famous singer, who finds stardom after being mistaken for a unicorn. (It’s a long story.) Can she really be successful, though, without being her authentic self? That’s the question that hangs over “Thelma the Unicorn,” a brightly animated film that also features the voices of Will Forte, Jemaine Clement (as an unscrupulous talent agent), Edi Patterson, Fred Armisen, Zack Galifianakis and Jon Heder. It’s cute but never cloying, sweet but never saccharine. [[TRAILER](] Power Friday, May 17, Netflix Source: Netflix Netflix’s latest prestige documentary is “Power,” which screened at Sundance earlier this year. The documentary asks the question: Who is more powerful: the people – or the police? Made my Academy Award-nominated director Yance Ford, according to the official synopsis, the documentary, “Ford examines the history of American policing in order to see what its future may hold. The links connecting the slave patrols created in the 1700s to track down enslaved persons, to the often violent police suppression of the Civil Rights movement, to more recent wrongful deaths, rhymes in ways that are difficult to ignore within a deeply entrenched framework of violent racial inequity. Yet at the same time, in many communities throughout the country, the police are seen as a necessary bulwark against the threat of crime and disorder.” [[TRAILER](] Outer Range Prime Video Source: Prime Video We are recommending you catch up on “Outer Range” before this new season begins, because it has been a while since the first season and if you don’t revisit you will be thoroughly perplexed when starting these new batch of episodes (we mean more perplexed than you’ll already be). If you’ve never watched the show before, just know that Josh Brolin plays a rancher who, one day, discovers a giant, seemingly bottomless hole on his property. Where does the hole go? Has he had any dealings with it in the past? These are the questions that pop up throughout the first season (and that are incrementally answered in the new season). There were few things that had the singular point of view and vibe of season one of “Outer Range.” If you need an excuse to watch again (or watch for the first time), then here it is. [[WATCH](] Source: Netflix “Interview with the Vampire” Sunday, May 12 at 9 p.m., AMC The second season of “Interview with the Vampire,” based on the Anne Rice novel of the same name, forgoes the spooky season release of the first batch of episodes, then time going for summer blockbuster status. And while you might think that the new season would adapt another book in “The Vampire Chronicles” saga, it mostly tackles the second half of her original novel. (If we’re talking about the movie adaptation, this will be all the European stuff where they encountered Antonio Banderas and Stephen Rea.) Ready for a new season to sink your teeth into? We thought so. [[TRAILER](] “Best of the Tonight Show: 10 Years of the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” Tuesday, May 14 at 9 p.m., NBC The key to Jimmy Fallon’s success as the host of “The Tonight Show,” which he has been doing for an entire decade, is that Jay Leno didn’t want to do the show too. But seriously, Fallon has brought a new energy to the late night franchise by incorporating games and other internet-worthy flourishes to the series and by leaning heavily on his house band The Roots, perhaps the coolest group of musical performers in the history of late night. (They also appear in Fallon’s attraction at Universal Studios Florida. Yes, he has his own ride.) Of course, there have been controversial elements involving Fallon himself and his show, most notably when he ruffled Donald Trump’s hair, which many signaled as not only an endorsement by Fallon but also as the opening salvo of Trump reshaping his own image into something cuddlier. But that’s probably too dark to be included in a clip show. [[TRAILER](] “Bridgerton” Thursday, May 16, Netflix Netflix’s blockbuster bodice-ripper is back for a new season (this one based on “Romancing Mister Bridgerton” by Julia Quinn). But a programming note is required – this season is broken down into two chunks. The first four episodes will debut Thursday, with another four episodes premiering in June. But isn’t “Bridgerton” all about delayed satisfaction? [[TRAILER](] “Bronx Zoo ’90: Crime, Chaos and Baseball” Thursday, May 16, Peacock According to the official synopsis, “Bronx Zoo ‘90” “is the astonishing true story of the 1990 New York Yankees, chronicling the team at a crossroads in their storied history. The season went on record as one of the worst and was made even more infamous by the drama that ensued off the field.” Sounds like compelling television even if you don’t give a honk about baseball! [[TRAILER](] “The Big Cigar” Friday, May 17, Apple TV+ This show looks pretty incredible. “The Big Cigar” “chronicles the story of Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton’s escape to Cuba, and is based on the monumental, eponymous magazine article of the same name.” And how did he get to Cuba? Through the production of a very real-sounding (but entirely made up) movie. How great is that? The cast is led by André Holland and Alessandro Nivola, and Don Cheadle is an executive producer and directed the first two episodes (which both stream Friday). A winning combination of “Argo” and “Judas and the Black Messiah,” we cannot wait to take a puff on “The Big Cigar.” [[TRAILER](] 2034 Armacost Ave. | Los Angeles, CA 90025 [Unsubscribe](