TV Watchlist: Adam Sandler Goes Dramatic and 'Walking Dead' Faves Return

Plus a new "Good Wife" spinoff hits CBS and the long-awaited "Shogun" finally arrives Week of February 24 – March 1 March is nearly here and mercifully the recent onslaught of quality television has not slowed down a bit, meaning that even if the weather is nicer and the days are longer, there are still plenty of excuses to snuggle up on the couch and binge-watch to your heart’s content. This week has got it all – a new “Shōgun” series, a serious Adam Sandler movie (“Spaceman”), the return of some “Walking Dead” favorites, a pair of must-watch documentary series (“God Save Texas” and “The Octopus Murders”) and a new “Good Wife” spin-off (“Elsbeth”). We feel like 2024 peak TV is just getting started. On with the television! Shōgun Tuesday, February 27 at 10 p.m., FX Source: FX “Shōgun” returns! This new limited series is once again based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell, which was previously adapted into a 1980 television miniseries that starred Richard Chamberlain and Toshiro Mifune and became something of a sensation, winning an Emmy, Golden Globe and Peabody Award. Originally announced back in 2018, it had a somewhat troubled production history, with the show shooting a single scene in 2019 with star Hiroyuki Sanada in order to retrain the rights and then starting over almost completely from scratch in 2020. But “Shōgun” cannot be stopped. In this version Cosmo Jarvis stars as John Blackthorne, an English sailor who is shipwrecked in Japan and eventually becomes a samurai and shogun (the role originally played by Chamberlain). Jarvis and Sanada co-star alongside Anna Sawai (from “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters”), Tadanobu Asano and Hiroto Kanai. And honestly it looks astounding – a handsome, intricately crafted epic that actually pays attention to cultural sensitivities and historical accuracy. Cannot wait. [[TRAILER](] Sexy Beast Thursday, February 29, Paramount+ Source: Paramount+ Everybody’s had a lot going on, so it’s understandable if you didn’t realize that Paramount+ was streaming “Sexy Beast,” a prequel series to the Jonathan Glazer crime classic, and that the same prequel series was coming to an end. But now that it’s all over – for now! – you can binge “Sexy Beast,” which stars James McArdle, Stephen Moyer, and Sarah Greene, whenever you want. It’s always a good time for a great heist. [[TRAILER](] Spaceman Friday, March 1, Netflix Source: Netflix Adam Sandler has made countless goofy comedies for Netflix. But this isn’t one of them. Instead, it’s an out-there sci-fi drama, which recently had a glitzy premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. “Spaceman” is an adaptation of Jaroslav Kalfař’s 2017 novel “Spaceman in Bohemia,” with Sandler starring as the titular explorer, sent to the edge of the galaxy on a mission of utmost importance. While he’s there, of course, he starts reflecting on his life and the choices he’s made, with the help of a creature from the beginning of time who is lurking on his ship and is voiced by Paul Dano. Is the creature in his mind or another traveler? The cast also includes recent Oscar hopeful Carey Mulligan, along with Lena Olin and Isabella Rossellini. The premise is cool and captivating, with “Chernobyl” filmmaker Johan Renck directing from a script by Colby Day. Dramatic Sandler might be our favorite Sandler (see below). [[TRAILER](] God Save Texas Tuesday, February 27 at 9 p.m., HBO Source: HBO Based on the Lawrence Wright nonfiction book and originally planned as a dramatic series, “God Save Texas” is a three-part documentary with a different filmmaker taking on a different subject matter for each part. Tuesday's premiere (“Hometown Prison”) is directed by Richard Linklater and investigates the prison industrial complex in Huntsville. The next night’s “The Price of Oil,” directed by Alex Stapleton, centers on the energy industry in Houston. And Iliana Sosa’s “La Frontera,” also airing the second night, follows the aftermath of the 2019 mass shooting in an El Paso Walmart that left 23 people dead. While the subject matter is, admittedly, a bummer, it also seems to focus on vital topics that stretch far beyond the Lone Star State. When the documentary premiered at Sundance in January, folks were floored. More will be now. [[TRAILER](] Uncut Gems Netflix Source: A24 Perhaps Adam Sandler’s greatest dramatic work, his role as Howard Ratner, a frantic Jewish jeweler and gambling addict, was instantly iconic. “Uncut Gems,” from directors Josh and Benny Safdie, is a feverish exercise in tension, as Howard goes from scheme to scheme, bet to bet, buzzing around New York City’s Diamond District and attempting not to get killed or thrown in prison. Soon, his obsession centers on a black opal, which gives him even greater tunnel vision. Featuring a jittery electronic score by Daniel Lopatin that only ups the tension and ace supporting performances from LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox (in her breakthrough role), Idina Menzel and Eric Bogosian, alongside basketball player Kevin Garnett and singer The Weeknd, “Uncut Gems” is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece and a new classic. If you thought Sandler was only capable of simplistic humor, think again. He's one of our generation’s greatest, most unsung talents. And “Uncut Gems” is all the proof you need. [[WATCH](] Source: AMC “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” Sunday, February 25 at 9 p.m., AMC Remember when there were a series of Rick Grimes movies announced in the wake of the conclusion of the mainline “Walking Dead” series? Well, those movies are now a television series. “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” sees Andrew Lincoln return as Grimes alongside Danai Gurira as Michonne. Reconfigured as a limited series epilogue to the main show, with both Lincoln and Gurira serving as co-creators alongside Scott Gimple, it marks the sixth (!) spin-off of the popular, zombie-led original series. AMC describes the show like this: “The love story of Rick Grimes and Michonne is changed by a changed world. Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. Can they find each other and who they were in a situation unlike any they've ever known?” Blood, guts and broken hearts. We can’t wait. [[TRAILER](] “American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders” Wednesday, February 28, Netflix This documentary is WILD. “American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders” investigates the hidden corridors of power and comes up with some astounding results. Decades ago Danny Casolaro was found dead in a roadside hotel room, the victim of supposed suicide. But what if he was actually murdered? That the story he was working on, which began innocently enough before exposing a vast conspiracy connected by some of the most important people on the planet, was simply too explosive to ever see the light of day? A new journalist wants to figure out the mystery, even if it may too cost him his life (and livelihood). From the producers of the similarly compelling “Wild Wild Country,” you will become obsessed with “American Conspiracy.” [[TRAILER](] “Iwájú” Wednesday, February 28, Disney+ Billed as the first “original long-form animated series” produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Iwájú” is actually a unique collaboration between Disney, British-based African studio Kugali Media and animation studio Cinesite. “Iwájú” takes place in a futuristic Lagos, where flying cars help you beat hellish traffic and a robotic lizard becomes a little girl’s best friend. Inspired, in part, by “Black Panther,” the show doesn’t shy away from deeper themes about class inequality, crime and the role of technology in our daily lives. It is also very fun and features stunning animation, co-produced by Disney’s newly opened Canadian satellite animation studio. “Iwájú” is a joy. [[TRAILER](] “Elsbeth” Thursday, February 29 at 10 p.m., CBS Another year, another “Good Wife” spin-off. Following the success of “The Good Fight,” which lasted for six years and 60 episodes, slicing off another piece of the original pie is probably a pretty good idea. In “Elsbeth,” the always fascinating Carrie Preston stars as the title character, an autistic attorney who, after being a successful attorney in Chicago (see!), begins to work alongside the NYPD, helping them with their trickier investigations. Created by “The Good Wife” masterminds Robert King and Michelle King, this could be the offbeat procedural you’ve been dying for. [[TRAILER](] “The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin” Friday, March 1, Apple TV+ Apple’s official synopsis: “Dick Turpin (Noel Fielding) sets out on a journey of wildly absurd escapades when he’s made the reluctant leader of a band of outlaws — and tasked with outwitting corrupt lawman and self-appointed thief-taker Jonathan Wilde (Hugh Bonneville). In this irreverent retelling set in the 18th century, Turpin is the most famous but least likely of highway robbers, whose success is defined mostly by his charm, showmanship and great hair. Together with his gang of lovable rogues, Turpin rides the highs and lows of his new endeavors, including a brush with celebrity, all whilst trying to escape the clutches of the thief-taker.” Sold! [[TRAILER](] 2034 Armacost Ave. | Los Angeles, CA 90025 [Unsubscribe](