A brother investigates his sister’s 1987 disappearance in a new true crime series from HBO, and the 76th Annual Tony Awards air live on CBS.
Between network, cable and streaming, the modern television landscape is a vast one. Here are some of the shows, specials and movies coming to TV this week, June 5-11. Details and times are subject to change.
Monday
STARS ON MARS 8 p.m. on FOX. In this new competition series hosted by the “Star Trek” actor William Shatner, 12 celebrities live 24/7 in a “space station” that simulates life on Mars. The “celebronauts,” who include the comedian Natasha Leggero, the wrestler Ronda Rousey and the “Modern Family” star Ariel Winter, will compete against one another in a series of “missions,” and vote to eliminate one of their crew members at the end of each week.
CRUEL SUMMER 9 p.m. on Freeform. Told through three different timelines, the second season of this drama anthology series follows the friendship among the teenagers Isabella (Lexi Underwood), Megan (Sadie Stanley) and Luke (Griffin Gluck) as their relationships evolve, and they become embroiled in a mystery that profoundly affects all three of their lives. The series “takes a lot of its cues from prestige crime dramas, so its performances are terrific and its central mysteries appropriately tantalizing,” the New York Times TV critic Margaret Lyons wrote.
Tuesday
30 FOR 30: THE LUCKIEST GUY IN THE WORLD 8 p.m. on ESPN. Directed by Steve James (“Hoop Dreams,” “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail”), this four-part documentary series about the basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton is the latest installment in ESPN’s Peabody- and Emmy-winning series, “30 for 30,” which explores the role of sports in society and culture. Through commentary from Walton, his family and a number of basketball stars, the episodes tell the story of Walton’s life, following him from antiwar protests at U.C.L.A. to an N.B.A. career in Portland, Ore., and Boston, while also exploring Walton’s struggles with his mental and physical health.
BURDEN OF PROOF 9 p.m. on HBO. Shot over the course of seven years, this four-part true crime docuseries follows Stephen Pandos as he pursues his own investigation into the disappearance of his sister, Jennifer, who went missing from their family home in 1987 at age 15. Their parents told everyone she ran away. The series features Jennifer’s journal entries and letters, police documentation and interviews with family and friends to paint a picture of what may have happened the night of Jennifer’s disappearance. As missing evidence is uncovered and Stephen’s parents fail lie detector tests, he becomes increasingly convinced of their culpability.
Wednesday
IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA 10 p.m. on FXX. The longest-running live-action comedy series in American TV history is back for its 16th season — and so are Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Charlie (Charlie Day), Sweet Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and Frank (Danny DeVito), the potty-mouthed protagonists who run Paddy’s Pub in Philadelphia. They’re up to new high jinks, as this season finds Dennis and Mac investing in inflatable furniture, Frank shooting Dennis and Dee, and Mac and Charlie going on a road trip with their mothers in order to get their inheritances. The series “isn’t for everyone,” writes Austin Considine in an episode guide to the show, as there is little redemption or character growth. But for those willing to give it a chance, “Sunny” features a “brilliant ensemble of self-centered neurotics who somehow manage to be likable, despite their best efforts.”
Thursday
ALONE 9 p.m. on History. The 10th season of this popular survival show takes place in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada. Ten survivalists are separated and scattered across the wilderness to see who can endure living in the harsh climate the longest. There are no camera crews or outside aid, and each contestant is given only 10 items of their choice, enough camera gear to self-document their experiences and a radio for emergencies. The last person standing wins $500,000.
Friday
WALK THE LINE (2005) 6:25 p.m. on HBO. Based on two autobiographies by the singer-songwriter Johnny Cash — “Man in Black: His Own Story in His Own Words,” published in 1975, and “Cash: The Autobiography,” published in 1997 — this Academy Award-nominated biopic tells the story of Cash’s ascent in the music scene. With Joaquin Phoenix playing Cash, the film begins with his abusive childhood on a cotton farm in Arkansas, and follows him as he joins the Air Force, gets married and becomes a country music star, with a large portion of the film devoted to his romance with the singer June Carter (Reese Witherspoon) and his drug addiction. “The sheer range of material is staggering,” A.O. Scott wrote of Cash’s music in his review for The Times, adding that “there is no way a feature-length movie could do justice to such bounty, and ‘Walk the Line’ settles for the minimum.” Yet, Scott wrote, the film’s personal treatment of Cash and his rise “remind us why we should care about this guy in the first place.”
Saturday
KINGS ROW (1942) 3:45 p.m. on TCM. This Oscar-nominated film, based on the 1940 novel of the same name by Henry Bellamann, tells the stories of five friends from the small Midwestern town of Kings Row. The film follows them as they transition from childhood to adulthood at the turn of the 20th century, and face a series of setbacks and challenges in pursuit of the lives they want. Featuring Ronald Reagan in one of the lead roles, the film is just as “gloomy and ponderous” as the book, Bosley Crowther wrote in his review for The Times, adding that the story centers on “several sordid and perverse folk.” Ultimately, Crowther wrote, “there are moments of pathos in ‘Kings Row,’ and occasionally it strikes a sharp nostalgic note,” but overall, “it just shows a lot of people feeling bad.”
Sunday
THE 76TH ANNUAL TONY AWARDS 8 p.m. on CBS. The annual awards ceremony meant to honor Broadway plays and musicals will take place this year at the United Palace, a large theater in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood. Ariana DeBose, the Academy Award and Golden Globe winner who was nominated for a Tony in 2018, will host the ceremony for the second time in a row.
Source: Television - nytimes.com
