MONDAY

MARCH 12

2018

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET

Last night, American Idol premiered in its new iteration, brought back by ABC with new judges, but the same host (Ryan Seacrest) and basic tone and approach. That was one test – but another arrives tonight, as the musical competition series that formerly ruled television now goes up directly against the reigning champ in that genre, NBC’s The Voice. And when you put the two head to head, to me it’s no contest at all. Katy Perry, the most attention-demanding of the new Idol judges, didn’t really connect fully in her initial turn – and the first time a self-delusional, overly confident singing “talent” faced the rejection of the three judges, American Idol revealed the mean underbelly that separates it so clearly from The Voice. There are times, in these early audition episodes, when Idol not only allows itself to be cruel, but revels in it. The Voice is just as emotionally manipulative in framing its contestants’ stories, but in a positive way. Go there. Skip this. For a full review, see Roger Caitlin's TV Eye.

THE VOICE

NBC, 8:00 p.m. ET

The new cycle of The Voice, still in Blind Auditions in its third week, is a very enjoyable show to watch. The byplay among the four judges – this time, it’s Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Alicia Keys and newcomer Kelly Clarkson – is genuinely giddy and boisterous. They’re all having a good time, and clearly in full-out competitive mode, doing whatever they can to amass talented rosters for their own teams while undercutting the other judges with verbal counter-arguments, shrewd timing of supportive chair turns, and this new, very effective “blocking” gimmick, which allows each judge to prevent another from grabbing a talent – once. Head to head, I suspect The Voice takes American Idol the first time out, which is tonight, and never looks back. And I have to admit: I adore the approach, and the quiet humanity and sincerity, of Alicia Keys.

JANE

National Geographic, 8:00 p.m. ET

DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE: This feature documentary makes its TV premiere uninterrupted by commercials tonight on the National Geographic Channel, and it’s a beautiful piece of work. It’s about the pioneering chimpanzee-study work of Jane Goodall, and is built around hundreds of hours of film footage that was taken more than 50 years ago, but stored in archives and never used until now. Filmmaker Brett Morgen, who has helmed dramatically compiled documentary studies of Kurt Cobain and Robert Evans, lets the story tell itself – and it ends up being not only a nature story, but a love story, too, and a life study of the human species as well. We see Jane Goodall today, reflecting on her younger selves and looking just as beautiful and enthusiastic a human being as when she first went to Africa to study apes in the wild. And in the vintage footage, we see wildlife photography, and behavior, that is spectacular. And the entire movie is scored, brilliantly, by composer Philip Glass, who elevates the experience even more. BBC America’s just-concluded Blue Planet II was a nature documentary for the ages, a wonder to behold and a thrill to watch. Jane is right up there in that astounding company. Do not miss it. For a full review, see David Hinckley's All Along the Watchtower.

CLEOPATRA

Smithsonian, 8:00 p.m. ET

Last week’s opener in this miniseries study of the Egyptian queen traced her ascent to, and early exercise of, power. Tonight’s follow-up, “Love and Death,” succinctly summarizes tonight’s events – even if it does sound like a Woody Allen comedy.

IZOMBIE

CW, 9:00 p.m. ET

Tonight’s new episode, the first of a two-parter called “Brainless in Seattle,” has Liv (Rose McIver) hitting the clubs in town after ingesting the brains, and optimistic attitudes, of a hopeless romantic.

GOOD GIRLS

NBC, 10:00 p.m. ET

This is the third episode of this new NBC series, which continues to entangle the three suburban buddies – played by Christina Hendricks (Mad Men, Another Period), Mae Whitman (pictured, from Parenthood) and Retta (Parks and Recreation) – as unwilling agents of a fierce local mobster. In tonight’s installment, “Borderline,” he sends them on a mission to cross the border into Canada and bring back a mysterious package. Making them reluctant agents of a powerful blackmailer is no different, really, than the relationship Robert Wagner’s cat burglar had with his government “handler” in the 1960s classic series It Takes a Thief – but this show, so far, is one-third It Takes a Thief, one-third Charlie’s Angels, and one-third Desperate Housewives. But even with these three elements, and very likable female stars, Good Girls has yet to live up to its title, and gel into something Good.

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David Bianculli

Founder / Editor

David Bianculli has been a TV critic since 1975, including a 14-year stint at the New York Daily News, and sees no reason to stop now. Currently, he's TV critic for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and is an occasional substitute host for that show. He's also an author and teaches TV and film history at New Jersey's Rowan University. His 2009 Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour', has been purchased for film rights. His latest, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to the Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific, is an effusive guidebook that plots the path from the 1950s’ Golden Age to today’s era of quality TV.

New From TVWW

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET

NBC, 8:00 p.m. ET

National Geographic, 8:00 p.m. ET

Smithsonian, 8:00 p.m. ET

CW, 9:00 p.m. ET

NBC, 10:00 p.m. ET

David Bianculli

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