Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Thursday, April 22nd. All times are Eastern.
Top choice
Rutherford Falls (Peacock, 3:01 am, first full season): “With warm and spiritual humor, Rutherford Falls falls right into Mike Schur The TV universe like a glove. Co-created by Schur, Sierra Teller Ornelas and (series star) Ed Helms, the comedy Peacock is set in a small northeastern town of the same name. While the show is largely set in Rutherford Falls, it expands its actual area with characters who truly represent the Native American community. Ornelas, who is Navajo and Mexican American, is also a showrunner, while the writing team has a record number of Indigenous members. Their voices give honesty to the portrayal of Native American characters, who otherwise don’t have much real estate in small-screen comedies. ” Read the rest of Saloni Gajjar’s pre-air review.
Regular coverage
Earth Day on TV
Let’s give the planet a lightning reward.
The planet of action (Discovery +, 3:01 am, premiere of the series): You’ll be able to catch this new series, which will “highlight the work of high-quality exchangers, including Common, Jane Fonda, Matt Damon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adrian Grenier and Greta Thunberg,” on OWN (9 p.m.), Discovery proper (22:04) and Science Channel (23:00) as well.
threatened (Discovery +, 03:01, documentary premiere): Ellen DeGeneres recounts this effort from the Discovery and BBC Natural History Unit; as you might guess, it refers to the awfully long list of wild animals that are at risk of extinction.
Life in color with David Attenborough (Netflix, 3:01 am, first full season): Hey, Discover +! Netflix has DAVID NATURED BY ATTENTION talking for Earth Day. Take this, DeGeneres. In addition to a global treasure as a host, this series can also boast of an “innovative technology,Which allows the public to “explore nature from a new perspective, as animals use color to survive and thrive in the wild.”
The secrets of whales (Disney +, 3:01 am, first full season): This James Cameron / NatGeo document “throws viewers deep into the epicenter of whale culture to experience the extraordinary communication skills and complex social structures of five different species of whales: orcs, humps, belugas, narwhals and sperm whales.” And whales don’t get Attenborough, but they do do get Sigourney Weaver, which is still pretty rad.
Cher and the loneliest elephant (Paramount +, 3:01 am, premiere): Attenborough, Sigourney, and Dear? One day? I would call this an exaggeration, but it’s a climate emergency, so, nah, attract celebrity narrators. Can someone get Mariah Carey and Tom Hanks on the line, maybe?
2040 (The CW, 8 p.m., especially for two hours): This document offers “a positive view of the future in which humanity has solved climate change, with solutions at hand today.”
Greta Thunberg: A year to change the world (PBS, 8 p.m., full docuserie): Greta doesn’t need a famous narrator. She just wants you to listen to science.
Other wild cards
A wild card section for people who do not give birth to the earth. (Child, child.)
G / O Media may receive a commission
The Hustle Generation (HBO Max, 3:01 am, first full season): Contrary to what the title might suggest, this is not a 10-episode argument to give up at least one of your side agitations. Instead, it’s a scam about scammers! Who doesn’t love a good thread?
2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards (IFC, 10 p.m.): Thus begins a whole series of things that happen next week. Melissa Villaseñor hosts –read our interview with her.