Snowfall returns to FX for Season 2 at 9 p.m. today. It's not a sunny, feel-good series, but if you enjoy thoughtful, well-acted drama, this one's for you.
The new season is set in 1984 and continues the tale of the beginning of the crack cocaine epidemic and its ultimate radical impact on the culture of South Central Los Angeles.
Season 2 again follows several characters as their lives entwine. Their main connection is that each is working toward the ultimate goals of money, power and influence.
The characters include Franklin Saint (English actor Damson Idris), a 20-year-old street hustler just beginning to experience the dangers of initial success, and Teddy McDonald (Carter Hudson), an undercover CIA operative who finds that his "shady drug-funded operation may be vulnerable from unexpected personal and professional sources."
There are also Mexican luchador (professional wrestler) Gustavo "El Oso" Zapata (Sergio Peris-Mencheta), and a Mexican crime boss's niece, Lucia Villanueva (Emily Rios). The drug-running couple quickly discover the potency of crack and try to exploit it despite its inherent dangers.
The character-driven series is rated TV-MA for adult themes, violence, language and nudity that flirt with premium channel standards.
But the whole is greater than the parts. Snowfall is complex and rewarding, as you would expect from co-creator John Singleton (Boyz n the Hood).
• Doctor Who: The Lost Episode, 7 to 10 p.m. today on BBC America.
This is a partially animated episode from Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Almost 40 years ago, Adams penned "Shada," the Doctor Who episode that was intended to wrap up Season 17 in 1979. Fans recall that was the penultimate season starring Tom Baker as the Doctor.
Then there was a BBC strike and the legendary episode was never completed. All these years later, "Shada" has finally been finished with the original live-action footage combined with new hand-drawn animation, remastered footage and newly recorded voices of the original cast.
The story follows the Doctor and his traveling companion, Romana (Lalla Ward), as they head to Cambridge to join forces with Professor Chronotis, a retired Time Lord, and face the evil alien Skagra.
• Trial & Error. Season 2 for the quirky, funny "mockumentary" arrives at 8 p.m. today on NBC. A second episode follows at 8:30. This season is subtitled "Lady, Killer." The lady in question is Lavinia Peck-Foster, played by the Emmy- and Tony-winning Kristin Chenoweth. She replaces John Lithgow, the big star of Season 1.
Lavinia is "the eccentric first lady of East Peck," beloved by the townsfolk and charged with murder after her husband is found stuffed in a suitcase in the trunk of her car.
Lavinia, who favors flamboyant outfits, large hats and has a hairless cat, hires Josh Segal (Nicholas D'Agosto) and Associates to defend her in court.
Chenoweth tells Deadline Hollywood, "I'm excited to slip into a role that feels very right for me at this time. Plus, I'm surrounded by genius comedic actors and brilliant writing."
Speaking of her character, Chenoweth added, "What I saw was a very sad woman who'd been trapped away in her house her whole life. She has this difficult, sad life. As we all know, through tragedy there is comedy and what I saw was a beautiful wealth of [comedic] gold."
• Mountain Men. Season 7 debuts at 8 p.m. today on History Channel. The series follows the rugged lives of those who've chosen to carve out a niche in the mountains from North Carolina and Maine to Montana and Alaska.
Last year saw the death from cancer of fan favorite Preston Roberts, but others will soldier on. They include Tom Oar, Marty Meierotto, Eustace Conway, Morgan Beasley, Jake Herak, Mike Horstman and Jason Hawk.
Local connection: Arkansas native Hawk, his wife, Mary, and daughter, River, moved back to the state from Arizona and now homestead in the "untamed Ozarks." He may be off the grid, but he had a Facebook page in 2016 and you can currently find his Outlaw Forge knives online at jasonhawkknives.com.
• Wynonna Earp. Season 3 arrives at 8 p.m. Friday on Syfy. Melanie Scrofano plays Wyatt Earp's great-granddaughter as she continues to battle demons and other creatures in the town of Purgatory and send them back to hell where Wyatt first banished them.
• Outcast. Season 2 premieres at 9 p.m. Friday on Cinemax. The supernatural horror/drama comes from Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) and follows the life of Kyle Barnes (Patrick Fugit), a young man cursed by demonic possession all his life.
The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:
mstorey@arkansasonline.com
Weekend on 07/19/2018