Our TV critic recommends a beautiful finale (that isn’t “Succession” or “Barry”), a charming comedy and a lush dinosaur docu-series.
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By Margaret Lyons
This weekend I have … a half-hour, and I crave human emotion.
‘Somebody Somewhere’
When to watch: Sunday at 11:33 p.m., on HBO.
“Somebody Somewhere” doesn’t surprise you the way TV shows surprise you — it surprises you the way life surprises you, and this weekend’s season finale does exactly that, combining deep ache and ebullient dazzle. Bridget Everett delivers among the year’s best performances as Sam, still grieving her sister’s death but also trying to be a little more vulnerable, more open, more forgiving, more in touch with both her figurative and her literal voice. “You have a rich, full instrument,” her singing teacher tells her. “And everyone has to work hard, no matter what their gift is.” Please oh please, let this show be renewed for a third season.
… a few hours, and I want a family comedy.
‘Primo’
When to watch: Now, on Freevee.
Rafa (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio) is a junior in high school and the recipient of constant advice from his five omnipresent kooky uncles, his mom, his guidance counselor, his pals. And while a lot of coming-of-age shows center on characters desperate to grow up, who say “I’m 16!” to mean “I’m an adult!,” Rafa is sweetly hanging on to the last chapters of his childhood, even when everyone thinks he should be more focused on his future. Speed and cynicism often go together in comedy, but “Primo” zips along with an easy, distinctive warmth. If you like the happy loopiness of “Scrubs,” “Bob’s Burgers” or especially “Malcolm in the Middle,” try this.
… a few hours, and rawr rawr.
‘Prehistoric Planet 2’
When to watch: Now, on Apple TV+.
This lush dino documentary franchise, narrated by David Attenborough and scored by Hans Zimmer, Anze Rozman and Kara Talve, finishes its second series with an episode about North America, but the show explores every part of the globe. Each installment is filled with creatures’ wistful gazing, with moments of cunning and majesty — all the nature documentary goodness you get from “Planet Earth” et al. But some of its commitment to the bit seems odd: “The largest mass migration on Earth occurs in almost total darkness,” Attenborough says in the “Oceans” episode, “and can only be seen with special night-vision cameras.” Then a dinosaur swims by. That must be some camera!
Margaret Lyons is a television critic for The Times. She previously spent five years as a writer and TV columnist for Vulture.com. She helped launch Time Out Chicago and later wrote for Entertainment Weekly, among other publications. @margeincharge
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