Black Art: In the Absence of Light
Many of the most prominent black artists in
America today are carrying on a conversation
with a museum exhibition from 45 years ago. In
this documentary from director Sam Pollard and
executive producer Henry Louis Gates Jr., the
1976 show “Two Centuries of Black American
Art” serves as a touchstone for exploring the
work of Theaster Gates, Kerry James Marshall,
Carrie Mae Weems, Glenn Ligon, Kara Walker,
and others. Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 9 p.m., HBO
Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel
Downtown Los Angeles’ Cecil Hotel was already
notorious for its connections to famous killers
and murders when the body of Elisa Lam was
found on the premises in 2013. This chilling
documentary series dives into the mystery, which
went viral worldwide when police released video
from an elevator camera that shows Lam, in
her last sighting, seeming to interact with invis-
ible spirits. Available for streaming Wednesday,
Feb. 10, Netflix
Nova: Beyond the Elements—Indestructible
We humans have gotten so much better with
materials. In recent decades, scientists have tin-
kered at the molecular level to produce virtually
unbreakable versions of glass, rubber, and (amaz-
ingly pliant) plastic. But are the gains we enjoy
from these innovations worth the long-term
environmental cost? A new Nova episode exam-
ines the question. Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 9 p.m.,
PBS; check local listings
Clarice
Clarice Starling is widely recognized as one of
the great movie heroines of all time. But how
exactly did the FBI fledging in The Silence of the
Lambs carry on after her terrifying basement
encounter with a crazed serial killer? This moody
new network drama series follows Starling home
to Appalachia as she steps into full-time FBI
duties, hunting a new monster while burdened
by past trauma and distrusted by higher-ups who
suspect her first takedown was beginner’s luck.
Rebecca Breeds is your new Clarice. Thursday,
Feb. 11, at 10 p.m., CBS26 ARTS Television
The Week’s guide to what’s worth watching
HBOThe art of conversation...
Pretend It’s a City
Who knew that a salty and
verbose 70-year-old New
Yorker was exactly the
character that other stuck-at-
home Americans needed?
Director Martin Scorsese
lets author and gadabout
Fran Lebowitz do most of
the talking in this delightful
seven-part character study
that has become a surprise
hit. Netflix
2 Dope Queens
Jessica Williams and
Phoebe Robinson’s very
funny late-night show is a
must-watch. Their peerless
storytelling rapport and
laid-back interview style
make every episode like a
conversation with your cool-
est girlfriends. HBO Max
My Next Guest Needs
No Introduction
Liberated from the gimmicks
and gags of late-night tradi-
tion, David Letterman’s low-
key second act showcases
his formidable interviewing
talents as he draws out
guests ranging from Barack
Obama to Lizzo. Netflix
Comedians in Cars
Getting Coffee
Speaking of low-key second
acts, Jerry Seinfeld’s series
runs on rich conversation
punctuated by gut-busting
laughs. It shows off Sein-
feld’s impressive collection
of classic cars to boot. Netflix
Beastie Boys Story
It’s an unlikely story: three
white kids who become one
of rap’s biggest acts and live
up to the attention. Adam
Horovitz and Mike Diamond
tell it well, though, in a con-
versational documentary
warmed by humor and grief
over the death of fellow
band member Adam Yauch.
AppleTV+
Inside the Actor’s Studio
The vast library of this iconic
series isn’t available for
streaming, but Ovation’s
selected episodes provide a
smattering of great guests
and a taste of James Lipton’s
profound gifts as an inter-
viewer. Ovationtv.comStreaming tips
Imagine a Robert Altman ensemble comedy set
in contemporary China. Cathy Yan was awarded
a DC Comics superhero movie on the strength
of this nimble satire about her native country. As
pig corpses from an upstream epidemic float past
bustling Shanghai, assorted strivers jockey to
get ahead, including Vivian Wu as a headstrong
hairstylist whose family home stands alone in the
way of a monster development. Mubi, a platform
for arthouse cinema, has picked up Yan’s sub-
titled debut for its U.S. debut. It won’t be the last
we hear from the NYU film school grad. Available
for streaming Friday, Feb. 12, MubiShow of the week
Wu’s Candy Wang: Too proud to foldDead PigsLincoln: Divided We Stand
At this moment in U.S. history, it’s tough to
argue that any American president was more
consequential and necessary than Abraham
Lincoln. We measures ourselves against him,
but do we know him well enough? This six-part
series, narrated by Sterling K. Brown, digs deep
into Lincoln’s life story and political career, offer-
ing candid assessments of his motivations, his
shortcomings, and his achievements. Sunday,
Feb. 14, at 10 p.m., CNN
Other highlights
Judas and the Black Messiah
LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons, and Daniel
Kaluuya co-star in a movie about a petty
criminal who infiltrates the Black Panthers to
help take down Fred Hampton. It hits theaters
simultaneously. Available for streaming Friday,
Feb. 12, HBO Max
Saint Maud
Director Rose Glass’ brilliant debut horror
movie, about a twisted tug-of-war between a
hyper-religious home nurse and her patient,
arrives on home screens, both on demand and
on cable. Friday, Feb. 12, at 8 p.m., Epix
The Great North
Bob’s Burgers writers the Molyneux sisters unveil
a new animated series about an Alaskan family
headed by a single dad. With the voices of Nick
Offerman, Jenny Slate, Will Forte, and Megan
Mullally. Sunday, Feb. 14, at 8:30 p.m., Fox- All listings are Eastern Time.
Painter Amy Sherald at work in Black Art