What to Watch on TV: Ziwe, The Underground Railroad, The Crime of the Century
Welcome to a new week and another round of What to Watch on TV for the week of May 9th! We’ll be sharing our picks for what to watch this week, from marathons to big guest spots, and significant episodes of TV to look forward to while stuck inside.
This week’s picks include Ziwe‘s debut, the final run of Castlevania, and more!
Here are our recommendations for what to watch on TV this week:
Ziwe – Sunday, May 9
Ziwe is taking her talents to Showtime as the network debuts her new show and isn’t holding back as she explores America’s aversion to confronting racism, politics, and other issues using a mix of interviews (made famous by her Instagram Lives over the last year), musical numbers, and sketches. Ziwe debuts Sunday, May 9 at 11/10c on Showtime.
Episode Description: Ziwe discusses the phenomenon of white women with interview guest Fran Lebowitz and hosts a focus group for real women named ‘Karen’. Musical guest: Ziwe.
POV: Through the Night – Monday, May 10
The latest POV offers perspective on the costs the modern economy has placed on two working mothers as their lives intersect at a 24-hour daycare center. POV: Through the Night airs Monday, May 10 at 10/9c on PBS.
Episode Description: Explore the personal cost of our modern economy through the stories of two working mothers and a childcare provider, whose lives intersect at a 24-hour daycare center in New Rochelle, New York.
The Crime of the Century – Monday, May 10
The latest documentary examines and exposes Big Pharma, from its lobbyists to the government’s lax regulation when it comes to different aspects of production, distribution, and mismanagement specifically of opiates. The Crime of the Century debuts Monday, May 10 at 9/8c on HBO.
Documentary Description: The Crime of the Century is a searing indictment of Big Pharma and the political operatives and government regulations that enable over-production, reckless distribution, and mass abuse of synthetic opiates. Exploring the origins, extent, and fallout of one of the most devastating public health tragedies of our time, with half a million deaths from overdoses this century alone, the film reveals that America’s opioid epidemic is not a public health crisis that came out of nowhere. With the help of whistleblowers, newly leaked documents, exclusive interviews, sobering testimony from victims of opioid addiction, and access to behind-the-scenes investigations, Gibney’s exposé posits that drug companies are in fact largely responsible for manufacturing the very crisis they profit from, to the tune of billions of dollars — and thousands of lives.
Money, Explained – Tuesday, May 11
If you need some insight into the way money works in terms of everything from credit to student loan debt, Netflix has got the special for you. It breaks everything down to explain why our relationship with money is the way it is. Money, Explained drops Tuesday, May 11 on Netflix.
Description: Most people have a complicated relationship with money — anxious, reckless, avoidant, or obsessive. And because it’s taboo to talk about money, we might not realize how normal we are. But “Money, Explained” puts it all out into the open: the ways your credit card might be screwing you; how student loans became a crisis; why most of us won’t be able to save enough for retirement; and how we get tricked into bad gambles and even worse scams. The series breaks down the weaknesses we all share when it comes to money, the devious ways they’re exploited, and the best strategies out there to navigate it all.
The Upshaws Season 1 – Wednesday, May 12
Mike Epps and Kim Fields are returning to comedy with a new Netflix sitcom that centers on a family as they try to navigate life with a full house and wild hi-jinks. The Upshaws Season 1 drops Wednesday, May 12 on Netflix.
Season Description: Bennie Upshaw (Mike Epps), the head of a Black working class family in Indianapolis, is a charming, well-intentioned mechanic and lifelong mess just trying his best to step up and care for his family — wife Regina (Kim Fields), their two young daughters (Khali Daniya-Renee Spraggins, Journey Christine) and firstborn son (Jermelle Simon), the teenage son (Diamond Lyons) he fathered with another woman (Gabrielle Dennis) — and tolerate his sardonic sister-in-law (Wanda Sykes), all without a blueprint for success. But the Upshaws are determined to make it work, and make it to the next level, together.
Castlevania Season 4 – Thursday, May 13
It’s the beginning of the end as chaos reigns and factions set off for war. Who will come out unscathed by the end of it all? Castlevania Season 4 premieres Thursday, May 13 on Netflix.
Season Description: In the epic final season of Castlevania, Wallachia collapses into chaos as factions clash: some attempting to take control, others attempting to bring Dracula back from the dead. Nobody is who they seem, and nobody can be trusted. These are the end times.
The Underground Railroad – Friday, May 14
Adapted from Colson Whitehead’s novel of the same name, Berry Jenkins’ vision of the story follows Cora’s arduous struggle to break free from the Georgia Plantation she was enslaved on. The Underground Railroad debuts Friday, May 14 on Prime Video.
Description: After escaping a Georgia plantation, Cora boards a train embarking on a harrowing trip as she seeks true freedom while being hunted by a notorious slave catcher.
Love, Death & Robots Volume 2 – Friday, May 14
The animated anthology is back with new short stories to tell from the post-apocalyptic future. Love, Death & Robots Volume 2 debuts Friday, May 14 on Netflix.
Series Description: This collection of animated short stories spans several genres, including science fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy. World-class animation creators bring captivating stories to life in the form of a unique and visceral viewing experience. The animated anthology series includes tales that explore alternate histories, life for robots in a post-apocalyptic city and a plot for world domination by super-intelligent yogurt. Among the show’s executive producers is Oscar-nominated director David Fincher.
—
Those are our picks for the week! What are you planning to watch? Share in the comments below!
Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Brianna Martinez
Brianna spends her time away from briefs, legal research, and pleadings, watching TV and writing about it. She generally has a lot of feelings about TV, which you can read about here and on Twitter.