'Lupin,' 'Dickinson' and other shows our TV critic is watching this week

January 8, 2021 at 9:21PM
"Lupin"
Omar Sy stars in “Lupin.” (Netflix/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

To catch a thief

Despite its title, "Lupin" isn't really about the crafty burglar from French literature. He's merely the inspiration for vigilante Assane Diop (Omar Sy), who uses the classic tales as a blueprint to get back at a wealthy family who framed his father for theft. You'll enjoy the capers more if you watch the French version with subtitles; the dubbing in the English version is terrible.

Now streaming on Netflix

Transformer

Hailee Steinfeld's campaign to turn poet Emily Dickinson into a modern-day hipster continues in a second season of "Dickinson." The series may technically be set in the mid-19th century, but you'd barely know it from the use of an alt-rock soundtrack and terms like "super chill." Purists will freak out. Three new episodes debut this weekend with further installments dropping on a weekly basis.

Now streaming on Apple TV

Message received

"American Experience" is at its best when it showcases underappreciated patriots. That's certainly the case with "The Codebreaker," a one-hour film about Elizabeth Friedman, whose way with words helped bring down gangsters and the Nazis. J. Edgar Hoover ended up taking credit for much of her work. This fascinating documentary should help rewrite history.

9 p.m. Monday, TPT, Ch. 2

No place like home

"A Little Late With Lilly Singh" passed its anniversary without making much of a splash. Maybe a change of venue will do the trick. The YouTube star always seemed a bit out of place doing comedy in front of a live audience. For the second season, she'll tape shows from a house instead of a studio with guidance from a new showrunner. Here's hoping the engaging personality finally finds her footing.

12:35 a.m. weeknights, KARE, Ch. 11

Mamma mia!

It's terrific to have Kyra Sedgwick back on television, even in a by-the-books sitcom like "Call Your Mother." The actor, best known for "The Closer," plays a needy widow moving from Iowa to Los Angeles to serve as mediator between her bickering adult kids. The sexual innuendos and laugh track in the first episode are a crime, but the Emmy winner's performance makes a compelling case for further investigation.

8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, KSTP, Ch. 5

Hailee Steinfeld in season two of "Dickinson," premiering January 8 on Apple TV+.
Hailee Steinfeld in season two of “Dickinson.” (Apple TV+/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
CALL YOUR MOTHER - "Pilot" – Jean, an empty-nester mom, wonders how she ended up alone while her children live their best lives thousands of miles away. She decides her place is with her family, and as she reinserts herself into their lives, her kids realize they might actually need her more than they thought on the series premiere episode of "Call Your Mother," WEDNESDAY, JAN. 13 (9:30-10:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. (
Kyra Sedgwick in “Call Your Mother.” (Lara Solanki, ABC/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Lilly Singh in "A Little Late With Lilly Singh." (NBCUniversal/TNS) ORG XMIT: 1431148
Lilly Singh in “A Little Late With Lilly Singh.” (NBC/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer

Neal Justin

Critic / Reporter

Neal Justin is the pop-culture critic, covering how Minnesotans spend their entertainment time. He also reviews stand-up comedy. Justin previously served as TV and music critic for the paper. He is the co-founder of JCamp, a non-profit program for high-school journalists, and works on many fronts to further diversity in newsrooms.

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