Chuck Barney’s TV and streaming picks for Oct. 25-31
DON’T MISS: “The Undoing” — Nicole Kidman and writer David E. Kelley, part of the team that brought us “Big Little Lies,” serve up another instantly addictive six-part mystery thriller largely rooted in marriage, wealth, deceit, and the blind spots that can develop in relationships over time. Kidman delivers a breathtakingly gripping performance as an affluent New York therapist who leads a seemingly carefree life. Her husband (Hugh Grant) is a renowned pediatric oncologist and their teen son attends an exclusive private school. But a violent death upends their lives, leading to scandal and dark secrets becoming exposed. Under Susanne Bier’s taut direction, the twists keep coming and nothing is quite what it seems. (9 p.m. Sunday, HBO).
Other bets:
SUNDAY: With Election Day just around the corner, “60 Minutes” offers interviews with the four people at the top of the ballot. Lesley Stahl sits down with President Donald Trump (yes, this is the interview he infamously walked out on) and Vice President Mike Pence, while Norah O’Donnell chats up Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris. (7 p.m. PT; 7:30 p.m. ET, CBS).
MONDAY: Just in time for Halloween, the remaining contestants on “Dancing With the Stars” dress up and channel their inner scoundrels with performances inspired by fictional TV and movie villains. (8 p.m., ABC).
TUESDAY: Can brothers Kevin and Randall Pearson ever repair the terrible rift that opened between them in the Season 5 finale of “This Is Us”? We’ll start to find out when the weepy family drama returns tonight with a two-hour opener. (9 p.m., NBC).
WEDNESDAY: In a new season of “Martha Knows Best,” lifestyle expert Martha Stewart puts her mad skills to work as she showcases fall gardening, home projects and festive holiday ideas at her Bedford, N.Y., farm. Of course, her “super fans” and celebrity friends reach out via video check-ins to garner some advice. (8 p.m., HGTV).
WEDNESDAY: As the sitcom “American Housewife” kicks off its fifth season, Katie finds herself going to great lengths to appease Principal Ablin in order to ensure Taylor graduates high school. Meanwhile, Greg finishes ghost writing the final chapter of Lonnie’s book. (8:30 p.m., ABC).
THURSDAY: Fans of “Superstore” will soon have to say farewell to America Ferrera. But when Season 6 begins, her character, store manager Amy Sosa, is still around as she and Jonah face chaos at Cloud 9 amid a pandemic. (8 p.m., NBC).
THURSDAY: “That Animal Rescue Show” is a 10-episode documentary series written and directed by Oscar-winning Palo Alto filmmaker Bill Guttentag (and executive-produced by Richard Linklater) that delves into the animal rescue community in and around Austin, Texas. Brace yourself for heartwarming stories about various critters, the humans who love them and the extraordinary bonds that develop along the way. (CBS All Access).
FRIDAY: Adorable Baby Yoda is back! As Season 2 of the “Star Wars”-inspired mega-hit “The Mandalorian” kicks off, our noble bounty hunter continues his danger-filled quest to deliver the Child to the Jedi. New cast members include Rosario Dawson, Katee Sackhoff and Timothy Olyphant. (Disney+).
SATURDAY: Yes, it’s Halloween, but you know we can’t resist another mushy Christmas movie. In “One Royal Holiday,” a young nurse (Laura Osnes) offers a stranded mother and her adult son (Aaron Tveit) shelter during a blizzard and eventually learns that they are the Royal Family of Galwick. Of course, romantic sparks soon fly. (8 p.m., Hallmark Channel).
Contact Chuck Barney at cbarney@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/chuckbarney and Facebook.com/bayareanewsgroup.chuckbarney.
