Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 26F. Winds light and variable..
Cloudy skies. Low 21F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: December 19, 2022 @ 2:57 am
Bryan Brown and Greta Scacchi star in ‘Darby & Joan’
Bryan Brown and Greta Scacchi star in ‘Darby & Joan’
A buddy procedural so formulaic it practically comes with a chemistry set, “Darby and Joan” might prove to be a new Australian hit for the Acorn streaming service.
Some years back, the addictive melodrama “A Place to Call Home” got many viewers hooked on Acorn’s offering of television from Britain, Australia and Europe.
In addition to its familiar trappings, “Darby” features stars of a certain vintage who are comfortable playing characters of retirement age ready for new adventures.
Australian-Italian actress Greta Scacchi (“The Player”) is Joan. Her voice is first heard on the phone, complaining about the English weather to her husband, whom she assumes is in Spain. But as he tells her about the crowds and tapas bars, we can see that he’s really in the remote and barren Australian Outback. In the very next scene, Joan is transported to Australia to identify his body in the morgue. Grieving and at a loss, she buys an enormous RV and sets about exploring Down Under to solve the mystery of her husband’s deception and death.
While navigating narrow roads using an Aussie GPS system she cannot comprehend, she literally runs into the ramshackle van of Darby (Bryan Brown, “The Thorn Birds,” “Breaker Morant”), a retired cop of few words. After this “meet cute” moment, they determine if his dog, Diesel, has been injured, and he is forced to accept a ride from the somewhat nervous Joan.
On the way to the repair shop, she insists that they visit a communal compound, where her husband had spent summers in his youth. Perhaps these flower children have a clue as to his demise. What they find are a band of overripe hippies, filled with passive-aggressive superiority.
When one of them turns up dead (spoiler alert), Joan, a retired nurse, and police veteran Darby slip into their respective skill sets, and discover that they rather like collaborating — and each other’s company. And the scenery ain’t bad.
“Darby and Joan” is not out to reinvent television. And that’s precisely why it should appeal to Acorn subscribers. Viewers also might enjoy both leads entering a different chapter of their careers. Scacchi, whose characters in “Heat and Dust” and “White Mischief” exuded a certain voluptuous youth, is quite comfortable and relatable here as the widow and worried mother. Brown remains a laconic leading man. Arguably, the star of “Tai-Pan,” “F/X” and “Gorillas in the Mist” was second only to Mel Gibson during the 1980s, a time when the world began paying attention to movies from Down Under.
Curiously, “Darby and Joan” is a colloquial British expression taken from an 18th-century poem describing a middle-aged couple who are entirely comfortable and devoted to each other. This “Darby and Joan” are, of course, anything but comfortable or predictable as they rush in their crowded RV from one crime or misadventure to the next.
• The “POV” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-14, check local listings) documentary “President” profiles Nelson Chamisa as he prepares for the 2018 general election in Zimbabwe, a country that had been under one-man rule for decades.
TONIGHT’S HIGHLIGHTS
• The death of a beloved coach and commander does not pass unnoticed on “NCIS” (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).
• Cutthroat competition in London’s finance world on “Industry” (8 p.m., HBO, TV-MA).
• A new discovery raises the ante on “Better Call Saul” (8 p.m., AMC, TV-MA).
• Stolen evidence might be recovered at a high-stakes poker game on “NCIS: Hawai’i” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).
• Siblings to the famous compete on “Claim to Fame” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
— OK, that was weird. The least expected story of the week was the scandal involving Felicity Huffman (“Desperate Housewives”) and Lori Loughlin, star of “When Calls the Heart” (7 p.m. Sunday, Hallmark, TV-G), in a bribery/cheating plot to get their respective daughters into elite universities.
This is obviously an ongoing case, and all sides must have their say, or day, in court. But the motivation at the center of this story is worth discussing. It involves some overwhelming need to do anything to get children into elite schools. As if anything “lesser” were unthinkable.
Television plays no small role in this insecurity. I can’t remember how many times I’ve had to describe an ABC legal drama where every single character hails from only the most exclusive Ivy and spends most of the pilot bragging about it.
There was a time, not that long ago, when John Grisham wrote best-selling books about young, barely accredited lawyers from no-name institutions who took on impossible cases against massive corporations and eventually won. And got the girl, to boot.
So, our current era’s neurotic obsession with elitism and inequality is hardly hard-wired.
If anything comes of this sordid affair, it’s an appreciation that shoddy efforts at snobbery are always essentially pathetic. Or on classic TV, comedic. Watching “Gilligan’s Island,” we identified with Mary Ann and the Skipper, and pitied the millionaire and his wife.
— CNN launches the four-hour documentary “Tricky Dick” (8 p.m., Sunday), profiling the life and times of Richard Nixon’s public career, which spanned the decades from the dawn of the Cold War to the Clinton years.
SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
— An anxious new mother joins a group for solidarity and support, only to discover that it has darker plans on its agenda in the 2019 shocker “Mommy Group Murder” (7 p.m., Lifetime, TV-14).
— The Thunder and Warriors meet in NBA action (7:30 p.m., ABC).
— An old kidnapper returns to form on “Ransom” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
SUNDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
— Scheduled on “60 Minutes” (6 p.m., CBS): Embassy workers in China and Cuba complain of mysterious ailments; AOL founder Steve Case and his plans to invest in the future of overlooked American small towns and cities; a visit to Monaco.
— The duels begin on “World of Dance” (7 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
— Auditions continue on “American Idol” (7 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
— Lex Luthor is on the loose on “Supergirl” (7 p.m., CW, TV-PG).
— Mr. Wednesday prepares for battle on “American Gods” (7 p.m., Starz, TV-MA).
— After learning about her royal lineage, an adopted 10-year-old becomes a little tyrant in the 2019 shocker “Mommy’s Little Princess” (7 p.m., Lifetime, TV-14).
— A secret room holds dangers on “Charmed” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14).
— Hidden secrets revealed on “The Walking Dead” (8 p.m., AMC, TV-MA).
— A new trial is pursued on “The Case Against Adnan Syed” (8 p.m., HBO, TV-14).
— Axe is determined to destroy Taylor on the fourth season premiere of “Billions” (8 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).
— Ulysses pursues a conspiracy theory on “Now Apocalypse” (8 p.m., Starz, TV-MA).
— “Unsung” (8 p.m., TVONE) profiles the Jets.
— Pacific overtures on “Madam Secretary” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
— Tensions rise on “Good Girls” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— Mo’s past is revealed on “Black Monday” (9 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).
CULT CHOICE
— St. Patrick’s Day inspires many traditions. Syfy offers a marathon of “Leprechaun” movies, from “Leprechaun 5: In the Hood” (4 p.m. Saturday, TV-14) to “Leprechaun 2” (8 p.m.). TCM takes the traditional approach, ladling out the Technicolor blarney of director John Ford’s 1952 romance “The Quiet Man” (7 p.m. Sunday, TV-PG).
SATURDAY SERIES
“Dateline” (7 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) … “NBA Countdown” (7 p.m., ABC) … The kids are all right on “MasterChef” (8 p.m., Fox, r, TV-PG) … “48 Hours” (9 p.m., CBS) … A vintage helping of “Saturday Night Live” (9 p.m., NBC, r, TV-14).
SUNDAY SERIES
A visit from an old friend inspires Miles on “God Friended Me” (7 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … Homer can’t leave Bart’s virtual realm on “The Simpsons” (7 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … Empathy for all things on “Bob’s Burgers” (7:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
A walk down the aisle on “NCIS: Los Angeles” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14) … On two episodes of “Family Guy” (Fox, TV-14), Meg’s winter Olympics (8 p.m.), fighting over a dowager (8:30 p.m., r) … Aches and pains on “Shark Tank” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
CULT CHOICE
In a nod to the “Supermarionation” of “Thunderbirds” and other efforts, “South Park” talents Matt Stone and Trey Parker created the 2004 puppet satire “Team America: World Police” (7 p.m., TMCX), sending up the bludgeoning jingoism of the war on terror era as well as its Hollywood critics, all in the style of “Top Gun” (9:30 p.m., Paramount, TV-14) and other montage-filled Bruckheimer thrillers.
SERIES NOTES
Dreamgirls and old nightmares on “The Neighborhood” (7 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … “American Ninja Warrior” (7 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) … “Don’t Forget the Lyrics!” (7 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) … “The Bachelorette” (7 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … A killer mist from outer space on “Roswell, New Mexico” (7 p.m., CW, TV-14) … Feathering the nest on “Bob Hearts Abishola” (7:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … “Beat Shazam” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) … A long overdue chat on “In the Dark” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14) … Jane Lynch hosts “Weakest Link” (9 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG).
LATE NIGHT
Jimmy Fallon welcomes Idris Elba, Aubrey Plaza and Lauren Spencer-Smith on “The Tonight Show” (10:34 p.m., NBC) … Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Rachel Dratch and Brooke Colucci sit down on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (11:37 p.m., NBC, r).
— OK, that was weird. The least expected story of the week was the scandal involving Felicity Huffman (“Desperate Housewives”) and Lori Loughlin, star of “When Calls the Heart” (7 p.m. Sunday, Hallmark, TV-G), in a bribery/cheating plot to get their respective daughters into elite universities.
This is obviously an ongoing case, and all sides must have their say, or day, in court. But the motivation at the center of this story is worth discussing. It involves some overwhelming need to do anything to get children into elite schools. As if anything “lesser” were unthinkable.
Television plays no small role in this insecurity. I can’t remember how many times I’ve had to describe an ABC legal drama where every single character hails from only the most exclusive Ivy and spends most of the pilot bragging about it.
There was a time, not that long ago, when John Grisham wrote best-selling books about young, barely accredited lawyers from no-name institutions who took on impossible cases against massive corporations and eventually won. And got the girl, to boot.
So, our current era’s neurotic obsession with elitism and inequality is hardly hard-wired.
If anything comes of this sordid affair, it’s an appreciation that shoddy efforts at snobbery are always essentially pathetic. Or on classic TV, comedic. Watching “Gilligan’s Island,” we identified with Mary Ann and the Skipper, and pitied the millionaire and his wife.
— CNN launches the four-hour documentary “Tricky Dick” (8 p.m., Sunday), profiling the life and times of Richard Nixon’s public career, which spanned the decades from the dawn of the Cold War to the Clinton years.
SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
— An anxious new mother joins a group for solidarity and support, only to discover that it has darker plans on its agenda in the 2019 shocker “Mommy Group Murder” (7 p.m., Lifetime, TV-14).
— The Thunder and Warriors meet in NBA action (7:30 p.m., ABC).
— An old kidnapper returns to form on “Ransom” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
SUNDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
— Scheduled on “60 Minutes” (6 p.m., CBS): Embassy workers in China and Cuba complain of mysterious ailments; AOL founder Steve Case and his plans to invest in the future of overlooked American small towns and cities; a visit to Monaco.
— The duels begin on “World of Dance” (7 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
— Auditions continue on “American Idol” (7 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
— Lex Luthor is on the loose on “Supergirl” (7 p.m., CW, TV-PG).
— Mr. Wednesday prepares for battle on “American Gods” (7 p.m., Starz, TV-MA).
— After learning about her royal lineage, an adopted 10-year-old becomes a little tyrant in the 2019 shocker “Mommy’s Little Princess” (7 p.m., Lifetime, TV-14).
— A secret room holds dangers on “Charmed” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14).
— Hidden secrets revealed on “The Walking Dead” (8 p.m., AMC, TV-MA).
— A new trial is pursued on “The Case Against Adnan Syed” (8 p.m., HBO, TV-14).
— Axe is determined to destroy Taylor on the fourth season premiere of “Billions” (8 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).
— Ulysses pursues a conspiracy theory on “Now Apocalypse” (8 p.m., Starz, TV-MA).
— “Unsung” (8 p.m., TVONE) profiles the Jets.
— Pacific overtures on “Madam Secretary” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
— Tensions rise on “Good Girls” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— Mo’s past is revealed on “Black Monday” (9 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).
CULT CHOICE
— St. Patrick’s Day inspires many traditions. Syfy offers a marathon of “Leprechaun” movies, from “Leprechaun 5: In the Hood” (4 p.m. Saturday, TV-14) to “Leprechaun 2” (8 p.m.). TCM takes the traditional approach, ladling out the Technicolor blarney of director John Ford’s 1952 romance “The Quiet Man” (7 p.m. Sunday, TV-PG).
SATURDAY SERIES
“Dateline” (7 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) … “NBA Countdown” (7 p.m., ABC) … The kids are all right on “MasterChef” (8 p.m., Fox, r, TV-PG) … “48 Hours” (9 p.m., CBS) … A vintage helping of “Saturday Night Live” (9 p.m., NBC, r, TV-14).
SUNDAY SERIES
A visit from an old friend inspires Miles on “God Friended Me” (7 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … Homer can’t leave Bart’s virtual realm on “The Simpsons” (7 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … Empathy for all things on “Bob’s Burgers” (7:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
A walk down the aisle on “NCIS: Los Angeles” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14) … On two episodes of “Family Guy” (Fox, TV-14), Meg’s winter Olympics (8 p.m.), fighting over a dowager (8:30 p.m., r) … Aches and pains on “Shark Tank” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
Kevin McDonough can be reached at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.
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