The premier entry in the HBO documentary series “Music Box” shows how everything about the concert celebrating the 30th anniversary of Woodstock goes terribly wrong, then gets worse.
Television
Watch Closely: On the Couch with “In Treatment” — Stimulatingly Cathartic
The increased racial and cultural diversity of In Treatment’s cast and overall tone are noteworthy and commendable.
WATCH CLOSELY: “Mare of Easttown” — Women Hold Up Half the World
Mare of Easttown is particularly effective in interweaving troubled domestic timelines, families held together by women who are on the brink of psychic or emotional collapse.
Television Review: “Schmigadoon!” — Sending Up the Great White Way
Schmigadoon! is both an enjoyable love letter to classic Broadway musicals and a good-natured spoof of their now antique conventions.
Television Review: Bo Burnham’s “Inside” — A Hall of Mirrors
Bo Burnham deserves kudos for calling himself out on his own bullshit. But that doesn’t absolve him of seriously confronting the problem of excessive self-consciousness, especially nowadays.
Television Review: “Starstruck” — Rewriting the Rom-Com
Starstruck is the rare rom-com that will appeal to audiences who aren’t just fans of the genre.
Television Review: “Penguin Town” — Birdwatching
For kids and penguin lovers, Penguin Town is a gushy fait accompli. But the series also has rewards for others.
WATCH CLOSELY: “Halston” — Gifted, Greedy, and Gregarious
There are stunning scenes full of energy and visual beauty, but Halston left me feeling somewhat cold.
Television Review: “Monster” — An Adaptation That Shouldn’t Have Happened
It is sad Monster is such a botched effort, given that this is an important and timely story.
Documentary Review: PBS’s “Hemingway” — Inside an American Legend
If you love fiction you should devote several hours to watching Hemingway. Ken Burns and Lynn Novick have brought a special tenderness to this series, something deeper and more compelling than previous Burns documentaries.