Apple’s ‘Shantaram,’ Romeo and Rosaline?, ‘Rings’ Finale, Gaines’ Castle Fixer-Upper

Shantaram

Remember when fat, sprawling novels made for juicy TV miniseries? In a first season of 12 episodes, Apple’s adaptation of Gregory David Roberts’ giant page-turner barely scratches the surface of this densely plotted redemption story. Sons of Anarchy’s Charlie Hunnam stars as Lin (not his real name), an escapee from a brutal Australian prison who hopes to lose himself, while finding himself, amid the chaos of 1980s Bombay. Along the way, he meets a visionary Godfather-style gangster (sly Alexander Siddig), a group of colorful exiles and outliers, and most meaningfully, a community of slum residents for whom his paramedic training comes in handy, even though this fugitive manages to bring turmoil wherever he goes. Premieres with three episodes, the rest following weekly. (See the full review.)

Bad Sisters

As one Apple series arrives, another ends. And while Shantaram already screams for a second season, Sharon Horgan’s brilliant dark comedy ends its initial run with a satisfying flourish. All is revealed as the Garvey sisters rally around Grace (Anne-Marie Duff) after the death of her lout of a husband (Claes Bang) that they all wanted—and tried—to kill. How did John Paul die? Will investigator brothers Matt (Daryl McCormack) and Tom (Brian Gleeson) figure it out? With J.P. out of the picture, can this family finally find some peace of mind? (See the full series review.)

Rosaline

If you’re the sort of Romeo & Juliet fan who’s ever wanted to say of the young lovers’ faked-death scheme, “That is quite possibly the dumbest f—ing thing I’ve ever heard in my life,” this comedic twist on the romantic legend is for you. With contemporary and quite bawdy vernacular, Rosaline turns the story into an irreverent romcom farce, starring the mercurial Kaitlyn Dever (Dopesick) as feisty Rosaline, the first maiden to hear Romeo’s (Kyle Allen) flowery endearments on her balcony. (Her response: “Why are you talking like that?”) When Romeo meets and falls for Rosaline’s ingenue cousin Juliet (Isabela Merced), the spurned and jealous Rosaline sets out to doom their romance. Can the classic tragedy be averted? Everyone’s having a great time here, including Bradley Whitford as Rosaline’s bemused dad, Minnie Driver as her barbed-tongue nurse and hunky Sean Teale as the soldier who reluctantly joins Rosaline on her schemes, wondering when she’ll see the light.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Now that Mordor has been established upon the smoky ruins of the Southlands, it’s time for that sinister force of evil Sauron to make his presence known. That’s the expectation, anyway, for the Season 1 finale of the truly epic fantasy prequel

Fixer Upper: The Castle

Chip and Joanna Gaines have tackled many an ambitious renovation project, but perhaps never one quite as grand as the Cottonland Castle in Waco, Texas. Completed in 1973, the historic 4,300-square-foot property was bought by Chip as a surprise for Joanna back in 2019, and over 11 months (including during the pandemic), their efforts to bring the castle back to life are depicted in a new edition of Fixer Upper.

Inside Friday TV:

• Penn & Teller: Fool Us (8/7c, The CW): Presto chango! The magic showdown hosted by Alyson Hannigan is back for Season 9 with more tricksters vying for a spot to perform in Las Vegas with Penn and Teller. Guests include returning mentalist Jon Mobley and inventive visual magician Axel Adler. Followed by the Season 19 premiere of Whose Line Is It Anyway? (9/8c), with recurring comic Jonathan Mangum (the voice of Let’s Make a Deal) as featured guest.
• CMT Artists of the Year (9/8c, CMT): Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson and Walker Hayes emerge from the country-music scene as first-time CMT Artists of the Year, joined by three-time honorees Kane Brown and Luke Combs. Lainey Wilson is Breakout Artist of the Year, and Alan Jackson accepts the coveted Artist of a Lifetime award.
• Next at the Kennedy Center (9/8c, PBS): A new performance series spotlighting cultural changemakers begins with “Let My Children Hear Mingus,” a celebration of jazz legend Charles Mingus on his centennial year, featuring a performance of the Mingus Big Bang from the D.C. Center’s Terrace Theater.
• Dateline NBC (9/8c, NBC): While ABC’s Alaska Daily dramatizes the plight of missing and murdered Indigenous women, the true-crime magazine presents the real-life case of Sonya Ivanoff, a 19-year-old Alaska Native from Nome, whose disappearance rocked the town. The mystery deepens when a note is found in a stolen police vehicle warning authorities to back off—or else.
• Blue Bloods (10/9c, CBS): Ouch! Frank’s (Tom Selleck) decision not to endorse daughter Erin (Bridget Moynahan) in her campaign for District Attorney is sure to make family dinner awkward.