‘The Oscars’ Finally Arrive, Mary Prepares to Sing on ‘The Nevers,’ Carey Mulligan on ‘My Grandparents’ War,’ ‘Crikey!’ It’s a Very Special Episode

Linda Maleh April 24, 2021, 7:00 am

Hi, TV Insider’s other critic Linda Maleh here! While Matt Roush is on a much deserved vacation, I’ll be bringing you our daily picks for what’s Worth Watching so that you never miss a moment of great television:

It’s a win for diversity this year at the Oscars. The Touched are in more danger than even they know on The Nevers. Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan tracks down her grandfather’s story on My Grandparents’ War. Crikey! It’s the Irwins welcomes a new member to the family.

Mank Amanda Seyfried Gary Oldman — Netflix

The Oscars

7/6c

The Academy Awards are finally here! In a much delayed awards season, the ceremony to honor the best in film felt like it would never come. It’s been a tough year for going to the movies, but hopefully you managed to see some of the contenders due to so many of them being available on streaming or VOD. There are things to celebrate though, like the level of diversity in this year’s nominees. After last year where only one of twenty acting nominees was a person of color, it’s completely refreshing to see nine POC receive nods this year. Additionally, Chloe Zhao is the favorite to win best director for her moving film Nomadland (streaming on Hulu). If she wins, she’ll be only the second woman to do so (after Kathryn Bigelow). Netflix’s Mank leads the pack with ten nominations, and the best actress category is turning into the most competitive of night without a clear frontrunner. Meanwhile the late Chadwick Boseman may win a posthumous award for his leading role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

The Nevers

9/8c

HBO’s fantasy epic is heating up. After Lavinia Bidlow (Olivia Williams) pulled a Harrison Wells on us (without getting out of the wheelchair, though) in episode 2’s cliffhanger ending by revealing that she’s the one behind the kidnappings and experiments on the Touched, we’re extra afraid for Amalia True (Laura Donnelly) and co. As they chase down clues about the kidnappings, extra pressure is put on Mary (Eleanor Tomlinson) to find her voice, and hopefully bring more of the Touched to the safety of the Orphanage, but Mary isn’t sure she’ll be able to as she processes her trauma. Penance (the wonderful Ann Skelly) works on creating a device to amplify Mary’s song, while Amalia attempts to recruit a former foe to their cause.

My Grandparents’ War

8/7c

In the final episode of this docu-series, join Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan on her journey to find out more about her grandfather Denzil Booth’s journey through World War II. Booth, or as Mulligan calls him “Den,” entered the war in 1944 at only 19 years old as a radar specialist due to his proficiency in mathematics. In an effort to learn more about him at that time – Den passed away when Mulligan was only 5, and never really talked about his wartime experiences – Mulligan talks to various experts on the subject, and connects with people who might have knew him during his time on the ship, the Indefatigable. Mulligan even travels all the way to Japan to get a more complete idea of her grandfather’s story. Catch Mulligan tonight either at the Oscars, where she’s up for best actress for her role in Promising Young Woman, or here on PBS!

Crikey! It’s the Irwins

9/8c

It’s an Irwin family special: Crikey! It’s a Baby. The series follows the animal-loving family’s work at the Australia Zoo, and now it’s about to add one more as the day Bindi Irwin gives birth rapidly approaches. Terri throws Bindi and husband Chandler Powell a baby shower, with Chandler’s parents Zooming in from the U.S. Chandler gives Bindi an emotional surprise on her last day of work at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Robert provides updates from the hospital’s waiting room, and Bindi and Chandler bring their new daughter home to the zoo where a warm welcome awaits them. Terri recounts stories about late husband Steve during Bindi’s birth. And don’t worry, there are still plenty of animals this episode. Terri takes care of a beautiful baby Sumatran Elephant, while Robert races to save one of the largest babies in nature, a 12-foot baby whale shark that’s stranded in shallow water on a nearby beach.

Inside Weekend TV:

Murdoch Mysteries (Saturday, 7/6c, Ovation): Season 14’s finale brings back a woman from William Murdoch’s (Yannick Bisson) past. The early-20th-century Toronto police detective was suffering from amnesia when he first encountered British barkeep Anna Fulford (Lisa Faulkner) way back in season 3. Now he has to figure out who’s responsible for her murder.
90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? (Sunday, 8/7c, TLC): The season premiere of this spinoff follows the international couples after their weddings. How are they doing? Well, not great.
Top Gear (Sunday, 8/7c, BBC America): Car-loving trio Freddie Flintoff, Chris Harris, and Paddy McGuinness are back for the season 30 premiere (their fourth time hosting). This week, the guys get emotional driving their dads’ old rides. Down the road, they check out iconic cars from various James Bond films, and enjoy some brutal off-roading in Scotland.
Atlantic Crossing (Sunday, 9/8c, PBS, check local listings at pbs.com): Norwegian Crown Princess in exile Märtha (Sofia Helin) is pressured to exploit her friendship with President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Kyle MacLachlan), who pushes back against isolationists with the Lend-Lease Act. Märtha and her children receive a surprise Christmas present.
Mare of Easttown (Sunday, 10/9c, HBO): After the cliffhanger at the end of the season premiere of this gritty drama, Sergeant Detective Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) visits Erin’s (Cailee Spaeny) murder scene. As she begins her investigation, she has to deal with the unpleasant task of telling the victim’s enraged father (Patrick Murney), and she gets saddled with a young detective from the county (Evan Peters) on the case. An alarming video of the night before surfaces.