This weekend I have… half an hour, and I like the sketch.
‘A Dark Lady Sketch Show’
When to watch: Fridays at 11 p.m. on HBO.
Season 3 of “A Black Lady Sketch Show” premieres this weekend, and it’s still just as silly and richly imagined. The premiere includes fun cameos, a potential love interest for recurring character Dr. Hadassah Olayinka Ali-Youngman, and a riff on “Hidden Figures” (with Ashley Nicole Black, above, a lead actor). Many contemporary sketches are synonymous with shaggy slap, but “A Black Lady Sketch Show” has a lusher, more realized aesthetic, which makes its segments dreamy and rugged. If you liked “Baroness von Sketch Show”, try this.
… half an hour, and I look to the future.
‘Would I lie to you?’
When to watch: Saturday at 8:30 p.m. on The CW.
Prime-time Saturday nights on network television are largely a deserted wasteland of reruns and newsmagazine shows, which is our first sign that “Would I be lying to you?”, hosted by Aasif Mandvi (right), a… oh, let’s say room to grow. The series is based on my favorite British talk show, in which teams of comedians read outrageous facts about themselves and the opposing team must determine if the claim is true or false – think zhuzhed-up “two truths and a lie”. In the three episodes made available for review, this adaptation does not capture the energy or playfulness of the original. But I do believe in its potential and general viability to fit more panels, and so I will continue to look hopefully into my heart.
… a few hours, and baseball is back.
“Captain Ahab: The Dave Stieb Story”
When to watch: Now on YouTube.
Secret Base’s latest documentary series, which brought us such treasures as ‘A History of the Seattle Mariners’ and ‘The Bob Emergency’, charts the career of Dave Stieb (right), who pitched primarily for the Blue Jays of Toronto in the 1980s. and 90s. But this isn’t standard, stilted hagiography – it’s a whimsical, discursive look at the statistics, the passion, the fandom, the general culture and the culture of baseball specifically. “Ahab” blends analytical integrity and data visualization with goofy humor and an overall sense of fun. Three episodes are available now, and a fourth is on the way.
Ny