Chadwick Boseman definitely reclines in Ma Rainey’s black background

Here is what is happening in the world of television on Friday December 18th and Saturday December 19th. All hours are Eastern.

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Best choices

Ma Rainey’s black background (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): “It’s important to note that there wouldn’t even be a spectacle to behold without the pioneering career of Ma Rainey, whom Davis recognizes and honors with her portrayal from another world. Still, this is without a doubt Boseman’s show and will likely remain his greatest work. Seeing him rise to meet the liveliness of titans like Davis and Turman (who, thankfully, is given his own moment to shine with a wise monologue at the seat of a piano) is an unfair tease, promising something we won’t savor. not. again. What makes the movie unbearable is how well the star fits in with the greats, delivering Wilson’s intoxicating words with the electrifying verve of someone you’d think had decades of credit to their name. Read the rest of Shannon Miller A- film review here, which will mark the last performance of Chadwick Boseman. Also on the bill are Viola Davis, Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts.

Small ax: education (Amazon Prime Video, 12:01 a.m., final): Steve McQueen’s anthology ends with Education. In his review, Jourdain Searles writes that “there is no denying the thoughtful and emotional power of Education. It’s a film that goes straight to the heart, revealing how a caring community comes together and creates its own space to flourish. Education is a story about the work immigrants to the Caribbean have always done to preserve their culture and take care of each other. Sometimes it really takes a village.

Regular coverage

The Mandalorian (Disney +, 3:01 a.m., season finale): No one is ready for more Baby Yoda scenes and memes until season three, but here we are, anyway. In the final release of season two, The Mandalorian and the Child – or as we now know, Grogu – continue their journey through a dangerous galaxy, taking on enemies and rallying allies in the tumultuous era after the collapse of the Galactic Empire. Mike Vanderbilt will recap.

Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:29 p.m.): SNL ends for the year with returning host and star Kristen Wiig and musical guest Dua Lipa. Dennis Perkins will recap.

Joker cards

A special Creepshow holiday (Thrill, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): One way or another, in 2020 it makes sense that Horror show would give us a special vacation. Written and directed by showrunner Greg Nicotero and starring Adam Pally and Anna Camp, the hour-long special is based on a short story by JA Konrath. In “Shapeshifters Anonymous,” an anxious man who fears being a murderer searches for answers to his “unique condition” from an unusual support group. The episode will air on Shudder, AMC Network’s streaming service for horror, thriller and supernatural aficionados.

On the tip (Disney +, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): Prepare for unprecedented access to New York’s famed School Of American Ballet (SAB) in this new six-part docu-series that follows the lives of students ages 8-18 pursuing their dreams of becoming dancers ballet. While older students across the country train rigorously for professional careers, younger students are put to the test rehearsing and performing in the New York City Ballet’s holiday classic “The Nutcracker of.” George Balanchine ‘on stage at Lincoln Center. Larissa Bills will helm the show, which is created by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Justin Wilkes and Sara Bernstein of Imagine Documentaries and Matthew O’Neill of DCTV.

Sweet home (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): This new South Korean horror series, based on the Webtoon of the same name, is an apocalyptic-style drama worthy of the era. Song Kang’s Cha Hyun-soo is a loner who moves into a new apartment only to have his quiet life disrupted by strange incidents in his new building, where people start to turn into monsters and locals fight for survival. .