TV picks: ‘Chernobyl,’ ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘The Spanish Princess’ and more
What's new or noteworthy in the coming week of television.
The Spanish Princess. The latest mini-series based on the historical novels of Philippa Gregory stars Charlotte Hope as Catherine of Aragon, whose journey to becoming the first of Henry VIII’s six wives involved much more than the trip from Spain. Check out Downton Abbey’s Laura Carmichael as Margaret Pole, one of the period drama’s more beleaguered characters. 8 p.m. Sunday, May 5, Starz.
Game of Thrones. I’m fresh out of predictions for this week’s episode, which is expected to be just four minutes shorter than last week’s “A Long Night," clocking in at about one hour, 18 minutes. Maybe it will be a long day — one we can see a little better. 9 p.m. Sunday, May 5, HBO.
Chernobyl. Thought the Battle of Winterfell was dark? This five-part mini-series about the 1986 nuclear accident in Ukraine stars Jared Harris, Stellan Starsgard, and Emily Watson. It’s a frightening look at what can happen when corners get cut by people who don’t understand science, as well as a sober acknowledgment of the individuals who risked, and in many cases lost, their lives to reduce the threat of a much greater catastrophe. 9 p.m. Monday, May 6, HBO.
State of the Union. Rosamund Pike and Chris O’Dowd star in this clever 10-episode British dramedy from Nick Hornby whose episodes are only about 10 minutes each, focusing on a couple meeting each week before a marriage-counseling session. Set a DVR and in two weeks, you’ll have a binge that comes in at under two hours. 10 p.m. Monday-Friday, for two weeks, beginning May 6, SundanceTV.
Foster. From my colleague Jessica Griffin: Documentary from Oscar-winning filmmakers Deborah Oppenheimer and Mark Jonathan Harris (Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport) looks at the foster-care system through the experiences of those involved with the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, the country’s largest county child-protection agency. Foster children, foster and biological parents, social workers, judges, lawyers, and advocates tell stories of sorrow and hope, and some real-life heroes emerge. 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, HBO.
Sneaky Pete. The con-man drama from David Shore and Bryan Cranston returns for a third season. Giovanni Ribisi stars as the ex-convict who took on his former cellmate’s identity. Friday, May 10, Amazon.