What to watch this weekend Nov. 15, 2024: TV awards contenders
They say laughter is the best medicine, so it’s a good thing the NBC comedy machine is back up and running this week, ready to cure those Americans currently suffering from a general sense of unease. Set at an understaffed hospital in Oregon, “St. Denis Medical” is a mockumentary seemingly constructed from the well-preserved remains of some of TV’s best and brightest workplace comedies, from “Parks and Recreation” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” to “The Office” and “Abbott Elementary.”
Created by Justin Spitzer (“Superstore”) and Eric Ledgin (“American Auto”), the series — the first two episodes of which are now streaming on Peacock — features a talented cast that includes Allison Tolman, Wendi McLendon-Covey, David Alan Grier, and Josh Lawson. By filtering its comedy through an issue affecting millions of Americans — the country’s broken healthcare system — “St. Denis Medical” is both topical and funny, making it the awards contender to watch this weekend.
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However, if it’s not what your doctor ordered, other contenders include:
- “Bad Sisters”: Apple TV+’s Emmy-nominated black comedy from Sharon Horgan returns for its sophomore outing this week. Picking up two years after the events of the first season, in which Grace (Anne-Marie Duff) killed her abusive husband, the new episodes find the tight-knit Garvey sisters back in the spotlight when the body of said husband’s late father is discovered in a suitcase. But that’s not the girls’ only problem, as guilt eats away at some of those involved in John Paul’s death, while new secrets come to light. The first two episodes are now streaming on Apple TV+.
- “Say Nothing”: An adaptation of Patrick Radden Keefe’s best-selling nonfiction book “Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland,” this nine-episode scripted drama produced by FX traces the violent period of unrest known as the Troubles through the life of one-time IRA member Dolours Price (Lola Petticrew), whose time with the group began when she was just a teenager. It’s gripping, must-see TV, and all nine episodes are now streaming on Hulu.
- “The Day of the Jackal”: Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne returns to television for the first time in more than a decade for his newest project. The British actor shines as a killer for hire known only as the Jackal in this modern retelling of Frederick Forsyth‘s novel, while Lashana Lynch portrays the dogged British intelligence officer who prioritizes finding the elusive, expert assassin at the cost of her family and home life. The first five episodes (out of 10) are now streaming on Peacock.