MasterChef Junior: Celebrity Showdown, on Fox
Chefs Gordon Ramsay and Aarón Sánchez welcome celebrities, their kids and "MasterChef Junior" alumni who battle in the kitchen to win money for charity in this premiere special. The participants include actress Alyson Hannigan and NFL legends Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith.
Hollywood Game Night, on NBC
Two contestants rub elbows with celebrities as they play party games in the hopes of winning up to $25,000. Jane Lynch hosts the exciting game show, which features a rotating roster of stars from television and film.
Q: Are the tribe members on "Survivor" limited in what they can bring on the show? For example, if they know they will be on a tropical island where torrential rain is a given at any time, why don't they bring rain gear?
It can often get overshadowed by the interpersonal drama, but "Survivor" is, at its heart, a contest. And contests are defined by their rules.
Fortunately, a few years ago someone leaked those rules, in the form of the nine-page contract given to contestants, so we know quite a lot about them.
Black Lightning, on CW
Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) is a respected educator and father, as well as the super-powered protector of his city in this drama. He uses his ability to harness electricity to battle gangsters, corrupt government officials and other metahumans.
Reliving history: Trailblazing comedy 'Fresh Off the Boat' returns
Contance Wu stars in "Fresh Off the Boat"
A new episode of the ABC comedy "Fresh Off the Boat" airs Friday, Nov. 23. Now in its fifth season, the series follows the lives of the Taiwanese-American Huang family in 1990s Orlando, Florida, and is based on an autobiographical book penned by food personality Eddie Huang.
Holiday Baking Championship, on Food Network
Seven bakers are challenged to combine cranberries with another seasonal flavor during an intense pre-heat challenge in this new episode. Later, the remaining competitors try to impress the judges with a sweet treat that pairs well with coffee.
Q: Why would the casting director for "Last Man Standing" make such a drastic change in the character of Mandy? It seems a better solution would have been to send Mandy to Paris to design clothes.
I'll do you one better than the casting director: showrunner Kevin Abbott -- basically the lead creative force on the team -- took a direct hand in recasting the role, and he went on the record to say, basically, they all fell in love with the new actress, Molly McCook.
Italian brilliance: HBO brings beloved Italian novel to the small screen
Elisa Del Genio and Ludovica Nasti star in "My Brilliant Friend"
Italian brilliance: HBO's latest miniseries is anything but mini, and in a first for the premium channel, it's also its first non-English original series. "My Brilliant Friend," a lavish drama set over the course of 60 years, premieres Sunday, Nov. 18.
New Releases for the week of Nov. 18 - 24
Crazy Rich Asians
Economics professor Rachel Chu (Wu) is thrilled when her boyfriend, Nick (Golding), invites her to his best friend's wedding in Singapore, but when they board the plane and enter a first-class suite, she grows concerned about how he's paying for it. She learns the truth once they land: Nick's family is among the wealthiest in the country, and therefore she's viewed by many in the family -- especially his judgmental mother, Eleanor (Yeoh) -- as a gold-digging American. While Nick prepares to propose to her, Rachel faces growing hostility from Eleanor and begins to wonder if a relationship with Nick has a place in her future.
Director: Jon M. Chu. Stars: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong. 2018. 120 min. Comedy.
Dog Days
Several dog owners find their lives intertwining, thanks to their lovable pets. When his sister (St. Clair) goes into labor, an irresponsible musician (Pally) agrees to look after her dog despite a strict no-pets policy in his apartment. Meanwhile, a teenage pizza delivery boy (Wolfhard) helps a widower (Jones) search for his runaway pug, but it's already been found by a couple's newly adopted daughter (Caro), who wants nothing more than to keep her new furry friend.
Director: Ken Marino. Stars: Adam Pally, Nina Dobrev, Jessica St. Clair, Finn Wolfhard, Ron Cephas Jones, Elizabeth Phoenix Caro, Eva Longoria, Ryan Hansen. 2018. 113 min. Comedy.
Kin
When 14-year-old Eli (Truitt) comes across the aftermath of a high-tech battle in an abandoned building, he finds a mysterious weapon that's made of strange, futuristic technology. That same day, his older brother, Jimmy (Reynor), is released from prison on parole. When a skirmish between Jimmy and crime lord Taylor (Franco) results in both their father and Taylor's brother getting killed, Eli and Jimmy go on the run from the gang with the strange weapon in tow.
Directors: Jonathan Baker, Josh Baker. Stars: Myles Truitt, Jack Reynor, James Franco, Zoë Kravitz, Dennis Quaid. 2018. 102 min. Action.
My Brilliant Friend, on HBO
When her oldest friend disappears, author Elena Greco (Elisabetta De Palo) reflects on their decades-long relationship in this premiere. Based on Elena Ferrante’s bestselling novel, the production was originally filmed in Italian.
