Tele-radar | Four titles to watch

Every week, The Press go through the TV offer to find four titles to watch

Marc-Andre Lemieux
The Press

The safe bet

For takeout

We talk a lot – with good reason – aboutLive from the universebut another program hosted by France Beaudoin deserves just as much attention: For takeout. Articulated around the words seen, read, heard, written, played and sung by each guest, this series of intimate encounters allows personalities to open up in an organic way, not artificial or forced. ICI Télé is currently broadcasting the third season of the weekly meeting, initially offered on ICI ARTV in 2020-2021. This week, France Beaudoin leads a rich interview with Pénélope McQuade, who speaks on several subjects, such as her need for discomfort, her relationship to appearance, a phrase from Shakespeare that has always followed her and why she is tattooed the word “Forte”. (Season 5 is expected on ICI ARTV this fall.)

ICI Télé, Saturday at 8 p.m.

The return

American Ninja Warrior

We don’t know why, but every time we come across American Ninja Warrior, we cling to it. It must be said that this is a perfect summer show, during which you can put your brain on hold and watch particularly fit people try to complete an obstacle course without falling into the water. We even like the portraits of the participants, even if they are brushed in broad strokes. The sympathetic cowboythe nurse superwoman, the new mom, the junior champion… All the archetypes go through it. Last week, the producers exploited the story of a young contestant whose father had committed suicide. This week, we begin the semi-finals in Los Angeles.

CTV and NBC, Mondays at 8 p.m.

Catching up

hacks

If you haven’t watched this offering from HBO Max yet, it’s not too late to do well. His second season has just earned 17 nominations for the Emmy Awards, which will be presented in September. The star of the show, Jean Smart, is cited as best actress in a comedy. And for good reason. The veteran brilliantly portrays a comedian at the end of her career in Las Vegas, who becomes the mentor of a young author (Hannah Einbinder) hired to update her material. Einbinder is also cited, but on the side of supporting roles. It’s the type of story we’ve seen before (conflict of generations, two people from opposite sides who form close ties), but it’s told with intelligence, humor and just enough good feelings.

crave

The event

The home run contest

A Major League Baseball All-Star game is fine, but a home run contest is even better. This annual competition is often much more entertaining — and shorter — than the showdown it precedes. This week, we will closely watch the performance of Pete Alonso. The New York Mets first baseman will try to complete a hat trick, after dominating the last two editions of the event. All in the heart of the mythical Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, which had not hosted the summer classic since 1980. As for the All-Star game, it will be presented 24 hours later, Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., with the team of usual description, made up of Marc Griffin and Alain Usereau.

RDS, Monday at 8 p.m.