The Battle of AMFAR
The history of AIDS would be much different without the American Foundation for AIDS Research. The organization, founded in 1985 by actress Elizabeth Taylor and research scientist Dr. Mathilde Krim, has played a critical role in destigmatizing the disease and funding the drugs that have made HIV and AIDS treatable. Krim and Taylor’s alliance anchors this dramatic documentary about a long fight still not fully won. Monday, Dec. 2, at 9 p.m., HBO
Lafayette: The Lost Hero
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Perhaps nobody ever loved liberty as much as the Marquis de Lafayette. At just 19, the French aristocrat crossed the Atlantic to command rebel colonists in critical battles, then returned home to help ignite the French Revolution. This fascinating special casts deserved light on the nearly forgotten boy general, who fervently denied his station in order to advance the global struggle for democracy. Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 9 p.m., PBS; check local listings
Mob City
Three years after launching The Walking Dead, Frank Darabont has put together an ambitious fact-based miniseries set in 1940s Los Angeles with its tone dial set to noir. The Walking Dead’s Jon Bernthal plays a detective and ex–war hero wrestling with moral dilemmas as he gets pulled into a blackmail scheme designed to take down mob boss Mickey Cohen. Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 9 p.m., TNT
Comedy Warriors: Healing Through Humor
War isn’t funny, but getting through it can be. In this feature-length documentary, five wounded veterans are coached by comedians Zach Galifianakis, Lewis Black, Bob Saget, and B.J. Novak to turn their war experiences into stand-up routines. Finding the humor in trying experiences proves to be a powerful form of therapy. What’s more, the acts they develop prove at once frank, painful, and hilarious.Thursday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m., Showtime
The Sound of Music Live!
A holiday tradition gets an eyebrow-raising twist, as Grammy-winning country singer Carrie Underwood headlines a live performance of the classic musical about a tuneful Austrian family who fled Nazi rule in the run-up to World War II. Underwood doesn’t have the saintly quality Julie Andrews did, but she has the singing chops to do justice to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s score. Thursday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m., NBC
Other highlights
Kirstie
Kirstie Alley returns to TV comedy, playing a Broadway actress who reunites with the 20-something son she once gave up for adoption. Also making comebacks: Cheers’s Rhea Perlman and Seinfeld’s Michael Richards. Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 10 p.m., TV Land
Terror on a Train
Before mass killings were common, the Long Island Railroad shooting, which left six dead in 1993, shocked the nation. Survivors and investigators retell the details. Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 10 p.m., Investigation Discovery
Grammy Nominations Concert Live
Drake, Robin Thicke, Macklemore, and Keith Urban will perform, and nominees for January’s Grammy awards will be announced. Friday, Dec. 6, at 10 p.m., CBS
Quiz of The Week: 26 July – 1 August
Uttar Pradesh: from a once-in-a-generation festival to tiger tracking in an ancient forest
The Week Unwrapped: Could AI replace catwalk models?
