Songs inspire stories on BET’s ‘Tales’
Using at least two ideas that are decades old, BET may have come up with something new. “Tales” (8 p.m., TV-14) reinvents the notion of the music video and dusts off the old-fashioned idea of an anthology series.
Shows that told a different story with a different cast every week used to be common on television. Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone” and “Tales From the Crypt” come to mind. Somewhere along the line, anthologies fell out of favor. Perhaps the best such show now “airing” is actually streaming — the U.K. science-fantasy series “Black Mirror,” available on Netflix.
“Tales” will tell a new story in every episode, inspired by narratives contained in classic hiphop songs. The opening story, “(Expletive) the Police,” is based on a 1988 NWA song, an incendiary reaction to a controversial police shooting of a little boy. Some subjects have not grown less timely over the past three decades.
Other songs to get the “Tales” treatment include The Notorious B.I.G.’s “I Got a Story To Tell,” Meek Mill’s “Cold Hearted” and Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen.”
Some of these songs were never featured in a music video, so producer Irv Gotti has expressed excitement about getting their stories on the screen.
You don’t have to love hip-hop to find this an interesting experiment. Too often, songs have been reduced to slick commercial-length videos or employed to move a moody dramatic montage. Using popular songs as a point of inspiration for an hourlong story has the potential to prompt anthologies in other genres, from pop to classic rock to country.
‘IZOMBIE’ WRAPS
For those keeping score, the network TV season officially ends as “iZombie” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) wraps up its third season with Liz stumbling upon a revelation that may change everything. Whatever she discovers, it will have to be explored in the series’ fourth season. The snarky, funny and gross brain-eating comedy has a decidedly small but devoted following, large and passionate enough for it to be renewed.
HOT FOODS
A marathon helping of “Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations” (noon to 4 a.m, Travel) features a new (9:30 p.m.) episode set in Chengdu, China, home to blistering hot pot, fiery mapo tofu and spicy kung pao chicken.
STAND-UP GUY
Netflix begins streaming the stand-up special “Chris D’Elia: Man on Fire.” Viewers may recall D’Elia from two NBC sitcoms, “Whitney” and “Undateable.” Or maybe not. He’s actually been on the small screen for some time, having appeared on “Chicago Hope” way back in 1996-97.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
› Auditions continue on “America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
› Every darned decadent detail is revealed and explained on the series finale of “Pretty Little Liars” (8 p.m., Freeform, TV-14).
› Bull turns down a big payday to defend a client being railroaded by his ex-girlfriend’s family on “Bull” (9 p.m., CBS, repeat, TV-14).
› “The Story of China” (8 p.m., PBS, TV-PG) recalls the Song and the Ming dynasties.
› An amateur race-car driver dies mysteriously on “NCIS: New Orleans” (10 p.m., CBS, repeat, TV-14).
› Qualifying acts choose a rival and face off in a dance duel on “World of Dance” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
› “Frontline” (10 p.m., PBS, repeat) explains the history of ISIS.
› Ransomware threatens the Navy brass on “NCIS” (8 p.m., CBS, repeat, TV-PG).
› A grieving Navy SEAL becomes a buddy cop on the pilot episode of “Lethal Weapon” (8 p.m., Fox, repeat, TV-14).
› More thorns than blossoms on “The Bachelorette” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
› Help from Mom on “The Flash” (8 p.m., CW, repeat, TV-PG).
› A lesson in fair play on “The Mick” (9 p.m., Fox, repeat, TV-14).
› Zooey Deschanel guest-stars on a “New Girl” cross-over with “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (9:30 p.m., Fox, repeat, TV-14).
› On two helpings of “Downward Dog” (ABC, TV-PG), Nan’s big campaign faces obstacles (10 p.m.), a time to relax (10:30 p.m.).
Contact Kevin McDonough at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.