‘Jane’: Goodall’s years amid chimps
A glorious television experience, the acclaimed 2017 documentary “Jane” (9 p.m., National Geographic) makes its broadcast debut. Directed by Brett Morgen (“Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck”) and featuring a soaring score by Philip Glass, “Jane” offers viewers an elegant and straightforward profile of a remarkable woman, renowned primatologist Jane Goodall.
Beneath the film’s beautiful surface, it’s a rather remarkable combination of elements, a documentary within a documentary.
In 1957, a young Goodall was sent by groundbreaking paleontologist Louis Leakey to observe chimpanzee behavior as part of his overall study of early man. She had no degree in the field or scientific background. Her lack of academic preconceptions combined with her innate curiosity is why Leakey thought she was right for the job. Embedding herself among the primates, she would document their community and social interactions, discovering behavior very much like their human cousins.
Three years later she was joined by Dutch filmmaker Hugo van Lawick, sent by National Geographic to document her fieldwork. “Jane” combines van Lawick’s hours of recordings with new sound footage of the African wild and contemporary voiceover by Goodall.
The pair would fall in love, have a son and part as friends while Goodall continued her study of chimp behavior. “Jane” juxtaposes their marital bliss, jungle sojourn, family joys and breakup with the story of an aging chimpanzee mother and her troubled son. It’s hard to keep from getting misty as death claims individual “characters,” or to not be disturbed when a fracture in the primate community sparks a “war” every bit as savage as a human conflict.
“Jane” offers a remarkably intimate portrait of a legend in her youth. It’s also staggering in its beauty and represents a modern filmmaker’s homage to a documentary master. Hugo van Lawick died in 2002 and is considered one of the great nature photographers and filmmakers of all time.
‘IDOL’ VS. ‘VOICE’
For those keeping score, tonight marks the first head-to-head competition between the rebooted “American Idol” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) and “The Voice” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG), featuring a new judge, Kelly Clarkson, the popular winner of the first season of “Idol.”
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
› Murder stalks a stadium concert on “Lucifer” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
› Conrad and Lane clash on “The Resident” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
› After nibbling on a romantic’s brain, Liv becomes a meddler on “iZombie” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14).
› The investigation takes Kreizler and Moore to Washington, D.C., on “The Alienist” (9 p.m., TNT, TV-MA).
› “Mary Kills People” (9 p.m., Lifetime, TV-MA) enters a second season.
› The women add smuggling to their freelance assignments on “Good Girls” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
› Murphy empathizes with a patient mulling a difficult decision on “The Good Doctor” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
› Gender wars and dating woes on “unReal” (10 p.m., Lifetime, TV-14).
› A secret threatens the family on “McMafia” (10 p.m., AMC, TV-14).
› Sheldon’s betrayal on “The Big Bang Theory” (8 p.m., CBS, repeat, TV-PG).
› The gang time-travels to save a musical incubator on “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14).
› Adam plays host on “Man With a Plan” (8:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
› Sheldon teaches himself to make friends on “Young Sheldon” (9 p.m., CBS, repeat, TV-PG).
› Noisy neighbors test Chip’s resolve on “Living Biblically” (9:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
› On the hunt for an arms dealer suspected in an MI6 agent’s murder on “NCIS” (10 p.m., CBS, repeat, TV-14).
Email Kevin McDonough at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.