The Mercury News

‘Coastal Elites’ goes for socially distanced laughs

Also, documentar­ies mark anniversar­y of the 9/11 tragedy

- DHUGM Aarney Contact Chuck Barney at cbarney@bayareanew­sgroup.com.

DON’T MISS >> “Coastal Elites” — This socially distanced comedy from playwright and satirist Paul Rudnick brings a group of disparate characters together via Zoom to vent their rage and fear about the state of politics, culture and the pandemic during highly polarized times. Told in monologue formanddir­ected by Jay Roach (“Recount,” “Game Change”), the show features a stellar cast including Bette Midler, Kaitlyn Dever, Dan Levy, Sarah Paulson and Issa Rae. Originally conceived for the Public Theater in New York, “Coastal Elites” jumped from the stage to the screen at the beginning of the pandemic and was filmed earlier this summer under quarantine guidelines. (8 p.m. Saturday, HBO)

Other bets

TODAY >> Fasten your seat belts, another season of “Top Gear” is set to deliver more wild rides and crazy stunts. In the opener, Paddy, Freddie and Chris head on a summer holiday in supercheap, secondhand convertibl­es. Also, Freddie attempts to bungee-jump a vehicle off a dam in Switzerlan­d. (8 p.m., BBC America)

TODAY >> The popular “Power” franchise expands with “Power Book II: Ghost.” The spinoff picks up just days after the shocking events of the “Power” series finale and follows Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.), who is now in college and working for a crime boss played by Mary J. Blige. (9 p.m., Starz)

MONDAY >> “American Ninja Warrior” returns for an abridged, eight-episode 12th season filmed entirely in St. Louis. Eight finalists will eventually square off on the Power Tower — in a bracket-style format — with the winner earning $100,000. (8 p.m., NBC)

MONDAY >> “Biography: The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne” is a documentar­y that traces the colorful life of the so-called “Godfather of Metal.” Included: reflection­s on his time as a teen prison inmate, Black Sabbath frontman, Grammywinn­ing solo artist, reality TV star and his current struggle with Parkinson’s disease. (9 p.m., A&E)

TUESDAY >> We’re getting closer to crowning a new champion on “America’s Got Talent.” The semifinals begin as 10 of the remaining 20 acts take a shot at winning over the voters. (8 p.m., NBC)

WEDNESDAY >> In the new season of “Brother vs. Brother,” Drew and Jonathan Scott take their longrunnin­g sibling rivalry to Hancock Park, a Los Angeles neighborho­od filled with old-hollywood glamour. Two mansions serve as the battlegrou­nd for their six-week renovation competitio­n. (9 p.m., HGTV)

THURSDAY >> “Bin Laden’s Hard Drive” is a documentar­y that pieces together and analyzes thousands of newly declassifi­ed digital files recovered from the compound where terrorist Osama bin Laden was killed. The team behind the film claim it provides “a roadmap into the mind of a mass murderer.” (9 p.m., National Geographic Channel)

FRIDAY >> Marking the anniversar­y of that tragic day in 2001, “9/11: The Final Minutes of Flight 93” relies on previously classified Secret Service documents, air traffic control transmissi­ons, voicemails and more to piece together what happened just before United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in rural Pennsylvan­ia. (8 p.m., History)

SATURDAY >> Sometimes just the title of a TV movie is enough to suck you in. “Deranged Granny” follows a psychotic woman (Wendie Malick) who goes to murderous lengths to protect her relationsh­ip with her new grandchild­ren. Josh Ventura and Amanda Righetti join the fun. (8 p.m., Lifetime)

 ?? HBO ?? Issa Rae of “Insecure” fame is among the ensemble cast of HBO’S new pandemic comedy “Coastal Elites.”
HBO Issa Rae of “Insecure” fame is among the ensemble cast of HBO’S new pandemic comedy “Coastal Elites.”
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