The Week’s guide to what’s worth watching
Rising Phoenix
Though there will be no Olympic games in Tokyo this summer, elite athletes can be found enlivening this documentary about the Paralympic movement. For more than half a century, the Paralympic Games have showcased competitors who transcend physical impairment to excel in one or more sporting events. Athletes profiled include 16-time wheelchair racing medalist Tatyana McFadden and two-time sprinting champion Jonnie Peacock. Available for streaming Wednesday, Aug. 26, Netflix
2020 Republican National Convention
Nearly two weeks of unconventional convention speeches are scheduled to be capped by President Trump’s address on Thursday night as he accepts his party’s nomination for a second term. Even in this strange political season, the long-standing rite offers the nation’s chief executive a chance to refine his message and reset a campaign that so far has him trailing challenger Joe Biden in all published national polls. Thursday, Aug. 27, approx. 10 p.m., most major networks
Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness
You might not be able to travel the world seeking answers to big questions this summer, but actor Ravi Patel can do it for you. In this four-part docuseries, the affable star of Meet the Patels brings family members or a friend along as he chases the perfect work/life balance in South Korea, the ideal retirement in Mexico, and optimal parenting in Japan. Available for streaming Thursday, Aug. 27, HBO Max
All Together Now
Auli’i Cravalho, the former voice star of Disney’s Moana, proves effortlessly charming in this feature-length drama based on a young adult novel by Matthew Quick. Cravalho stars as a talented and charitable high school senior who is invited to audition for a prestigious university music theater program but hasn’t admitted to friends that she and her mother are broke and living in a bus. With Justina Machado,
Fred Armisen, and Carol Burnett. Available for streaming Friday, Aug. 28, Netflix
Get Duked!
What the world needs now is a great new absurdist comedy. Three juvenile delinquents and a homeschooled nerd are dropped in the Scottish Highlands as part of a survival program meant to straighten them out. But then a deranged, youth-hating duke and his upper-crust friends start shooting to kill, and the battle of hopefully inept forces is on. The silliness is as abundant as the green grass, and so is the sly commentary on intergenerational conflict. Available for streaming Friday, Aug. 28, Amazon Prime
Madea’s Farewell Play
Tyler Perry plays Madea one last time in the
21st play he’s written about a character inspired by his mother and aunt. This time, Madea brings her tough-love approach to a family graduation. Available for streaming Thursday, Aug. 27, BET+
The Binge
In a comedy feature that puts a twist on The Purge, three 18-year-olds prepare for the one night each year when they’re allowed to indulge in drugs and booze. Vince Vaughn co-stars. Available for streaming Friday, Aug. 28, Hulu
2020 MTV Video Music Awards
It might be all about the ladies at the virtual VMAs, with Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, and Lady Gaga dominating nominations. Performers will include Roddy Ricch, the Weeknd, Doja Cat, and BTS. Sunday, Aug. 30, at 8 p.m., MTV