“Great Performances” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-14, check local listings) offers viewers a taste of Broadway and a touch of theater history. James Corden, best known to many viewers as the karaoke-singing host of CBS’s “The Late Late Show,” stars in a taped presentation of the revival of the musical “One Man, Two Guvnors.”
Set in the British seaside resort town of Brighton in 1963, Corden plays an out-of-work musician who works for two bosses while trying to keep them a secret from each other. One is a petty gangster and the other a clueless rich man. It’s not giving away too much to reveal that one of them is really a woman in disguise, passing herself as her own brother to keep his death a secret.
The outlandish story is based on an Italian-language Commedia dell’arte farce written way back in 1743. A critical and audience favorite in London’s West End and on Broadway, the success of “Guvnors” was instrumental in introducing Corden to American viewers.
Corden is hardly the first talent to travel from musical theater to television and back again. Just last night, CBS debuted “B Positive,” starring Annaleigh Ashford, a veteran of “Kinky Boots” on Broadway.
Over the years, some stage musical stars have adapted quite naturally to the small screen, while others seemed too “big” for the medium. It’s hard to keep track of the number of shows that have tried to use Kristen Chenoweth, who often seemed ready to burst out of the screen. The same could be said of Josh Gad (“The Book of Mormon,” “Frozen”).
Way back in 1998, NBC cast Nathan Lane, of “The Producers” fame, as a temperamental opera star in “Encore! Encore!” It was an embarrassing bomb for the network, desperate to replace “Seinfeld.” He was later cast, with great success, as the over-the-top Pepper on “Modern Family.” But that was a recurring role.
Others, like Jason Alexander of “Seinfeld,” have successfully managed both mediums. Peter Gallagher of “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” and “The O.C.” was in “Guys and Dolls” on Broadway. Christine Baranski (“The Good Fight,” “Cybill”) has many musicals to her credit.
Nobody straddled both worlds better than the late Jerry Orbach, who was rumpled Det. Lenny Briscoe on “Law & Order.” His musical appearances ranged from the original El Gallo in the “The Fantasticks” to voicing the candelabra in the animated Disney musical “Beauty and the Beast.” His “Law & Order” colleague Det. Ed Green was played by Jesse L. Martin, who appeared in the original Broadway staging of “Rent.”
— Other musical offerings include “Ferro,” on Amazon Prime, about an Italian pop star turning 40, and the reality series “Country Ever After,” on Netflix, following singer Coffey Anderson and his wife, Criscilla, a hip-hop dancer.
— The harrowing 2019 Spanish drama “The Endless Trench,” on Netflix, recalls the true story of a man, fearing reprisals after the Spanish Civil War, who remained hidden in his basement for three decades.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— A social media cynic gets into the spirit in the 2020 romance “The Christmas Yule Blog” (8 p.m., Lifetime).
— An overeager shopper is haunted by three spirits in the 2018 comedy “A Shoe Addict’s Christmas” (8 p.m., Hallmark, TV-G).
— Strange bedfellows on “Blue Bloods” (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
Attempts to present the 1982 shocker “Slumber Party Massacre” (2:15 a.m., TCM) as a feminist spoof of the slasher genre appeared to go over viewers’ heads. It even inspired sequels. Written by Rita Mae Brown!
SERIES NOTES
Cedric the Entertainer hosts on “The Greatest #AtHome Videos” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … “American Ninja Warrior” (8 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG) … “WWE Friday Night SmackDown” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) … Hold the salt on “Shark Tank” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … Dean Cain hosts “Masters of Illusion” (8 p.m., 8:30 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG).
A thief pickpockets more than he expected on “Magnum P.I.” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) … “20/20” (9 p.m., ABC) … “World’s Funniest Animals” (9 p.m., CW, TV-PG), followed by a repeat episode (9:30 p.m.) … “Dateline” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
LATE NIGHT
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS, r) repeats its “Election Night Special,” featuring Alex Wagner, John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon, Charlamagne Tha God, Jena Friedman, Maz Jobrani and Arcade Fire.
Jimmy Fallon welcomes Milo Ventimiglia, Marc Maron and Oneohtrix Point Never on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Charlie Hunnam and Why Don’t We appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (11:35 p.m., ABC).
Bette Midler and Bryan Washington visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC, r) … Henry Golding and Ella Mai appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS).
