Netflix launches so much “product,” it’s difficult to keep up. Debuting a week ago, Eddie Murphy stars in the affectionate 2019 biopic “Dolemite Is My Name,” a celebration of the larger-than-life raunchy comic Rudy Ray Moore.
The film takes place in the mid-1970s at the tail end of the blaxploitation film craze. A singer and “racy” comic whose career appeared to have stalled in the 1950s, Moore (Murphy) discovers a rich vein of black comic tradition by interviewing skid row denizens who recall rhyming taunts dating back to slave days.
Using and modernizing these bawdy ballads, Moore reinvents himself with the stage persona Dolemite and goes from has-been to nightclub success.
The film follows Moore as he tries to get his character on the silver screen, an effort that results in the 1975 kung fu/blaxploitation classic “Dolemite,” a thriller as ineptly made as it was badly acted.
“Dolemite” became an instant classic at the time of midnight movies and grade-Z double features. Its amateurish quality and absurd script were essential to its appeal. Unlike other cult movies of the time, “Dolemite” and its many sequels became major moneymakers, earning millions.
The original “Dolemite” can be streamed on Amazon Prime.
For a film containing more than casual nudity and an energetic use of profanity, “Dolemite Is My Name” is remarkably uplifting, affectionate and generous to its subjects. A game supporting cast includes Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Wesley Snipes and Snoop Dogg, among others.
The subject of a talent who has been relegated to “the old days” clearly resonates with Murphy, and he makes the most of his character’s reinvention. Not to mention his own.
— Are you ready to be “Wonderstruck”? Starting this weekend, BBC America will devote every Saturday to a 24-hour programming block from the BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, the folks behind the “Planet Earth” nature documentary epics.
To celebrate the network’s concentration on natural splendor, BBC America will offer viewers a sneak peek at an upcoming series from David Attenborough, “Seven Worlds, One Planet,” a series that debuts in 2020.
Next Saturday night, BBC America will present “Blue Planet Now,” a follow-up to the first two “Blue Planet” series, exploring the health of marine life around the globe.
— What’s a shock comic got to do to shock people nowadays? A young comic from Scotland introduces his special, “Daniel Sloss: X” (10 p.m. Saturday, HBO, TV-MA), with not-so-subtle riffs on fears of pedophilia.
“X” is supposed to be a long contemplation on toxic masculinity. But things get rather obvious and belabored rather quickly.
— Not to be outdone by BBC America’s “Wonderstruck,” the Smithsonian Channel will offer a four-hour survey history of the home planet. “The Life of Earth” (9 p.m. Sunday) is broken into “From Space,” exploring evidence as seen from 300 satellites and manned space stations circling the globe, and “The Age of Humans” (10 p.m.), which looks at the impact our species has had on the planet in a relatively short span of some 300,000 years.
— The subscription streaming service True Royalty TV poses hypothetical questions in the special “Meghan for President?” streaming Sunday. “President” ponders if former “Suits” star-turned-British royal Meghan Markle might have political appeal on this side of the Atlantic.
SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
— College football action includes SMU and Memphis (7:30 p.m., ABC) and Oregon vs. USC (8 p.m., Fox).
— Paddock action on the 2019 Breeder’s Cup (8 p.m., NBC).
— An overbooked event planner has her schedule upended by the arrival of a handsome widower in the 2019 holiday romance “Christmas Reservations” (8 p.m., Lifetime, TV-PG).
— The owner of a candy cane factory has a suitor who may be too sweet to be true in the 2019 holiday romance “Merry & Bright” (8 p.m., Hallmark, TV-G).
— A blue-collar store manager (Jennifer Lopez) reinvents herself after being passed up for promotion in the 2018 romantic comedy “Second Act” (9 p.m., Showtime).
— Kristen Stewart hosts “Saturday Night Live” (11:30 p.m., NBC, TV-14), with musical guest Coldplay.
SUNDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
— Scheduled on “60 Minutes” (7:30 p.m., CBS): an interview with exiled Russian agent Maria Butina; a profile of the Wrights of southern Utah, the first family of bronco saddle riding.
— The Ravens and Patriots meet in NFL football action (8:15 p.m., NBC).
— Alice’s long and winding road on “Batwoman” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14).
— A small-town tradition and a former beau add up to the formula for the 2019 holiday romance “Christmas Scavenger Hunt” (8 p.m., Hallmark, TV-G).
— Ghost feels invincible on “Power” (8 p.m., Starz, TV-MA).
— A new threat emerges on “Supergirl” (9 p.m., CW, TV-PG).
— Supplies go missing on “The Walking Dead” (9 p.m., AMC, TV-MA).
— Look for performances by Halsey, Rosalia, Becky G, Ava Max and Mabel at the 2019 MTV Europe Music Awards (9 p.m., MTV) taking place in Seville, Spain.
— Giada De Laurentiis hosts six chefs as they enter the “Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge” (9 p.m., Food, TV-G).
— The Lord of the Manor (Jeremy Irons) engages in a heated correspondence on “Watchmen” (9 p.m., HBO, TV-MA).
— Whitney’s wedding offers a resolution to a number of issues on the series finale of “The Affair” (9 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).
— Chin tries to ensnare Bumpy with gambling debts on “Godfather of Harlem” (9 p.m., Epix, TV-MA).
— Elizabeth calibrates her response to leaked material on “Madam Secretary” (10:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
— A potential missile attack sends units scrambling on “The Rookie” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
— “The Weekly” (10 p.m., FX, TV-14) questions the use and even the validity of police-administered Breathalyzers.
— A potential investor has baggage on “Silicon Valley” (10 p.m., HBO, TV-MA).
— Eve ponders a real live date on “Mrs. Fletcher” (10:30 p.m., HBO, TV-MA).
CULT CHOICE
— A woman inherits a hotel that includes a gateway to hell in the 1981 Italian shocker “The Beyond” (9 p.m. Saturday, TMC, TV-MA), shot on location in New Orleans and directed by Lucio Fulci. Seen as surreal by some, incoherent by others.
SATURDAY SERIES
A charity case gets much more complicated on “Bull” (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) … A witness silenced on “NCIS: Los Angeles” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) … “Dateline” (9 p.m., NBC) … “48 Hours” (10 p.m., CBS) … A vintage helping of “Saturday Night Live” (10 p.m., NBC, r, TV-14).
SUNDAY SERIES
“Football Night in America” (7 p.m., NBC, TV-14) recaps the day’s action … Kung fu fighting on “God Friended Me” (8:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … Lisa’s good deeds go too far on “The Simpsons” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … Tiffany Haddish hosts “Kids Say the Darndest Things” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … Betty plots revenge on “Bless the Harts” (8:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
Mall mayhem on “Bob’s Burgers” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … A newfangled nut on “Shark Tank” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … Strange bedfellows on “NCIS: Los Angeles” (9:30 p.m., CBS, TV-14) … Brian takes a stand on “Family Guy” (9:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
