Soon there will be a streaming service for every taste and programming niche. The True Royalty premium service already offers documentaries and specials for viewers who can’t get enough of all things Windsor.
“Prince Philip: An Extraordinary Life” debuts today on that outlet, profiling the royal who has been the queen’s husband for more than seven decades and whose life spans nearly a century of court intrigue, historical tragedy and international diplomacy.
This being True Royalty TV, don’t expect a warts-and-all take on His Royal Highness. At the same time, it is not the fawning hagiography I expected.
Viewers of “The Crown” will enjoy contrasting this documentary look at the Philip portrayed in that lavish series. The film is filled with a wealth of archival footage and intimate photographs. It is accompanied by commentary by royal biographers speaking in posh and plummy accents as well as reporters on the Windsor beat, some of whom confess that they may have been a bit hard on Philip over the years.
The film offers a generous slant on his reputation for making inappropriate and politically incorrect comments while meeting the public in both Britain and abroad. Experts explain that he’s basically spent the last six decades in a receiving line, greeting strangers who are understandably nervous around His Royal Highness. His alleged “gaffes” usually involve his efforts to put his subjects at ease. And not all of his “jokes” look terribly nice in cold print. I can relate.
“An Extraordinary Life” breaks no new ground in documentary filmmaking. It basically offers a chronological account of a life of duty and family accompanied by a rather generic soundtrack. On the other hand, compared to “The Crown,” nearly every television production seems wanting. Not to be morbid, but any retrospective on the life of a 99-year-old man has the air of a prepared obituary about it, a film ready to air, just in time and “just in case.”
For American viewers, “Life” is rather timely. In a scant three weeks, Sen. Kamala Harris will be sworn in as our first female vice president. That makes her husband, Doug, America’s very first “second gentleman.” He could do worse than studying Philip’s performance in a prominent supporting role.
— The 1939 musical fantasy “The Wizard of Oz” (8 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. TNT, TV-G) and its star Judy Garland became so associated with the gay community that during the pre-Stonewall era, the term “Friend of Dorothy” became a kind of secret code for a gay man.
During the McCarthy era, when suspected gay “subversives” were hounded out of Washington jobs and teaching positions, zealous FBI agents were convinced that the “Friends” represented a secret underground organization. Agents went looking for the ringleader, “Dorothy,” to no avail.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— The 2016 drama “Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-G) stars Alyvia Alyn Lind as a young Parton and Ricky Schroder and Jennifer Nettles as her parents.
— Holiday chaos on “9-1-1” (8 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14).
— The New England Patriots host the Buffalo Bills in NFL action (8 p.m., ESPN, 8:15 p.m., ABC).
— The school of hard Knox on “L.A.’s Finest” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— An anthrax expert stands trial after a terror threat on “Bull” (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).
— “Vernon Jordan: Make It Plain” (10 p.m., PBS, r, TV-PG, check local listings) profiles the civil rights leader.
CULT CHOICE
Compiled and released in 1957, “The Golden Age of Comedy” (1 p.m., TCM, TV-G) offered clips of funny films from the silent era. At the time, “talkies” had been around for barely 30 years, but these snippets of Will Rogers, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin were presented as ancient history, relics from a bygone era.
SERIES NOTES
Second chances on “The Neighborhood” (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … Improvisations on two episodes of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” (8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., CW, r, TV-14) … Bob needs to man up on “Bob Hearts Abishola” (8:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … “Let’s Make a Deal Primetime” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … Illusionists audition on “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG) … Jane Lynch hosts “Weakest Link” (10 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG).
LATE NIGHT
John C. Reilly appears on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS, r) … Tom Hanks and Leslie Odom Jr. are booked on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS, r) … Post Malone, Kawhi Leonard and Lewis Capaldi appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (11:35 p.m., ABC, r) … Chris Rock and Rauw Alejandro featuring J Balvin appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS, r).
