Netflix debuts the new educational kids cartoon “Waffles + Mochi,” a brightly animated series probably most famous for its narrator and producer. Former first lady Michelle Obama lends her voice to this tale of two friends from a frozen wasteland who hitch a ride on a food truck to visit a world of fresh vegetables and nutritious items. Or in Waffles’ words, a place where “food is made of food.”
The messaging here is rather clear, and it fits in with Obama’s work as first lady to liberate children and family from food deserts where their only meals were unhealthy processed meals and snacks.
Some may quibble that a former first lady should not lend the dignity of her station to the entertainment business. But that cart left the barn some decades back. Nancy Reagan made a cameo on “Diff’rent Strokes” with Gary Coleman. Before that, first lady Betty Ford literally phoned in an appearance on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1976, dispelling Mary’s disbelief that the president and his friends had spent the evening catching up with Lou Grant in his Washington hotel room.
Mixing two-dimensional animation and live-action puppetry, “Waffles” evokes the instructional nature of “Sesame Street” and some of the surreal elements of “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.” And I mean that in all the best ways. A talking supermarket shelf is called “Shelfie,” and a talking mop is named Steve. Look for plenty of celebrated chefs and guest stars, including Samin Nosrat, star of Netflix’s “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” and Gaten Matarazzo of “Stranger Things.”
— Canadian contractor and cable star Mike Holmes hosts “Holmes Family Effect” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG). He and his son and daughter travel to various towns to help volunteers rebuild and renovate structures to bring communities together.
— COVID is a drag. The pandemic quarantine has gone on so long that shows cobbled together in spite of social isolation are now entering their second season. “Staged” returns to stream on Hulu. It stars Michael Sheen (“The Queen,” “Prodigal Son”) and David Tennant (“Broadchurch,” “Doctor Who”) as themselves, British actors trying to rehearse a new staging of Luigi Pirandello’s “Six Characters in Search of an Author,” via a Zoomlike video conferencing service. As expected, professional and personal concerns get in the way. Look for Whoopi Goldberg as the actors’ agent.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— “Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates, Jr.” (9 p.m., PBS, r, TV-PG, check local listings).
— Kidnappers hold a reporter for mysterious reasons on “FBI” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
— Kevin and Kate plan a family dinner on “This Is Us” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— In search of a serial killer on “FBI: Most Wanted” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
— Max has doubts about a lucrative possibility on “New Amsterdam” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— Sterling K. Brown hosts “Soul of a Nation” (10 p.m., ABC).
— “Mayans M.C.” (10 p.m., FX, TV-MA) enters its third season as a border shutdown puts a crimp on the gang’s import-export business. FX series stream on Hulu the day after broadcast.
CULT CHOICE
A daughter’s (Elizabeth Taylor) wedding brings out the midlife crisis in a neurotic doting dad (Spencer Tracy) in the 1950 comedy “Father of the Bride” (10:15 p.m., TCM, TV-G), directed by Vincente Minnelli. Arguably among the most perfect Hollywood confections ever produced, with Tracy, one of the biggest stars of the 1930s and ‘40s, sharing perfect chemistry with Taylor, about to be among the biggest stars of the 1950s and ‘60s.
SERIES NOTES
Dogfighting is bad on “NCIS” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14) … A freshman tries to crack the starting football squad on “Young Rock” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14) … “To Tell the Truth” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … Eva’s powers grow on “The Flash” (8 p.m., CW, TV-PG) … A toe in the dating pool on “Kenan” (8:30 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
Secrets and lies on “black-ish” (9 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG) … A superhero can spot a phony a mile away on “Superman & Lois” (9 p.m., CW, TV-PG) … Room for one more on “mixed-ish” (9:30 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG).
LATE NIGHT
Jimmy Fallon welcomes Benedict Cumberbatch, Madelaine Petsch and Rose on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Michelle Obama and Brittany Howard appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (11:35 p.m., ABC) … Joel McHale and Mark Harris visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC).
