One day before Groundhog Day, Netflix launches “Russian Doll” (TV-MA), a dark comedy about cosmic do-overs. Natasha Lyonne (“Orange Is the New Black”) stars as the caustic Nadia, a woman who makes the absolute worst of her 36th birthday party.
Not to give too much away, but Nadia goes through the motions of enjoying her party, only to impetuously cross a busy New York street, get hit by a cab and die. She awakens, back at the party, only to go through the same motions with slightly similar results and a growing sensation of deja vu. As in “Groundhog Day,” the results are accumulative in their absurdity.
We learn early on that Nadia is a computer game designer, something that might offer a clue as to what’s really going on here. Is she in charge of the action, or is she being played?
“Doll” joins “The Good Place” and Amazon Prime’s “Forever” as comedies pondering the big questions of fate, the hereafter and life itself.
— John Malkovich stars as Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in a three-part adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel “The ABC Murders,” streaming today on Amazon Prime.
While set in 1933 England, “ABC” resonates with many timely and timeless themes. Poirot is shaken when he begins to receive taunting letters from a disturbed man who promises to murder repeatedly. We later learn that the killer, a floundering traveling salesman with the outsized name of Alexander Bonaparte Cust (Eamon Farren), suffers from neurotic feelings of inadequacy around strong women.
Poirot’s investigation unfolds against the backdrop of a movement to rid England of immigrants and foreigners. Poirot’s accent does not go unnoticed, particularly by police Inspector Crome (Rupert Grint), who resents Poirot’s fame.
The tension between Crome and Poirot touches on a theme that has been constant in crime thrillers and the TV series and movies they inspire. For decades, pop culture celebrated the private investigator, the intuitive freelancer who solved crimes that stymied mere police. Over the past half-century, some television series have bestowed much greater power and respect on the men and women in blue. But in other quarters, it still takes a Spider-Man or an Avenger to get the job done.
— Subscribers of HBO Now and users of HBO on Demand can begin streaming “Folklore,” a production from HBO Asia, a presentation of six hourlong episodes based on Asian myths and legends.
— Not available for review, the new Netflix movie “Velvet Buzzsaw” wins my vote for best new title of the day. Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo and Toni Collette star in this horror movie disguised as a sendup of Los Angeles’ pretentious art scene. Or is that the other way around?
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— A true crime novelist is murdered on “Blindspot” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— Mike challenges the family to unplug for the weekend on “Last Man Standing” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— Margaret’s needy daughter descends on “The Cool Kids” (8:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— One of Red’s financial backers dies mysteriously on “The Blacklist” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— The final four compete on “Hell’s Kitchen” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— “20/20” (9 p.m., ABC) revisits the story of the BTK serial killer.
— An excursion with Greg deviates from the plan on “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14).
— “Great Performances at the Met” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings) presents the opera adaptation of “Marnie.”
— A clairvoyant has suspicions regarding an apparent suicide on “Blue Bloods” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
Elle Fanning stars in the 2017 period piece “Mary Shelley” (8 p.m., Showtime) as a woman who challenged the mores of her time and her literary circle to write the novel “Frankenstein.”
SERIES NOTES
The gang crashes a mob wedding on “MacGyver” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14) … New Year’s resolutions on “Fresh Off the Boat” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … Fallon rebounds on “Dynasty” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14) … An overnight college visit on “Speechless” (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-14) … Extremists scheme on “Hawaii Five-0” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) … “Dateline” (10 p.m., NBC).
LATE NIGHT
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Method Man are booked on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS, r) … Jimmy Fallon welcomes Anthony Mackie, Tim Gunn and Matthew Broussard on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Connie Britton, Dave Franco, Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider and Venzella Joy visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC, r) … Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, Mark Wahlberg and Ian Karmel appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS, r).
(Kevin McDonough can be reached at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.)
