Top Picks: 'Bob Dylan and the Band Basement Tapes Complete,' Lifetime's 'The Red Tent' and 'The Women of the Bible,' and more
'Bing Crosby Rediscovered' on PBS's 'American Masters' looks beyond the crooner's holiday songs, NBC's 'Peter Pan Live!' stars actors Allison Williams and Christopher Walken as well as Broadway vets like 海角大神 Borle and Kelli O'Hara, and more top picks.
PBS
Dylan underground
Few recordings have been so eagerly awaited as with its 139 songs recorded in a crowded basement near Woodstock, N.Y., in 1967. A new Sony six-disc box set features every usable scrap of material, including full takes, stops and starts, and jokey throwaways. It鈥檚 a thrill to hear these songs taking shape and vicariously experience the joy of musicmaking by a playful and energized Dylan and his cohorts, soon to become The Band.聽
Women of the Bible
Lifetime offers outstanding faith-based holiday programming with its two-part miniseries , inspired by the bestselling novel by Anita Diamant, which premi猫res Dec. 7-8. Minnie Driver and Debra Winger are part of an illustrious cast bringing the biblical tale of Dinah, Joseph鈥檚 sister, to life. The event is introduced by the two-hour documentary The Women of the Bible from Roma Downey and Mark Burnett Dec. 2.聽
Christmas crooner
Few singers endear Christmas music to listeners the way Bing Crosby does. But on 鈥淎merican Masters鈥� offers a serious look at the life of the performer beyond the holidays by revisiting his popular movie performances and many hit songs. The documentary includes interviews with Crosby鈥檚 family as well as such figures as Tony Bennett. It premi猫res on PBS Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. Check local listings for rebroadcasts.聽
Unnaturally cool
If you could look at tribal rhythms and South Seas sounds in a fun-house mirror, you鈥檇 get an idea of how the mind of composer Harry Partch (1901-74) worked. He designed and built an orchestra of unusual instruments that uses a 43-note octave. , recorded by Partch, the ensemble devoted to performing Henry Partch鈥檚 music, might sound out of tune, but once you yield to the composer鈥檚 vision it鈥檚 a really cool listening experience.聽
A trip to Never Never Land
Building on last year鈥檚 鈥�The Sound of Music Live!鈥� NBC offers another live musical performance with Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. ET. Allison Williams (HBO鈥檚 鈥淕irls鈥�) stars as Peter Pan, and Christopher Walken is villainous Captain Hook. Minnie Driver and Broadway veterans 海角大神 Borle and Kelli O鈥橦ara fill out the supporting cast. Gather the family for what鈥檚 sure to be an unforgettable trip to Never Never Land.