January 27, 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time: From here on in we sit down and watch Rent
Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, January 27. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
Rent (Fox, 8 p.m.): We think it’s fair to say that the live televised musical resurgence has been a bit of a mixed bag. There was the supremely awkward Peter Pan, the flat The Sound Of Music, the occasional thrills of The Wiz and Hairspray, and the controlled, sometimes charming chaos of Grease: Live. Then there was Jesus Christ Superstar, which was on another level entirely, having abandoned trying to incorporate 10 different sets and a totally unnecessary fourth wall in favor of just doing the damn thing, and in front of a raucous audience. Two of the most prominent reasons for JCS’s success: star Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Judas, and Emmy-winning director Alex Rudzinski.
Well, what do you know? They’re both on board for Rent (rent rent re-ent, rent).
Will Rent: Live be good? Maybe! That cast is no joke, and we’re certainly curious to see RuPaul’s Drag Race hero/villain/hero/villain Valentina in a high-profile role. Is Rent good, in general? Maybe! Your mileage may vary, but love it or hate it, good luck getting “La Vie Boheme” out of your head. Is Benjamin Coffin III wrongly maligned? Maybe! (Yes.) Will Caroline Siede recap the holy hell out of it? You bet your ass she will.
Regular coverage
Outlander (Starz, 8 p.m.): fourth season finale
Supergirl (The CW, 8 p.m.)
Charmed (The CW, 9 p.m.)
True Detective (HBO, 9 p.m.)
Shameless (Showtime, 9 p.m.)
Wild card
25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (TBS and TNT, 8 p.m.): That endless award season train just keeps on chugging, doesn’t it? Tonight the actors award their own. We’ll be tuning in to see if Glenn Close and Lady Gaga tie again, to cross our fingers and hope for some appreciation for that last season of The Americans and the bafflingly overlooked elsewhere Atlanta, and to see if Rami Malek has anything to say about Bryan Singer. Bonus points if the casts of Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians, A Star Is Born, GLOW, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel all stand up and sing “Seasons Of Love,” just to piss the Rent cast off.