This Memorial Day, settle in for a sobering double feature with The Hot Zone and Chernobyl
Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Monday, May 27. All times are Eastern.
Top picks
The Hot Zone (National Geographic, 9 p.m.): Tonight, as a part of its scripted-content push, National Geographic recruits executive producer Ridley Scott and Emmy-winner Julianna Margulies for The Hot Zone. Set in 1989 outside of Washington D.C., the six-part limited series will follow a group of scientists and soldiers led by Lieutenant Colonel Nancy Jaax (Margulies) as they discover and attempt to contain the first known Ebola case on U.S. soil. Joining Margulies in her effort to save the country from an epidemic are Noah Emmerich (The Americans’ Stan Beeman), Topher Grace, and Liam Cunningham (former Game Of Thrones star/VIP Ser Davos). The first two episodes air tonight, and be on the look out for Allison Shoemaker’s review.
Chernobyl (HBO, 10 p.m.): If you’re looking for the perfect companion piece to NatGeo’s thrilling retelling of the 1989 Ebola crisis, look no further than television’s other historical dramatization of a disaster from the late 1980s: Chernobyl. With just two episodes left, we’re nearing the climax of HBO’s harrowing miniseries.
Regular coverage
Wild card
NHL Stanley Cup Finals Game #1 (NBC, 8 p.m.): If historical dramas aren’t your thing, maybe historic Stanley Cup Finals are. Tonight, the St. Louis Blues—who are making their first Finals appearance in 49 years—face off against the Boston Bruins, who are cruising into Game 1 on a 7-game win streak.