'Pretend It's a City'
You won't learn a lot about Fran Lebowitz's contributions to literature in this docu-series. But by the end of the seven episodes, you'll be convinced the author is the quickest wit since Groucho Marx. Director Martin Scorsese is a one-man laugh track as his friend offers her unique guide to New York City, ripping everything from Broadway to cabbies as only Lebowitz can. Netflix
David Bowie tributes
With Bowie's 74th birthday and the fifth anniversary of his passing both this weekend, his longtime keyboardist Mike Garson and other bandmates are heading up a virtual celebration of his music with an all-star cast including Trent Reznor, Perry Ferrell, Duran Duran, Macy Gray and Billy Corgan. Meanwhile, the producers of his musical "Lazarus" are screening a film of its London production, starring Michael C. Hall, as a fundraiser for the Theatre Artists Fund and Help Musicians. Both livestreams start Friday at 8 p.m. with $21-$25 tickets. Tribute at RollingLiveStudios.com, "Lazarus" at Dice.fm
'Frasier'
"Frasier" holds up. I had remembered the beloved sitcom about radio psychiatrist Frasier Crane, played by Kelsey Grammer, as a farce. Indeed, some of its best episodes delight in bathrobed visits to the wrong bedroom. But watching it again, I was struck by the show's heart. David Hyde Pierce, as Niles, is a brilliant physical comedian, flinging his body across his brother's apartment and into Daphne's arms. But he's a subtle actor, too, communicating a quiet despair. Then there's Frasier's relationship with his father, the incomparable John Mahoney, which deepens him and softens him. After downing the first few seasons, I read all I could about the show, the actors and the sitcom's true star, Eddie the dog, played by Moose. (A New Yorker piece, "Six Things Millennials Have in Common with Dr. Frasier Crane (No. 5 Will Drive You Into a Deep Depression)," will make you laugh, and Vanity Fair's oral history will make you cry.) If the show gets a reboot, as rumored, it'd better center Roz. Hulu
'The Mystery of D.B. Cooper'
This fun new whodunit documentary on maybe the most over-theorized unsolved mystery in American heist lore focuses on four candidates out of hundreds who might be the airline hijacker who jumped out of a plane over Washington state in 1971 with more than $200,000 in ransom money. Convincing cases are made for all, including one known con man who confessed to his wife on his deathbed, and a transgender woman who maybe spilled the beans during a night of heavy drinking. Spoiler: Nothing is solved here, except for a couple more hours of pandemic time-killing. HBO
'The Chase'
If "Jeopardy!" doesn't offer you enough of a challenge, try this game show in which contestants take on brainiacs, like Ken Jennings, in rapid-fire trivia questions. The masters aren't as surly as they are in the original British version, but you'll feel the same joy when you manage to get the right answers. 8 p.m. Thursdays, KSTP, Ch. 5
'On Pointe'
Mastering ballet is as challenging as becoming a professional athlete, but this six-part documentary also makes it look as enjoyable as a trip to Disney World. I suspect that the filmmakers, who followed youngsters enrolled at New York's School of American Ballet, purposely skipped over many of the hardships, choosing to focus on students wrapped up in the joy of dance. Disney Plus
'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'
This series was never as clever as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," but its final season has an inventive twist near the end that will appeal to viewers aware that the teenage witch has a long history on TV. Plus, it's one last chance for star Kiernan Shipka to show off an awesome sweater collection. Buffy was never this stylish. Netflix
