Television

Channel Surfing: Awesome TV picks for the week of 11/16/2020

Entering a multiverse, behind the scenes at Marvel, and a favorite from your youth.

November 16, 2020

This week’s Channel Surfing TV picks of the week draw upon literature, comics, and childhood nostalgia. His Dark Materials comes back and we can finally find out what happens next after the season one finale. See a different side of one of the biggest comic publishers today in Marvel 616. Then get ready for some old friends to arrive and cause some havoc with the reboot of Animaniacs.

The Subtle Knife

The fantasy drama, His Dark Materials, returns for its second season. When we last left the show, Lyra suffered from heartbreak and betrayal and takes a huge step into a new world. Similarly, Will finds himself at a doorway to somewhere else.

The new season will follow the second novel of the literary series with the same name. We’ll find out what’s in store for the protagonists once they go to the other side of the Multiverse bridge. Though the season two premiere has already aired in the UK, it will arrive in the U.S. tonight, November 16, on HBO.

Marvel’s Legacy

Any comic enthusiast knows that Marvel is an influential brand that has its reach within various aspects of pop culture. The new docuseries, Marvel 616, will showcase the company’s rich legacy including iconic characters, fan favorite creators and signature story telling that is constantly evolving to reflect our world.

Eight different filmmakers cover eight separate stories showcasing various facets of the Marvel Universe. Learn how international artists study the light and shadows of their hometown to help inform and inspire the imaginative environments they create. Explore the symbiotic relationship between toy collectibles and comics or follow the journey of cosplayers creating and designing the perfect costume to unveil at a prestigious comic convention.

These tales and more are covered in the first season of Marvel 616. The anthology series will be available to stream on Disney+ this Friday, November 20.

We’re Zany to the Max

Animaniacs was a beloved children’s animated series from the 90s. The variety show boasted a large cast of characters with Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner serving as the featured stars. Twenty-two years after its cancellation, the cartoon will receive a reboot that both fans of the original and a new generation can enjoy.

Voice actors, Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, and Tress MacNielle all return to reprise their roles as the Warner siblings. In addition, Maurice LeMarche teams up with Paulsen to voice the duo of Pinky and the Brain, who will also figure prominently. It should be interesting to see these characters living and adapting to the present day.

The first season of the Animaniacs reboot will premiere Friday, November 20, on Hulu.