What to Watch Wednesday: New Netflix series on notorious serial killer in England
House Calls with Dr. Phil (9 p.m., CBS) - In the first episode of this new series, Dr. Phil McGraw visits a family in Utah, where one teenage daughter hasn’t spoken to her father in five years and her sister in three years while living in the same house. Their desperate mother reached out to Dr. Phil, hoping he could help bring her family back together.
Superstar: Kobe Bryant (10 p.m., ABC) - This new ABC special is an intimate portrait of one of the most important sports figures of recent times, much of it told in his own words. This installment of “Superstar” follows the evolution of Bryant, from his roots as a gifted young basketball star struggling to find his place to NBA champion, Oscar-winner and proud #girldad. According to ABC, the program explores his genius, on and off the court; his triumphs and indiscretions; complications in his personal life, including an accusation of rape at the height of his career; and his tragic death that shocked the world. In addition to Bryant’s path to becoming the basketball “assassin” and icon known as the “Black Mamba,” the program showcases his dedication to his family, his passion for coaching his daughter Gianna “Gigi” Bryant’s basketball team and how it inspired him to support women’s basketball. We get new interviews with Jalen Rose, sports analyst and former NBA player; Caron Butler, a former teammate of Bryant’s; and Tracy McGrady, NBA All-Star, as well as interviews with Bryant from the ABC News archives.
In Pursuit with John Walsh (10 p.m., Investigation Discovery) - In the Season 3 premiere, John Walsh searches for Erik Arceneaux, a prime suspect in the murder of a devoted single mom, whose family needs justice. Also, Cal Walsh learns the dark truth behind Mark Blevins, an accused sexual predator who has been on the run for over 30 years.
Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes (Netflix) - This new documentary focuses on one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers, Dennis Nilsen, who confessed to killing 15 people in the 1980s. Over a five-year period, Nilsen picked up vulnerable young men, lured them back to his home and strangled them, before disposing of their bodies under the floorboards. These filmmakers had access to Nilsen’s personal archive, left in his cell after his death, including more than 250 hours of never-before-published cassette tapes of his private recordings. With that archive, the doc provides more context of Nilsen’s life, from his time as a boy growing up in a small Scottish fishing village to his turn as a cold-blooded murderer in 1980s London.
Some programming descriptions are provided by networks.
This story was originally published August 18, 2021 at 7:11 AM.
