AC/DC Haunted by Tragedy, ‘Star Trek’ and That Infamous Shore Leave, Edith’s Accident, ‘Designing Women’ Pilot
It’s an eclectic mix of programming today as the AC/DC documentary explores Malcolm and Angus Young’s rise to rock fame. A Star Trek favorite episode, “Shore Leave,” airs on Heroes&Icons. We’ve got a memorable Edith Bunker moment when she loses control of her shopping cart, and the very first episode of Designing Women re-airs. Plus, we’ve got TCM showcasing 10 romantic Oscar nominated films in one mega marathon. Enjoy today’s top picks of classic TV, movies, music and pop culture.
All Times Eastern.
31 Days of Oscar: “Romance”
TCM, beginning at 6:15am
If you’re in the mood for love, you’re in luck as Turner Classic Movies’ 31 Days of Oscar event is airing 10 memorable romantic films that were recognized with nominations and/or wins at the Academy Awards. Featured titles today include:
1. Brief Encounter (1945)
2. Now, Voyager (1942)
3. An Affair to Remember (1957, pictured above)
4. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
5. Gone With the Wind (1939)
6. Casablanca (1942)
7. The Way We Were (1973)
8. Lost in Translation (2003)
9. Marty (1955)
10. Camille (1936)
Designing Women: “Pilot”
Antenna, 7pm
Has there ever bee
n a character on TV who could scold someone as savagely as Julia Sugarbaker? As played by the incomparable Dixie Carter, Julia was whiskey in a teacup: a sweet-seeming Atlanta interior designer who took no nonsense from anyone who
crossed her, her sister (Delta Burke) or her employees (Annie Potts and Jean Smart) at Sugarbaker & Associates. Like the stars of The Golden Girls, the quartet on this 1986-93 CBS comedy had perfect comedic chemistry no matter what situation they were in. And we usually hoped that situation involved Julia dressing someone down. In the pilot episode, that debuted on Sept. 29, 1986, Julia and Charlene are horrified to learn Suzanne has fallen for Mary Jo’s ex-husband.
Star Trek: “Shore Leave”
Heroes & Icons, 8pm
This Season 1, Episode 7, which originally aired on Dec. 29, 1966, is quite memorable as The Enterprise crew, exhausted from several months of hard work, takes “shore leave” on a planet where their imaginations turn into a trippy reality (Kirk kiss from Ruth, Sulu attacked by a samurai warrior, the tiger, McCoy encountering a black knight and dying and so much more).
All in the Family: “Edith’s Accident”
METV, 9pm
In the Season 2 Nov. 6, 1971 episode, Edith’s (Jean Stapleton) grocery cart gets away from her rolling into another car where a can of those heavy-syrup peaches flies out of her cart and dents a stranger’s car. Of course, the always-honest Edith writes a note admitting to the accident, but when the owner (a Catholic priest) comes by to collect the damages things get interesting for Archie (Carrol O’Connor) who thought they could have easily gotten away with not saying a thing.
AC/DC: Breaking the Band
REELZ, 11pm
Malcolm and Angus Young are the heart of AC/DC, one of the world’s greatest ever rock bands. The two youngest of eight siblings, they grew up in a working-class family where rock n roll was the only life they ever knew. Both brothers had a relentless, take no prisoners, attitude to success and they shared one dream — to get to the top and become guitar-toting multi-millionaires. Their desire to conquer the world with their singular brand of heavy rock came before everything, including family relationships, and over 35 years many of those around them would be chewed up and spat out as AC/DC rose to world domination. But even as its members achieved global success beyond their wildest dreams, AC/DC would be haunted by tragedy after tragedy.
OTHER NOTABLES …
The Nine Lives of Vince McMahon
VICE, 4pm
Despite controversy, Vince McMahon has dominated the world of wrestling for over 40 years. VICE explores his life and the impact he’s made in the wrestling community.
Biography: Chyna
A&E, 8pm
Known as the “Ninth Wonder of the World,” Joanie Lee Laurer transcended all traditional boundaries of what a female could accomplish in sports entertainment. As a child, Joanie had dreams of being someone special. As Chyna, Joanie took the WWE by storm. From day one, Chyna was unique. Debuting as a bodyguard for the men who made up the legendary faction “Degeneration X,” she made an immediate and lasting impact on the industry. She remains the only woman in history to ever win the highly coveted WWE Intercontinental Championship. Her fame transcended sports entertainment but led her down a path of addiction and tragedy that ended her life too soon.