Samberg’s New Cop Sitcom; PBS’s Brilliant Shakespeare: TV
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The brainchild of producers Sam Mendes and Pippa Harris, PBS’s “The Hollow Crown” makes inspired use of Britain’s top-rung stage directors and actors to present a mostly splendid miniseries of four connected Shakespeare jewels.
“Crown” kicks off the 40th season of “Great Performances” with “Richard II,” which is chronologically accurate if dramatically unfortunate. Directed by Rupert Goold and starring Ben Whishaw as the poet-king, it’s the weakest of the four parts.