TV Talk: Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant star in HBO’s ‘The Undoing’

It seems like all the stars of HBO’s hit “Big Little Lies” are getting their own wealthy-pretty-people-with-problems shows.

Reese Witherspoon had her shot with Hulu’s “Little Fires Everywhere” and now it’s Nicole Kidman’s turn with HBO’s six-episode miniseries “The Undoing” (9 p.m. Sunday), which has already been dubbed “Big Little Lies East.” Kidman stars as Grace, a Manhattan therapist married to pediatric oncologist Jonathan (Hugh Grant).

Grace is more accepting of newcomers than other busybody moms in her upper-class social cohort. Grace is particularly welcoming to Elena (Matilda De Angelis), the mother of a scholarship kid at the “Gossip Girl”-esque school Grace’s son attends. (“The Undoing” uses the same exterior for its Reardon School that “Gossip Girl” once used.)

Further plot description would constitute spoilers but Kidman cries and is puffy-eyed a lot in this soapy mystery-thriller that initially moves at a quick pace.

But by episode five “The Undoing” becomes overly long and formulaic. It’s less interesting than “Big Little Lies” and has less on its mind socio-politically than “Little Fires Everywhere.”

While casting that plays off an actor’s persona has its place, here it’s too on-the-nose.

“How much (expletive-ing) charm do you think you have?” one character says to Hugh Grant’s Jonathan. “You cast a spell. You’ve done it with everyone you’ve ever met.”

Early on “The Undoing” seems like it may cast a spell, too, but that feeling wears off.

‘Borat’ redux

The “Borat” sequel, streaming Oct. 23 on Amazon’s Prime Video, is often screamingly funny as it bounces from one cringe-comedy setup to the next, often at the expense of random real people and a few bold-faced names (a political figure who gets duped in the movie has been in the news lately for possibly getting duped by Russians).

The plot has Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) returning to America to deliver a gift to a political leader. Viewers meet Borat’s daughter, Tutar (newcomer Maria Bakalova proves game for the inherent insanity in a “Borat” project), in a story that connects to the current cultural-political-medical moment.

‘The Witches’ on HBO Max

Originally intended for theaters, this Robert Zemeckis (“Back to the Future,” “The Polar Express”) adaptation of Roald Dahl’s dark children’s novel “The Witches” is now streaming on HBO Max.

With the setting transferred from Europe to America, the film generally follows the book’s plot while avoiding some of its darkest turns. But “The Witches” still gave my 6-year-old son nightmares, mostly due to the ghoulishly wide mouth of Anne Hathaway’s haughty-screechy-campy scene-stealer, the Grand High Witch.

“The Witches” begins with Chris Rock narrating before a flashback to his character’s childhood. After his parents die in a car accident, the unnamed boy moves to Alabama to live with his grandmother (Octavia Spencer, winning as always) where he learns witches are real and they want to devour human children.

Zemeckis’ depiction of the witches, the production design of a ritzy hotel and Hathaway’s wardrobe bring to mind his cult classic “Death Becomes Her.” But after a rousing early stretch, “The Witches” takes a colder turn before a sunny-again conclusion that feels rushed and incomplete.

‘West Wing’ special

I didn’t have high hopes for the HBO Max “West Wing” special that premiered last week. Announced as a staged presentation of an existing script (third-season episode “Hartsfield’s Landing”), this special turned out to be more ambitious. Rather than a table read, director Tommy Schlamme re-filmed the episode on the nearly-bare stage of an L.A. theater. It plays immaculately.

Some of the appreciation for this special can be chalked up to nostalgia – for the show and its idealism about public service; for a simpler, comparatively chaos-free time in American politics – but this “West Wing” special also delivers a patriotic balm with entertaining calls to vote, delivered with clever word play, that substitute for commercials. If it makes you want to re-watch the series, all seven seasons are streaming on Netflix.

WQED spin-off

WQED-TV follows its September special, “Harbor from the Holocaust” about Jews who found refuge in Shanghai during World War II, with “An Unlikely Refuge: Surviving the Holocaust in Shanghai” (8 p.m. Oct. 29).

This new documentary explores Pittsburgh connections to the original special in five segments, two of which were made available online at WQED.org when “Harbor” premiered in September.

WTAE’s ‘Chronicle’ returns

Channel 4’s “Chronicle” is back with a new installment, “Being Black in Pittsburgh” (8 p.m. Oct. 23), which explores the experience of living in Pittsburgh through the lens of Black residents.

The original episode of ABC’s “Shark Tank” that “Chronicle” pre-empts will air at 2:06 a.m. Saturday.

Kept/canceled/spun-off

HBO will bring back docu-series “The Vow” for a second season in 2021.

Showtime renewed comedy “Black Monday” for a third season.

TBS will bring back Tracy Morgan’s “The Last O.G.” for a fourth season but star Tiffany Haddish is expected to depart.

CBS All Access renewed “Star Trek: Discovery” for a fourth season with production beginning Nov. 2.

Netflix canceled astronaut drama “Away” after a single season.

Spectrum Originals canceled cop drama “L.A.’s Finest” after two seasons. (Fox is currently airing the show’s first season.)

Amazon’s Prime Video canceled its revival of “Eco-Challenge” after one season.

Bravo ordered “Top Chef Amateurs” featuring home cooks.

Disney+ ordered a “Willow” series that’s a sequel to the 1988 film and again stars Warwick Davis as Willow Ufgood.

Jonathan Entwistle, co-creator of filmed-in-Pittsburgh-and-now- canceled Netflix series “I Am Not Okay With This,” will develop “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” entries for film and TV.

The future Paramount+ streaming service (currently CBS All Access) is developing a “Flashdance” TV series that will be about a young Black woman with ballet dreams, per The Hollywood Reporter. Publicists for the streamer declined to comment on where a pilot for the series might be set or would film. The original 1983 movie was set and filmed in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Film Office director Dawn Keezer said she has received no inquiries from representatives for this potential series.

Channel Surfing

Filmed-in-Pittsburgh holiday comedy movie “Happiest Season” starring Kristen Stewart will bypass U.S. theaters and instead premiere on Hulu on Nov. 25. … McCandless native Greg Nicotero unleashes an animated “Creepshow Halloween Special” Monday on subscription streaming service Shudder. … Adele will host NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” this weekend with musical guest H.E.R. …CBS has moved filmed-in-Pittsburgh “Manhunt: Deady Games” to Saturdays, airing back-to-back episodes 8-10 p.m. for the next three weeks through the end of the series.