Kiefer Sutherland narrates “John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial,” streaming on Apple TV+ two days ahead of the 43rd anniversary of the former Beatle’s assassination.
As the title implies, the focus is on the largely unexamined motivations of Lennon’s killer, Mark David Chapman. The film includes interviews with the incarcerated man’s lawyer and his psychiatrist at the time of his arrest. The film also interviews a doorman at the Dakota, the apartment building where Lennon and Yoko Ono resided, as well as a taxi driver who witnessed the grim event.
The speed with which Chapman was placed in psychiatric care without a criminal trial fostered no shortage of conspiratorial speculation. Just how did this seemingly docile and confused young man, an amateur photographer, make his way from Hawaii to New York and afford to put himself up in the days before his fateful actions?
One man recalls Chapman apologizing to police, “I’m sorry I’ve ruined your day,” a peculiarly detached statement for a killer to make. What was the significance, if any, of his copy of J.D. Salinger’s novel “The Catcher in the Rye,” other than the fact a novel about a disturbed young man might appeal to someone such as Chapman?
Fears that Chapman might have been part of some conspiracy never have been fully put to rest. Lennon’s murder opened a brief chapter in history replete with notable shootings. Just a few months later, a celebrity-obsessed gunman nearly killed newly elected President Reagan. Less than two months later, a gunman very nearly succeeded in killing Pope John Paul II, and later that fall, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was gunned down by religious fanatics in his own military.
Chapman’s shooting had nothing to do with these other violent events, but it did open up a season of madness that kicked off the 1980s, a period some associate with affluence, escapism and decadence.
“Murder Without a Trial” will unfold in three parts.
— Hulu will stream the 2023 documentary “We Live Here: The Midwest,” following nontraditional families, gay parents and dads and moms undergoing gender transitions who live in rural areas and cities far from coastal metropolitan areas.
— Speaking of coastal cities, Freevee, the FAST (Free, Ad-Supported Streaming Television) platform associated with Prime Video, offers the second season of “Hollywood Houselift With Jeff Lewis.” As the title implies, “Houselift” offers the comfort-viewing of a home makeover show with the added spice of celebrity name-dropping. Lewis is not just knocking out drywall here but hobnobbing with rich Hollywood stars. Help yourself.
Shows such as this stand in stark contrast to the state of the shelter/reality genre only a few decades ago. Networks such as HGTV and TLC grew precisely because they focused their series on seemingly normal people living out the viewers’ vicarious dreams of remodeling their house or apartment.
Back in the day, I was frequently struck by the fact no small percentage of the couples featured on these unassuming makeover series were same-sex. So, in contrast to “Queer Eye” or the 2023 “We Live Here” movie cited above, the private lives and gender inclination of the participants went unmentioned. But around the turn of the last century, when Bravo, MTV, Showtime and other networks seemed to be putting their accent on attracting gay viewers, I thought HGTV had them beaten by several years.
— Waiting for Godot. The 2023 Republican Primary Debate (7 p.m. CW) remains an event boycotted by the party’s leading candidate — a man not known to share the sandbox or play well with others.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— Ben’s longest jump lands him in the middle of a witch hunt on “Quantum Leap” (7 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
— A chaotic trial might let a killer walk free on “Magnum P.I.” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— “SNL” stars compete for charity on “That’s My Jam” (9 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG).
CULT CHOICE
Office workers cut loose in the 1957 drama “The Bachelor Party” (9 p.m., TCM, TV-PG), written with characteristic intensity by Paddy Chayefsky. Look for future TV legends Carolyn Jones (“The Addams Family”) and Nancy Marchand (“The Sopranos”).
SERIES NOTES
“Survivor” (7 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) ... “The Masked Singer” (7 p.m., Fox, TV-14) ... “Celebrity Jeopardy!” (7 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) ... “Snake Oil” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14) ... “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) ... “The Amazing Race” (8:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) ... “The $100,000 Pyramid” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
LATE NIGHT
Jimmy Fallon welcomes J. Balvin and Matt Bomer on “The Tonight Show” (10:34 p.m., NBC) ... Maluma and Tony Shalhoub visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (11:37 p.m., NBC).