By Rick Gables
HBO will premiere its feature documentary The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The film chronicles the triumphs and hurdles of brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, otherwise known as the Bee Gees. The iconic trio, who found early fame in the 1960s, went on to write over 1,000 songs, including 20 No. 1 hits throughout their storied career. Viewers will follow the Bee Gees’ meteoric rise as they rode the highs of fame and fortune, negotiated the vagaries of the ever-shifting music business and navigated the complexities of working so intimately alongside family. The story takes us from their childhood in 1950s Australia to the artistic crucible of 1960s London and to the sun-drenched coast of Miami. The band created a distinct sound with their three-part harmonizing, their melodic voices forming a new kind of instrument.
CBS will air its new one-hour concert special, Play On: Celebrating the Power of Music to Make Change on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The event will feature performances from iconic music venues in Los Angeles, Nashville and New York. The All-Star Lineup includes Andra Day, Bon Jovi, Jon Batiste, Machine Gun Kelly, Maren Morris, Sheryl Crow, Slick Rick, Snoop Dogg, The Highwomen, Yola, Ziggy Marley and more. The music lineup will span the genres of country, rock, hip hop and jazz/funk. Hosted by Kevin Bacon, the concert will financially benefit the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, along with WhyHunger.
SHOWTIME will premiere its newest documentary, My Psychedelic Love Story on Sunday, Nov. 29, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The film is a psychedelic head trip, crossed with a possible CIA conspiracy and wrapped in a fascinating love story, told by the late Joanna Harcourt-Smith about her time with Timothy Leary. The documentary examines the twists and turns that led Leary, the High Priest of LSD, to seemingly sell out the millions he urged to “turn on, tune in and drop out” and become a narc in 1974. At the heart of the story is the woman Leary described as his “perfect love.” Was she a government pawn, a Mata Hari or simply a beautiful, young, intelligent woman on the trip of a lifetime? Through a series of candid interviews, Errol Morris and Harcourt-Smith reexamine this chaotic period, resulting in a singular snapshot of the early 1970s cultural landscape – and its profound impact on the trajectory of one woman’s life.