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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Around the Remote: It’s time for Super Bowl LV – pandemic style

In this still image from video provided by the NFL, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady speak during Opening Night for the NFL Super Bowl 55 on Monday.  (UGC)
By Chuck Barney Tribune News Service

DON’T MISS: Super Bowl LV – In some ways, this year’s big game feels pretty familiar. Quarterback Tom Brady is back for, incredibly, his 10th time. Also, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have returned to defend their title. But in other ways, it’s startlingly different.

Brady is here with his new team – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – and this Super Bowl 55 is being played amid a global pandemic, meaning Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, will host a much smaller, socially distanced crowd.

As for those of us at home, huge parties are out, but we’ll still shovel thousands of calories into our faces, watch the Weeknd do his thing at halftime and have fun rating the pricey commercials. (3:30 p.m. Sunday, CBS).

Other bets

SUNDAY: It’s perfectly OK to cuddle up to your television for “Puppy Bowl XVII,” the cutest sports event. Hosted by Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg, the game pits Team Ruff against Team Fluff, and we expect the action to be off the leash. (11 a.m., Animal Planet; also streaming on Discovery+).

SUNDAY: TV’s love affair with do-overs continues with a reimagining of “The Equalizer,” a 1980s crime saga that also inspired a couple of Denzel Washington films. In this action-packed update, Queen Latifah plays Robyn McCall, an “enigmatic woman with a mysterious background” who uses her skills as a former CIA operative to help oppressed victims caught up in a rigged system. (7 p.m., CBS; time approximate after the Super Bowl).

MONDAY: On the season premiere of “Black Lightning,” Jefferson Pierce is still mourning the death of his longtime friend Det. Henderson. Meanwhile, Gambi is presented with an interesting opportunity, and Lynn and Jefferson are still not able to see eye to eye. (9 p.m., the CW).

TUESDAY: “The Food That Built America” returns for its second delectable season. It’s a documentary series that delves into the history behind the titans who fought their way to the top of the food chain and the rivalries involving big brands such as Pizza Hut, Oreo, Kraft, McDonalds, Cheetos and more. (10 p.m., History Channel).

WEDNESDAY: The reality competition “Tough As Nails” returns with 12 new blue-collar contenders bearing colorful nicknames like “Knuckles” and “Zeus.” They’ll take on challenges set in real-world job sites as host Phil Keoghan cheers them on. (8 p.m., CBS).

WEDNESDAY: Executive produced and narrated by Robin Roberts, “Tuskegee Airmen: Legacy of Courage” is a powerful new documentary that explores the history and impact of America’s first Black military pilots. Included: archival footage, interviews with some of the pilots and personal anecdotes from Roberts, whose father was a Tuskegee Airman. (8 p.m., History Channel).

THURSDAY: Remember the intrepid FBI trainee played by Jodie Foster in the oh-so-creepy “The Silence of the Lambs”? Now, Rebecca Breeds takes on the title role in “Clarice.” Set in 1993 – one year after the events of the Oscar-winning film – the series has her chasing baddies in the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program. (10 p.m., CBS).

FRIDAY: “Hip Hop Uncovered” is a six-part documentary series that promises to tell the story of the music genre “from the streets up.” The series delves into 40 years of history while spotlighting some of the power brokers that made it all happen. (9 p.m., FX; Streams the next day on FX on Hulu).

SATURDAY: Mushy movie alert: In “Playing Cupid,” a single dad (Nicholas Gonzalez) is secretly set up with his daughter’s teacher (Laura Vandervoort) when the young girl begins a matchmaking business for a school project. (9 p.m., Hallmark Channel).