By Dean Robbins
‘WWII in HD’ brings the battles into sharper focus
“WWII in HD”(Sunday, 8 p.m., History) presents rare footage of World War II, found during a two-year global search through basements and archives. The footage was translated into high definition, then artfully edited to convey the sense that we’re experiencing the events of 1939-45 as they happened. We see the Nazis roll into Austria and France; the Allies fight back; and folks back in the U.S. cope as best they can. Machine guns fire, planes burst into flames and bombs explode. “WWII in HD” is the next best thing to being there.
Now that I think of it, it’s actually much preferable to being there.
Along with the soldiers’ novel perspectives, we hear more familiar words from the likes of British prime minister Winston Churchill: “If we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss.”
Now there’s a guy who knew what was at stake.
‘Gossip Girl’
Monday, 8 p.m. (CW)
Lady Gaga makes a cameo appearance, luring me back to “Gossip Girl” for the first time in a while. If the stunt works, I wouldn’t be surprised if many TV series hire the fabulous glam singer to boost their appeal. I’d follow her almost anywhere, though I would have to draw the line at “Ghost Whisperer.” CV
