When “Physical” premiered in 2021, it had a lot of clever takes on the 1980s fitness movement, seen through the blood, sweat and tears of Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne), a troubled housewife who gets her second wind by teaching aerobics.
But the show slowly shed its sense of humor. In this third and final season, now streaming on Apple Plus TV, Rubin has become a basket case and has more in common with Natalie Portman’s ballerina in “Black Swan” than a leotard-clad Jane Fonda.
The only person who seems to be having any fun is Zooey Deschanel. The “New Girl” star hasn’t done much acting in recent years, which may explain why she’s so eager to camp it up in her role as a rival instructor. She’s straight out of a Tennessee Williams play, always depending on the kindness of strangers — and perfectly toned abs.
Her performance doesn’t really fit in, but at least it lifts your spirits, a goal the rest of the series gave up some time ago.
Also this week:
‘FBoy Island’
Network TV has largely left steamy reality shows to cable and streaming services. But the strike may have convinced the CW to loosen its morals. That seems to be the only explanation for why executives decided to pick up this tawdry series in which bikini-clad bimbos decide which empty-headed studs are worth their time. Besides gawking, the only reason to tune is to watch host Nikki Glaser sneak in sexual innuendos. The network is showing the first two seasons before churning out new episodes in the fall. 8 p.m. Thursday
‘Elvis Costello/Burt Bacharach: Sessions at West 54th’
Die-hard fans of these accomplished musicians have already seen portions of this intimate 1998 concert. But this broadcast promises to look and sound better than it does on YouTube. The special revolves around numbers from their timeless album, “Painted From Memory,” but a tuxedo-clad Costello also covers the Bacharach/Hal David classic “Anyone Who Had a Heart” and digs into his own catalog for a gentler version of “Accidents Will Happen.” PBS Video
‘The Big Nailed It Baking Challenge’
This spin-off has a sweeter side than the original series. This time around, the hapless contestants get coached by professional cake makers, even though their tips are often ignored. The show’s biggest cheerleader continues to be co-host Nicole Byer, who comes across like a sassier version of Glinda the Good Witch. Her upbeat spirit is reason enough to watch. Friday, Netflix
‘Nothing Compares’
The passing of Sinead O’Connor is ample enough reason to check out this 2022 documentary on how her career took a nosedive after her public stance on the Catholic Church and abortion rights. O’Connor herself provides the narration, which is almost as powerful as the riveting concert footage. One nit: The film barely acknowledges that Prince wrote “Nothing Compares 2 U,” but that may be because the late artist’s estate wouldn’t let director Kathryn Ferguson use the song. Paramount Plus
