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TV picks: ‘United Skates,’ ‘This Is Us,’ ‘American Masters’ Sammy Davis Jr. and Charley Pride, and more

What's new or noteworthy on television in the coming week.

Sammy Davis Jr. with a camera in a scene from the "American Masters" documentary "Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Got to Be Me," premiering on PBS on Tuesday, Feb. 19.
Sammy Davis Jr. with a camera in a scene from the "American Masters" documentary "Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Got to Be Me," premiering on PBS on Tuesday, Feb. 19.Read moreCourtesy of the Estate of Altovise Davis
    by Ellen Gray | Columnist
    Published 

United Skates. Penn’s own John Legend produced this documentary about the place that roller-skating rinks have held in the African American community and about those fighting to save the tradition. 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18, HBO.

»READ MORE: The thrill of the skate. There’s a roller rink revival in Philly and beyond.

The Oldenheim Twelve. Eerie Dutch thriller (subtitled) about a small town where people begin to disappear. Monday, Feb. 18, Acorn TV.

This Is Us. Finally, an episode that delves into the backstory of Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson), the best Pearson of all. Phylicia Rashad, Carl Lumbly, and Goran Visnjic guest-star. 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, NBC.

American Masters: Sammy Davis Jr. The late, great entertainer’s life and career are explored in a documentary that shows just how much he overcame, and how much more he was never quite allowed to. 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, WHYY12.

At Home with Amy Sedaris. The sketch comedian returns for a second season of crafting and homemaking tips you’re never, ever going to get from Martha Stewart. This 10-episode season features more than 40 guest stars, and will, according to Sedaris, be a little more story-driven. 10 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, TruTV.

Documentary Now! Season 52 (or the third, if you’re not buying into the joke) of the mockumentary series kicks off with a two-part spoof of Netflix’s Wild Wild Country, with Owen Wilson playing a cult leader. 11 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, IFC.

Desus & Mero. New weekly late-night series hosted by Desus Nice and the Kid Mero will launch with Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as the first guest. 11 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, Showtime.

The Oath. Second-season premiere of the ad-supported streaming service’s crime drama produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson (Power). Thursday, Feb. 21, Sony Crackle.

American Masters: Charley Pride. New documentary traces the life and career of the country singer, one of only three African Americans in the Country Music Hall of Fame, including his years playing baseball in the Negro Leagues. 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, WHYY12.

O.G. Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) stars as an inmate nearing the end of a 24-year prison term who risks his freedom to try to save a new prisoner (Theothus Carter) who’s being recruited by gang leaders. Director Madeleine Sackler filmed inside a maximum-security prison in Indiana, and the movie features performances by staff and inmates, including Carter, who’s serving a 65-year sentence for attempted murder. 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, HBO.