WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?
PBS, HBO, 8:00 p.m. ET
Morgan Neville’s wonderful, inspirational and almost certainly tear-inducing documentary on Fred Rogers, the disarmingly honest and empathic host of PBS’s Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, comes to TV tonight after a heartwarmingly successful run in theaters. Its TV debut is significant, too, because of its inclusiveness: It premieres on the premium service HBO, which will continue to show it at other times this month, but for this first-night TV premiere, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is simulcast on the PBS series Independent Lens. Considering Rogers’ long and constant commitment to public television (he not only appeared on public TV before it became PBS, but almost single-handedly secured the funding to continue it), the documentary’s availability on public TV is symbolic as well as perfect. When you watch this program tonight – and you must – I predict its messages, of civility and inclusion and empathy – not only will make you think, but will make you weep. One word of warning, however: I’m in here somewhere, briefly, providing a TV historian’s perspective on the impact and importance of Fred Rogers. But watch it anyway, please. And record it, because you’ll want to see it more than once, all the way to the emotional closing credits. Beautifully done, Mr. Neville.