Big screen

Opening Friday

West of Memphis (R) Peter Jackson executive-produced this documentary about the three young men convicted of murder. Although the case was scrupulously explored in the three Paradise Lost documentaries, director Amy Berg uncovers shocking new information.

Dark Skies (PG-13) Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton are a couple who attract the interest of a mysterious evil force.

Snitch (PG-13) Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars as a father who goes undercover for the DEA to clear the name of his wrongfully accused son.

Bless Me, Ultima (PG-13) In World War II New Mexico, a man (Luke Ganalon) relies on the help of an old doctor (Miriam Colon) to fend off invaders.

Rene Rodriguez

Small screen

First Ladies: Influence and Change (8 p.m. Monday, C-SPAN) A new documentary series that examines the relationship of each first lady to her husband, as well as her influence on policy.

Independent Lens — The Powerbroker: Whitney Young’s Fight for Civil Rights (11 p.m. Monday, WPBT-PBS 2) Scorned by younger radicals as a tame token and mascot to the white establishment, the National Urban League’s Whitney Young actually got a lot more done on the civil-rights front than his critics. This documentary finally gives him some credit.

The Cult (9 p.m. Tuesday, The CW) In this new series, the rabid fans of a TV show kill off its enemies. Man, now they tell us how we could have saved Chuck.

Glory Hound (8 p.m. Thursday, Animal Planet) If you saw Zero Dark Thirty, perhaps you noticed that dog that choppered into Osama bin Laden’s compound along with the Navy SEALs. That wasn’t artistic license: 600 dogs are fighting alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan. This special tells their story.

End of the World (9 p.m. Saturday, Syfy) Oh no! The sun explodes! We’re all gonna die! But wait! Two fanboys working in a smalltown video store have a plan to save us, based on all the helpful tips they’ve picked up from watching disaster movies over the years. And you thought those 90 minutes you spent on Beyond the Poseidon Adventure were wasted!

Glenn Garvin