What to Watch Saturday: CNN airs Obama ‘In Pursuit’ documentary series from HBO

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Here’s what’s on TV tonight.

Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union (8 p.m., CNN)

CNN airs the first two parts of HBO’s three-part documentary series about President Barack Obama, examining his personal and political journey to becoming the 44th president of the United States.

The series weaves together conversations with colleagues, friends and critics, and interspersed with Obama’s own speeches and news interviews. It begins with Obama’s childhood and takes us through his perspective as the son of a white mother from Kansas and an African father, his spiritual formation by a generation of Black leaders, and his hopes for a more inclusive America.

The series is directed by Emmy winner Peter Kunhardt.

Interviewees include: author Jelani Cobb; the late Representative John Lewis; political consultant David Axelrod; Rev. Alvin Love; author Michael Eric Dyson; journalist Laura Washington; Rev. Jeremiah Wright; journalist Michele Norris; New Yorker editor David Remnick; Rev. Al Sharpton; professor Cornel West; politician Jesse Jackson; author Ta-Nehisi Coates; NAACP’s Sherrilyn Ifill; political advisor Valerie Jarrett; professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.; actor Keegan-Michael Key; former government official Shirley Sherrod; journalist David Maraniss; professor Ken Mack; speechwriter Jon Favreau; advisor Broderick Johnson; and Representative Bobby Rush.

Part 3 airs Sunday at 9 p.m. This is also available to stream on HBO Max.

54th Annual NAACP Awards (8 p.m., CBS & BET)

The awards show, hosted by Queen Latifah, will air on CBS and across several cable networks: BET, CMTV, Comedy Central, MTV, Paramount, TV Land and VH1.

12 Desperate Hours (8 p.m., Lifetime)

In this movie, based on work by true-crime writer Ann Rule, a woman is held hostage by a killer and offers to drive him wherever he wants in an attempt to save the lives of her children and husband. She soon builds a rapport with her captor and uses her wits to help save innocent bystanders from his wrath.

48 HOURS: The Brighton Ax Murder (10 p.m., CBS)

“48 HOURS” looks at the case of the 1982 murder of Cathy Krauseneck and the case against her husband, Jim, who says he found her dead in their bed with an ax in her head.

Saturday Night Live (11:30 p.m., NBC)

Tonight’s SNL is hosted by Woody Harrelson with musical guest Jack White.

Some programming descriptions are provided by networks.