What to Watch Saturday: ‘Gabby Petito Story’ Lifetime movie, new ‘SNL’ season starts
Here’s what’s on TV tonight.
‘The Gabby Petito Story’ (8 p.m., Lifetime)
This ripped-from-the-headlines movie marks the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month as well as the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of 22-year-old Gabby Petito, later discovered to have been murdered by her partner, Brian Laundrie.
Petito and Laundrie were in the middle of a cross-country trip when her parents reported her missing in September 2021. Petito, a “van life” travel blogger, had been chronicling the trip on social media, so her disappearance captured the country’s attention and set off a nationwide search. Online sleuths joined reporters and investigators in dissecting Petito’s social media posts for clues related to her whereabouts. Her body was discovered on Sept. 19 in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming.
This Lifetime movie focuses on the “doomed love story” of Petito and Laundrie, “including the warning signs that Gabby’s life was in danger, the ensuing search for her, the eventual discovery of her murder and ultimately, Brian’s suicide.”
Skyler Samuels plays Petito and Evan Hall plays Laundrie.
The movie is part of the network’s Stop Violence Against Women initiative, and a new PSA about domestic violence will debut in conjunction with the movie.
A documentary special, “Beyond the Headlines: Gabby Petito” will air immediately after the movie, at 10 p.m.
‘48 HOURS: The Hargan Killings’ (10 p.m., CBS)
The program reports on the 2017 murders of millionaire mother Pam Hargan and her adult daughter Helen in their McLean, Virginia home.
‘Saturday Night Live’ (11:30 p.m., NBC)
SNL returns tonight for its 48th season, with Miles Teller hosting and Kendrick Lamar is the musical guest.
Some programming descriptions are provided by networks.
