HD Heads-Up: April 20

TV2’s new hot-off-the-satellite drama Containment (9.30 tonight) has received a cool critical reception in the US. Trade papers were especially tough on the Atlanta-set thriller about a deadly epidemic: “thoroughly uninspired” (Variety); “harrowing, but also tests one’s tolerance of the Conspicuous Non-Coincidental Cough trope” (The Hollywood Reporter); “lacks the thrills and tension that fuel similar end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it shows like AMC’s still compelling blockbuster The Walking Dead” (Deadline Hollywood). Harshest of all was TV Guide’s dismissal: “Plagued by mediocre writing and stubbornly dull acting, this unpleasant misfire feels like slow death as it spins out subplots from Disaster Movie 101” …

Containment will go to air opposite another newcomer, TV One’s Secrets & Lies. This is a US remake of the Australian drama about a child’s murder in suburbia that the network aired about 18 months ago. So awarding it a plum primetime slot seems inexplicable when so much of it will be familiar, especially when the US reviews were lukewarm …

Despite the closed nature of the six-part Aussie original, the longer, 10-part reworking appears to be open-ended. Deadline Hollywood reports a second season is being primed for the US fall season after originally being slated for a summer run …

TV One has announced a 7.45 Sunday slot for Mastermind, starting May 1. The relaunch of the ’70s staple has garnered extraordinary press coverage and because of its unusual length, due to a major format change, will allow lead-in Sunday to run for an extra 15 minutes …

Expect more variations to the Sunday format with the commissioning of six independent documentaries (which NZ On Air bankrolling for up to $900,000) that should also give the newsmag a brief but much-needed HD facelift …

Guesting this week on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon are: Susan Sarandon, John Cena and Michael Stipe (tonight); Tina Fey, Rachel Maddow and Santigold (tomorrow); and Ben Affleck, Zoe Lister-Jones and ZAYN (Friday) …