What's On Tonight (Friday): The Expanse Ceases to Expand...

via Tumblr

 

I took over the Friday What's On Tonight back in April and it feels like it's all been leading to this: The Expanse is finally Top Pick.  My only regret is that I didn't take over sooner so I could have given the show the fabled "Top Pick Bump."  Had I done so perhaps we would have gotten a full 10-episode 6th season instead of this abbreviated 6-epsisode one.  Maybe we would have even gotten three more seasons to cover the last three books.  We'll never know now.

It's difficult to get mad at Amazon though since we wouldn't have gotten more than three seasons had they not picked it up (supposedly because Bezos is a fan).  And if the show was going to end early it's best to end it now as there is a 30-year time jump in the books that makes this a logical end point.  If you want to continue the story there's three more books that covers what happens to the crew of the Rocinante and I highly recommend them.  Some of the characters and storylines are a bit different but you'll figure it out.

So, farewell to The Expanse.  I'll miss the hell out of you.

TOP PICK

⭐🚀The Expanse (Amazon Prime, 12:01 AM) 'The sixth and final season of The Expanse picks up with the solar system at war, as Marco Inaros and his Free Navy continue to launch devastating asteroid attacks on Earth and Mars.'

via Igor's Bell Tower

PREMIERES

🎥 Encounter (Amazon Prime, 12:01 AM) 'A group of friends uncover an otherworldly object in a rural field, which they soon discover holds greater secrets than they could imagine.'

🔔 Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne (Apple TV+, 12:01 AM) 'After the Peanuts gang experience a disappointing Christmas because Grandma can’t visit, Lucy resolves to throw herself the best New Year’s Eve party ever, while Charlie Brown struggles to accomplish just one of his resolutions before the clock strikes twelve.

🔔 Aranyak (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON 1. 'Political ploys, personal agendas and a beastly myth all surface as two mismatched hill station cops navigate a web of suspects after a puzzling murder.'

🎥 Anonymously Yours (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'After an accidental text message turns into a digital friendship, Vale and Alex start crushing on each other without realizing they've met in real life.'

🎥 Back to the Outback (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'They might look dangerous, but these wildly misunderstood creatures have hearts of gold — and they’re breaking out of captivity on a quest to find home.'

🎥 Still Out of My League (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'After breaking up with her dreamboat, Marta finds love with an artist. But life throws a few twists into the mix for the ailing woman and her friends.  Ludovica Francesconi reprises her role as the whimsical Marta in this sequel to the rom-com "Out of My League."'

🎥 The Unforgiveable (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Released from prison into a society that won't forgive her, a woman convicted of murder searches for the little sister she was forced to leave behind.'

🎥 Two (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'The thriller revolves around two strangers who wake up together and find themselves tied up with glue in their bellies. They don’t remember how they got into the mysterious room they are in and are becoming warier and warier of each other. They have to connect the dots to know how to get out of their new hell.'

🔔 Saturday Morning All Star Hits (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON 1. 'Wildly irreverent and slightly disturbing, this adult animation, live-action hybrid celebrates the campy, Saturday-morning shows of the '80s and '90s.'

🐯 Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON 1. 'This “Tiger King” docuseries details disturbing allegations of sexual abuse, violence and misconduct by big cat zoo owner Bhagavan “Doc” Antle.'

🔔 Twentysomethings: Austin (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON 1. 'In this coming-of-age reality series set in Austin, Texas, 20-somethings navigate love and friendship and start a new adventure: life.'

🎥 Daughter's Deceit (LMN, 8:00 PM) 'Suzanne Cruz's perfect life as a mother, wife and lawyer is shattered by Cassie, who vows revenge on the lawyers who destroyed her family when she was a girl. Suzanne must learn who is tearing her life apart before Cassie comes in for the kill.'

📸 Ricky Powell: The Individualist (Showtime, 8:00 PM) 'Photographer Ricky Powell captures the music, fashion and art scene in New York City in the 1980s and '90s.'

via Tenor

🎄CHRISTMAS PREMIERES: THE BATTLE FOR CHRISTMAS: THE BATTLE CONTINUES🎄

🎅 Play-Doh Squished (IMDb TV, 12:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'Holiday-themed reality competition special set in a Play-Doh winter wonderland, where teams of kids and adults must use their imagination, inspiration, and holiday spirit to win a cash prize.'

🎅 🔔 How to Ruin Christmas (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON 2. 'Free-spirited Tumi always manages to make a mess of things. Can she make it through this holiday family reunion without ruining it completely?'

🎅🔔 Super Sema (YouTube, 12:00 PM) "New Holiday Special Episode" - 'Super Sema is back with “The Day of Dreams” a new holiday special! Be part of the magical adventure of technovating your dreams come true.'

🎅🧽 Spongebpb Squarepants (Nickelodeon, 7:00 PM) "SpongeBob's Road to Christmas" - 'SpongeBob and his pals journey to the North Pole to give Santa a present.'

🎅🔔 Rugrats (Nickelodeon, 7:30 PM) "Traditions" - 'When Tommy's first Chanukah falls on Christmas Eve, the Pickles family has to juggle their family traditions to make sure each feels important, while also celebrating Las Posadas with Betty and her family.'

🎅🎥 A Dickens of a Holiday! (Hallmark, 8:00 PM) 'To mark the 100th anniversary of a Victorian festival, Cassie invites movie star and former high school classmate Jake to play Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol."'

🎅🎥 Holiday in Santa Fe (Lifetime, 8:00 PM) 'Sparks fly when a greeting card executive arrives in Santa Fe to acquire a tight-knit family company that creates ornaments inspired by Mexican Christmas traditions.'

via Pinterest

RETURNING SHOWS

😂 LOL: Last One Laughing (Amazon Prime, 12:01 AM) SEASON THREE PREMIERE.

⚔ Crossing Swords (Hulu, 12:01 AM) SEASON 2. 'From the producers of Robot Chicken, Crossing Swords follows a goodhearted hero wannabe named Patrick, who lands his dream job as a squire, only to learn the royal castle is a corrupt hornet’s nest of horny monarchs, crooks, and charlatans. War, murder, full-frontal nudity—who knew brightly colored peg people led such exciting lives?'

🍴 The Family Dinner (Discovery+, 3:01 AM) SEASON 2 PREMIERE. 'Host Andrew Zimmern visits families across America to explore how the cultural, regional and historical facets of who we are inform what and how we eat.'

🔔 Craft in America (PBS, 9:00 PM) SEASON 13 PREMIERE. "Harmony" and "Jewelry"

STREAMING

⏰ The Wheel of Time (Amazon, 12:01 AM) TBA

🔔 Dickinson (Apple TV+, 12:01 AM) "My life Had Stood - A Loaded Gun"

🔔 Dr. Brain (Apple TV+, 12:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. "Chapter 6"

👽 Invasion (Apple TV+, 12:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. "First Day"

🔔 The Shrink Next Door (Apple TV+, 12:01 AM) "The Breakthrough"

🔔 Swagger (Apple TV+, 12:01 AM) "Follow-Through"

🔔 Home Sweet Home (Peacock, 3:01 AM) TBA

🔔 Pinkfong Wonderstar (YouTube, 12:00 PM) TBA

👮‍♂️ Cops (Fox Nation, 9:00 PM) TBA

via Gyfcat

SPORTS TONIGHT*

 

⚽ College Soccer: NCAA College Cup: Clemson neutral Notre Dame (ESPNU, 6:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Army vs. Navy (CBSSN, 8:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Montana at James Madison (ESPN2, 7:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Brooklyn Nets at Atlanta Hawks (ESPN, 7:30 PM)

🏒 College Hockey: Michigan State at Notre Dame (NBCSN, 7:30 PM)

⚽ College Soccer: NCAA College Cup: Georgetown vs. Washington (ESPNU, 8:30 PM)

🎿 FIS Freestyle Skiing: World Cup: Halfpipe (NBCSN, 9:30 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Boston Celtics at Phoenix Suns (ESPN, 10:05 PM)

*Sporting Events Are Subject To COVID-Related Postponements.

EARLY PRIMETIME

💲 Tug of Words (GSN, 4:30 PM) "Spooky Dress-Up"

💲 Chain Reaction (GSN, 5:00 PM) "Teaching Trio vs. Howard Family"

🦆 The Fowl Life With Chad Belding (Outdoor, 5:00 PM) "Sittin on the Dock of a Bay"

💲 People Puzzler (GSN, 6:00 PM) "Up Up and Away"

via Tenor

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🦈Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) TBA

👮‍♂️ S.W.A.T. (CBS, 8:00 PM) "Safe House"

🔔 The Wall (NBC, 8:00 PM) "Andrea and Terry"

🤼‍♂️ WWE Friday Night Smack Down (Fox, 8:00 PM) TBA

🐟 Treehouse Masters: Ultimate Builds (Animal Planet, 8:00 PM) "Speakeasy Getaway"

🤠 The Last Cowboy (CMT, 8:00 PM) "The Derby"

💰 Gold Rush (Discovery, 8:00 PM) TBD

🐶 Man Woman Dog (Nat Geo Wild, 8:00 PM) SERIES PREMIERE.

🔔 The Casagrandes (Nickelodeon, 8:00 PM) "Throwing Pains" and "Lalo Land"

💖 Ready for Love (OWN, 8:00 PM) "Out of Town and Out of Bounds"

💀 Killer Siblings (Oxygen, 8:00 PM) "Kimbles"

🔔 Valley of the Queens: The New Secrets (Science, 8:00 PM) 'Archaeologists explore the secrets of a long-forgotten royal necropolis containing ancient Egypt's most powerful women, and using cutting-edge tech, they uncover lost tombs and confront the mysteries behind this enigmatic burial site.'

🐻 The Adventures of Paddington (Nick Jr, 8:30 PM) "Paddington and the Egg Hunt"

via Pinterest

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🕵️‍♀️ Magnum, PI (CBS, 9:00 PM) "Better Watch Out"

🕵️‍♀️ Nancy Drew (CW, 9:00 PM) "The Voices in the Frost"

💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) TBA

💰 Gold Rush: White Water (Discovery, 9:00 PM) TBA

🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food Network, 9:00 PM) "Triple D Nation: Eats from Abroad"

👽 The Unexplained (History, 9:00 PM) "Sacred Bones"

💀 Family Massacre (Oxygen, 9:00 PM) "The Kennedy Family"

💖 Love After Lockup (WE, 9:00 PM) "Life After Lockup: Bitter Baby Mamas & Bae-cations"

🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 'A look into the events leading up to the deadly shooting on the set of "Rust" and the pending investigations into what went wrong.'

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👮‍♂️ Blue Bloods (CBS, 10:00 PM) "Firewall"

🔔 Tha God's Honest Truth with Charlamagne tha God (Comedy Central, 10:00 PM) TBA

🧟‍♂️ Day of the Dead (Syfy, 10:00 PM) "Death Comes to Paymart"

🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 10:00 PM) TBA

👽 The Proof is Out There (History, 10:03 PM) "Yeti Sighting; Italian UFO" and "Snakelike Sea Monster; North Korean Supersoldier"

via Reddit

LATE NIGHT

🔔 The Graham Norton Show (BBC, 11:00 PM) 'Tom Holland, Zendaya, Henry Cavill, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Little Mix.'

🔔 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 'Dua Lipa; Jodie Turner-Smith; Rick Ross; Jazmine Sullivan'

🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM) TBA

🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 12:05 PM) TBA

🔔 Nightline (ABC, 12:37 AM) TBA

🔔 The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS, 12:37 PM) 'Actress Anna Kendrick; actor O'Shea Jackson Jr.; comic Atsuko Okatsuka.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC, 12:37 PM) 'Director Lin-Manuel Miranda; actress Rachel Dratch; Mastodon performs; Jon Epcar sits in with the 8G Band.'

Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO Binge

📺 The Andy Griffith Show (Sundance, 6:00 AM - 1:00 PM); The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (VH1, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM); ER (Pop, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM); Roseanne (CMT, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM; M*A*S*H* (TVLand, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM); Living Single (TVONE, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM); Hawaii Five-0 (Ion, 10:00 AM - 2:00 AM); Family Matters (TVOne, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM); Friends (TBS 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM); Law and Order (Sundance, 1:00 PM - 1:00 AM); House (Pop, 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM); Barney Miller (Antenna, 8:00 & 8:30 PM); Everybody Loves Raymond (TV Land, 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM); The Jeffersons (Antenna, 9:00 & 9:30 PM); King of Queens (TV Land, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM); Coach (Antenna, 11:30 PM) 

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 10:00 PM) 'Actor Bob Hope; actress Carol Burnett; Joe Flynn; Dr. William A. Nolen.'

via Gyfcat

More TV Listings: The Futon Critic; Zap2it

Key Sources: The Futon Critic; Zap2it; Netflix; Wikipedia; Horrornews.net; Sysfy.com; hollywoodreporter.com
⭐: Top Pick
💲: Game show
🎥: Movie
📺: Throwback
✔️: Video/gif/photo included