What's On Tonight (Friday): the Adventure Begins in Sissy Spacek's Backyard...

 

A trope I never get tired of is ordinary people discovering something extraordinary in their backyard.  Aliens, Bigfoot, dinosaurs, monsters, dimensional portals, gateways to Hell, etc.  A few weeks ago, Amazon gave us Outer Range (portal), and this week they give us Night Sky (portal).  Ultimately these shows just make you feel bad that you don't have anything awesome in your backyard, which is a theme shared with many HGTV shows.  At least this one has Oscar winners Sissy Spacek and JK Simmons, two more extraordinary things you won't find in your backyard.

Elsewhere...

*Thomas Jane plays an ex-cop caught up in a murder mystery in North Queensland.  I'm a big fan of The Expanse so I will take any opportunity to catch Jane playing another gumshoe.  

*New thriller series, Now and Then, has a central premise that sounds a lot like Yellowjackets, but it's not as if Yellowjackets invented it.  I expect comparisons to abound.

*AMC+ has Karen Gillan starring opposite herself thanks to cloning and having to fight herself to the death thanks to stupid future reasons.  I mean, why would anyone ever want fewer Karen Gillans?  

TOP PICK

⭐🔔 Night Sky (Amazon Prime, 12:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Spanning space and time, Night Sky follows Irene (Sissy Spacek) and Franklin York (JK Simmons), a couple who, years ago, discovered a chamber buried in their backyard which inexplicably leads to a strange, deserted planet. They've carefully guarded their secret ever since, but when an enigmatic young man enters their lives, the Yorks' quiet existence is quickly upended...and the mystifying chamber they thought they knew so well turns out to be much more than they could ever have imagined.'

PREMIERES

😂 The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Amazon Prime, 12:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'A two-part documentary produced by Blue Ant Studios.'

🔔 Night Sky (Amazon Prime, 12:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Spanning space and time, Night Sky follows Irene (Sissy Spacek) and Franklin York (JK Simmons), a couple who, years ago, discovered a chamber buried in their backyard which inexplicably leads to a strange, deserted planet. They've carefully guarded their secret ever since, but when an enigmatic young man enters their lives, the Yorks' quiet existence is quickly upended...and the mystifying chamber they thought they knew so well turns out to be much more than they could ever have imagined.'

🔔 Now and Then (Apple TV+, 12:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'A multi-layered thriller that explores the differences between youthful aspirations and the reality of adulthood, when the lives of a group of college best friends are forever changed after a celebratory weekend ends up with one of them dead. Now, 20 years later, the remaining five are reluctantly reunited by a threat that puts their seemingly perfect worlds at risk.'

🔔 Troppo (Freevee, 12:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Troppo is the story of Ted Conkaffey (Thomas Jane), an ex-cop falsely accused of committing a disturbing crime, who has escaped to hide away in the tropics of Far North Queensland. As he tries to avoid discovery, he's drawn into investigating a wild murder and a missing person, alongside a complicated woman named Amanda Pharrell, with dark secrets of her own. Based on the book, "Crimson Lake."

🎥 The Valet (Hulu, 12:01 AM) 'A world famous movie star faces a PR disaster when a paparazzi snaps a photo of her with her married lover.  A hard-working valet accidentally appears in the same photo and is enlisted to pose as Olivia's new boyfriend as a cover up.  This ruse thrusts the valet into the spotlight and unexpected chaos.'

🎥 Dual (AMC+, 3:01 AM) 'In the near future, a woman named Sarah hears that she is terminally ill. To save her family from the pain of losing her, she opts for a cloning procedure of herself and trains the clone to feel like her. However, Sarah makes a miraculous recovery, which drives her to a new problem: in the society of the future, humans cannot exist for longer than the time limit of their clones. By law, Sarah and her clone must eventually fight each other to the death.'

👽 Alien Endgame (Discovery+, 3:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'In 2021, a groundbreaking Pentagon report revealed what the government had denied for decades -- UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena) or UFOs are real and may even pose a threat to our planet. In Alien Endgame, former members of the U.S. military break their silence about the massive cover-up of their terrifying close encounters. And now we all must ask: are we prepared for an alien invasion?'

🌺 The Retro Plant Shop with Mikey & Jo (Discovery+, 3:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'With help from her big sister, Joanna Gaines, Mikey McCall launches the business of her dreams: a retro-inspired plant shop that blends her passion for gardening with her love of unique, vintage items.'

🎥 Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (Disney+, 3:01 AM) 'A comeback 30 years in the making, Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers catches up with the former Disney Afternoon television stars in modern-day Los Angeles.'

🎥 F*ck Love Too (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'In this romantic comedy, several friends, each dealing with unhappy love lives, turn to each other for help — but not always with the best results.'

🔔 Wrong Side of the Tracks (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'When his teenage granddaughter falls victim to the drug dealers overtaking his neighborhood, a fed-up war veteran takes matters into his own hands.'

🔔 George Carlin's American Dream (HBO, 8:00 PM) LIMITED SERIES. 'Chronicles the life and work of legendary comedian George Carlin'

🎥 Stolen in Her Sleep (LMN, 8:00 PM) 'A woman's life takes a sinister turn when her psychotic new friend hatches a devious scheme to steal her infant daughter.'

🎥RETURNING SHOWS

🕵️‍♀️ Harriet the Spy (Apple TV+, 12:01 AM) SEASON 1 - PART 2.  SEASON FINALE.

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

🔨 Restoration Road with Clint Harp (Discovery+, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE.

🤖 Love, Death & Robots (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON THREE.

🔔 My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON FOUR.

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (Paramount+, 3:01 AM) SEASON SEVEN PREMIERE.

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked (Paramount+, 3:01 AM) SEASON FOUR PREMIERE.

💰 Gold Rush: Dave Turin's Lost Mine (Discovery, 9:00 PM) SEASON FOUR PREMIERE.

🔔 The New York Times Presents (FX, 10:00 PM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE.

🔔 Pause with Sam Jay (HBO, 11:00 PM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE.

STREAMING

🐍 A Sex Serpent The Essex Serpent (Apple TV+, 12:01 AM) "Falling"

🔔 Shining Girls (Apple TV+, 12:01 AM) "Bright"

🔔 Tehran (Apple TV+. 12:01 AM) "The Rich Kids"

🔨 Mind for Design (Discovery+, 3:01 AM)

🍰 Zoe Bakes (Discovery+, 3:01 AM)

🔔 Bosch: Legacy (Freevee, 12:01 AM) "One of Your Own / Bloodline"

🔔 iCarly (Paramount+, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 Ten Percent (Sundance Now, 3:01 AM) "Episode 5"

🔔 Tomorrow (Netflix, 11:01 AM)

👮‍♂️ Cops (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM) 

SPORTS TONIGHT TODAY

🏌️‍♂️ 2022 PGA Championship: Second Round (ESPN, 2:00 PM)

🥎 College Softball: NCAA Tournament, Regional: Ohio State vs. Oregon State (ESPNU, 4:00 PM)

🥎 College Softball: NCAA Tournament: Minnesota vs. Texas A&M (ESPN2, 5:00 PM)

🐴 Horse Racing: George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (USA, 5:00 PM)

⚾ Friday Night Baseball: St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates (Apple TV+. 6:30 PM)

🌽 Cornhole: 2022 ACL Pro Shootout #1 (CBSSN, 6:30 PM)

🏒 NHL Hockey: New York Rangers at Carolina Hurricanes (ESPN, 8:00 PM)

🥎 College Softball: NCAA Tournament, Regional: LSU vs. San Diego State (ESPN2, 8:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors (TNT, 9:00 PM)

⚾ Friday Night Baseball: Texas Rangers at Houston Astros (Apple TV+. 9:30 PM)

🐮 PBR Bull Riding: Unleash the Beast: World Finals, Day 5 (CBSSN, 10:00 PM)

🥎 College Softball: NCAA Tournament, Regional: Grand Canyon at UCLA (ESPN2, 10:00 PM)

🏒 NHL Hockey: Edmonton Oilers at Calgary Flames (ESPN, 10:30 PM)

EARLY PRIMETIME

💲 Chain Reaction (GSN, 5:00 PM) 
🧽 SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon, 7:00 PM)
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 7:00 PM)
💲 America Says (GSN, 7:30 PM) 
🧽 Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Early Years (Nickelodeon, 7:30 PM)

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'A line of health products using nature's most powerful superfood; an online marketplace designed to help athletes cash in on their fame; an all-in-one total body fitness tool; a plant-based approach to a fast food favorite; Kevin Hart guest sharks.'

🧙‍♀️ Charmed (CW, 8:00 PM) 'Mel, Maggie and Kaela navigate their love lives; the Unseen brings an epic battle; Roxie seeks Harry's assistance, but his mission uncovers something -- and someone -- unexpected.'

🔔 The Blacklist (NBC, 8:00 PM) 'Red and the task force spring into action after learning who betrayed them.'

💃 Come Dance with Me (CBS, 8:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ WWE Friday Night SmackDown (Fox, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Treehouse Masters: Branched Out (Animal Planet, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Hoffman Family Gold (Discovery, 8:00 PM)
🔔 George Carlin's American Dream (HBO, 8:00 PM)
🎥 Stolen in Her Sleep (LMN, 8:00 PM)
💖 Couples Therapy (Showtime, 8:00 PM)
🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars (VH1, 8:00 PM)

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🎭 Great Performances (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park in South Harlem presents a Shakespearean comedy about the trickster Falstaff and the wily wives who outwit him.'

🔔 Dynasty (CW, 9:00 PM) 'Blake and Cristal find themselves in a new kind of awkward situation with Sonya; a distracted Fallon has an adventurous breakfast with Alexis; as Liam's movie wraps, he decides to have a heart-to-heart with Culhane.'

👽 The Unexplained (History, 9:00 PM) 'All over the world, there are places and objects that are thought to be cursed; many people avoid these locations and things, believing they will bring harm, while others think that curses are nothing more than superstition and folklore.'

💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM)
💰 Gold Rush: Dave Turin's Lost Mine (Discovery, 9:00 PM)
🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food Network, 9:00 PM)
🏠 Vacation House Rules (HGTV, 9:00 PM)
💖 Put a Ring on It (OWN, 9:00 PM)
🎥 The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs (Shudder, 9:00 PM)
👻 Ghost Adventures (Travel, 9:00 PM)
🤮 Mama June: From Not to Hot (WE, 9:00 PM)
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

🔔 The New York Times Presents (FX, 10:00 PM) 'An investigation reveals the quixotic nature of Elon Musk's pursuit of self-driving technology, and the tragic results; autopilot has been a factor in several deaths and dozens of other accidents that Tesla has not publicly acknowledged.'

🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM)
🏠 Vacation House Rules (HGTV, 10:00 PM)
🍴 The Great Soul Food Cook-Off (OWN, 10:00 PM)

LATE NIGHT

🔔 Pause with Sam Jay (HBO, 11:00 PM) 

🔔 The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 'Actor Fred Armisen; Måneskin performs.'

🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 11:35 PM) 'TV host Ryan Seacrest; actor Joe Keery; Train performs.'

🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM) 'Shaquille O'Neal takes "The Colbert Questionert"; actor Sebastian Stan; Sharon Van Etten performs.'

🔔 Nightline (ABC, 1:07 AM) 

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 PM) 'Actor Bob Odenkirk; actor Bobby Moynihan; Derrick Wright sits in with the 8G Band.'

🔔 The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS, 12:37 AM) 'Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal; actress Cynthia Erivo; comic Kimberly Clark.'

📺Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO Binge📺

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

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 10:00 PM) 'Comedian Jonathan Winters; actress Ellen Corby; comedian Ed Bluestone; filmmaker Bud Greenspan.'

More TV Listings: 

Key Sources: The Futon Critic; Zap2it; Netflix; Wikipedia; Horrornews.net; Sysfy.com; hollywoodreporter.com

⭐: Top Pick
💲: Game show
🎥: Movie
📺: Throwback
✔️: Video/gif/photo included