What's On Tonight (Friday): To Sidney, with Love...

Sidney

The pickings are a little slim today, but there are still a few movies and documentaries that look interesting.  Leading the way with Top Pick status is the new Apple TV+ documentary, Sidney, about acclaimed actor, director and civil rights pioneer, Sidney Poitier.  It still amazes me that Poitier not only existed but had the career he had at the time he had it.  Even today it can be difficult for a black actor to get ahead in Hollywood (don't even get me started on how hard it is for black actresses).  For a black actor to become a well-respected, Oscar-winning artist AND be a box office draw in the 50s and 60s is testament to the talent, charisma and dignity Poitier had.  We're just going to ignore Ghost Dad.  Everyone makes mistakes.

Elsewhere...

*Do you like Allison Janey but feel like she missed her chance to be the next big action hero?  Does Netflix have a film for you!  In Lou, Allison Janey plays an ass-kicking, no-fucks-left-to-give tough-as-nails former something or other (Spy? Soldier? Tailor? Tinker?) living in an isolated cabin who decides to help a young mother rescue her daughter (so I guess she had at least one fuck left).  Is there a conspiracy?  Oh, you better believe there's a conspiracy.  

*Amazon has a new documentary limited series about horse racing.  The only thing I know about horse racing is the Simpsons episode where Bart becomes a jockey is the point where I stopped watching.  This might be up Catch Nats Fever In 2022's alley though.

*AMC+ has Section 8, yet another C-grade action film that used to go straight to DVD.  It claims Mickey Rourke is one of the stars, but from what I can tell, he is probably in just one scene.  Dolph Lundgren is in this as well, but he appears to only be in a few more scenes than Rourke.  The trailer is so bad I gave up trying to find anything in it to make a GIF out of.  AND THIS IS AN ACTION FILM!  I was able to get a GIF out of cancer dramedy The Girls at the Back but I couldn't find one image in Section 8's trailer that stood out.

I've been making my way through For All Mankind over the last few weeks and I finally got up to the season 3 premiere, where the show becomes essentially a 70's style disaster film set on a space hotel.  I really hope this isn't indicative of where the rest of the season is going.  

I finished up Harley Quinn and Primal.  It was another delightful season from the former and another exciting/tragic/brutal/hilarious/sad season for the latter.  I've read that Season 2 of Primal marks the end of Spear and Fang's story and that the next season will be something different.  I'm fine with that.  As great as Primal was I don't know where the show could have gone that wouldn't have become numbing and tedious.  Spear's story, by its nature, should be a short one.  Wherever Genndy Tartakovsky decides to go next, I will follow.

TOP PICK

⭐🎥 Sidney (Apple, 12:01 AM) 'From producer Oprah Winfrey and directed by Reginald Hudlin, this revealing documentary honors the legendary Sidney Poitier and his legacy as an iconic actor, filmmaker and activist at the center of Hollywood and the Civil Rights Movement. Featuring candid interviews with Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Robert Redford, Lenny Kravitz, Barbra Streisand, Spike Lee and many more.'

PREMIERES

Horsepower

🐴 Horsepower (Amazon, 12:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'Horsepower is a compelling four-part documentary series that provides hitherto unseen access and insight to the world of horse racing.'

🎥 Section 8 (AMC+, 3:01 AM) 'After avenging the murder of his family, a former soldier is sprung from prison and recruited by a shadowy government agency.'

👻 Haunted Scotland (Discovery, 3:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Renowned American medium Chris Fleming and Scotland's Gail Porter lead an expert paranormal team to investigate the chilling crimes, supernatural sightings and terrifying stories across one of the most haunted countries on earth: Scotland.'

🎥 Athena (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'After the death of his youngest brother following an alleged police altercation, Abdel is called back from the frontline to find his family torn apart. Caught between his younger brother Karim's desire for revenge and the criminal dealings of his older brother Moktar, he struggles to calm the rising tensions. As the situation escalates, their community is transformed into a fortress under siege, becoming a scene of tragedy for both the family and beyond…'

🔔 The Girls at the Back (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Five women in their 30s, friends since their school days, go on their annual getaway. But this year, one of them has just been diagnosed with cancer.'

🎥 A Jazzman's Blues (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Tyler Perry's tale of forbidden love and family drama unravels 40 years of secrets and lies against a soundtrack of juke-joint blues in the Deep South.'

🎥 Lou (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'A mysterious loner living a quiet life with her dog battles the elements and her own dark past when a neighbor's little girl is kidnapped during a storm.  Starring Allison Janney.'

🎥 Pokemon: The Arceus Chronicles (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'While investigating the legend of the mythical Pokémon Arceus, Ash, Goh and Dawn uncover a plot by Team Galactic that threatens the world.'

🎥 On the Come Up (Paramount, 3:01 AM) 'Centers on 16-year-old Bri, who wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Facing controversies and with an eviction notice staring down her family, Bri doesn't just want to make it, she has to make it.'

🎥 What Happened to My Sister? (LMN, 8:00 PM) 'Hoping to uncover the truth about her sister's death, a freshman at college decides to rush the same sorority that she did two years earlier.'

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 September Mornings (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE.

🔔 Who's Talking to Chris Wallace? (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE.

🔔 Jamtara - Sabka Number Ayega (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) SEASON 14 PREMIERE.

🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:05 PM) SEASON 45 PREMIERE.

Lou

STREAMING

⚔ The Rings of Power (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 

🔔 Bad Sisters (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Rest in Peace"

🔔 Central Park (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Golden Owen: Manager Damager"

👀 See (Apple, 12:01 AM) "The House of Enlightenment"

🍰 The Great British Baking Show (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 My Dream Quinceañera (Paramount, 3:01 AM) 

SPORTS TONIGHT TODAY LIVE

🏌️‍♂️ 2022 President's Cup: Day 2 (Golf, 11:00 AM)

🥊 Bellator MMA: 285: Henderson vs. Queally (Showtime, 4:00 PM)

🏈 High School Football: IMG Academy (FL) at Central (AL) (ESPNU, 6:00 PM)

⚾ Friday Night Baseball: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (Apple, 7:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Virginia at Syracuse (ESPN, 7:00 PM)

🏈 CFL Football: Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Montreal Alouettes (ESPN2, 7:30 PM)

🏌️‍♂️ LPGA Tour Golf: Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, First Round (Golf, 8:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Boise State at Texas-El Paso (CBSSN, 9:00 PM)

⚾ Friday Night Baseball: St Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers (Apple, 10:00 PM)

🥊 Boxing: Shakur Stevenson vs. Robson Conceição (ESPN, 10:00 PM)

🏌️‍♂️ PGA Tour Champions Golf: PURE Insurance Championship, First Round (Golf, 10:00 PM)

🏀 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup: United States vs. China (ESPN2, 12:30 AM)

Athena

EARLY PRIMETIME

🏠 The Loud House (Nickelodeon, 7:00 PM) 'When Lincoln and Clyde overwater Howard's rare orchid, the two embark on an adventure to replace it; Lynn Sr. is stoked to compete on a televised cooking show until he learns he's up against Rosa Casagrande.'

💲 People Puzzler (GSN, 6:00 PM) 
🔔 Big Nate (Nickelodeon, 7:30 PM) 

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

💀 Killer Camp (CW, 8:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'As the final day unfolds at Camp Pleasant, everyone is a suspect with numbers dwindling and the remaining campers on edge; Bobby has the campers come together for a final cash grab by engaging in an extreme version of catch.'

🔔 The Smurfs (Nickelodeon, 8:00 PM) 'Papa Smurf wants to prove to Willow that alchemy is more powerful than her natural magic; Brainy's new brain-weighing invention backfires and leaves him brainless.'

🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM)
👀 Big Brother (CBS, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 College Bowl (NBC, 8:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night SmackDown (Fox, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush (Discovery, 8:00 PM) 
🎥 What Happened to My Sister? (LMN, 8:00 PM) 
💖 Ready to Love (OWN, 8:00 PM) 
💀 An Unexpected Killer (Oxygen, 8:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: First Shift (Reelz, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race (VH1, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 The Casagrandes (Nickelodeon, 8:30 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🔨 Secret Celebrity Renovation (CBS, 8:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'Singer Nicole Scherzinger returns to Hawaii to gift her "Tutu and Papa," who introduced her to the world of singing and dancing, a home transformation that will make the house more spacious and accessible.'

🎭 Great Performances (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'An opera adaptation of playwright Lynn Nottage's play, Intimate Apparel, which tells the story of Esther, an unmarried and lonely Black woman in 1905 New York.'

🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 'Guy Fieri looks for culinary creations you can really sink your teeth into, including a New Hampshire catering truck full of beef tips, shrimp and dirty bird wings. Then, there's rockin' pierogi in Ohio and homemade gnocchi at a New Jersey eatery.'

🔔 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush: Dave Turin's Lost Mine (Discovery, 9:00 PM) 
🏠 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
🏈 A Football Life (NFL Network, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 Belle Collective (OWN, 9:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
👻 The Haunting of Amityville (Travel, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 Life After Lockup (WE, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:05 PM) 

On the Come Up

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 10:00 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

👻 Los Espookys (HBO, 11:00 PM) "Bibi's"

🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 11:35 PM) 'Actress Quinta Brunson; actor Ismael Cruz Córdova; Kane Brown performs.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 PM) 'Actress Rosie O'Donnell; filmmaker Kevin Smith; author Megan Giddings; Rick Smith sits in with the 8G band.'

🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 11:00 PM) 
🔔 The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM)
🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS, 12:37 AM) 
🔔 Nightline (ABC, 12:37 AM) 

📺Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO Binge📺

📺 The Twilight Zone (Syfy, 5:01 AM - 11:00 PM & 12:00 AM - 6:00 AM); The Andy Griffith Show (Sundance, 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM); The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (VH1, 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM); Roseanne (CMT, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM); ER (Pop, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM); Living Single (TVOne, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM); M*A*S*H* (TVLand, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM); Hawaii Five-0 (Ion, 10:00 AM - 2:00 AM); The Office (Comedy Central, 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM); Law & Order (Sundance, 1:00 PM - 10:00 PM); House (Pop, 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM); Family Ties (Antenna, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM); One Day at a Time (Antenna, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM); Three's Company (Antenna, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM); The Jeffersons (Antenna, 8:00 PM -9:00 PM); Everybody Loves Raymond (TV Land, 8:00 PM - 11:05 PM); Family Matters (TVOne, 8:00 PM - 3:00 AM);  Barney Miller (Antennae, 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM); King of Queens (TV Land, 11:05 PM - 2:00 AM); Designing Women (Antenna, 11:30 PM); Becker (Antenna, 12:00 AM - 1:00 AM); Wings (Antennae, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM); Alice (Antenna, 2:00 AM - 3:00 AM) 

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 10:00 PM) 'Lawrence Welk; David Brenner; writer Ashley Montagu; actress Joan Embery.'

Pokemon: The Arceus Chronicles

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

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