What's on Tonight (Friday): The Grandest of Crews…

 

Grand Crew

I'm not gonna lie: the premiere pickins tonight are thin.  Once upon a time seven tv shows and movies premiering on the same day would have seemed excessive.  Now, whenever there are fewer than ten premiers, I wonder if there's something everyone is avoiding.  Like, is this Superbowl weekend?  Is a new Star Wars getting released?  What am I missing?  

Whatever it is, my loss is NBC's gain as I choose Grand Crew, returning for its second season, for the Top Pick.  I did not see the first season and know next to nothing about the show, but the trailer for the second season did make me genuinely laugh out loud more than once.  Sure, it's easy to put together a good trailer even when the source material is mediocre, but I get a good vibe from the cast.  They seem like they a fun group of people to hang out with, and what more could you want from a broadcast network sitcom?

⭐🔔 Grand Crew (NBC, 8:30 PM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE. 'A group of young professionals are all trying to navigate the ups and downs of life and love in Los Angeles, and they always find time to gather at their favorite bar to "wine down" and unpack it all. And just like wine, their friendship gets better with time.'

Elsewhere...

*We have not one but two fictional bio-pics about two very different subjects.  One appears to chart the rise of a band in the late 70s and the other is about someone already at the top struggling with his fame.  I'm not a good judge of these types of films.  I don't much care for regular music bio-pics, I'm that much less interested in ones about fake bands with the exceptions of Walk Hard and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.

*Amazon has a new documentary about gangs of pimps battling each other in Hamburg, Germany in the early 80s.  I very much wanted this to be the Top Pick but there doesn't seem to even be a trailer out for this one.  Consider my curiosity piqued.

I binged season four of The Sinner this week.  It took me a while to get to it as I wasn't a huge fan of the third season (Jamie is easily the least sympathetic antagonist the show has had).  I enjoyed season four much more, though I felt the plot got a little over complicated towards the end.  I was disappointed to read it was cancelled, but four seasons is a decent run, and it felt like the show ended at a good place.  Maybe we can get Pullman back into the movies now.

PREMIERES

Daisy Jones & the Six

🔔 The Pimp - No F***ing Fairytale (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'Inspired by true events, the gangster LUDEN tells the rise of the Nutella Gang, the most famous pimp cartel in Hamburg's legendary Reeperbahn during the 1980s.  The unusual cartel turns the rough red-light district in St. Pauli into a glamourous place, but it is also the beginning of a power struggle with the established pimps of the GMBH.'

🔔 Daisy Jones & the Six (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'A limited musical-drama series detailing the rise and precipitous fall of a renowned rock band. In 1977, Daisy Jones & The Six were on top of the world. Fronted by two charismatic lead singers - Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne - the band had risen from obscurity to fame. And then, after a sold-out show at Chicago's Soldier Field, they called it quits. Now, decades later, the band members finally agree to reveal the truth. This is the story of how an iconic band imploded at the height of its powers.'

🎥 Taurus (AMC+, 3:01 AM) 'A rising but troubled musician searches for the inspiration to record his next song, pushing himself deep into the void. A work of fiction that explores fame, addiction, the artistic process, and the music industry, Taurus is a soulful and universal cautionary tale.'

🔔 In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'This docuseries examining the chilling true stories of four Korean leaders claiming to be prophets exposes the dark side of unquestioning belief.'

🎥 Love at First Kiss (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Javier can see the future... and he finally knows who the love of his life is. There's just one problem: It's his best friend's girlfriend.'

🎥 She Inherited Danger (Lifetime, 8:00 PM) 'A young woman inherits her grandfather's theater and plans to sell it, but things get dangerous when she changes her mind and decides to reopen the beautiful landmark property herself.'

🎨 The Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist (MTV, 9:00 PM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Seven diverse artists compete for a $100,000 cash prize and a once-in-a-lifetime, career-defining exhibit at the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC. Each rising artist is tasked to create a museum exhibit based on the Hirshhorn's mission to feature art that "responds to history in real time."  The six-episode series features weekly competitions centered around the hot-button issues of our time, leading to a grand finale at the Hirshhorn Ball, the museum's annual gala, where the winning artist will be chosen.'

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 The Problem with Jon Stweart (Apple, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO SPRING PREMIERE.

🔔 Next in Fashion (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

🤖 Transformers: Earthspark (Paramount+, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE SPRING PREMIERE.

In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal

STREAMING

🧚‍♀️ Carnival Row (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 

🔔 Dear Edward (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Folklore" 

🔔 Hello Tomorrow! (Apple, 12:01 AM) "From the Desk of Stanley Jenkins" 

🔔 Liaison (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Chaos" 

🔔 Servant (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Tunnels" 

🔔 Shrinking (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Apology Tour" 

🔔 Truth Be Told (Apple, 12:01 AM) "The Luxury in Self-Reproach" 

⚖ Judy Justice (Freevee, 12:01 AM) 

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

💖 Love Island (UK) (Hulu, 3:01 AM) 

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️‍♂️ PGA Tour Golf: Arnold Palmer Invitational, Second Round (Golf, 2:00 PM)

🥍 Women's College Lacrosse: Boston College at North Carolina (ESPNU, 4:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Toledo at Ball State (CBSSN, 6:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Teams TBA (ESPNU, 6:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Dayton at Saint Louis (ESPN2, 7:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics (ESPN, 7:30 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Bowling Green at Ohio (CBSSN, 8:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: OVC Tournament, First Semifinal: Teams TBA (ESPNU, 8:00 PM)

🤸‍♀️ Women's College Gymnastics: Florida at Oklahoma (ESPN2, 9:00 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ LPGA Tour Golf: HSBC Women's World Championship, Third Round (Golf, 9:30 PM)

🏒 College Hockey: Colorado College at Denver (CBSSN, 10:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Memphis Grizzlies at Denver Nuggets (ESPN, 10:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: OVC Tournament, Second Semifinal: Teams TBA (ESPNU, 10:30 PM)

Love at First Kiss

EARLY PRIMETIME

🧽 The Patrick Star Show (Nickelodeon, 7:00 PM) 'The Star family house runs away from home.'

🔔 Bunk'd: Learning the Ropes (Disney, 7:30 PM) 'Winnie helps her brother Wayne propose to his boyfriend during their visit to camp; Lou and Destiny teach Bill about self-care, and Parker finally gets his own place to stay.'

💲 Masterminds (GSN, 6:00 PM) 
💲 People Puzzler (GSN, 6:30 PM) 

💲 Switch (GSN, 7:00 PM) 

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) 'An edible flower company; a way to be active yet protected while under the sun; a clean makeup brand; a modern dental tool used for oral care; an update on Foam Party Hats.'

👮‍♂️ S.W.A.T. (CBS, 8:00 PM) 'When Hicks insists SWAT participate in Patrol Day in an effort to engage more meaningfully with the community, Hondo and Deacon have their hands full mentoring the newest members of the team; a suspended Tan investigates a mystery close to home.'

💀 The 12th Victim (Showtime, 8:00 PM) 'Caril is determined to prove to the world that they got it wrong; the mythology around the case begins to grow, painting Caril in a bad light; Caril is released from prison.

🔔 WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (Fox, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Lopez vs. Lopez (NBC, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush (Discovery, 8:00 PM) 
🎥 She Inherited Danger (Lifetime, 8:00 PM) 
🔨 First Time Fixer (Magnolia, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV, 8:00 PM) 
💖 Ready to Love (OWN, 8:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: First Shift (Reelz, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 BMF (Starz, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Grand Crew (NBC, 8:30 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🔔 Party Down (Starz, 8:56 PM) 'Party Down works a surprise party for movie star Jack Botty thrown by his studio exec girlfriend Evie, which turns weird when the team sees something they shouldn't have.'

🔥 Fire Country (CBS, 9:00 PM) 'A massive tree falls during a reforestation assignment, threatening Eve's life and forcing Bode to step up and lead the rescue efforts.'

🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 'Guy Fieri's flying with chicken and so much more; in Santa Barbara, Calif., a butcher is saucing up chicken tacos; in Delray Beach, Fla., an homage to Mom includes a mouthwatering pasta; in Las Vegas, a chef is going over the top with Thai creations.'

😂 Whose Line is it Anyway? (CW, 8:00 PM) 
💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
🏠 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
👽 Ancient Aliens (History, 9:00 PM) 
🎨 The Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist (MTV, 9:00 PM) 
🐶 Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog (NGC, 9:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
👻 Kindred Spirits (Travel, 9:00 PM) 
💖 Love After Lockup (WE, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 

Taurus

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👮‍♂️ Blue Bloods (CBS, 10:00 PM) 'Eddie's former partner returns and brings an accusation of excessive force against an officer; Danny and Baez clash with a troubled foster child at the center of their latest investigation; Erin must make a tough decision about her campaign.'

🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
🚗 Graveyard Carz (Motortrend, 10:00 PM) 
🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (MTV, 10:00 PM) 
🐶 Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog (NGC, 10:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 10:00 PM) 
💰 Aussie Gold Hunters: Mine SOS (Discovery, 10:09 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 'Actress Tessa Thompson; talk show host Andy Cohen; The National performs.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 PM) 'Actor David Harbour; actress Kathryn Newton; Zoë Brecher sits in with the 8G Band.'

🔔 Game Theory with Bomani Jones (HBO, 11:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 11:00 PM) 
🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher: Overtime (CNN. 11:30 PM) 
🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM)
🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 Nightline (ABC, 12:37 AM) 
🔔 The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS, 12:37 AM) 
🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 PM) 

Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO BINGE

📺 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (VH1, 4:00 AM - 4:00 PM); Eureka (Syfy, 5:00 AM - 10:00 AM); The Andy Griffith Show (Sundance, 6:00 AM - 1:00 PM); Brooklyn 99 (Comedy Central, 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM); M*A*S*H* (TVLand, 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM); Roseanne (CMT, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM); Living Single (TVOne, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM); Hawaii Five-0 (Ion, 10:00 AM - 2:00 AM); ER (Pop, 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM); Law & Order (Sundance, 1:00 PM - 1:00 AM); Seinfeld (Comedy Central, 2:00 - 5:00 PM); The Office (Comedy Central, 5:00 PM - 11:00 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); 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); Benson (Antenna, 3:00 AM - 4:00 AM); Mom (TV Land, 3:00 AM - 5:00 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 10:00 PM) 'Comedian Don Rickles; author Ray Bradbury; actress Cheryl Ladd.'

Next in Fashion

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

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

What's On Tonight: A Midwinter Night's Fever Dream...