What's On Tonight (Friday): The Wheel of Time Ends Another Rotation...

 

The Wheel of Time

As predicted in the before-fore, The Wheel of Time has been granted Top Pick status for its second season finale.  I made the mistake of binging Shadow and Bone on Netflix (a surprisingly good show) while in the middle of watching Wheel's second season and found myself constantly getting the two mixed up.  In my defense, both are very progressive takes on fantasy storytelling where the performing of "magic" comes off quite a lot like Tai Chi.  That's about where the similarities end as Wheel has a very different and way more complicated narrative than Shadow, a sprawling cast of characters to keep track of and takes itself a bit more seriously.  I've enjoyed the second season and am bummed that I will have to wait until 2025 to get the next one (no word yet on season three of Shadow and Bone).

TOP PICK

⭐🧙‍♀️The Wheel of Time (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON FINALE.

Elsewhere...

*Amazon has a fun looking new horror/slasher/time travel/comedy called Totally Killer.  It's about a teen whose mom was the final girl survivor of a massacre back in 1987.  The daughter then somehow gets transported to 1987 and sets out to stop the killer with the help of her mom and her mom's friends.  Going by the trailer, I don't think she's going to be entirely successful.

*For anime fans, Hulu has a new series called Undead Unluck.  The concept, as far as I can tell, is that there are people in the world called Negators who defy the natural laws of the universe, and at least some of them want to use a girl with the gift of "unluck" to kill the being they think set those laws in the first place: God.  Luckily the girl is protected by a Negator who cannot be killed.  I'm sure this will be a quietly straight-forward and tightly constructed chamber piece.

*Peacock has the streaming premiere of Strays.  I am a dog person and am usually a sucker for "dogs acting like people" humor, but this just looks so lazy and terrible.  Rotten Tomatoes has it at 54% rotten, so maybe it's not as bad as the trailer looks, but I doubt it's much better.  It should fit in well with the rest of Peacock's content of crap (not including Poker Face).

*There's a Pet Sematary prequel debuting this week on Paramount subtitled Bloodlines that centers around Jud Crandall, played by Fred Gwynne in the original film and John Lithgow in the 2019 remake.  I never saw the remake, which the new film is supposed to be connected to, but Gwynne was easily the best thing about the original.  His accent and line reading on "sometimes dead is better" made that line iconic.  I'm assuming Lithgow pulled an accent in the remake as well because he's fucking John Lithgow.  No one in the prequel appears to be doing any kind of accent nor does the guy playing Jud bear any resemblance to a young Lithgow or Gwynne.  The only actor I recognize in the cast is David Duchovny, who must need money or something.  It's at 18% on Rotten Tomatoes.  It's hot garbage.

PREMIERES

Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe

💖 Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe (Amazon, 12:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'Delves into the world of Twin Flames Universe, an online group run by YouTube influencers Jeff and Shaleia Divine. The couple's promise is to match members with their perfect partner, but former participants describe the extreme lengths they have taken in order to claim their "twin flame." Journalist Alice Hines soon discovers that the promise of true love may come at a price.'

🎥 Totally Killer (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 'When the infamous "Sweet Sixteen Killer" returns 35 years after his first murder spree to claim another victim, 17-year-old Jamie accidentally travels back in time to 1987, determined to stop the killer before he can start.'

🎵 Austin City Limits Music Festival Livestream (Hulu, 12:01 AM) 'The lineup for Oct 6 includes Asleep at the Wheel, The Altons, Three Sacred Souls, Britney Spencer, The Revivalists and headliner: The Lumineers.'

🔔 Undead Unluck (Hulu, 12:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'What happens when an unlucky girl meets an undead guy? Pure chaos! Tired of inadvertently killing people with her special ability Unluck, Fuko Izumo sets out to end it all. But when she meets Andy, a man who longs for death but can't die, she finds a reason to live - and he finds someone capable of giving him the death he's been longing for.'

🔔 Deane's Dynasty (Max, 3:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'Offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of one of Thailand’s most prominent celebrity families, Lydia and Matthew Deane, along with their circle of well-known friends. Together, they navigate the challenges and triumphs that fame, family, and career bring.'

🎥 Ballerina (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Grieving the loss of a best friend she couldn't protect, ex-bodyguard Ok-ju sets out to fulfill her dear friend's last wish: sweet, sweet revenge.'

🎥 A Deadly Invitation (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'A true crime enthusiast is ensnared in her high society sister's murder.  With a villa full of posh subjects, it's up to her to find the culprit.'

🎥 Fair Play (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'An unexpected promotion at a cutthroat hedge fund pushes a couple's romance to the brink, threatening to unravel far more than their recent engagement.'

🔔 Frasier: Inside the Series (Paramount, 3:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'Behind the scenes of the revival/reboot of the classic comedy series.'

🎥 Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (Paramount, 3:01 AM) 'In 1969, a young Jud Crandall has dreams of leaving his hometown of Ludlow, Maine behind, but soon discovers sinister secrets buried within and is forced to confront a dark family history that will forever keep him connected to Ludlow. Banding together, Jud and his childhood friends must fight an ancient evil that has gripped Ludlow since its founding, and once unearthed has the power to destroy everything in its path.'

🎥 Strays (Peacock, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'When Reggie, a naïve, relentlessly optimistic Border Terrier, is abandoned on the mean city streets by his lowlife owner, Doug, Reggie is certain that his beloved owner would never leave him on purpose. But once Reggie falls in with a fast-talking, foul-mouthed Boston Terrier named Bug, a stray who loves his freedom and believes that owners are for suckers, Reggie finally realizes he was in a toxic relationship and begins to see Doug for the heartless sleazeball that he is.'

🎥 v/h/s 85 (Shudder, 3:01 AM) 'An ominous mixtape blends never before seen snuff footage with nightmarish newscasts and disturbing home video to create a surreal, analog mashup of the forgotten 80s.'

🏠 HGTV Uban Oasis Special 2023 (HGTV and Max, 7:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION.

🎥 A Zest for Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery (HMC, 9:00 PM) 'Hannah Swensen's mother, Delores, discovers the dead body of a homeowner while house-hunting for her sister Michelle. Hannah is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and is convinced that the prime suspect Mike and the Sheriff are focusing on isn’t the culprit. Hannah’s sleuthing becomes a family affair when Delores, Michelle and even her sister Andrea take part in the investigation.'

💀 Real Murders of Los Angeles (Oxygen, 9:00 PM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Follow the stories of those whose lust for fame and fortune led them to commit salacious, sinful, and scandalous murders. In LA, the pursuit of the American Dream can turn deadly.'

Totally Killer

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 Mumbai Diaries (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

🔔 The Very Very Best of the 80s (AXS TV, 8:00 PM) SEASON TWO FALL PREMIERE.

💰 Bering Sea Gold (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) SEASON SEVENTEEN PREMIERE.

👽 The Unexplained (History, 9:00 PM) SEASON SIX PREMIERE.

👽 The Proof is Out There (History, 10:03 PM) SEASON FOUR PREMIERE.

STREAMING

🔔 Gen V (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 

🧙‍♀️The Wheel of Time (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. 

🔔 The Changeling (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Stormy Weather" 

🔔 Still Up (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Veggie Veggie Bing Bong" 

⚖ Tribunal Justice (Freevee, 12:01 AM) 

🔔 Aakhri Sach (Hulu, 12:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. 

🔔 Design Defined (Discovery+, 3:01 AM) 

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

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

💖 Love is Blind (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 The Continental: From the World of John Wick (Peacock, 3:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. 

Undead Unluck

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️‍♂️ PGA Tour Golf: Sanderson Farms Championship, Second Round (Golf, 4:00 PM)

🥒 PPA Special: Guaranteed Rate Championships Presented by Thorlo, Las Vegas (Amazon, 1:00 PM)

🏈 CFL Football: Edmonton Elks at Toronto Argonauts (CBSSN, 7:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Cornell at Harvard (ESPNU, 7:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Kansas State at Oklahoma State (ESPN, 7:30 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ LPGA Tour Golf: The Ascendant LPGA, Second Round (Golf, 7:30 PM)

🥊 One Championship Special: One Fight Night 15 (Amazon, 8:00 PM)

⚽ NWSL Soccer: Washington Spirit at OL Reign (CBS, 8:00 PM)

🏐 Girls High School Volleyball: Cathedral Catholic (CA) at Prestonwood Christian (TX) (ESPNU, 10:00 PM)

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines

🕗 EARLY PRIMETIME 🕖

💲 Switch (GSN, 7:00 PM) 
🏠 HGTV Uban Oasis Special 2023 (HGTV, 7:00 PM) 

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

⚖ Deadlocked: How America Shapes the Supreme Court (Showtime, 8:00 PM) 'Bush v. Gore divides the nation and challenges perceptions of the Court; the Supreme Court enters a new era of ideological polarization.'

🔔 Power Book IV: Force (Starz, 8:00 PM) 'Tommy and Diamond expand their coalition by bringing Vic and Jenard into CBI; Mirković warns Tommy against encroaching on Serb territory, and makes good on his threat with catastrophic results.'

🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (Fox, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 The Very Very Best of the 80s (AXS TV, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush (Discovery, 8:00 PM)
🚗 Engine Masters (Motortrend, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Ridiculousness (MTV, 8:00 PM) 
💖 Ready to Love (OWN, 8:00 PM) 
💀 The Real Murders of Atlanta (Oxygen, 8:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: First Shift (Reelz, 8:00 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🎭 American Masters (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'Bebop pioneer and virtuoso composer Max Roach's far-reaching ambitions were inspired and challenged by the inequities of the society around him.'

🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 'Guy Fieri returns to some of his favorite diners, drive-ins and dives. Whether they've opened new locations, expanded their old ones or added to their menus, these DDD veterans are always pushing the boundaries of their culinary comfort zones.'

💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
💀 Killer Cases (A&E 9:00 PM) 
💰 Bering Sea Gold (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) 
🏠 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
👽 The Unexplained (History, 9:00 PM) 
🎥 Hannah Swensen Mysteries: A Zest for Death (HMC, 9:00 PM) 
🔨 Beachfront Bargain Hunt Renovation (Magnolia, 9:00 PM) 
🚗 Hot Rod Garage (Motortrend, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 Ridiculousness (MTV, 9:00 PM) 
🔨 Rebuilding Black Wall Street (OWN, 9:00 PM)
💀 Real Murders of Los Angeles (Oxygen, 9:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
💖 Love After Lockup (WE, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 

v/h/s 85

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 10:00 PM) 
💀 Murder in the 21st (A&E, 10:01 PM) 
👽 The Proof is Out There (History, 10:03 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 11:35 PM) 'Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger; Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit perform.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 PM) 'Actor Matt Damon; actress Kristin Chenoweth; Brann Dailor sits in with the 8G Band.

💰 Gold Rush: The Dirt (Discovery Channel, 11:00 PM) 
🔔 The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 
🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 Nightline (ABC, 12:37 AM)
🔔 The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS, 12:37 AM) 

📺Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO BINGE📺

The Andy Griffith Show (Sundance, 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM); Law & Order (Pop, 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM); Futurama (Comedy Central, 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM); M*A*S*H* (TVLand, 8:30 AM - 11:00 AM); Roseanne (CMT, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM); Parks and Recreation (Comedy Central, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM); Living Single (TVOne, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM); Hawaii Five-0 (Ion, 10:00 AM - 2:00 AM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM); Seinfeld (Comedy Central, 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM) - The Andy Griffith Show (TVLand, 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM); Family Ties (Antenna, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM); One Day at a Time (Antenna, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM); The Office (Comedy Central, 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM); Three's Company (Antenna, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM); Everybody Loves Raymond (TVLand, 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM); The Jeffersons (Antenna, 8:00 PM -9:00 PM); Barney Miller (Antennae, 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM); King of Queens (TVLand, 11:00 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); Mom (TVLand, 2:00 AM - 3:36 AM); Benson (Antenna, 3:00 AM - 4:00 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 10:00 PM) 'Actress Jane Fonda; actor Orson Bean; actor Skip Stephenson; Dr. Michael Fox.'

A Deadly Invitation

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

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