What's On Tonight (Friday): It's a Do or Die Situation...

     

Invincible

Way back in the spring of 2021 Amazon premiered its animated superhero series, Invincible.  It was one of my earliest Top Picks and is a great show.  It could have been a cynical, nihilistic take on superhero culture, ala The Boys, but it somehow manages to walk the line between cynicism and hopefulness.  It helps that most of the young heroes, including the lead character, genuinely want to use their powers to help.  Do they engage in graphic violence while doing so?  Hells yeah!

I'm going to have to do a re-watch of the first season, and the Atom Eve origin special from earlier this year, before digging into the new season.  Two and a half years is a long time to have to wait between seasons, and judging by the trailer, I apparently forgot some things.  I don't have a problem with that.  The episodes are long for an animated show, and it might take me a while to get through them, but they are oh so good.

TOP PICK

⭐🦸‍♂️Invincible (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE. 'Mark struggles to rebuild his life as he faces a host of new threats, all while battling his greatest fear – that he might become his father without even knowing it.'

Elsewhere...

*For some reason the Apple original, Fingernails, is listed as premiering today, even though it was supposed to premiere last Friday.  No idea why.  Apple needs to get it's shit together.  I ain't making another GIF.

*Netflix has a new comedy film starring Awkwafina and Sandra Oh as sisters trying to pay off their mom's gambling debts.  My first thought on reading about this was, "Isn't Sandra Oh too old to play Awkwafina's sister?"  Turns out, Awkwafina is a little older than I thought, but Oh is still 17 years older.  Not impossible to buy that they are siblings, and maybe the age difference is part of the story, but I'm guessing there just aren't a ton of famous actresses of Chinese descent (or the producers just don't know of any) in Hollywood.  I got some laughs from the trailer.  I might check it out.

*Then again, I also got some laughs from the My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 trailer, and I almost certainly will not be checking that one out (though Andrea Martin looks hilarious in it).

*Netflix also has a new film starring Annette Benning and Jodie Foster about swimmer Diana Nyad, appropriately titled Nyad.  Reviews so far have been decent if not superb.  The two directors, married couple Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, are primarily known for documentaries, Free Solo probably being their best-known film.   A complaint I've seen in some of the reviews is they use so much actual footage that it probably would have been a better film if it had just been a documentary.  I'm fine with it being a narrative film since I welcome any opportunity for Benning and Foster to do their thing.

*We've got competing Christmas movies today!  In this corner is Hallmark's Flipping for Christmas.  Its opponent is Roku's How to Fall in Love by the Holidays.  The former stars Askley Newbrough and Marcus Rosner, and the latter stars Teri Hatcher and Dan Payne.  I don't know Payne, but based on Hatcher's presence alone, I'm going to give the win to Roku.  

PREMIERES

Romancero

🔔 Romancero (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Set in Andalusia, the plot tracks Cornelia and Jordán as they flee from the law, powerful supernatural creatures and even themselves during a nightmarish night.'

🎥 Fingernails (Apple, 12:01 AM) 'Anna and Ryan have found true love together.  It's been proven by a controversial test.  There's just one problem: Amma isn't sure.  Then she meets Amir."

🎥 Quiz Lady (Hulu, 12:01 AM) 'A gameshow-obsessed woman and her estranged sister work together to help cover their mother's gambling debts.  Starring Awkwafina, Sandra Oh and Will Ferrell.'

🎥 Sympathy for the Devil (AMC+, 3:01 AM) 'After being forced to drive a mysterious passenger at gunpoint, a man finds himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse where it becomes clear that not everything is at it seems.  Starring Nicolas Cage and Joel Kinnaman.'

🎥 The Scent of Time (Max, 3:01 AM) 'A hard working young woman is transported into her favorite novel and must live the life of a character.'

🔔 Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix, 3:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'Driven by a dream of revenge against those who made her an outcast in Edo-period Japan, a young warrior cuts a bloody path toward her destiny.'

☀ Daily Dose of Sunshine (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Determined to provide a ray of light for those under her care, a young nurse navigates the world of mental health and the diverse stories surrounding it.'

🔔 Ferry: The Series (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Before Undercover's Ferry Bouman became a notorious drug lord, he had to rise from obscurity by ascending the ranks of Brabant's criminal underbelly.'

🎥 Nyad (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Athlete Diana Nyad sets out at 60 to achieve a nearly impossible lifelong dream: to swim from Cuba to Florida across more than 100 miles of open ocean.  Starring Annette Benning and Jodie Foster.'

🎥 Sly (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'His love of film began as an escape from a rocky childhood.  From underdog to Hollywood legend, Sylvester Stallone tells his story in this documentary.'vaca

🎥 Vacaciones De Verano (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Divorced buddies Óscar and Félix apply for a temporary job as children's entertainers at a hotel during the summer, bringing in their own children so they can manage work-life balance.'

🎥 My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (Peacock, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'Join the Portokalos family as they travel to a family reunion in Greece for a heartwarming and hilarious trip full of love, twists and turns.'

🎄 How to Fall in Love by the Holidays (Roku, 3:01 AM) 'Teri Hatcher stars as Nora, a celebrated writer turned CEO who is tasked with writing an article about finding her own holiday romance in order to save her company. Complicating matters is the handsome photographer accompanying Nora on her "journey to love" who can't help but poke fun at her ill-fated Christmas capers.'

🎄 Flipping for Christmas (Hallmark, 8:00 PM) 'It's almost Christmas when busy realtor Abigail agrees to help her sister with the simple flip of a recently inherited home. Unfortunately, co-beneficiary Bo has other plans in mind.'

Quiz Lady

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 Pointless (Britbox, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWENTY-NINE.

🦸‍♀️ Marvel Studio Legends (Disney+, 3:01 AM) "Carol Danvers," "Kamala Khan," "Monica Rambeau"

🏠 Selling Sunset (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON SEVEN.

🔔 The Tailor (Netflix, 3:01 AM) FINAL SEASON.

🎸 The 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (Disney+, 8:00 PM)

💲 The Wall (NBC, 8:00 PM) SEASON FIVE PREMIERE.

🔔 The Family Chantel (TLC, 10:30 PM) SEASON FIVE PREMIERE.

STREAMING

🔔 Gen V (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. 

🔔 Upload (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 

⚗ Lessons in Chemistry (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Ch3cooh" 

👮‍♂️ Basch: Legacy (Freevee, 12:01 AM) "Hollywood Forever / Dos Matadores" 

⚖ Tribunal Justice (Freevee, 12:01 AM) 

🧟‍♂️ Goosebumps (Hulu, 12:01 AM & Disney+, 3:01 AM) "You Don't Scare Me" 

🏠 Beach Cottage Chronicles (Discovery+ & Max, 3:01 AM) 

🏠 Diary of an Old Home (Discovery+ and Max, 3:01 AM) 

🔨 First Time Fixer (Discovery+ & Max, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 Jack Osborne's Buried Bloodlines (Discovery+ & Max, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 Deane's Dynasty (Max, 3:01 AM) 

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

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

🔔 Fellow Travelers (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "Bulletproof" 

🔔 Undead Unluck (Hulu, 2:01 PM) 

👮‍♂️ Cops (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM) 

💖 Love Island Games (Peacock, 9:00 PM) 

Blue Eye Samurai

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🐴 Horse Racing: Breeders' Cup World Championships (USA, 4:00 PM)

🏌️‍♂️ PGA Tour Golf: World Wide Technology Championship, Second Round (Golf, 4:30 PM)

🏈 College Football: Princeton at Dartmouth (ESPN2, 7:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks (ESPN, 7:30 PM)

🏈 College Football: Boston College at Syracuse (ESPN2, 7:30 PM)

🥊 One Championship Special: One Fight Night 16 (Amazon, 8:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Colorado State at Wyoming (CBSSN, 8:00 PM)

🏎 NASCAR Cup Series Championship: Practice (USA, 8:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Dallas Mavericks at Denver Nuggets (ESPN, 10:00 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ LPGA Tour Golf: TOTO Japan Classic, Third Round (Golf, 11:30 PM)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) 'An accessory for using the bathroom outdoors; a collection of tiny building materials for hobbyists; a stickable guitar pick; a line of customizable children's clothing.' 

🔔 Penn & Teller: Fool Us (CW, 8:00 PM) 'Featured magicians include Alexandra, Artem, Anthony Dempsey and Rune Carlsen.'

🔔 Power Book IV (Starz, 8:00 PM) 'Tommy and Diamond suspect a snitch and put their inner circle to the test; Mireya gives Tommy a key piece of information; the war between Miguel and Mirković comes to a head.'

💲 Let's Make a Deal Primetime (CBS, 8:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (Fox, 8:00 PM) 
💲 The Wall (NBC, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 The Very, Very Best of the 80s (AXS, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush (Discovery, 8:00 PM) 
🎄 Flipping for Christmas (Hallmark, 8:00 PM) 
🚗 Engine Masters (Motortrend, 8:00 PM)
🔔 Ridiculousness (MTV, 8:00 PM) 
💖 Ready to Love: Make a Move (OWN, 8:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: First Shift (Reelz, 8:00 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🎭 Great Performances (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'Kate Prince's dance and theater show set to the songs of Sting tells the story of a migrant family and features a mix of dance styles.'

👽 The Unexplained (History, 9:00 PM) 'During the Middle Ages, the Vikings were infamous for being a bloodthirsty band of seafaring warriors; historians are learning surprising new things about this Norse society.'

🔔 Shining Vale (Starz, 9:00 PM) 'In the midst of having scary new dreams about the house, Pat finally comes clean to Terry and must deal with the consequences.'

💰 Raid the Cage (CBS, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 Fboy Island (CW, 9:00 PM) 
💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM)
💀 Killer Cases (A&E, 9:00 PM) 
💰 Bering Sea Gold (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) 
🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 
🔨 Beachfront Bargain Hunt Renovation (Magnolia, 9:00 PM) 
🚗 Runs Good (Motortrend, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 Ridiculousness (MTV, 9:00 PM) 
🔨 Rebuilding Black Wall Street (OWN, 9:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 
💀 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) 

Nyad

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👽 The Proof is Out There (History, 10:03 PM) 'A silver orb in the sky, and alleged crash debris may be from a UFO; a 65-year-old-man might have some of the fastest hands in the West; an infamous spy organization's alleged footage of UFOs and aliens.'

🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 10:00 PM)
💀 Murder in the 21st Century (A&E, 10:01 PM) 
🔔 The Family Chantel (TLC, 10:30 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

💰 Mysteries of the Abandoned (Discovery Channel, 11:05 PM) 'On a picturesque island off the coast of Brazil, this penal colony was once the site of a dramatic prisoner uprising; among the ruins lies the story of the violent rebellion and the recapturing of the island by military forces.'

🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 11:35 PM) 'Olivia Rodrigo talks and performs; actor Eric André.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 PM) 'TV host John Oliver; actors Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp ("Dicks: The Musical"); Neal Daniels sits in with the 8G Band.'

🔔 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, 6:04 AM - 12:00 PM); Law & Order (Pop, 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM); Futurama (Comedy Central, 7:00 AM - 10:10 AM); M*A*S*H* (TVLand, 8:30 AM - 11:00 AM); Roseanne (CMT, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM); South Park (Comedy Central, 10:10 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 - 11:05 PM); The Jeffersons (Antenna, 8:00 PM -9:00 PM); Barney Miller (Antennae, 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM); King of Queens (TVLand, 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); Mom (TVLand, 2:00 AM - 3:36 AM); Benson (Antenna, 3:00 AM - 4:00 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 10:00 PM) 'Actress Dinah Shore; actor Charles Nelson Reilly; actress Teri Garr; Thalassa Cruso.'

Sympathy for the Devil

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

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