What's On Tonight (Friday): Masters of the Air, Doling Out the Bombs...

Masters of the Air

I never watched Band of Brothers or The Pacific, but I've always wanted to.  Okay, that's a lie.  I don't really care that I didn't see either.  I don't watch a lot of war films that don't have "star" in the title (I know we're talking about TV series here, but these are essentially one long episodic film) and when both originally aired, I didn't have HBO.  I never sought out the DVDs or tried to find them on streaming.  I'm not sure if I'm just not into them or I'm afraid I'll get sucked in should I give them a shot.

So, why did I make Apple's Masters of the Air today's Top Pick?  My father served on a bombing crew in Italy towards the end of World War 2, so this show has piqued my interest a bit.  My father never talked about his time there, but he was pretty old when I came along, and he had had quite the life between WW2 and me, so maybe he was talked out.  I will check this out, or I will the next time I get Apple.  Or I'll find it on Blu-Ray.  God as my witness*, at some point in the future, I will watch this series.

*I don't believe in God, so it's an empty promise through and through.

TOP PICK

⭐🔔 Masters of the Air (Apple, 12:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'Reuniting the award-winning team of Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman who also produced "Band of Brothers" and "The Pacific," "Masters of the Air" is an action-packed drama that follows the true story of an American bomber group in World War II.'✔️

Elsewhere...

*Nicole Kidman heads up Amazon's new prestige-y series, Expats.  It appears to be about people of privilege (the expats) and the servants (local Hong Kong residents) who work for them.  It looks very class struggle, serious and dramatic, and at some point Kidman's kid disappears.  It's probably great but I'm already getting distracted by shiny things in the corner of my eye.

*Amazon also has a new sports comedy called The Underdoggs starring Snoop Dogg as an ex-football player forced to coach a kids' team.  I've read about Snoop's Youth Football League, so this is obviously a subject close to his heart, and I did get some laughs out of the trailer.  The only issue I have here is I can't buy Snoop as an ex-NFL player.  That is a bridge too far.

*Do you like HP Lovecraft?  Do you like sexy HP Lovecraft?  Well, has Shudder got the film for you!  Heather Graham stars in Suitable Flesh.  The trailer is kind of bonkers.  From what I can tell Graham plays a Psychiatrist who has sex with a patient who switches bodies with her and fucks a lot of people.  Since it's Lovecraft, I assume there will be some body horror as well.  Of course, it's rated 84% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.  

PREMIERES

Expats

🔔 Expats (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Set against the vibrant and tumultuous tapestry of 2014 Hong Kong, this series centers on three American women - Margaret, Hilary, and Mercy - whose lives intersect after a sudden family tragedy. The series interrogates privilege and explores what happens when the line between victimhood and culpability becomes blurred.  Starring Nicole Kidman.'✔️

🎥 The Underdoggs (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 'Jaycen "Two Js" Jennings is a washed-up ex-professional football star who has hit rock bottom. When Jaycen is sentenced to community service coaching the Underdoggs, an unruly pee-wee football team in his hometown of Long Beach, California, he sees it as an opportunity to rebuild his public image and turn his life around.  Starring Snoop Dogg and Mike Epps.'✔️

👮‍♂️ Flex X Cop (Hulu, 12:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'A fun-loving rich boy gets entangled in an incident and joins a violent crime investigation team. By mobilizing his enormous wealth and personal connections, the third-generation chaebol detective catches criminals who are beyond the reach of the police.'

🎥 Badland Hunters (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Years after Seoul turns into an apocalyptic wasteland, a tough huntsman takes matters into his own hands when a teenager he's close to is abducted by a mad doctor who conducts experiments on humans.'✔️

😂 Sit Down with Stand Up Udom Taephanich (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Thailand's renowned stand-up comedian Udom Taephanich shares his unique stories and perspectives in this groundbreaking interview with Yuthana Boonorm.'

🎥 Suitable Flesh (Shudder, 3:01 AM) 'Psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby becomes obsessed with helping a young patient suffering extreme personality disorder. But it leads her into dark occult danger as she tries to escape a horrific fate.  Starring Heather Graham.'✔️

🏀 Gone Before His Time: Kobe Bryant (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'Recount the achievements – some personal, some professional, and many halted – of an NBA legend before his untimely death.'✔️

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 Sago Mini Friends (Apple, 12:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

🔔 Border Control: Spain (Discovery+ & Max, 3:01 AM) SEASON THREE.

🔔 Hightown (Starz, 9:00 PM) SEASON THREE PREMIERE.

Gone Before His Time: Kobe Bryant

STREAMING

😈 Hazbin Hotel (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 

🏠 The Established Home (Discovery+, 3:01 AM) 

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

💖 Love is Blind: Sweden (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. 

🔔 The Woman in the Wall (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "Show Thyself" 

🔔 Undead Unluck (Hulu, 2:01 PM) 

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🎾 2024 Australian Open Tennis: Men's Semifinals (ESPN, 12:00 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ LPGA Tour Golf: LPGA Drive On Championship, Second Round (Golf, 12:00 PM)

🏌️‍♂️ PGA Tour Golf: Farmers Insurance Open, Third Round (Golf, 3:00 PM)

⛸ Figure Skating: US Championships: Men's Short Program (USA, 4:00 PM)

🏌️‍♂️ PGA Tour Golf: Farmers Insurance Open, Third Round (CBS, 5:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Ohio at Kent State (CBSSN, 6:30 PM)

🏒 NHL Hockey: Vegas Golden Knights at New York Rangers (ESPN, 7:00 PM)

🤸‍♂️ Women's College Gymnastics: Alabama at Florida (ESPN2, 7:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Marist at Niagara (ESPNU, 7:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Dallas Mavericks vs. Atlanta Hawks (NBA TV, 7:00 PM)

⛸ Figure Skating: US Championships, Women's Free Skate (NBC, 8:00 PM)

🏒 College Hockey: Denver at North Dakota (CBSSN, 8:30 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Saint Joseph's at St. Bonaventure (ESPN2, 8:30 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Utah Valley at Seattle (ESPNU, 9:00 PM)

🏂 X Games Aspen 2024 (ESPN, 9:30 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Portland Trail Blazers vs. San Antonio Spurs (NBA TV, 9:30 PM)

🏀 Geico ESPN High School Basketball Showcase (ESPNU, 11:00 PM)

Suitable Flesh

🕗 EARLY PRIMETIME 🕗

🔔 Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes (Disney Jr, 4:00 PM) 
💲 Blank Slate (GSN, 6:00 PM) 

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🔔 Penn & Teller: Fool Us (CW, 8:00 PM) 'Featured magicians include Sanjeev Vinodh, Mortenn Christiansen, Giancarlo Bernini and Jeffrey Wang.'

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV, 8:00 PM) 'Live from Tuckahoe, it's RDR Live! The queens are challenged to serve up laughs in a hilarious send-up of the iconic sketch comedy show. Actress and three-time SNL host Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).'

🔔 Powerbook III: Raising Kanan (Starz, 8:01 PM) 'As a despondent Lou becomes a liability for the family, Raq and Marvin work to get the new heroin operation up and running amidst new competition from Kanan and Ronnie.'

🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (Fox, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush (Discovery, 8:00 PM) 
💖 Ready to Love (OWN, 8:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: First Shift (Reelz, 8:00 PM)

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🔔 Masters of Illusion (CW, 9:00 PM) 'Featured magicians include Nick Dopuch, Christian Mascia, Andi Gladwin, Maxence Vire, Wayne Hoffman and My Uyen.'

🔔 Hustlers Gamblers Crooks (Discovery, 9:00 PM) 'A crafty card counter robs casinos using a pair of computerized shoes; a veteran card cheat must out-cheat another cheater; a brazen bookie attempts to outrun the law.'

🔔 Hightown (Starz, 9:00 PM) 'State cop Jackie Quiñones is back to her wild partying ways; Ray Abruzzi is top cop after taking down the New York connection; imprisoned Frankie Cuevas secures a new partner on the outside.'

🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 
🏠 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
🏠 Beachfront Bargain Hunt Renovation (Magnolia, 9:00 PM) 
🚗 Hot Rod Garage (Motortrend, 9:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
💖 Love After Lockup: Life After Lockup (WE, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 
😂 World's Funniest Animals (CW, 9:30 PM) 
🔔 Untucked: RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV, 9:30 PM) 

Badland Hunters

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

🎵 CMT Campfire Sessions (CMT, 10:00 PM) 'Multi-Platinum singer-songwriter Riley Green pays homage to his roots around a campfire, giving an intimate performance of his biggest hits like "There Was This Girl," "I Wish Grandpas Never Died" and "Different 'Round Here."' 

💰 Outback Opal Hunters (Discovery, 10:00 PM) 
🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
🚗 Graveyard Carz (Motortrend, 10:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 10:00 PM)

LATE NIGHT

🔔 The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 'TV personality Ken Jeong; former professional basketball player Dwyane Wade; comic Pete Lee.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:35 PM) 'Actress Tina Fey; actor Andrew Scott; Morgan Rose sits in with the 8G Band.'

🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 12:05 PM) 
🔔 Nightline (ABC, 12:37 AM)
🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 12:37 AM)

📺Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO BINGE📺

The Andy Griffith Show (Sundance, 6:00 AM - 1:00 PM); Law & Order (Pop, 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM); Roseanne (CMT, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM); M*A*S*H* (TVLand, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM); Living Single (TVOne, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM); South Park (Comedy Central, 10:10 AM - 2:00 PM); Hawaii Five-0 (Ion, 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM); 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); Archie Bunker's Place (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); The King of Queens (TVLand, 11:05 PM - 2:00 AM); Designing Women (Antenna, 11:00 PM - 12:00 AM); Becker (Antenna, 12:00 AM - 1:00 AM); The Drew Carey Show (Antennae, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM); Alice (Antenna, 2:00 AM - 3:00 AM); Mom (TVLand, 2:00 AM - 4:00 AM); The Jeffersons (Antenna, 3:00 AM - 4:00 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 10:00 PM) 'Actor Bonnie Hunt; actor Cathy Ladman; actor and comedian Martin Short.'

The Underdoggs

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

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