What's On Tonight (Friday): We're Not Saying It's Aliens, But...

via Giphy

Shortly before Christmas I was checking out the upcoming events at a nearby theater looking for something my wife and I could see.  One of the selections was Ancient Aliens Live.  I briefly considered it as it seems like an absolutely bugnuts idea to do a live tour for this show.  We could toke up, have dinner somewhere and then enjoy the insanity.  Then I considered what sort of people would actually buy tickets to this sort of thing, and better judgement prevailed.  I ended up going with Laser Floyd.

Today Ancient Aliens premieres its 20th season.  Before you wonder how the heck the producers of this show managed to take this concept and stretch it out over 20 seasons, please remember that Curse of Oak Island is currently on season 11 and has several spin offs.  We may lament that the History Channel has drifted so far from its original mission statement of showing non-stop World War II documentaries, but they seem to know what their audience wants.

TOP PICK

⭐👽 Ancient Aliens (History, 9:00 PM) SEASON TWENTY PREMIERE.✔️

Elsewhere...

*Not a lot of premieres today but several shows are returning, including RuPaul's Drag Race.  I've never watched it but that has less to do with any aversion to drag queens and much more to do with my aversion to reality competition shows (Great British Baking Show is the only one I watch).  So, this is not my cup of tea, but I do find a lot of the costumes to be pretty goddamn spectacular.

*Netflix is premiering a new film from Dan Levy, who wrote, directed and stars in it.  It's about a man who decides to take two of his friends to Paris a year after his husband died.  The film doesn't appear to be a total downer, but it looks extremely melancholy.  I'm still slowly working my way through Clare and the End of the World, so I'm afraid my melancholy Netflix dance card is filled up for the time being.

*Tubi is debuting a new horror film, Where the Devil Roams, that currently is sitting at 100% fresh at Rotten Tomatoes.  My feel for it is someone took HBO's Carnivale and mixed it with cannibalism and David Lynch.  There's gotta be someone out there who would be excited by that mix.  As messed up as this film looks, my one question is, why is this not on Shudder?

*AMC+ has a new film called Muzzle that looks like a dark and gritty remake of the 1989 Jim Belushi non-classic, K9.  It stars Aaron Eckhart and Stephen Lang.  At least we can be fairly certain the dog lives at the end since Eckhart's entire motivation is his original police dog is killed at the beginning of the film.  That's kind of like having your cake and shooting it too.  John Wick nods approvingly.

PREMIERES

Foe

🎥 Foe (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 'Hen and Junior farm a secluded piece of land that has been in Junior's family for generations, but their quiet life is thrown into turmoil when an uninvited stranger shows up at their door with a startling proposal. Starring Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal.  Based on best-selling author Iain Reid's novel.'✔️

🎥 Muzzle (AMC+, 3:01 AM) 'A Los Angeles police officer and his K-9 partner try to uncover a vast conspiracy that has a chokehold on the city.'✔️

🎥 Good Grief (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'An artist grieving the loss of his famous writer husband takes his two best friends on a trip to Paris, where they unpack messy secrets and hard truths.  Starring Daniel Levy, Ruth Negga, Himesh Patel and Luke Evans.  Written and directed by Daniel Levy.'✔️

🎥 Where the Devil Roams (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'In Depression Era America, a family of performers travels a dying carnival circuit. Eve sings for their supper, but off-stage their bloody side act is booming. When the family's bond is severed by a violent comeuppance, Eve is there to pick up the pieces. After stealing magic from a sinister Devil-dealing carny, the family's gruesome act begins to shine. But Eve must continue to cut and sew, as the Devil guides them from below.'✔️

💀 The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard (Lifetime, 8:00 PM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Features unprecedented access to Blanchard, a victim of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy who suffered horrific abuse and made national headlines for her role in her mother's violent murder. Currently still incarcerated, Gypsy's shocking story has been told by many others but now, as she approaches her release in December, she is finally ready to tell her truth before she becomes a free woman for the first time in her life. '

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 James May: Our Man In... (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON THREE.

😂 LOL: Last One Laughing Quebec (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE.

👹 Gyeongseong Creature (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON FINALE.

😂 The Greatest @Home Videos (CBS, 8:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION.

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV, 8:00 PM) SEASON SIXTEEN PREMIERE.✔️

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (MTV, 9:20 PM) SEASON TWELVE PREMIERE.

🏠 Beachfront Bargain Hunt Renovation (Magnolia, 9:00 PM) SEASON EIGHT PREMIERE.

RuPaul's Drag Race

STREAMING

🔔 Reacher (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 

🚀 For All Mankind (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Brazil" 

👹 Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Axis Mundi" 

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

🔔 The Curse (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "Young Hearts" 

😈 My Demon (Netflix, 8:01 AM) 

🔔 Undead Unluck (Hulu, 2:01 PM) 

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏀 Boy's High School Basketball: Thornton (Ill.) vs. Richmond Heights (Ohio) (ESPN2, 5:30 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Miami (Ohio) at Toledo (CBSSN, 7:00 PM)

🤼‍♂️ Men's College Wrestling: Oklahoma State at NC State (ESPNU, 7:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers (ESPN & ESPN2, 7:30 PM) 

🏀 College Basketball: Bowling Green at Akron (CBSSN, 9:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN, 10:00 PM) 

Good Grief

🕗 EARLY PRIMETIME 🕗

🔔 Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes (Disney Jr, 4:00 PM) 
😂 Ridiculousness (MTV, 7:00 PM) 

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

😂 The Greatest @Home Videos (CBS, 8:00 PM) 'Cedric the Entertainer hosts an awards season-themed special in which he shines a spotlight on the best of the best in viral videos from around the world; actor Max Greenfield stops by to play the role of "verifier of the results of stuff."' 

💀 The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard (Lifetime, 8:00 PM) 'On the eve of Gypsy Rose Blanchard's parole hearing, she shares shocking revelations and disturbing secrets; the now 31-year-old talks about her earliest childhood memories of unfounded medical conditions and allegations of sexual abuse.' / 'When Hurricane Katrina devastates Louisiana, Gypsy and her mother are relocated to Missouri; there, Gypsy comes to the grim realization she's addicted to pain medication; when Gypsy runs away to be with her new boyfriend, there will be hell to pay.' 

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV, 8:00 PM) 'A new cast of queens, competing to be crowned America's Next Drag Superstar, must show off their performance skills in a talent show. Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron guest judges.' 

🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (Fox, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush (Discovery, 8:00 PM) 
🚗 Roadkill Garage (Motortrend, 8:00 PM) 
💖 Ready to Love: Make a Move (OWN, 8:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: First Shift (Reelz, 8:00 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 'Guy Fieri goes from strudel to noodle; in Boulder, Colo., a boho joint serves sweet strudel; Alberta's next-level Nepalese; in Memphis, Tenn., a couple brings big flavor to killer noodles.' 

👽 Ancient Aliens (History, 9:00 PM) 'Giorgio Tsoukalos looks at mysterious teachers who have appeared throughout history, including a biblical patriarch, a race of fish-people, and Egypt's most controversial Pharoah.' 

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (MTV, 9:20 PM) 'Settle into the Untucked lounge, as the first seven queens spill the tea on all the twists and turns of their first week in the competition.' 

🏠 Beachfront Bargain Hunt Renovation (Magnolia, 9:00 PM) 
🚗 Hot Rod Garage (Motortrend, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 Belle Collective (OWN, 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) 

Muzzle

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👽 Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd (History, 10:04 PM) 'A blind man who uses bat-like powers of echolocation to navigate his surroundings; a samurai with reflexes faster than a speeding bullet; a man who's immune to electrocution.' 

💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 10:00 PM) 
💰 Outback Opal Hunters (Discovery, 10:01 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 'Musician Keith Richards; 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne talk and perform.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:35 PM) 'Actress Tracee Ellis Ross; comic Mike Birbiglia; Marcus Gilmore sits in with the 8G Band.'

🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 11:00 PM) 
🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 12:05 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 - 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, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM); Hawaii Five-0 (Ion, 10:00 AM - 1:00 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); 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, 11:00 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 David Steinberg; actor Drew Carey; actor Regis Philbin.'

Where the Devil Roams

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

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