What's On Tonight (Friday): Oh, Honey, Honey...

         

Sugar

We have kind of an odd mix of premieres today, and they are led by Top Pick: Sugar.  Colin Farrell stars as a modern-day gumshoe who specializes in finding missing persons, which is convenient as the granddaughter of a big time Hollywood producer has disappeared.  The series has a great support cast including James Cromwell, Amy Ryan, Anna Gunn and Nate Cordry.  

My main concern is that the creator and writer, Mark Protosevich, doesn't have much of resume, and what he does have isn't all that impressive (screenplays for the Oldboy remake and I Am Legend).  Farrell, who is also an executive producer, had shown impressively good taste in his projects over the last few years.  Hopefully, this one isn't a misstep.  I still have my Apple subscription so I'll be checking it out.

TOP PICK

⭐🔔 Sugar (Apple, 12:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Academy Award-nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long buried.'

Elsewhere...

*Netflix has a new film called Scoop, and it has nothing to do with the Woody Allen film of the same name.  Netflix's Scoop stars Billie Piper and Gillian Anderson and is inspired by the true story of the infamous 2019 Prince Andrew interview on BBC Newsnight.  I don't know how many are interested in the backstage machinations that went into securing that interview, but the presence of Piper and Anderson should be enough to pique the interest of a certain cross section of sci-fi fans.

*You would think with Max having the streaming premiere of The Zone of Interest that they could claim the best reviewed film for the day.  With a 93% Fresh score, most weeks that would be true, but today we have two documentaries with even better scores: Girls State on Apple and The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem on Netflix.  The former is sitting at 94% Fresh and the latter at a rare 100%.  Tough break for Max, but a damn fine day for people who like movies.

*What film debuting today is the worst reviewed?  Why, that honor goes to the redheaded stepchild of streaming services: Peacock, which has the streaming premiere of Night Swim.  The score for the Wyatt Russell / Kerry Condon horror film is an anemic 22%.  

PREMIERES

How to Date Billy Walsh

🎥 How to Date Billy Walsh (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 'Teenagers Amelia and Archie have been best friends since childhood. Archie has always been there to fight Amelia’s battles and laugh at her jokes all whilst keeping his lifelong love for her a secret. Just when he builds up the courage to declare his feelings, Amelia falls head over heels for Billy Walsh, the new American transfer student.'

🎥 Girls State (Apple, 12:01 AM) 'A look at what American democracy would look like in the hands of teenage girls. Young female leaders from wildly different backgrounds navigate an immersive experiment to build a government from the ground up.' 

🦕 Dinosaur (Hulu, 12:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Nina, an autistic woman in her thirties, adores her life living with her sister and best friend Evie. But when Evie rushes into an engagement after only six weeks and makes Nina her maid of honor, Nina is floored. Forced to reconcile with her sister's impulsive decision, Nina grapples with what this new challenge means, leading to a surprising journey of self-discovery.'

🎥 The Zone of Interest (Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.' 

🎥 The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'From the rise of QAnon to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, this documentary film explains how a group of bored teenagers built an online community out of their shared loneliness but accidentally shattered consensus reality in the process.' 

🔔 Parasite: The Grey (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'When unidentified parasites violently take over human hosts and gain power, humanity must rise to combat the growing threat.'

🎥 Scoop (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'The inside account of the tenacious journalism that landed an earthshattering interview: Prince Andrew's infamous BBC Newsnight appearance. From the tension of producer Sam McAlister's high stakes negotiations with Buckingham Palace, all the way to Emily Maitlis' jaw-dropping, forensic showdown with the Prince, SCOOP takes us inside the story, with the women who would stop at nothing to get it. Starring Billie Piper, Gillian Anderson and Rufus Sewell.' 

🎥 Night Swim (Peacock, 3:01 AM STREAMING PREMIERE. 'Ray, a former major league baseball player, is forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness. He moves into a new home with his concerned wife, teenage daughter and young son. Secretly hoping to return to pro ball, Ray persuades his wife that the new home's shimmering backyard swimming pool will be fun for the kids and provide physical therapy for him. But a dark secret in the home's past will unleash a malevolent force that will drag the family under, into the depths of inescapable terror.' 

🎥 Baghead (Shudder, 3:01 AM) 'A young woman inherits a run-down pub and discovers a dark secret within its basement, Baghead, a shape-shifting creature that lets one speak to lost loved ones, but not without consequence.' 

🎥 Festival of the Living Dead (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'Ash and her friends encounter the living dead and must fight back or be devoured.'

🔔 Mary & George (Starz, 9:00 PM) LIMITED SERIES. 'Inspired by the scandalous true story of a treacherous mother and son who schemed, seduced and killed to conquer the Court of England and the bed of King James I.  Starring Julianne Moore.'

Scoop

RETURNING SHOWS

🎵 CMT Storytellers (CMT, 8:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION.

👹 Monsters at Work (Disney Channel and Disney XD, 8:00 PM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE.

🔔 Mysteries of the Abandoned (Discovery Channel, 10:00 PM) SEASON THREE PREMIERE.

STREAMING

🔔 Apartment 404 (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 

🔔 Hope on the Street (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 

🔔 Manhunt (Apple, 12:01 AM) "A Man of Destiny" 

🔔 The Reluctant Traveler (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Greece: Island-Hopping in the Aegean" 

🔔 Alex Rider (Freevee, 12:01 AM) SERIES FINALE. 

⚖ Judy Justice (Freevee, 12:01 AM) SPRING FINALE. 

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

🔔 A Gentleman in Moscow (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "An Invitation" 

👮‍♂️ Cops (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM) 

👮‍♂️ Crime Cam 24/7 (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM) 

The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem

2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament

🏀 NC State vs. South Carolina (ESPN and ESPN2, 7:00 PM)
🏀 Connecticut vs. Iowa (ESPN and ESPN2, 9:30 PM)

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️‍♂️ PGA Korn Ferry Tour Golf: Club Car Championship, Second Round (Golf, 10:30 AM)

🏀 Girls High School Basketball: Chipotle Nationals: Team TBA vs. Long Island Lutheran (NY) (ESPNU, 12:30 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ Live From the Augusta National Women's Amateur (Golf, 1:30 PM)

🏀 Boys High School Basketball: Chipotle Nationals, First Semifinal: Teams TBA (ESPN2, 2:30 PM)

🏌️‍♂️ PGA Tour Golf: Valero Texas Open, Second Round (Golf, 4:00 PM)

🏀 Boys High School Basketball: Chipotle Nationals, Second Semifinal: Teams TBA (ESPN2, 4:30 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: New York Mets at Cincinnati Reds (Apple, 6:30 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Reese's All-Star Game (CBSSN, 6:30 PM)

🥎 College Softball: Oklahoma at Texas (ESPNU, 6:30 PM)

🏀 NBA G League Basketball: TBA at Osceola Magic (ESPNW, 7:00 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ LPGA Tour Golf: T-Mobile Match Play, Group Stage (Golf, 7:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Sacramento Kings at Boston Celtics (NBA TV, 7:30 PM)

🥊 One Fight Night 21 (Amazon, 8:00 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: Hoston Astros at Texas Rangers (Apple, 8:00 PM)

🥍 NLL Lacrosse: Buffalo bandits at Colorado Mammoth (ESPNU, 9:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Minnesota Timberwolves at Phoenix Suns (NBA TV, 10:00 PM)

🏎 Formula 1 Racing: Japanese Grand Prix, Practice 3 (ESPNW, 10:25 PM)

🏎 Formula 1 Racing: Japanese Grand Prix, Qualifying (ESPN2, 1:55 PM)

Girls State

🕗 MIDNIGHT 🕗

🔔 Royal Crackers (Adult Swim, 12:00 AM) 'After Matt embarrasses the family, Stebe and Theo decide to discipline him the way their father used to, by leaving him to fend for himself in the middle of nowhere.'

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) 'An all-in-one styling device for textured hair; a multiuse water bottle; a baby bottle monitor that signals spoiled milk; swim goggles that will not pull one's hair; Emma Grede returns as guest shark.'

👮‍♂️ S.W.A.T. (CBS, 8:00 PM) 'After the shocking shooting of a member of 20-Squad, Hondo and the team launch a citywide manhunt for the robbery crew responsible; Deacon's plans for his future hit a snag; Powell and Alfaro clash over a tricky issue.'

🔔 Penn & Teller: Fool Us (CW, 8:00 PM) 'Featured magicians include Jason and Stacy Alan, Markobi, Luis Olmedo and Alyx Hilshey.'

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV, 8:00 PM) 'The queens dig deep and write their memoirs, pose for a book cover photo shoot, and are grilled by co-host of Las Culturistas podcast Matt Rogers. Journalist and author Ronan Farrow (Catch and Kill) guest judges.'

🎵 CMT Storytellers (CMT, 8:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (Fox, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush: White Water (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 
👹 Monsters at Work (Disney Channel and Disney XD, 8:00 PM) 
💖 Ready to Love (OWN, 8:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: First Shift (Reelz, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 BMF (Starz, 8:00 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🔥 Fire Country (CBS, 9:00 PM) 'The station 42 crew must protect Edgewater and take cover when an extremely rare and dangerous fire tornado leaves lives in peril.'

🎭 American Masters (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'The intellectual evolution and political legacy of American conservative writer and political commentator William F. Buckley Jr.'

👽 The Unexplained Special Presentation (History, 9:00 PM) 'Most disappearances can be explained by either foul play or bad luck. However, there are some cases that defy conventional wisdom. How can a modern jetliner simply drop off radar screens? And why do so many people go missing in the state of Alaska?'

🔔 Mary & George (Starz, 9:00 PM) 'Mary Villiers develops a cunning plan to transform her family's fortunes forever, but first she must convince her beautiful but disobedient son George to rise to the occasion and claim their destiny.'

💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
💰 America's Backyard Gold (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) 
🍴 Diners, Drive-ins & Dives (Food & Max, 9:00 PM) 
🚗 Wheeler Dealers (Motortrend, 9:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
🤮 Mama June: From Not to Hot (WE, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 
🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (MTV, 9:30 PM) 

The Zone of Interest

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👮‍♂️ Blue Bloods (CBS, 10:00 PM) 'Erin is designated to lead a federal investigation into corrupt horse racing; Jamie investigates a drug trafficking operation involving rival gangs; Danny and Baez look into a series of assaults in Little Vietnam with the help of a familiar face.'

🔔 Mysteries of the Abandoned (Discovery Channel, 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) 'Actor Glen Powell; actor Christian Slater; Arlo Parks performs.'

🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 1:37 AM) 'Actor Rob Riggle; comic Adam Ray; drag queen Monét X Change.'

🔔 Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show (HBO, 11:00 PM) 
🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 12:05 PM) 
🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 12:35 PM) 
🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:35 PM) 
🔔 Nightline (ABC, 12:37 AM)

📺Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO BINGE📺

The Andy Griffith Show (Sundance, 5:00 AM - 8:57 AM); Law & Order (Pop, 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM); Futurama (Comedy Central, 7:00 AM - 10:10 AM); Roseanne (CMT, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM); M*A*S*H* (TVLand, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM); Hawaii Five-0 (Ion, 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM); South Park (Comedy Central, 10:10 AM - 2:00 PM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM); Seinfeld (Comedy Central, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM); The Andy Griffith Show (TVLand, 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM); Family Ties (Antenna, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM); The Office (Comedy Central, 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM); Archie Bunker's Place (Antenna, 6:00 PM - 7:00 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 - 4:15 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 10:00 PM) 'Actor Jonathan Winters; actor Peter Strauss.'

Dinosaur

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

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