What's On Tonight (Friday): These Knuckles Don't Crack...

            

Knuckles

I'm pretty lucky to have Fridays to cover for WOT.  There's almost always more than one thing premiering that I would actually like to check out.  Then there are Fridays like today when there is basically nothing I want to watch.  Knuckles comes closest to something I could actually see myself at least sampling.  Given the other options, Knuckles gets today's Top Pick pretty much by default.

For those concerned about continuity, this series takes place between the Sonic 2 film and the upcoming Sonic 3.  No, I don't actually believe anyone cares about continuity in the Sega Cinematic Universe, but Paramount, like all Hollywood studios, believes that people do.  Who am I to argue with Hollywood?

TOP PICK

⭐🦔 Knuckles (Paramount, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Follows Knuckles (Idris Elba) on a hilarious and action-packed journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train Wade (Adam Pally) as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.'✔️

Elsewhere...

*And what of today's other offerings? Well, we got the Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story.  I live in NJ, and I am very aware of how charitable Jon Bon Jovi is, especially all the things he supported after Hurricane Sandy, but I cannot for the life of me understand how Bon Jovi (the band) has managed to stay at least somewhat popular over the years.  Crazy pills.

*We have a second music documentary in the form of Call Me Country: Beyonce & Nashville's Renaissance.  CNN FlashDocs produced, but Max has the premiere.  Did CNN think this wasn't hard hitting enough journalism to air on their own channel?  I might buy that if I believed CNN has anything to do with journalism.  

*Shudder has yet another well reviewed horror film debuting today: Infested.  This one has spiders both small and large and a 94% Fresh rating.  It's a French film so all the spiders sound like Maurice Chevalier.  Au-haw-haw-haw!

PREMIERES

Luxe Listings Toronto

🏠 Luxe Listings Toronto (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Follows one of the most cutthroat real estate markets on the planet, showcasing high-stakes multimillion-dollar listings in Canada's largest city.'✔️

🎵 Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story (Hulu, 12:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'A four-part, all access docuseries chronicling the epic past and uncertain future of one of the most recognizable bands in the world and its front-man Jon Bon Jovi.'✔️

🎵 Call Me Country: Beyonce & Nashville's Renaissance (Max, 3:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'As Beyoncé recently became the first Black woman to ever top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, a larger conversation about what defines country music has exploded into the zeitgeist. This new documentary examines this reckoning in the genre, straight from the country music capital of the world.'✔️

🔔 The Asunta Case (Netflix, 3:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'After two parents report that their 12-year-old daughter Asunta is missing, the investigation soon turns against them. Inspired by true events.'✔️

🌎 Goodbye Earth (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'As an asteroid hurtles towards Earth with nothing to stop it, one determined teacher fights to keep her former students safe — no matter the cost.'

🎥 Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Delve into the digestive system with this lighthearted and informative documentary that demystifies the role gut health plays in our overall well-being.'

🎥 Infested (Shudder, 3:01 AM) 'Kaleb is about to turn 30 and has never been lonelier. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.'✔️

🎥 This Never Happened (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'While staying at her boyfriend’s childhood home with him and his friends, a young woman experiences terrifying visions of a violent spirit.'

🎭 Art Happens Here with John Lithgow (PBS, 10:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'Actor John Lithgow goes back to high school to demonstrate the transformative power of arts education, exploring dance, ceramics, silk-screen printing and vocal jazz ensemble.'

RETURNING SHOWS

🏎 100 Days to Indy (CW, 9:00 PM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE.

🔔 We're Here (HBO, 9:00 PM) SEASON FOUR PREMIERE.

🔔 The New York Times Presents (FX, 10:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION.

Call Me Country: Beyonce & Nashville's Renaissance 

STREAMING

🔔 Franklin (Apple, 12:01 AM) "The Natural State of Man" 

🔔 Sugar (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Boy in the Corner" 

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

-

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

👮‍♂️ Cops (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM) 

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

🎥 The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs (Shudder, 9:00 PM) 

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️‍♂️ PGA Tour Champions Golf: Mitsubishi Electric Classic, First Round (Golf, 12:00 PM)

🏌️‍♂️ PGA Tour Golf: Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Second Round (Golf, 3:30 PM)

🏐 Women's College Beach Volleyball: WCC Tournament, Championship: Teams TBA (ESPNU, 4:30 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Milwaukee Bucks at Indiana Pacers (ESPN, 5:30 PM)

🏌️‍♂️ LPGA Tour Golf: JM Eagle LA Championship, Second Round (Golf, 6:30 PM)

🏈 2024 NFL Draft: Rounds 2-3 (ABC, 7:00 PM) 

⚾ MLB Baseball: St Louis Cardinals at New York Mets (Apple, 7:00 PM) 

🥍 Men's College Lacrosse: Army at Loyola (MD) (CBSSN, 7:00 PM)

🏒 NHL Hockey: New York Rangers at Washington Capitals (TNT and TruTV, 7:00 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: Tampa Bay rays at Chicago White Sox (Apple, 7:30 PM) 

🏒 NHL Hockey: Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators (TBS, 7:30 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Los Angeles Clippers at Dallas Mavericks (ESPN, 8:00 PM)

🏐 Pro Volleyball Federation: Grand Rapids Rise at Omaha Supernovas (CBSSN, 9:30 PM)

⚽ NWSL Soccer: Angel City FC at Kansas City Current (Amazon, 10:00 PM)

🏒 NHL Hockey: Winnipeg Jets at Colorado Avalanche (TNT and TruTV, 10:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Minnesota Timberwolves at Phoenix Suns (ESPN, 10:30 PM)

🏒 NHL Hockey: Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings (TBS, 10:30 PM)

🏌️‍♂️ DP World Tour Golf: ISPS Handa Championship, Third Round (Golf, 11:00 PM)

Infested

🕗 MIDNIGHT 🕗

🔔 Royal Crackers (Adult Swim, 12:00 AM) "Prison"

🕗 EARLY PRIMETIME 🕗

💲 Switch (GSN, 7:00 PM) 
💲 Split Second (GSN, 7:30 PM) 

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

👮‍♂️ S.W.A.T. (CBS, 8:00 PM) 'The squad scrambles to track down a cold-blooded sniper terrorizing Los Angeles; Tan finds himself questioning his leadership abilities; Powell and Alfaro compete in a classic game of S.W.A.T. tag.'

🔔 Penn & Teller: Fool Us (CW, 8:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'Featured magicians include Nikola Arkane, Rubi, Vinny Grosso and Gonzalo Mateos.'

🔔 BMF (Starz, 8:01 PM) 'Meech and Terry travel to Miami to meet with a mechanic known as Francois; Glock and the MK's welcome the Flenory brothers in true Miami fashion; despite the interference, the brothers escape determined to accomplish the American Dream.'

🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (Fox, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush: White Water (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 
💖 The Never Ever Mets (OWN, 8:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: First Shift (Reelz, 8:00 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🔥 Fire Country (CBS, 9:00 PM) 'The future is in jeopardy as public opinion of the camp grows increasingly negative.'

🎭 Great Performances (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'Exploring how virtuosos become maestros and their guiding principles through Scott Yoo's friendships with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Richard Kogan and violinist Lynn Chang.'

🔔 Mary & George (Starz, 9:00 PM) 'George faces a daunting trip to Scotland with an erratic and closed off King James; Mary attempts to enforce the marriage of John and Frances, but a fired-up Lady Hatton stands in her way.'

🏎 100 Days to Indy (CW, 9:00 PM) 
💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
💰 America's Backyard Gold (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) 
🍴 Best Bite in Town (Food Network, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 We're Here (HBO, 9:00 PM) 
🏠 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
👽 The Unexplained Special Presentation (History, 9:00 PM) 
🐶 Cesar Milan: Better Human Better Dog (NGC, 9:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
💖 Love During Lockup (WE, 9:00 PM) 

The Asunta Case

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👮‍♂️ Blue Bloods (CBS, 10:00 PM) 'Jamie works to bust scammers who are defrauding the elderly; Danny and Baez investigate a series of mysterious deaths at a hospital; Anthony is determined to take down an attorney who exploits the law for his own financial gain.'

🔔 The New York Times Presents (FX, 10:00 PM) 'Churchill Downs, the cathedral of horse racing, turned into a horse graveyard at last year's Kentucky Derby; exploring the sport beneath the pageantry, where a quest for faster horses is causing alarming breakdowns.'

🎭 Art Happens Here with John Lithgow (PBS, 10:00 PM) 
🔔 Mysteries of the Abandoned (Discovery Channel, 10:00 PM) 
🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
🔔 The Barnes Bunch (WE, 10:00 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show (HBO, 11:00 PM) 'Jerrod pushes his friend Jamar Neighbors to confront his childhood traumas onstage.'

🔔 The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 'Actors Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson; chef Kimbal Musk; Sleater-Kinney performs.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:36 PM) 'Comic Jerrod Carmichael; TV host Stephanie Ruhle; X Ambassadors perform; Fred Armisen sits in with the 8G Band.'

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

📺Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO BINGE📺

Law & Order (Pop, 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM); The Andy Griffith Show (Sundance, 6:00 AM - 12:00 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); Living Single (TV One, 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 - 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)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 10:00 PM) 'Actor Martin Mull; comic Jerry Seinfeld; Scot Morris.'

Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story

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

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