What's On Tonight (Friday): Moistened Bint Sans the Scimitar...

   

Lady in the Lake

I'm still in Ireland enjoying a run of very good weather before leaving on Saturday.  I'll miss the beauty and peace of West Clare.  I won't miss people here either assuming Biden is finished or thinking the election is a joke and it doesn't matter who wins, though I can understand why people living in this very rural area would think the latter.  Not much ever changes back here regardless of who's running things.

We've got some good premieres today.  There's the return of the OG Ugly Betty on Amazon in Betty la Fea, The Story Continues.  Disney+ has the well-reviewed bio-pic Young Woman and the Sea starring Daisy Ridley.  Max has the streaming premiere of the even better reviewed film Love Lies Bleeding starring Kristen Stewart and Ed Harris.

Any one of those would make a fine Top Pick, but I'm going with the Apple series, Lady in the Lake, starring Natlie Portman and Moses Ingram.  The trailer is intriguing, and though it gave me a rough idea what to expect, I'm still not entirely sure what this series is about.  I appreciate that.  This appears to be a mystery series and I prefer the mystery not be blown for me before I watch the first episode.

TOP PICK

⭐🔔 Lady in the Lake (Apple, 12:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Maddie Schwartz is a Jewish housewife seeking to shed a secret past and reinvent herself as an investigative journalist, and Cleo Sherwood is a mother navigating the political underbelly of Black Baltimore while struggling to provide for her family. Their disparate lives seem parallel at first, but when Maddie becomes fixated on Cleo's mystifying death, a chasm opens that puts everyone around them in danger. Starring Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram.'✔️

Elsewhere...

PREMIERES

Betty la Fea, The Story Continues

🔔 Betty la Fea, The Story Continues (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Tells the story of the iconic Beatriz Pinzón Solano 20 years after the conclusion of the original show. While an empowered and wiser Betty works hard on rebuilding her relationship with her teenage daughter Mila, her relationship with Armando begins to deteriorate, making her question if she made the right decision 20 years ago.'✔️

🍴 Omnivore (Apple, 12:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'René Redzepi, the esteemed chef and co-owner of world-renowned restaurant Noma, takes viewers on an immersive journey into the world of food, exploring the profound beauty and intricate complexities of the human experience through the lens of the key ingredients that connect us all.' ✔️

🎥 Young Woman and the Sea (Disney+, 3:01 AM) 'Daisy Ridley stars as the accomplished swimmer who was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the staggering achievement -- a 21-mile trek from France to England.'✔️

🎥 Love Lies Bleeding (Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'Reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou's criminal family.'✔️

🎥 Find Me Falling (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'After a failed comeback album, a rock star retreats to a cliffside home on Cyprus, only to find his new life complicated by visitors, and an old flame. Starring Harry Connick Jr.'

🎥 Skywalkers: A Love Story (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Angela and Vanya are Russia's preeminent rooftoppers who defy the odds (and death) to scale the globe's tallest buildings. As their acrobatic stunts go viral and rack up millions of online views, they put their love and trust to the test as they create a highly dangerous new artform that they call "skywalking."✔️

🎥 Abigail (Peacock, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'After a group of would-be criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, all they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion, the captors start to dwindle, one by one, and they discover, to their mounting horror, that they're locked inside with no normal little girl.'✔️

🎥 Spread (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'An ambitious journalist lands a job at a failing adult magazine run by an industry veteran, and must reconcile her ideals while reviving the business.'

🔔 Inspiring America: Team USA (NBC, 8:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'Lester Holt, Savannah Guthrie, and Hoda Kotb go one-on-one with the biggest names competing in this year's Summer Olympics; from basketball legends to gymnastics stars, the athletes reveal how they plan to win gold and inspire America.'

💀 Tell Me How I Died (A&E, 10:01 PM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'There are hundreds of thousands of suspicious deaths in the U.S. every year. When there is nowhere else to turn, families and law enforcement count on forensic pathologists for answers.'

Love Lies Bleeding

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 El Encargado (Hulu, 12:01 AM) SEASON THREE.

🔔 Sweet Home (Netflix, 3:01 AM) FINAL SEASON.

💖 Too Hot to Handle (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON SIX PREMIERE.

🦎 Reptile Royalty (Roku, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

STREAMING

🍴 Jinny's Kitchen (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 

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

🔔 Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture (Hulu, 3:01 AM) 

💖 Love Island (UK) (Hulu, 3:01 AM) 

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

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (Paramount+, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked (Paramount+, 3:01 AM) 

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

💖 Love Island (Peacock, 9:01 PM) 

Young Woman and the Sea

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️‍♂️2024 Open Championship: Second Round (USA, 4:00 AM)

🏌️‍♂️LPGA Golf: Dana Open, Second Round (Golf, 12:00 PM)

🏈 2024 NFL Flag Championships: Boys 15U, Round of 16: Teams TBA (ESPN2, 1:00 PM)

🏈 2024 NFL Flag Championships: Girls 18U, Round of 16: Teams TBA (ESPN2, 2:00 PM)

🏈 2024 NFL Flag Championships: Boys 15U, Round of 16: Teams TBA (ESPN2, 3:00 PM)

🏈 2024 NFL Flag Championships: Girls 18U, Round of 16: Teams TBA (ESPN2, 4:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Summer League Basketball: Dallas Mavericks vs. Boston Celtics (ESPNU, 4:30 PM)

🏌️‍♂️ PGA Tour Golf: Barracuda Championship, Second Round (Golf, 5:00 PM)

🏈 Arena Football League: Arena Bowl XXXIII: Teams TBA (CBSSN 5:30 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: Detroit Tigers at Toronto Blue Jays (Apple, 7:00 PM) 

⚾ MLB Baseball: San Diego Padres at Cleveland Guardians (Apple, 7:00 PM)

🌽 Cornhole: ACL Final Chase 2: Shootout Doubles (ESPN2, 7:00 PM)

🌽 Cornhole: ACL Final Chase 2: National Doubles (ESPN2, 8:00 PM)

⚽ 2024 NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup: Seattle Reign vs. Utah Royals FC (CBSSN, 9:00 PM)

🏀 2024 WNBA 3-Point and Skills Challenge (ESPN, 9:00 PM)

🌽 Cornhole: ACL Final Chase 2: Shootout Singles (ESPN2, 10:00 PM)

⚽ USL Championship Soccer: El Paso Locomotive FC at Phoenix Rising FC (CBSSN, 11:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Summer League Basketball: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Charlotte Hornets (ESPNU, 11:00 PM)

Skywalkers: A Love Story

🕗 MIDNIGHT 🕖

🔔 Iconic Justice (Fuse, 12:00 AM)

🕗 EARLY PRIMETIME 🕖

🚘 Driving Decarbonization in America - Partners in Progress (Motortrend, 5:00 PM) 

🔔 Bunk'd: Learning the Ropes (Disney Channel, 7:00 PM) 

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🐍 The Serpent Queen (Starz, 8:00 PM) 'With peace lying on a knife's edge, Catherine attempts to calm tensions by allowing the Bourbons to pursue the trade deal with England, and she halts the investigation into the Duke of Guise's arson involvement.'

💲 Lingo (CBS, 8:00 PM) 

🍰 The Big Bakeover (CW, 8:00 PM) 

🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (Fox, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Inspiring America: Team USA (NBC, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 The Very Very Best of the 80s (AXS, 8:00 PM) 
💰Gold Rush: Parker's Trail (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Family Empire: Houston (OWN, 8:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ 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 returns to some of his favorite diners; an old-school Atlanta spot is serving Southern comfort with mighty mac 'n cheese, a San Antonio staple is dishing out brisket hash; an eatery in Scottsdale is plating a supreme breakfast burrito.'

👽 Ancient Aliens (History, 9:00 PM) 'For thousands of years, humankind has attempted to make contact with beings from beyond Earth; now, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is ramping up, with new technologies allowing individuals to explore the universe.'

🔔 Down in the Valley (Starz, 9:00 PM) 'Go on a musical journey to meet the current artists who create the music for "P-Valley" and the previous generations of Southerners who are creating a landscape of sensual sound that is full of joy, pain, and conviction.'

😂 Totally Funny Animals (CW, 9:00 PM) 
💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
💰Hoffman Family Gold (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) 
🏠 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
🤮 Mama June: From Not to Hot (WE, 9:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 
😂 Totally Funny Kids (CW, 9:30 PM) 

Abigail

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👽 The Proof is Out There: Alien Edition (History, 10:03 PM) 'Tony Harris and his panel of experts investigate evidence of superior alien technology.'

💀 Tell Me How I Died (A&E, 10:01 PM) 'After a pastor's second wife is killed in a tragic car crash, it raises suspicions over the death of his first wife; her death never sat easy with pathologist Dr. Wayne Ross, who is eager to reopen the older case he never forgot.'

💰 Hoffman Family Gold (Discovery Channel, 10:00 PM) 
🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 10:00 PM) 
🎵 Deb's House (WE, 10:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 'Actress Scarlett Johansson; actress Joey King; Sublime performs.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:36 PM) 'Filmmaker Tyler Perry; podcaster Alex Cooper; Kate Schellenbach sits in with the 8G Band.'

🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 12:37 AM) 
🔔 Nightline (ABC, 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 - 11:30 AM); Futurama (Comedy Central, 7:00 AM - 10:10 AM); Roseanne (CMT, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM); 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, 10:45 AM - 2:300 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/comedian Richard Pryor; actress Rain Pryor.'

Omnivore

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

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