What's On Tonight (Friday): Harry and Sally but He’s Old and She’s Dead

     

Before

Are we allowed to like Billy Crystal anymore?  It seems like whenever I see his name it's usually followed by a lot of negativity towards him.  Other than some characters and comedy routines that haven't aged all that well, I'm not sure what the hate is about.  

Crystal stars as a child psychiatrist grieving his dead wife while dealing with a troubled child in the new Apple thriller series and Top Pick, Before.  It's not like anything I've seen Crystal do before.  He's done dramatic roles before, but never in a supernatural thriller.  I'd be surprised if Crystal doesn't get some moments of levity in the series proper, but he's playing it totally straight in the trailer.  Given the negativity I mentioned before, that might be for the best.

TOP PICK

⭐🔔 Before (Apple, 12:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Stars Billy Crystal as Eli, a child psychiatrist who, after recently losing his wife, Lynn (Judith Light), encounters a troubled young boy, Noah, who seems to have a haunting connection to Eli's past. As Eli attempts to help Noah, their mysterious bond deepens.

Elsewhere...

Halloween is less than a week away, which means most of the new scary shows and movies have already premiered, but we've still got a few today.

*The ever-reliable Shudder gives us Azrael, a film in the very specific horror sub-genre "post-rapture survival horror."  The story takes place years after all the good folk got sucked off and follows the crappy people who were left.  You'd think Earth would be a party what with all the teetotalers gone, but now there's burnt humanoid things killing everyone and no one's allowed to talk for some reason.  Still not counting out the possibility this is a stealth sequel to This is the End.

*Netflix has the new suspense thriller Don't Move, about a woman given a paralytic agent by a killer that will render her completely immobile in twenty minutes.  I assume that means she is pretty much immobile for the rest of the film while trying to escape.  I'm curious to find out how the filmmakers turn that concept into an entire movie, but not enough to watch.  Checks too many "NOPE" boxes for me.

*Max has the streaming premiere of M. Knight's latest, Trap.  I have only seen three of M. Knight's films: The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs.  After that, I called it quits.  I've been tempted to return, but nothing he does piques my interest anymore.  Trap could break that streak.  It sounds bug-nuts crazy and Hartnet is supposed to be excellent.  The real deciding factor: it's only 105 minutes long.  God, I miss short movies.

PREMIERES

Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

🎥 Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (Hulu, 12:01 AM and Disney+, 3:01 AM) 'An in-depth look at the creation of their live performances, including footage of band rehearsals, backstage moments, rare archival clips and personal reflections.'

💀 This Is Not Hollywood: Avetrana (Hulu, 12:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'One of the most famous cases in Italian true crime involves the disappearance of a girl named Sarah.'

🎥 Trap (Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'A father and teen daughter attend a pop concert, where they realize they're at the center of a dark and sinister event.'

🎥 Do Patti (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'A puzzling investigation leads a no-nonsense cop down a dark path involving the vicious rivalry between twin sisters and the volatile man they both love.'

🎥 Don't Move (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'When a killer injects her with a paralytic agent, a woman must run, fight and hide before her body completely shuts down.'

🎥 Hijack '93 (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'In an effort to dismantle their military-backed government, four men hijack an airplane, leveraging passengers onboard in the name of social change.'

🔔 Last Night at Tremore Beach (Netflix, 3:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'When a tormented pianist is struck by lightning, he begins having perilous visions of his future and a deadly threat seems to loom over his loved ones.'

🎥 The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer, died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25. His parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated life, when they started receiving messages from online friends around the world.'

🎥 Azrael (Shudder, 3:01 AM) 'In a world in which no one speaks, a mysterious community hunts down a young woman named Azrael who has escaped their imprisonment. Recaptured by its ruthless leaders, she is to be sacrificed to pacify an evil which resides deep within the surrounding wilderness -- but Azrael will stop at nothing to ensure her own freedom and survival.'

🎥 Surprise 3 (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'David is haunted by Lisa's murder and the looming threat of exposure as he realizes he has nowhere to hide.'

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 Pombo (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON THREE.

😈 Hellbound (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

🤸‍♂️ Simone Biles Rising (Netflix, 3:01 AM) PART TW0.

🤖 Transformers: Earthspark (Paramount, 3:01 AM) SEASON THREE.

Trap

STREAMING

🔔 Disclaimer* (Apple, 3:01 AM) "V" 

🔔 La Maison (Apple, 12:01 AM) "La Vie En Rose" 

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

🔔 Ayla & The Mirrors (Disney+, 3:01 AM) 

🏈 The Breakdown with Peyton and Belichick (ESPN+, 3:01 AM) "Week 8: Giants at Steelers" 

🏈 God. Family. Football. (Fox Nation, 3:01 AM) "The Arrow and the Snake" 

🔔 Return to Las Sabinas (Hulu, 12:01 AM) "Second Chances" 

💀 Angel of Death (Max, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 The Confidant (Max, 3:01 AM) 

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

🍰 The Great British Baking Show (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 

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

🎥 The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs (Shudder, 9:00 PM) "Joe Bob's Beelzebub Bash" 

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️‍♀️ DP World Tour Golf: Genesis Championship, Second Round (Golf, 9:30 AM) 

🏎 Formula 1 Racing: Mexico City Grand Prix, Practice 1 (ESPN2, 2:25 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ PGA Tour Champions Golf: Simmons Bank Championship, First Round (Golf, 3:00 PM)

⚽ Premier League Soccer: Leicester City vs. Nottingham Forest (USA, 3:00 PM)

⚽ English Championship Soccer: Portsmouth vs. Sheffield Wednesday (CBSSN, 3:00 PM)

⚽ Women's International Soccer Friendlies: France vs Jamaica (CBSSN, 5:30 PM)

🏎 Formula 1 Racing: Mexico City Grand Prix, Practice 2 (ESPNW, 5:55 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ LPGA Tour Golf: Maybank Championship, Second Round (Golf, 6:30 PM)

🏈 College Football: Yale at Pennsylvania (ESPNU, 7:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Louisville at Boston College (ESPN2, 7:30 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Indiana Pacers at New York Knicks (ESPN, 7:43 PM) 

⚽ 2024 NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup: Kansas City Current vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC (CBSSN, 8:00 PM)

⚾ 2024 World Series: New York Yankees at Los Angeles Dodgers (Fox, 8:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN, 10:05 PM) 

⚽ Women's College Soccer: Arizona at Arizona State (ESPNU, 10:00 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ PGA Tour Golf: Zozo Championship, Third Round (Golf, 11:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Boise State at UNLV (CBSSN, 10:30 PM)

Azrael

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) 'At-home seafood steam pots; fried chicken-shaped ice cream; a magnetic solution to safely secure skis and snowboards; a portable backyard golf game; Todd Graves guest sharks.'

👮‍♂️ S.W.A.T. (CBS, 8:00 PM) 'When a spree of brutal stash house robberies spills into Los Angeles, the team joins with the sheriff's department's gang unit to unmask a violent crew who leaves no witness alive.'

😂 Whose Line Is It Anyway? (CW, 8:00 PM) 'Guest comic Lauren Cohan. / Guest comic Jeff Davis.'

🔔 Sweetpea (Starz, 8:00 PM) 'High on power and righteousness, Rhiannon goes after her next target: the ultimate bully, Julia Blenkingsopp.'

🔔 Happy's Place (NBC, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Theodosia (BYUtv, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush: Freddy Dodge's Mine Rescue (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 

🎄🎥 Operation Nutcracker (Hallmark, 8:00 PM) 
🏡 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 8:00 PM) 

👮‍♂️ On Patrol: First Shift (Reelz, 8:00 PM) 

🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (USA, 8:00 PM) 
💘 Love After Lockup: Life After Lockup (WE, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Lopez vs. Lopez (NBC, 8:30 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🔥 Fire Country (CBS, 9:00 PM) 'Bode receives a life-changing opportunity that could impact his future as a firefighter.'

🎭 Great Performances (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'The New York Philharmonic and an international cast tell the story of Jewish refugees during World War II.'

🔔 Joan (CW, 9:00 PM) 'Joan and Boisie buy an engagement ring; the police search for the missing Stubbs painting at Boisie's store.'

👽 The Unexplained (History, 9:00 PM) 'While modern science has stopped many dangerous viruses and bacteria in their tracks, there is a growing concern that contagious germs could be traveling through the deadly vacuum of space.'

🔔 Fat Joe Talks (Starz, 9:00 PM) 'Known as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J Blige keeps it real and discusses her upbringing in the projects, her journey of heartbreak and triumph, and hitting the dating scene.'

💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 
👻 Scariest House in America (HGTV, 9:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 
🔔 Tia Mowry: My Next Act (WE, 9:30 PM) 

Last Night at Tremore Beach

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👮‍♂️ Blue Bloods (CBS, 10:00 PM) 'Danny works with British investigator Christopher Granger to pursue a deadly international fugitive; Erin faces pressure from her boss to secure an indictment against an officer; Jamie investigates a sports gambling website accused of scamming.'

🔔 Three Women (Starz, 10:02 PM) 'In Indiana, Gia and Lina's bond is threatened by the sudden arrival of Jack and the telling of a long-held truth.'

🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 10:00 PM) 
👻 Scare Tactics (USA, 10:00 PM) 
💰 Outback Opal Hunters (Discovery, 10:02 PM) 
👽 The Proof is Out There (History, 10:03 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

😂 The Graham Norton Show (BBCA, AMC+ and Acorn TV, 11:00 PM) 'Graham's guests are the Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, Oscar-nominated actress Amy Adams, American star Vanessa Williams and comedian Bill Bailey.'

🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 12:37 AM) 'Film director Paul Feig; actress Ayden Mayeri; comic Taylor Ortega.'

🔔 It's Florida, Man (HBO, 11:00 PM) 
🔔 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 
🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 Nightline (ABC, 12:37 AM)

📺Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO BINGE📺

Law & Order (Pop, 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM); The Andy Griffith Show (Sundance, 6:08 AM - 1:00 PM); Futurama (Comedy Central, 7:00 AM - 10:00 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); South Park (Comedy Central, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM); Hawaii Five-0 (Ion, 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM); Seinfeld (Comedy Central, 1:00 PM - 7:00 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); Three's Company (Antenna, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM); Family Guy (Comedy Central, 7:00 PM - 1:00 AM); Magnum P.I. (Ion, 7:00 PM - 2:00 AM); 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); Designing Women (Antenna, 11:00 PM - 12:00 AM); The King of Queens (TVLand, 11:00 PM - 2:00 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 Michael J. Fox; Larry Miller; magician Harry Lorayne.'

Don't Move

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

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