What's On Tonight (Friday): Meet the New Pope, Not the Same as the Old Pope...

        

Conclave

There are some big premieres today making the choice for Top Pick a difficult one.  There's the streaming premiere of Joker: Folie à Deux (Top Pick does not necessarily denote quality), a new Elton John documentary, a prequel Dexter series on Paramount and a revival of a preschool show that will probably only matter to parents with kids around the same age as mine.  

With so many options it proved necessary to have a small meeting, actually more like a gathering, or maybe a conference if you will.  Whichever term you use, a summit was held to choose the winner.  The white smoke has cleared, and we have a winner: fresh off receiving six Golden Globes noms and eleven from the Critics Choice Awards, the streaming premiere of Oscar-hopeful Conclave receives today's Top Pick.

The film begins with the Pope dead as a doornail, and the leaders of the church must gather to choose a new one.  This film has twists, turns, backroom negotiating and politicking, and an incredible cast led by Ralph Fiennes.  It seems like more fun than any film about the choosing of a new Pope has any right to be.  Angels and Demons is the only other film I know of that covers this territory and it was decidedly not fun.

TOP PICK

⭐🎥 Conclave (Peacock, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake.  Starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow.'

Elsewhere...

*The preschool show receiving a revival this week is the extremely charming musical series, The Wonder Pets.  Rebranded as Wonder Pets: In the City, the new series follows the same format and animation style as the original Nick Jr show.  Each episode is a mini-musical about our heroes (a guinea pig, rabbit and snake) as they rescue critters in need.  The original series was very popular in our house, and I'm glad a new generation of children will get to see it.  Though it's streaming on Apple, so it won't be too many children.

*We have a handful of holiday-related premieres today (Hallmark has a Hanukkah film!), but the one that stands out is a new action/suspense film starring Taron Egerton (hero) and Jason Bateman (bad guy).  This appears to be from the "Die Hard is a Chistmas film" school of thinking as the film seems to have very little to do with Christmas other than taking place in an airport during the holidays.  The director has made a couple decent films, but his most recent was Black Adam, so enter this one with your expectations in check.

*Paramount has the new Dexter prequel series.  Subtitled Original Sin, the new series tells the story of how Dexter became the guy we first met in the first season of the original series.  The guy in the lead role is only about five years younger than Michael C Hall (who provides narration for the new series) when he started the original series so I'm not sure how long this show can run before it essentially becomes a remake.

PREMIERES

Wonder Pets: In the City

🐹 Wonder Pets: In the City (Apple, 12:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Introduces a trio of heroes: Izzy the Guinea Pig, Tate the Snake, and Zuri the Bunny. These heroic classroom pets live in a kindergarten in New York City and travel all around the globe in their amazing "Jetcar" to rescue animals in musical, mini-opera-themed adventures.'

😂 Joe Mande: Chill (Hulu, 12:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION.

🔔 The Jetty (Britbox and Hulu, 3:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'Beneath the tranquility of her hometown, a detective uncovers dark secrets that threaten everything she thought she knew about consent - and her own life. Starring Jenna Coleman.'

🎥 Elton John: Never Too Late (Disney+, 3:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'Follows Elton John as he looks back on his life and the astonishing early days of his 50-year career in this emotionally charged, intimate and uplifting full-circle journey.'

🔔 Invisible (Disney+, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Based on the novel by Eloy Moreno, twelve-year-old Capi has suffered a terrible accident that has left him with severe post-traumatic stress disorder. The psychologist who treats him is determined to discover the reasons that led him to this situation. Capi begins to trust him and tells him that he has the power of invisibility, and that the terrible nightmares that haunt him every night are linked to the monsters and the dragon that haunt him.'

🎥 Joker: Folie à Deux (Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'Finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that's always been inside him.'

🔔 1992 (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'After her husband dies in an explosion, a grieving widow and a haunted ex-cop investigate a series of murders with sinister ties to the Seville Expo '92'

🎥 Disaster Holiday (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'A workaholic dad, trying to win over his kids, heads to the coast of Durban for a big work meeting, under the guise of a family road trip vacation.'

🎥 Seven Doors (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Unveils the compelling story of a Yoruba king and his Igbo queen, whose loving relationship is tested by a cunning Hausa investor’s plan.'

💀 Dexter: Original Sin (Paramount, 3:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'follows Dexter (Patrick Gibson) as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can't be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness.'

🎥 If I Go Missing (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'A true crime fanatic becomes obsessed with finding the neighborhood killer responsible for the disappearance of her best friend.'

🎭 Violent Femmes 40th Anniversary With the Milwaukee Symphony (PBS, 10:00 PM) 'Violent Femmes perform their debut album to celebrate its 40th anniversary; with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.'

🎄HOLIDAY PREMIERES🎄

Carry On

🦉🎄 Eva the Owlet (Apple, 12:0 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. "Eva's Moon Wish"

🎥🎄 Carry On (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'A young TSA agent fights to outsmart a mysterious traveler who blackmails him into letting a dangerous package slip onto a Christmas Eve flight.'

🦈🎄 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) FALL FINALE. 'The Tank is transformed into a winter wonderland, and entrepreneurs present Sharks with business opportunities that celebrate the magic of the holiday season.'

🎥🕎 Hanukkah on the Rocks (Hallmark, 8:00 PM) 'A week before Hanukkah, recently unemployed lawyer Tory embarks on a journey to find Hanukkah candles, leading her to a Chicago bar where she transforms the holiday spirit, discovers love, and finds the courage to pursue a new path in life.'

🎥🎄 The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs (Shudder and AMC+, 9:00 PM) "Joe Bob's Christmas Carnage"

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 Bandish Bandits (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

⚔️ The Bravest Knight (Hulu, 12:01 AM) SEASON 2A.

🦇 Batwheels (Max, 3:01 AM) EPISODES 222-237. SEASON FINALE.

💖 Mismatched (Hindi language) (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON THREE.

🔔 Die Hart (Roku, 3:01 AM) SEASON THREE.

💖 Love During Lockup (WE, 8:00 PM) SEASON FIVE PREMIERE.

🏠 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 9:00 PM) SEASON SEVENTEEN PREMIERE.

Elton John: Never Too Late

STREAMING

👻 Before (Apple, 12:01 AM) "And the Darkness was Called Night" 

🔔 Silo (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Descent" 

 

🔔 Return to Las Sabinas (Hulu, 12:01 AM) "In Both Health and Illness" 

💀 The Creep Tapes (AMC+ and Shudder, 3:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. "Mom (and Albert)" 

📞 When the Phone Rings (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 The Agency (Paramount+, 3:01 AM) "Quarterback Blitz" 

SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏐 Women's College Volleyball: NCAA Tournament: Texas vs. Creighton (ESPN2, 1:00 PM)

🏌️ PGA Tour Golf: Grant Thornton Invitational, First Round (Golf, 1:00 PM)

🏐 Wo men's College Volleyball: NCAA Tournament: Marquette at Penn State (ESPN2, 3:30 PM)

⚽ Men's College Soccer: Vermont vs. Denver (ESPNU, 5:00 PM)

🏐 Women's College Volleyball: NCAA Tournament: Texas A&M vs. Wisconsin (ESPN2, 7:00 PM)

⚽ Men's College Soccer: Marshall vs. Ohio State (ESPNU, 7:30 PM)

🏀 Men's College Basketball: Indiana at Nebraska (Fox, 8:00 PM)

🥊Invicta FC 59 (CBSSN, 10:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: FCS Division I Championship: Idaho at Montana State (ESPN, 9:00 PM)

🏐 Women's College Volleyball: NCAA Tournament: Dayton at Nebraska (ESPN2, 9:30 PM)

Joker: Folie à Deux 

🕗 EARLY PRIMETIME 🕗

🧽 SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon, 5:00 PM) 'After the Science Scouts begin selling biscuits to fund a trip to Mars, Mr. Krabs enters the ring and turns it into a competition.'    

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

👮‍♂️ S.W.A.T. (CBS, 8:00 PM) FALL FINALE. 'Hondo and the team race to stop a nuclear attack on Los Angeles when radioactive material is stolen from a local lab; Powell delves into Alfaro's past when he displays a talent for boxing.'

🔔 Outlander (Starz, 8:02 PM) 'Lord John Grey is put in a precarious position; William struggles to understand a surprising revelation.'

💀 The First 48: Tracking a Killer (A&E, 8:00 PM) 'When a shootout in an Atlanta rap studio leaves two men dead, detectives discover a vengeful motive.' 

🦈🎄 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Happy's Place (NBC, 8:00 PM) FALL FINALE. 

🤠 The Last Cowboy (CMT, 8:00 PM) 

💰 Gold Rush (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 
🏈 30 for 30 (ESPN, 8:00 PM) 

🎥🕎 Hanukkah on the Rocks (Hallmark, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Belle Collective (OWN, 8:00 PM) 

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

🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (USA, 8:00 PM) 
💖 Love During Lockup (WE, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Lopez vs. Lopez (NBC, 8:30 PM) FALL FINALE. 

🔔 Rocket's Island (BYUtv, 8:30 PM) SEASON FINALE. 
🔔 Evolve and Flex (TruTV, 8:30 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🔥 Fire Country (CBS, 9:00 PM) FALL FINALE. 'When a series of dangerous underground zombie fires emerge, the team must protect the town; Eve has a less-than-warm reunion with her estranged father, Elroy Edwards.'

👽 The Unbelievable with Dan Ackroyd (History, 9:00 PM) 'Beards as cause of death; a lawnmower killing a spectator at a football game; discussing some unusual causes of death.'

🌳 Inside the Enchanted Rain Forests (Nat Geo Wild, 9:00 PM) 'Dive into amphibious ecosystems where trees and water meet to nurture life.'

👶 Children Ruin Everything (CW, 9:00 PM) 
💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
👮 Cold Case Files (A&E, 9:00 PM) 
🪓 The Last Woodsman (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) 
🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 
🏠 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 

The Jetty

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👮‍♂️ Blue Bloods (CBS, 10:00 PM) SERIES FINALE. 'The Reagan family races to stop deadly mayhem in the city when the gangs of New York unite to demand amnesty for the release of their imprisoned members and those awaiting trial.'

🔔 Inside the Enchanted Rain Forests (Nat Geo Wild, 10:00 PM) 'A look at how animal resourcefulness ensures survival at high altitudes.'

👽 Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo (History, 10:03 PM) 'We explore some of the most valuable treasures found in the most unlikely of ways.'

🎭 Violent Femmes 40th Anniversary With the Milwaukee Symphony (PBS, 10:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 10:00 PM) 
💀 Killer Cases (A&E, 10:01 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 The Graham Norton Show (BBCA, 11:00 PM) 'Graham's guests are Hollywood stars Sigourney Weaver and Nicholas Hoult, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, actor Lolly Adefope and supergroup Coldplay, who also perform their current single All My Love.'

🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 12:37 AM) 'Comic Milana Vayntrub; actress Jessica Lowe; actor Jason Ritter.'

🔔 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 
🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 12:05 PM) 
🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 AM) 
🔔 Nightline (ABC, 1:07 AM)

📺Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO BINGE📺

Law & Order (Pop, 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM); The Andy Griffith Show (Sundance, 6:00 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 - 4:00 PM); The Office (Comedy Central, 4:00 PM - 10:00 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, 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM); Three's Company (Antenna, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM); 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) 'Comic Alan King; Vlasta Krsek, the self-styled International Queen of Polka.'

Dexter: Original Sin

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

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