What's On Tonight (Friday): Enemy at the Eastern Gate...

 

The Eastern Gate

Today's Top Pick is the premiere of the Polish spy-thriller series The Eastern Gate.  I don't know much about it, but premiere pickings are a little slim today.  At least it's not yet another movie where the main character is a former spy living in the suburbs who's forced to start kicking ass again when their past returns to threaten their nuclear family.  We've all had enough of that.

Plus, this one is in Polish!

TOP PICK

⭐🔔 The Eastern Gate (Max, 3:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'After losing her pregnancy while in action, Ewa, a Polish spy, wants to withdraw from the secret service to start a normal life. But when her lover is exposed by Russian intelligence and disappears without a trace, she goes on a rescue mission.'

Elsewhere...

*New docu-series Vietnam: The War That Changed America debuts on Apple today.  I considered this for Top Pick as it's obviously very prestige-y, but the title bugs the hell out of me.  I'd suggest The Civil War and World War 2 changed the country as much if not more than Vietnam.  Hell, almost any war America has participated in probably changed the country in some way or another.  I guess Vietnam changed us more because we lost?  Seems like a weak argument.

*Last week we had the premiere of The Tom Green Documentary, and this week we have the premiere of Tom Green Country.  I assumed last week the former is kind of a set up for the latter, and the trailer for Country indicates I was correct.  The biggest surprise I got from the trailer is that Tom Green was still living in Hollywood right before he moved back to Canada.  Why?  What exactly was he still doing in Hollywood?  I guess I could watch the documentary... Nah.

*I am issuing a formal apology for last week's Top Pick, Star Trek: Section 31.  I watched it and it is easily the worst Star Trek related property I have ever seen.  It's not even close, and there has been some bad Star Trek over the years.  An extreme waste of Yeoh and a good supporting cast.  

PREMIERES

Vietnam: The War That Changed America

🔔 Vietnam: The War That Changed America (Apple, 12:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Commemorates the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War, offering a deeply human look at the lives of those who lived through one of the most divisive conflicts in American history.'

👩‍🌾 Tom Green Country (Amazon, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Legendary comedian Tom Green pulls up stakes and relocates from the bright lights of Hollywood to his newly purchased country farm. Joined by his 1,500-pound mule, a donkey and six chickens the reality series gives a heartwarming glimpse into the hilarious life on the farm.'

🎥 Goodrich (Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'Andy Goodrich's life is upended when his wife and mother of their nine-year-old twins enters a 90-day rehab program, leaving him on his own with their young kids. Thrust into the world of modern parenthood, Goodrich leans on his daughter from his first marriage. Starring Michael Keaton and Mila Kunis.'

🎥 Lucca's World (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Determined to help her son, who has cerebral palsy, Bárbara takes her family to India for an experimental treatment.'

🎥 Dark Match (Shudder, 3:01 AM) 'A small-time wrestling company accepts a well-paying gig in a backwoods town only to learn, too late, that the community is run by a mysterious cult leader with devious plans for their match.'

🎥 Happy Anniversary (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'A young woman assumes three identities to prey upon the men who did her wrong in their youth.'

🍴 Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise (Food, 9:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'Guy Fieri and family head to the Caribbean on the Carnival Mardi Gras to celebrate his son's graduation. Along the way, they dive into adventure and a world of flavor, including Peking duck, an Indian smorgasbord, teppanyaki and a Bahamian feast.'

RETURNING SHOWS

🌊 High Tides (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

⛄ The Snow Girl (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

🎵 Inside the 67th Annual Grammy Awards (CBS, 8:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION.

🔥 Fire Country (CBS, 9:00 PM) SEASON THREE WINTER PREMIERE.

👮‍♂️ S.W.A.T. (CBS, 10:00 PM) SEASON EIGHT WINTER PREMIERE.

💰 Outback Opal Hunters (Discovery, 10:00 PM) SEASON EIGHT PREMIERE.

Goodrich

STREAMING

🔔 Severance (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Who is Alive?" 

🔔 Übel Blatt (Amazon, 3:01 AM) 

💖 Perfect Match (Netflix, 3:01 AM) "Episode 13" 

💀 Dexter: Original Sin (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "Business and Pleasure" 

💖 Love Island All Stars (Peacock, 9:01 PM) 

🏈 NFL Icons (MGM+, 10:00 PM) "Joe Montana" 

🔔 The Graham Norton Show (AMC+, 11:00 PM) 

SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️‍♀️ LPGA Tour Golf: Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, Second Round (Golf, 11:30 AM)

⚽ English Championship Soccer: Blackburn Rovers vs. Preston North End (CBSSN, 3:00 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ PGA Tour Golf: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Second Round (Golf, 3:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Yale at Princeton (ESPN2, 5:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Akron at Kent State (CBSSN, 7:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Dayton at Saint Louis (ESPN2, 7:00 PM)

🏀 Women's College Basketball: Columbia at Harvard (ESPNU, 7:00 PM)

🏀 Unrivaled Basketball: Phantom Basketball Club vs. Rose Basketball Club (TNT & TruTV, 7:15 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Denver Nuggets at Philadelphia 76ers (ESPN, 7:30 PM) 

🏀 College Basketball: Indiana at Purdue (Fox, 8:00 PM)

🏀 Unrivaled Basketball: Laces Basketball Club vs. Lunar Owls Basketball Club (TNT & TruTV, 8:30 PM)

🏒 College Hockey: Western Michigan at Colorado College (CBSSN, 9:00 PM)

🤸‍♀️ Women's College Gymnastics: Arkansas at Oklahoma (ESPN2, 9:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Siena at Marist (ESPNU, 9:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors (ESPN, 10:05 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Dayton at Saint Louis (ESPNU, 11:00 PM)

Lucca's World

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) 'Practical water bottle accessories; a baby name database; an easy-to-use tub hose; hassle-free baby clothes.'

🔔 Penn & Teller: Fool Us (CW, 8:00 PM) 'Featured magicians include Blake Vogt, Hernan Maccagno, Ella Nicholson and Friedrich Roitzsch.'

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV, 8:00 PM) 'Live from Tuckahoe, it's RDR Live! The queens are challenged to serve up laughs in a hilarious send-up of the iconic sketch comedy show. Actor, writer and director Paul W. Downs (Hacks, Broad City) guest judges.'

🎵 Inside the 67th Annual Grammy Awards (CBS, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Happy's Place (NBC, 8:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ The First 48: Room Full of Lies (A&E, 8:00 PM) 

💰 Gold Rush (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 
🧙 Wizards Beyond Waverley Place (Disney Channel, 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) SEASON FINALE. 
🔔 Lopez vs. Lopez (NBC, 8:30 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🔥 Fire Country (CBS, 9:00 PM) 'With the Chezem Valley fire blazing out of control, Bode and Audrey must find a way to save themselves; Manny risks his freedom for his missing daughter; Eve tries to protect her father and their family's ranch.'

👮 Cold Case Files (A&E, 9:00 PM) 'The 1964 murder of 9-year-old Marise Chiverella leaves the town of Hazelton, Pa., in fear; an intense manhunt yields numerous suspects but no killer; five decades pass before a student moonlighting as a genetic genealogist reignites the case.'

🔔 The Way Home (Hallmark, 9:00 PM) 'Del celebrates a birthday, as the rest of the Landry family and Elliot take a step back to reassess their investigations.'

🔔 The Couple Next Door (Starz, 9:00 PM) 'The sexual tension between the two couples reaches a boiling point during a weekend away; Alan's obsession with Becka escalates further, with devastating consequences.'

🔔 Masters of Illusion (CW, 9:00 PM) 
💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
🐟 Harpoon Hunters (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) 
🍴 Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise (Food, 8:00 PM) 
🏠 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
👽 The Unbelievable with Dan Ackroyd (History, 9:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 
👮 On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 
🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (MTV, 9:30 PM) 
🔔 Evolve and Flex (TruTV, 9:30 PM) 
🔔 Toya & Reginae (WE, 9:30 PM) 

Dark Match

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👮‍♂️ S.W.A.T. (CBS, 10:00 PM) 'The team must race to uncover a dangerous enemy intent on revenge; Deacon and Tan butt heads over Tan's changes to SWAT academy.'

👮‍♂️ Cold Case Files: Murder in the Bayou (A&E, 10:01 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'In 1991 Curtis "Cochise" Smith, 29, heads out for diapers in Plaquemine, Louisiana, and vanishes; twenty-five years later, a body surfaces in the bayou and Cochise's murder case reignites; a local with a long rap sheet becomes the prime suspect.'

👽 Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo (History, 10:03 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'From a Chinese curse that turns out to be real, to human remains in a Founding Father's basement, or even a mysterious island in Central Asia with enough pathogens to kill the entire global population several times over.'

💰 Outback Opal Hunters (Discovery, 10:00 PM) 
🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 The Graham Norton Show (BBC America, 11:00 PM) 'Graham's guests are Hollywood stars Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell, pop icon and actress Ariana Grande and British actor Don Gilet. With music from Olly Alexander.'

🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 12:37 AM) 'Actor Patton Oswalt; actor Brian Posehn; actress Mary Lynn Rajskub.'

🔔 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 - 2:00 PM); Living Single (TV One, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM); M*A*S*H* (TVLand, 9:00 AM - 10:45 AM); South Park (Comedy Central, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 11:50 AM - 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); 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); 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) 'Bob Hope; Seven Lovelies from "B.J. and the Bear"; Argus Hamilton.'

Tom Green Country

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

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