What's On Tonight (Friday): The Lord of the Rings Minus the Lord and the Rings...

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Every now and then a studio with a valuable property must do something with that property or lose the rights.  Today's Top Pick, the streaming premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, is the result of New Line not wanting to lose the film rights to LotR.  Instead of giving us another live action-adventure, New Line decided to make a $30 million animated film that has little to do with the original trilogy.  The only elements that connect it are it involves the nation of Rohan and another battle at Helm's Deep. In fact, this is the story of how that fortress got its name.

Rohirrim is sitting at 49% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is worse than any of The Hobbit films, but tied with the 1978 Bakshi film.  I'll watch it anyway as I've been a fan of LotR most of my life (the books and the films), and there isn't anything else premiering today that is striking my fancy.  I might view it in chunks though as the running time is over two hours and I got other shows to check in with this weekend.

TOP PICK

🎥 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'Tells the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan. A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg--a mighty fortress that will later come to be known as Helm's Deep.'

Elsewhere...

PREMIERES

Toad and Friends

🐸 Toad and Friends (Max, 3:01 AM) SEASON 1A. 'Based on Kenneth Grahame's classic, "The Wind in The Willows," Mole, Ratty and Toad are joined by Hedge, a young hedgehog with a zest for life.'

🔔 Aitana: Metamorphosis (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'In this documentary series, Aitana reveals intimate moments and untold thoughts about her journey from regular teen to international pop sensation.'

🎥 Counterstrike (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'When a hostage rescue mission creates a new enemy, Capt. Guerrero and his elite soldiers must face an ambush by a criminal group.'

🔔 Dabba Cartel (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'When an investigation into a pharma company hits close to home, five women launch a tiffin service with a secret ingredient.'

🐓 Roosters (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Facing a crisis of masculinity, four friends try to hold their own in an ever-changing world while keeping their relationships and careers intact.'

🎥 Squad 36 (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Forced out of his elite unit, a troubled cop launches his own rogue investigation when mysterious killings claim the lives of his former colleagues.'

🔔 Tuiskoms (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'After a series of misfortunes, Fleur — mourning a deep loss — takes her daughter and returns to her hometown in search of a renewed sense of purpose.'

🎥 I'll Be Right There (Peacock, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'Wanda has her hands full: her 8-month pregnant daughter wants a wedding which her ex-husband is flaking on paying for, her mother thinks she's dying, her wayward son is either going into rehab or the army, her long-time boyfriend doesn't excite her, but her new girlfriend doesn't either, and she barely has time for herself, not that she would know what to do with it anyway. Starring Edie Falco.'

🎥 Wrong Place, Wrong Time (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'After a cop's daughter witnesses a brutal murder, she teams up with an unlikely ally to unravel the mystery before becoming the killer's next target.'

🎥 The Perfect Killer (LMN, 8:00 PM) 'Mila and her stepdaughter find out that the fatal shooting of her husband was linked to an AI voice scam. When Mila is later attacked by an unknown assailant, she soon starts to wonder if the killer is someone close to them.'

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 Suzhal - The Vortex (Amazon, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

Roosters

STREAMING

⚖️ Tribunal Justice (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 

🔔 Severance (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Chikhai Bardo" 

🔔 Surface (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Speak of the Devil" 

🔔 Newtopia (Amazon, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 Übel Blatt (Amazon, 3:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. 

🔔 The Eastern Gate (Max, 3:01 AM) "Episode Five" 

💖 Love is Blind (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 

🐝 Yellowjackets (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "12 Angry Girls and 1 Drunk Travis" 

🦸 DC Studios Showcase: The Official Podcast (Max, 3:01 PM) 

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

SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️ PGA Tour Golf: Cognizant Classic, Second Round (Golf, 2:00 PM)

⚽ Bundesliga Soccer: VfB Stuttgart vs. Bayern Munich (ESPN2, 2:25 PM) 

🏀 College Basketball: Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan (CBSSN, 6:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Davidson at VCU (ESPN2, 7:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Saint Peter's at Quinnipiac (ESPNU, 7:00 PM)

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

🏀 NBA Basketball: Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics (ESPN, 7:30 PM)

🏒 College Hockey: Miami (Ohio) at Minnesota-Duluth (CBSSN, 8:00 PM)

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

🏀 Unrivaled Basketball: Phantom Basketball Club vs. Mist Basketball Club (TNT & TruTV, 8:30 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Kent State at Akron (ESPN2, 9:00 PM)

🏀 College Basketball: Appalachian State at Marshall (ESPNU, 9:00 PM)

🏌️ LPGA Tour Golf: HSBC Women's World Championship, Third Round (Golf, 9:30 PM)     

🏀 NBA Basketball: LA Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN, 10:05 PM)

Squad 36

EARLY PRIMETIME

🧽 SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon, 7:00 PM) 'Squidward's prankster dad visits and brings all sorts of gags with him, much to Squidward's annoyance; Plankton tries to get a taste of the secret formula by attaching himself to SpongeBob's tongue.'

🧽 Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years (Nickelodeon, 7:30 PM) 'Patrick's injury recovery causes trouble for the camp; Rea and Roh learn to support themselves.'

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🦘 NCIS: Sydney (CBS, 8:00 PM) 'The team is thrown into the murky world of online conspiracies after a car owned by a U.S. Navy cyber engineer explodes just as her teenage daughter was about to take a driving lesson.'

🔔 Penn & Teller: Fool Us (CW, 8:00 PM) 'Featured magicians include Spencer Scurr, Markus Tervo, Adrian Vega and Simone Turkington.'

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV, 8:00 PM) 'After the iconic Reading challenge, the queens rock out with their frocks out, as they create a look worthy of a Betsey Johnson fashion collection. The fashion icon herself, Betsey Johnson, guest judges.'

🔔 20/20: Countdown to the Oscars (ABC, 8:00 PM) 

👮 The First 48: Wrong Place, Wrong Time (A&E, 8:00 PM) 

💰 Gold Rush (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 
🧙 Wizards Beyond Waverley Place (Disney Channel, 8:00 PM) 
🎥 The Perfect Killer (LMN, 8:00 PM) 
💖 Ready to Love (OWN, 8:00 PM) 

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

🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (USA, 8:00 PM) 
💖 Love After Lockup: Crime Story (WE, 8:00 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🔥 Fire Country (CBS, 9:00 PM) 'Station 42 responds to a fire in the dugout before the annual county clash baseball rivalry game; Vince's ex-girlfriend returns.'

🎭 Great Performances (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'An international gathering of performers unite to showcase Andrea Bocelli's repertoire that has spanned 30 years; from the Teatro del Silenzio in Tuscany.'

🔔 The Way Home (Hallmark, 9:00 PM) 'The Landry women pick up the pieces of their past, each wishing they could read Colton's mind; Jacob may have a secret he's keeping from them too.'

🐶 Fur Babies (Nat Geo Wild, 9:00 PM) "Cockapoos and Mini Zoos"

🔔 Masters of Illusion (CW, 9:00 PM) 
💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
💀 Cold Case Files (A&E, 9:00 PM) 
🐟 Harpoon Hunters (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) 
🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 
🏠 My Lottery Dream House (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
👽 Ancient Aliens (History, 9:00 PM) 
👮 On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 Toya & Reginae (WE, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (MTV, 9:30 PM) 

Suzhal: The Vortex

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👮‍♂️ S.W.A.T. (CBS, 10:00 PM) 'During a hiking trip, Powell and Gamble stumble upon an illegal weed farm and find themselves taking on a dangerous cartel.'

🐶 Fur Babies (Nat Geo Wild, 10:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. "Pups A-Plenty and Chicks A-Laying"

🔔 Mysteries from Above (History, 10:03 PM) 'A Turkish drought reveals a long-lost ancient Basilica and its secrets; a church spire punches through the surface of a toxic sludge in Romania; the hull of a massive ship in the North Sea answers decades old questions.'

💰 Outback Opal Hunters (Discovery, 10:00 PM) 
🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
💀 Cold Case Files: Dead West (A&E, 10:01 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 The Graham Norton Show (BBC America, 11:00 PM) 'Joining Graham on his sofa are actor Ewan McGregor, actress and singer Kate Hudson, actress Naomie Harris, and actor and comedian Chris O'Dowd. Self Esteem performs her single Focus Is Power.'

🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 12:37 AM) 'Actor Kurt Braunohler; actress Kristen Schaal; comic Reggie Watts.'

🔔 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 - 5:00 PM); The Andy Griffith Show (TVLand, 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM); Family Ties (Antenna, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM); The Office (Comedy Central, 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM); The Drew Carey Show (Antenna, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM); Three's Company (Antenna, 7:00 PM); Everybody Loves Raymond (TVLand, 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM); The Ropers (Antenna, 7:30 PM); The Jeffersons (Antenna, 8:00 PM -9:00 PM); Barney Miller (Antennae, 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM); Becker (Antenna, 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM); The King of Queens (TVLand, 11:00 PM - 2:00 AM); Wings (12:00 AM - 1:00 AM); Designing Women (Antenna, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 11:00 PM) 'Actor Ricky Schroder; actress Lisa Eilbacher; Justin Wilson.'

I'll Be Right There

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

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