What's On Tonight (Friday): Jenny Pen Rules, Mid-Century Modern Drools...

The Rule of Jenny Pen

 Mid-Century Modern is probably the big premiere today, but I hated the trailer.  I'm haven't been a fan of any multi-camera sitcoms probably since Everybody Loves Raymond, and even then, it was the only one I watched on a regular basis.  MCM has a good cast (Nathan Lane, Linda Lavin) but it's hitting the jokes so fucking hard.  I like my humor like I like my deserts.  

It's possible I'm wrong and the series is much better than the trailer.  At least some, if not all of the episodes were directed by veteran comedy director James Burrows, who knows a thing or two about how these things work.  But it was also produced by Ryan Murphy, who has never made anything that I watched past the first couple episodes.

So, instead I'm going with the premiere of The Rule of Jenny Pen on Shudder.  I don't have a Shudder subscription because I'm not a horror guy, but I am impressed week after week with the films they get.  Jenny Pen stars Geoffrey Rush as a partially paralyzed stroke victim entering a retirement home that is being terrorized by John Lithgow and his freaky ass baby doll puppet.  Lithgow looks to be having a lot of fun chewing up the scenery and sporting a Kiwi accent (the film was shot and takes place in New Zealand).  It's almost enough to make me spring for a subscription.

TOP PICK

⭐🎥 The Rule of Jenny Pen (Shudder, 3:01 AM) 'Stefan Mortensen suffers a stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed and confined to a retirement home. Mortensen soon clashes with seemingly gentle resident Dave Crealy who secretly terrorizes the home with a sadistic game called "The Rule of Jenny Pen" while wielding his dementia doll as an instrument of cruelty. Starring Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow.'✔️

Elsewhere...

PREMIERES

Fight for Glory; 2024 World Series

⚾ Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series (Apple, 12:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'Takes viewers deeper than ever into the Fall Classic, capturing the intensity, drama and defining moments of the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees as they reignite one of baseball's most storied rivalries in pursuit of a World Series Championship.'✔️

🎬 Number One on the Call Sheet (Apple, 12:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'Takes you on an intimate journey with some of Hollywood's most extraordinary leading Black men and women as they shine a light on the joys and challenges of being a Black actor, share breakthrough moments, discuss blueprints for success and honor legends, while recognizing the next generation's enormous potential.'✔️

🔔 Mid-Century Modern (Hulu, 12:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Follows three best friends - gay gentlemen of a certain age - who, after an unexpected death, decide to spend their golden years living together in Palm Springs where the wealthiest one lives with his mother.'✔️

🎥 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip (Disney+, 3:01 AM) 'Alexander Garcia has always believed he has the worst luck in the world, so when his mom Val devises a plan to bring her seemingly disconnected family on a fancy vacation to Mexico City aboard a luxury RV as part of her travel writing job, he is sure it will end in disaster.'

✡ Reformed (Max, 3:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Léa, 28, is one of France's first female rabbis: frail shoulders, great responsibilities as she has to find answers in the labyrinth of small and big questions in people's lives. But how can she be a guide for others when she herself is grappling with the fundamentals of love, family and the millennial's quest for meaning?'

🎥 Queer (Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. '1950. William Lee, an American expat in Mexico City, spends his days almost entirely alone, except for a few contacts with other members of the small American community. His encounter with Eugene Allerton, an expat former soldier, new to the city, shows him, for the first time, that it might be finally possible to establish an intimate connection with somebody.';✔️

🔔 The Lady's Companion (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Hired to find husbands for three wealthy sisters, chaperone Elena Bianda is drawn into a late 19th-century world of love, scandal and comic intrigue.'✔️

🎥 The Life List (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'When Alex Rose's mother sends her on a quest to complete her childhood bucket list, it takes her on a journey that will make you both laugh and cry as she uncovers family secrets, finds romance, and discovers herself along the way.'

🎥 Ex Door Neighbor (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'An engaged couple's perfect life unravels when one of their exes moves in next door, threatening their happiness with a hidden agenda.'

🎭 Jacqueline du Pré: Genius and Tragedy (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'The life and career of cellist Jacqueline du Pré and why affection for her playing has remained strong nearly 40 years after her death.'

🐭 Magic of the Disney Treasure (NGC, 10:00 PM) 'Journey behind the scenes of Disney Cruise Line's new ship.'

Queer

STREAMING

🔔 Dope Thief (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Philadelphia Lawyer" 

🔔 Surface (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Atonement" 

🔔 Paradis City (Amazon, 3:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. 

⚖️ Tribunal Justice (Amazon, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 Übel Blatt (Amazon, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 A Decent Man (Max, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 When No One Sees Us (Max, 3:01 AM) 

🍊 When Life Gives You Tangerines (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. 

🐝 Yellowjackets (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "A Normal, Boring Life" 

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

🏀2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament🏀

🏀Ole Miss vs. Michigan State (CBS, 7:00 PM); 🏀Kentucky vs. Tennessee (TBS & TruTV, 7:30 PM); 🏀Michigan vs. Auburn (CBS, 9:30 PM); 🏀Purdue vs. Houston (TBS & TruTV, 10:00 PM)

🏀2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament🏀

🏀North Carolina vs. Duke (ESPN, 2:30 PM); 🏀Maryland vs. South Carolina (ESPN, 5:00 PM); 🏀 LSU vs. NC State (ESPN, 7:30 PM); 🏀Ole Miss vs. UCLA (ESPN, 10:00 PM)

ALL OTHER LIVE PORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏒 College Hockey: NCAA Tournament: Bentley vs. Boston College (ESPNU, 2:00 PM)

⛸ 2025 World Figure Skating Championships: Mixed Ice Dance, Rhythm Dance (USA, 3:00 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ PGA Tour Golf: Texas Children's Houston Open, Second Round (Golf, 4:00 PM)

🏒 College Hockey: NCAA Tournament: Connecticut vs. Quinnipiac (ESPNU, 5:00 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays (Apple, 7:00 PM)

🏌️‍♀️ LPGA Tour Golf: Ford Championship, Second Round (Golf, 7:00 PM)

⚽ NWSL Soccer: Washington Spirit vs Bay FC (Amazon, 8:00 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: New York Mets at Houston Astros (Apple, 8:00 PM)

🏈 United Football League: St. Louis Battlehawks at Houston Roughnecks (Fox, 8:00 PM)

⛸ 2025 World Figure Skating Championships: Women's Free Skate (NBC, 8:00 PM)

🏒 College Hockey: NCAA Tournament: Penn State vs. Maine (ESPN2, 8:30 PM)

Number One on the Call Sheet

EARLY PRIMETIME

⭐ The Patrick Star Show (Nickelodeon, 7:00 PM) 'Patrick Star hosts his very own talk show, with the support of his family.' 

🧽 Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years (Nickelodeon, 7:30 PM) 'Gary's new habit causes a night of stress; Narlene and Nobby's secret swimming hole is exposed.' 

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🔔 Penn & Teller: Fool Us (CW, 8:00 PM) 'Featured magicians include Vitaly Beckman, AnnaRose Einarsen, Goncalo Gil and Ren X.'

🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV, 8:00 PM) 'The queens make over some ext ra special drag newbies: their moms and dads. June Diane Raphael (Grace and Frankie) guest judges.'

🔔 Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Starz, 8:02 PM) 'Unique forms an unlikely alliance in his vendetta against Raq while she inches closer to a new drug enterprise; Kanan takes advice from Snaps and Pop, and Jukebox's new friendship leads to a violent encounter.

💰 Gold Rush (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 

🔔 Reality with the King (OWN, 8:00 PM) 

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

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

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🔔 Masters of Illusion (CW, 9:00 PM) 'Magicians featured include Jonathan Levit, Maxence Vire, Greg Frewin, Adam Wylie, Naathan Phan, Jeki Yoo, Nathaniel Segal, Mind 2 Mind, Joseph Reohm and Ed Alonzo.'

🐵 Animals, They're Just Like Us! (NGW, 9:00 PM) 'Bone up on desert eats, flirt with lions and witness an elephant babysitters' club.'

🎭 Jacqueline du Pré: Genius and Tragedy (PBS, 9:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) 
🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 
👽 Ancient Aliens (History, 9:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 
🔨 Beachfront Bargain Hunt Renovation (Magnolia, 9:00 PM) 
👮 On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 
🔔 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (MTV, 9:30 PM) 

The Lady's Companion

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

🐵 Animals, They're Just Like Us! (NGW, 10:00 PM) 'Steal meals with frigate birds, visit a warthog spa and crack an elephant code.'

🔔 Mysteries from Above (History, 10:03 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'As seen from space, a crater in Turkmenistan, is on fire; drones reveal perfect circles in the Namibian desert; A puzzle is solved by a World War 2 code breaker; Mystery of Death Valley's self-moving stones; Utah's strange electric blue ponds.'

💰 Outback Opal Hunters (Discovery, 10:00 PM) 
🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
🐭 Magic of the Disney Treasure (NGC, 10:00 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 AM) 'Comic Colin Quinn; actress Natasha Rothwell.'

🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 1:37 AM) 'Actor John Hodgman; comic Urzila Carlson; writer Jean Grae.'

🔔 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 
🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 12:35 PM) 
🔔 Nightline (ABC, 12:37 AM)
🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 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 - 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 - 2:00 PM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 11:50 AM - 4:00 PM); Seinfeld (Comedy Central, 2:00 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 - 11:05 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, 11:05 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 Burt Reynolds; comic Pete Barbutti; football player Ahmad Rashad.'

Mid-Century Modern

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

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