What's On Tonight (Friday): Time to Shut Your Mouth...

Big Mouth

Eight long years of puberty come to an end with today's Top Pick: the final season of Big Mouth.  I get that this show is not for everyone.  It's gross, the animation style is not attractive, the subject matter can be very off putting, and it's REALLY gross.  If you look past all of that you'll find a show that talks about puberty and sex in a frank way that no other show I am familiar with does.  And it's really goddamn funny.

TOP PICK

⭐Big Mouth (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON EIGHT/SERIES FINALE. 'The characters enter high school, facing issues like sexual inexperience, enthusiastic consent, cancel culture, and fear of the future.'

Elsewhere...

Lots of good stuff today.  The highlights:

*Apple has the new adventure film Fountain of Youth starring Natalie Portman and John Krasinski as siblings seeking that which Ponce de Leon could not find.  Directed by Guy Ritchie, this globe-hopping story actually did do some globe-hopping and filmed in various countries including Egypt and Thailand.  It would be nice if this was a hit and convinced other studios of the importance of filming on location, but it's on Apple so nothing of the kind will happen.

*Max (still not HBO Max from what I can tell) has the streaming premiere of Bong Joon Ho's Mickey 17.  This will probably be my Friday night movie (have to save Big Mouth for when my wife is available).  Bong Joon Ho doesn't have a perfect track record, but it's about as good, if not better, than just about any director still making movies.  And even when his films aren't great, there's always something interesting going on, so you never feel like you wasted your time.

*Max also has the premiere of the documentary Pee-wee, as Himself.  The filmmakers got a lot of interview footage with Paul Reubens, no small feat considering how reclusive and private Reubens was.  

*Hulu has the streaming premiere of the Pamela Anderson starrer The Last Showgirl.  I can tell from the trailer alone why Anderson got so many good notices for this: she shows more talent in those two minutes than she showed in all her years of being the lifeguard everyone wanted to fuck.  It also has Dave Bautista, who I've read gives an even better performance than Anderson.  This sort of film isn't normally my cup of tea, but Anderson and Bautista might be enough to pull me in.

PREMIERES

Fountain of Youth

🎥 Fountain of Youth (Apple, 12:01 AM) 'A treasure-hunting mastermind assembles a team for a big adventure. But to outwit and outrun threats at every turn, he'll need someone even smarter, his estranged sister. Starring John Krasinski and Natalie Portman.  Directed by Guy Ritchie.'

🎥 The Last Showgirl (Hulu, 12:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'A poignant film of resilience, rhinestones and feathers, stars Pamela Anderson as Shelley, a glamorous showgirl who must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run.'

🎥 Mickey 17 (Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'Mickey 17, known as an "expendable," goes on a dangerous journey to colonize an ice planet. Starring Robert Pattinson.  Directed by Bong Joon Ho.'

🎥 Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'For the first time ever, go inside the cockpit with the U.S. Air Force’s legendary flight squadron, The Thunderbirds, and witness the unprecedented training, peril, and personal sacrifice it takes to push the limits of aviation as a member of one America’s most revered demonstration teams.'

🎥 Fear Street: Prom Queen (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school’s wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown. But when a gutsy outsider puts herself in the running, and the other girls start mysteriously disappearing, the class of ’88 is suddenly in for one hell of a prom night.'

🔔 Forget You Not (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'After multiple crises turn her life upside down, a convenience store clerk discovers a surprising creative outlet to restore her hope: stand-up comedy.'

🎥 Off Track 2 (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Lisa, who now lives a sober family life with her daughter Elvira and boyfriend Anders, is set on doing the 200-mile-long bike ride, Vätternrundan, with her brother Daniel. But when Daniel's wife Klara says she wants a divorce, Daniel decides to do the race with her instead. While Daniel and Klara try to patch up their relationship, Lisa starts flirting with an old ex.'

🎥 The Surrender (Shudder, 3:01 AM) 'A fraught mother-daughter relationship is put to a terrifying test when the family patriarch dies and the grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to bring her husband back from the dead. As the bizarre and brutal resurrection spirals out of control, both women must confront their differences as they fight for their lives -- and for each other.'

🎥 Worth the Wait (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'The lives of multiple Asian American strangers fatefully intertwine as they navigate budding love, confront profound loss, and encounter old flames.'

🔔 Pee-wee, As Himself (HBO, 8:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'The definitive story of the artist and performer Paul Reubens and his indelible alter ego Pee-wee Herman.'

🔔 Missing Presumed Dead (NGC, 9:00 PM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Tells the fascinating and shocking stories of real disappearances—how the victims survived their experiences and were found or rescued.'

RETURNING SHOWS

🧑‍🌾 Clarkson's Farm (Amazon, 3:01 AM) SEASON FOUR PREMIERE.

🔔 Silly Sundays (Max, 3:01 AM) SEASON 1B/SEASON FINALE.

💖 Couples Therapy (Paramount, 3:01 AM & Showtime, 9:00 PM) SEASON 4B/SEASON FINALE.

Mickey 17

STREAMING

🏍️ Long Way Home (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Fjord Focus" 

🤖 Murderbot (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Risk Assessment" 

🔔 Your Friends & Neighbors (Apple, 12:01 AM) 

🔔 Malditos (Max, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 The Chi (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "The Fall Out" 

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

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

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

👮 Cops (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM) 

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️ DP World Golf: Soudal Open, Second Round (Golf, 7:00 AM)

🏎️ Formula 1 Racing: Monaco Grand Prix, Practice 1 (ESPN2, 7:30 AM)

🏎️ Formula 1 Racing: Monaco Grand Prix, Practice 2 (ESPNU, 10:55 AM)

🥎 College Softball: NCAA Tournament (ESPN2, 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM)

🏌️ 2025 Senior PGA Championship: Second Round (Golf, 1:00 PM)

🥍 Women's College Lacrosse: NCAA Tournament: Florida vs. North Carolina (ESPNU, 3:00 PM)

🏌️ PGA Tour Golf: Charles Schwab Challenge, Second Round (Golf, 4:00 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets (Apple, 7:00 PM)

🏀 WNBA Basketball: Connecticut Sun at Minnesota Lynx (Ion, 7:30 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: Arizona Diamondbacks at St Louis Cardinals (Apple, 8:00 PM)

🏐 AVP Beach Volleyball: League Week 1 - Palm Beach (CBSSN, 8:00 PM)

🏒 NHL Hockey: Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars (ESPN, 8:00 PM)

🥎 College Softball: NCAA Tournament (ESPNU, 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM)

🏈 United Football League: San Antonio Brahmas vs. St. Louis Battlehawks (Fox, 8:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Indiana Pacers at New York Knicks (TNT & TruTV, 8:00 PM)

⚽ NWSL Soccer: Seattle Reign vs Washington Spirit (Amazon, 10:00 PM)

🏀 WNBA Basketball: Phoenix Mercury at Seattle Storm (Ion, 10:00 PM)

Fear Street: Prom Night

 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

📹 The Greatest @HomeVideos (CBS, 8:00 PM) 'Cedric the Entertainer kicks off the long holiday weekend spotlighting sidesplitting summertime viral videos from across the globe; a special tribute honors the brave men and women serving in the U.S. military.'

💰 Gold Rush: White Water (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 
🔔 Pee-wee, As Himself (HBO, 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) SEASON FINALE. 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🎭 Great Performances (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'Girl from the North Country - Wayward travelers intersect in a guesthouse filled with music, life, and hope in 1934 Duluth, Minn.; directed by Conor McPherson, the show features 20 reimagined Bob Dylan songs.'

👽 The Unbelieveable with Dan Ackroyd (History, 9:00 PM) 'A trip to the doctor is sure to cure any afflicted individual, but what happens when even the doctors are stunned by what they see?; from a family cursed with blue skin, to a girl allergic to the world's most unlimited resource and more.'

🔔 Missing Presumed Dead (NGC, 9:00 PM) 'Journalist Michael Scott Moore travels to Somalia to research and report on the piracy crisis in the country and is captured and held in extreme conditions for over two and a half years by Somali pirates.'

💖 Couples Therapy (Showtime, 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM) 'Alison and Rod unpack their history of bickering; Jessica vents over her feelings for Boris; Mondo feels like a parent with his deaf partner Kyle; Nick and Katherine recount a revelatory trip that sent shock waves through their marriage. / Kyle reveals the origins of his desire for sexual freedom; Boris and Jessica unravel their whirlwind trajectory; Alison tries a new tactic with Rod; Katherine and Nick throw a party that triggers a deep dive into Nick's relationship with his mother.'

💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Jean (Discovery, 9:00 PM) 
🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 Pee-wee, As Himself (HBO, 9:40 PM) 
🏠 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
🔨 Beachfront Bargain Hunt Renovation (Magnolia, 9:00 PM) 
👮 On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 

The Last Show Girl

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

🔔 Missing Presumed Dead (NGC, 10:00 PM) 'Sailing the world, the Robertson family's journey is ended by killer whales.'

💖 Couples Therapy (Showtime, 10:00 PM) 'Boris feels like their therapy is making him look like a monster; Orna explores Katherine and Nick's inability to connect; Rod and Alison are challenged on their attack and avoid dynamic; Mondo confronts Kyle over his refusal to be monogamous.'

👽 Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny (History, 10:03 PM) 'Glimpses into NASA's covert plan to blow up the moon with a nuclear warhead, the Soviet Union's cover-up of history's deadliest space disaster, and how U.S. attempts to put spies in orbit paved the way for the first space station.'

LATE NIGHT

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 AM) 'Actors Jonathan Groff and Gracie Lawrence; actress Adria Arjona; chef Eric Choi, and restaurateurs David Yun and Steve Choi.'

🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 12:37 AM) 'Actors Michael Urie, Jessica Williams and Luke Tennie.'

🔔 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, 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM); Futurama (Comedy Central, 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM); Roseanne (CMT, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM); Living Single (TV One, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM); M*A*S*H* (TVLand, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM); South Park (Comedy Central, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 12:00 PM - 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 - 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); Becker (Antenna, 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM); The King of Queens (TVLand, 11:00 PM - 2:00 AM); Wings (Antenna, 12:00 - 1:00 AM); Designing Women (Antenna, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 11:00 PM) 'Actors Albert Brooks and Brooke Shields.'

Pee-wee, as Himself

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

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