What's On Tonight (Friday): Why Do Crows Need a Bot?

Murderbot

 Today's Top Pick is the Apple sci-fi series, Murderbot.  Starring Alexander Skarsgård, Murderbot is about a security robot that manages to hack itself and gain free will.  Unfortunately, that is a big no-no so he has to hide his liberation from all the pesky humans so he can continue to stream TV shows while performing his job functions.  I'm not familiar with the books, but this wouldn't be the first series that prompted me to pick up a new author (The Expanse, Wheel of Time, Shining Girls, Shadow and Bone, among others).  

This checks a lot of boxes for me (robots, monsters, dark comedy, etc.), and with Andor ending, I've got room in my schedule for another sci-fi show (a schedule that is full now since it also includes Last of Us and Doctor Who).  Plus, Apple shows are usually high-quality productions, so even if it isn't great, I won't feel like I wasted my time.  If you held on to your subscription after the recent season of Severance ended, maybe give it a try.

TOP PICK

⭐🤖 Murderbot (Apple, 12:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Based on the bestselling book series, Murderbot is a sci-fi thriller/comedy about a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients. Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.'

Elsewhere...

PREMIERES

Deaf President Now!

🔔 Deaf President Now! (Apple, 12:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'Discover the story of the greatest civil rights movement most people never heard about.  During eight tumultuous days in 1988 at the world's only deaf university, four students must find a way to lead a revolution - and change the course of history.'

😂 Matteo Lane: The Al Dente Special (Hulu, 12:01 AM) 'In his latest special, Matteo he shares a glimpse into his travels, unique family background and friendships.'

🎥 Armand (AMC+, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'When defamed actress Elisabeth is abruptly called into a parent-teacher meeting after hours, she is presented with scathing allegations that trigger a tangled web of accusations between parents and faculty.'

🎥 The Brutalist (Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'Escaping post-war Europe, visionary architect László Toth arrives in America to rebuild his life, his work, and his marriage to his wife Erzsébet after being forced apart during wartime by shifting borders and regimes.  The wealthy and prominent industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren recognizes Toth's talent for building. But power and legacy come at a heavy cost....'

🔔 Dear Hongrang (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'When a long-missing heir returns with lost memories, love and suspicion entwine. Is he truly Hongrang, or a stranger disturbing hearts and family ties?'

🔔 Football Parents (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'In this comedy series, a group of overenthusiastic football parents can't help but interfere with the performances of the young players on the field.'

🎥 The Quilters (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Men in a Missouri maximum-security prison design and sew beautiful, personalized quilts for foster children.'

🔔 Rotten Legacy (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'After a grave illness, a media mogul discovers his children's tactics threaten the empire he carefully built — and he'll do whatever it takes to save it.'

🎥 Rhythm & Blood (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'Facing escalating threats from a dangerous stalker, a pop megastar begins falling for the handsome bodyguard she's hired to keep her safe.'

🎥 The Nanny Sees All (LMN, 8:00 PM) 'Grace Anderson's new job as a nanny for the mayor's family turns into a nightmare when a murder rocks the town and she starts receiving ominous messages. Now, Grace starts to question what deadly secrets are lurking in her hometown.'

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 The Chi (Paramount, 3:01 AM) SEASON SEVEN PREMIERE.

📹 The Greatest @HomeVideos (CBS, 8:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 

Matteo Lane: The Al Dente Special

STREAMING

🏍️ Long Way Home (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Survive the Ride" 

🔔 Your Friends & Neighbors (Apple, 12:01 AM) "The First Honest Thing" 

⚖️ Tribunal Justice (Amazon, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 Malditos (Max, 3:01 AM) 

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

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

👮 Cops (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM) 

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️ 2025 PGA Championship: Second Round (ESPN, 12:00 PM)

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

🥎 College Softball: NCAA Tournament (ESPN2, 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM)

⚽ Premier League Soccer: Aston Villa vs. Tottenham Hotspur (USA, 2:30 PM)

🏌️ 2025 Regions Tradition: Second Round (Golf, 3:00 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: New York Mets at New York Yankees (CW, 7:00 PM)

🏀 WNBA Basketball: Minnesota Lynx at Dallas Wings (Ion, 7:30 PM)

⚽ NWSL Soccer: Orlando Pride vs KC Current (Amazon, 8:00 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: Houston Astros at Texas Rangers (Apple, 8:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Boston Celtics at New York Knicks (ESPN, 8:00 PM)

🥎 College Softball: NCAA Tournament (ESPN2, 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM)

🏈 United Football League: Memphis Showboats at San Antonio Brahmas (Fox, 8:00 PM)

🏒 NHL Hockey: Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers (TNT & TruTV, 8:00 PM)

🥊 Invicta FC 62 (CBSSN, 9:00 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: Seattle Mariners at San Diego Padres (Apple, 9:30 PM)

🥎 College Softball: NCAA Tournament: Grand Canyon vs. Ole Miss (ESPNU, 10:00 PM)

🏀 WNBA Basketball: Los Angeles Sparks at Golden State Valkyries (Ion, 10:00 PM)

Armand

 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'Mark Cuban's farewell episode; oversized luxury candles; gourmet deviled eggs; a tick-removal mitten; seamless, invisible undergarments.'

🌱 Grosse Pointe Garden Society (NBC, 8:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'Days after the gala, Birdie, Catherine, Brett and Alice struggle to tie up loose ends as suspicions mount.'

🔔 Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Starz, 8:02 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'A devastated Kanan furiously searches for answers and revenge; Raq attempts to stave off the collapse of her business as she and Lou prepare for a possible war with Unique.'

📹 The Greatest @HomeVideos (CBS, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush: White Water (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 
🎥 The Nanny Sees All (LMN, 8:00 PM) 

🔔 The Never Ever Mets (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

👮‍♂️ S.W.A.T. (CBS, 9:00 PM) 'When an auto carrier truck gets hijacked by a high-speed crew, Hondo encounters a ghost from his past; Gamble is thrust into a personal crisis when her brother becomes tangled in the investigation.'

🎭 Great Performances (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'Daniel Dae Kim portrays a playwright in "Yellow Face," a farce that deals with the complexities of race.'

👽 The Unbelieveable with Dan Ackroyd (History, 9:00 PM) 'From calling Veteran's Stadium home, to setting up camp in an airport terminal, to turning an unassuming dumpster into a luxurious abode, each of these dwellings are so beyond odd, that they are truly unbelievable.'

💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Jean (Discovery, 9:00 PM) 
🍴 Guy's All-American Road Trip (Food, 9:00 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) 

Football Parents

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👮‍♂️ S.W.A.T. (CBS, 9:00 PM) SERIES FINALE. 'The SWAT team undertakes its final mission when a violent crew of ex-pat Russian mercenaries holds Los Angeles hostage after planting hundreds of hidden explosives across the city in a bid to extort the release of their brutal leader, Dmitri Rykov.'

👽 Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny (History, 10:03 PM) 'Stalin's gruesome trials to create a hybrid human-ape super army; the eerie reason East Germany's Stasi collected the scents of dissidents in airtight jars; how the CIA uncovered a secret Soviet island devoted to developing deadly bioweapons.'

🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 AM) '"Vogue" Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour; rapper A$AP Rocky; comic Benito Skinner.'

🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 12:37 AM) 'Actress Mayan Lopez; actor Jerry O'Connell; comic Aida Rodriguez.'

🔔 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 - 1:00 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, 12:30 AM); Designing Women (Antenna, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 11:00 PM) 'Actor Peter Falk; actor Steve Landesberg; astronomer Carl Sagan; boxer Muhammad Ali.'

The Brutalist

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

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