What's On Tonight (Friday): Only Momoa Can Save Hawaii...

Chief of War

Today's Top Pick is Apple's Chief of War starring Jason Momoa, who also executive produced and wrote it.  That last bit could be a problem.  Definitely getting some Seagal/On Deadly Ground vibes here.  But Momoa is way more charismatic than Seagal ever was, and he's doing something original about a story that hasn't been told enough.  Perhaps it will be good enough to spark a wave of rebellion in Hawaii causing them to secede.  There aren't any TV shows currently filming there so we could probably weather the loss.

TOP PICK

⭐🔔 Chief of War (Apple, 3:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Set amidst the beautiful backdrop of the islands of Hawai'i, the nine-episode series is based on true events and follows warrior Ka'iana, portrayed by Momoa, as he tries to unify the islands before Western colonization in the late 18th century.  Executive produced and written by Jason Momoa, who also stars.'✔️

Elsewhere...

*Close runner up for Top Pick is the Disney+ limited series, Eyes of Wakanda.  It's only four episodes and it is executive produced by Ryan Coogler.  Hopefully that means it will be a step up from the What If...? series (I actually liked What If...?, but I know the mileage of others varied).

*Deadliest Catch returns for the debut of its 21st season.  I don't recall when I stopped watching this series, but at some point he series seemed to think viewers were more interested in soap opera bullshit than just showing these guys doing this incredibly dangerous job.  

*Tom Brady bought a soccer team, and someone decided to make a docuseries about it.  That series is titled Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues.  Brady states clearly in the trailer for the series that centers on him and has his name in the title that this is not a vanity project.  So, I hope your worries about that took the time to plan their funeral arrangements in advance, because it's time to lay them to rest.

PREMIERES

Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues

🎥 Family Tree (AMC+ and Sundance Now, 3:01 AM) 'Explores sustainable forestry in North Carolina through the stories of two Black families working to preserve their land and legacy. Debut director Jennifer MacArthur’s cinema verité approach reveals the vast task of maintaining the land while navigating family dynamics, unscrupulous developers and changing environmental needs.'

⚽ Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues (Amazon, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Tells the authentic tale of a club accustomed to sporting heartbreak, who are rebuilt to win, with American football legend Tom Brady laying out their new mission statement: “We’re trying to make this a world-class team.”'✔️

🦸 Eyes of Wakanda (Disney+, 3:01 AM) LIMITED SERIES. 'Follows the adventures of brave Wakandan warriors throughout history. In this globe-trotting adventure, the heroes must carry out dangerous missions to retrieve Vibranium artifacts from the enemies of Wakanda.'✔️

🎥 Final Destination Bloodlines (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'Plagued by a violent recurring nightmare, college student Stefanie heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all.'✔️

🍌 Let's Go Bananas (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) SEASON 1A. 'A lively animated series that follows a gang of animal pals as they embark on fun, chaotic adventures packed with humor and heart.'✔️

🎥 My Oxford Year (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'When Anna, an ambitious young American woman, sets out for Oxford University to fulfill a childhood dream, she has her life completely on track until she meets a charming and clever local who profoundly alters both of their lives.'✔️

🎥 Borderline (Peacock, 3:01 AM) 'Follows a dangerously persistent stalker \who invades the home of a '90s pop superstar with grand delusions of a wedding. With her life on the line and help from her loyal bodyguard, she must escape the stalker's sinister grip before they tie the knot.'✔️

🎥 The Ultimate Vendetta (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'When a grieving woman must fight for her life against home invaders, she finds herself in a tangled web of deceit, revenge, and murder.'

😂 Marc Maron: Panicked (HBO, 8:00 PM) 'Marc Maron offers up his nuanced perspective on our increasingly uncertain world.'

🎥 Killer in the Woods (LMN, 8:00 PM) 'To connect with her two teenage daughters, a single mother agrees to a camping trip suggested by her new boyfriend. When her daughter goes missing, she learns this is all planned by a cult that wants to use them to start a new colony of followers.'

My Oxford Year

RETURNING SHOWS

🐼 Stillwater (Apple, 3:01 AM) SEASON FOUR.

💖 Perfect Match (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON THREE PREMIERE.

🦀 The Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWENTY-ONE PREMIERE. 

💖 Love After Lockup: Life After Lockup (WE, 8:00 PM) SEAS0N SIX PREMIERE.

💖 Ready to Love (OWN, 8:00 PM) SEASON TEN SUMMER PREMIERE. 

STREAMING

🪐 Foundation (Apple, 12:01 AM) "The Stress of Her Regard" 

🔥 Smoke (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Whitewashed Tombs" 

🤠 Last Cowboy Standing (Fox Nation, 3:01 AM) 

🔔Pati (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) 

🤬 Rage (Furia) (HBO Max, 8:00 PM) "Victoria" 

💖 Love Island (UK) (Hulu, 3:01 AM) 

🏉 The Winning Try (Netflix, 3:01 AM) "Episode 3" 

🔔 The Chi (Paramount, 3:01 AM) SEASON FINALE. "Rebirth" 

💀 Dexter: Resurrection (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "Murder Horny" 

🦸 DC Studios Showcase: The Official Podcast (HBO Max, 7:01 AM) 

🔔 Tougen Anki (Netflix, 11:31 AM) 

👮 Cops (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM) 

🎥 The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs (Shudder, 9:00 PM) 

Eyes of Wakanda

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🌽 Cornhole: ACL Trickshot Challenge (ESPN2, 2:00 PM) 

🎯 Darts: 2025 BullShooter Invitational Shootout (ESPN2, 3:00 PM)

🏌️ PGA Tour Golf: 2025 Wyndham Championship - Round 2 (Golf, 3:00 PM)

🏀 BIG3 Basketball: Houston vs Miami & LA vs Detroit (Vice, 4:00 PM)

🏌️ Korn Ferry Tour Golf: 2025 Utah Championship - Round 2 (Golf, 6:00 PM)

⚾ Milwaukee Brewers at Washington Nationals (Apple, 6:45 PM) 

⚾ Banana Ball World Tour (ESPN, 7:00 PM)

⚾ Houston Astros at Boston Red Sox (Apple, 7:10 PM) 

🏀 WNBA Basketball: Indiana Fever vs. Dallas Wings (Ion, 7:30 PM)

⚽ NWSL Soccer: Chicago Stars FC vs Gotham FC (Amazon, 8:00 PM) 

🥊 One 173: Denver (Amazon, 8:00 PM)

🏐 AVP Beach Volleyball League Week 7: Austin, TX (CBSSN, 9:00 PM)

🥊 Professional Fighters League: World Tournament (Finals): Welterweights & Featherweights (ESPN, 9:00 PM)

🏀 WNBA Basketball: Los Angeles Sparks vs. Seattle Storm (Ion, 10:00 PM)

⚽ NWSL Soccer: Seattle Reign vs Angel City FC (Paramount, 10:30 PM) 

Borderline

🕖 EARLY PRIMETIME 🕖

🏠 The Loud House (Nickelodeon, 7:00 PM) 'The Loud family and Clyde arrive for a fun-filled summer at Camp Mastodon, but Lincoln and Clyde quickly find themselves in a battle against the toughest bunk at camp.'

🔔 Wylde Pack (Nickelodeon, 7:30 PM) 'Jack's new friend Beef invites him to a sleepover; Jack, a sleepover newbie, freaks out over impressing his new friend; Jack and Lil try to prove they're the one true local, enduring a series of bizarre quests in the local dive.'

🕖 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

💰 The Fixer (Fox, 8:00 PM)'Marcus helps a company which offers DIY tie-dye experiences and parties for people of all ages and a boutique ice cream shop known for its handcrafted, seasonal flavors.'

🦀 The Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel, 3:01 AM) 'Sig and John co-captain the Time Bandit, sparking a gold rush for crab out west; chaos on the Titan Explorer forces Jake's crew to abandon ship.'

😂 Marc Maron: Panicked (HBO, 8:00 PM) 
🎥 Killer in the Woods (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: Life After Lockup (WE, 8:00 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🍽️The Great American Recipe (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'The six remaining home cooks face two challenges that push them beyond their comfort zones; first, they must prepare one of the judges' recipes; then, with the return of the recipe swap, they put their own spin on each other's dishes.'

👽 The Unexplained (History, 9:00 PM) 'Bizarre, mysterious tales ran rampant and are still being told to this day; are these strange tales of the American frontier simply legend, or was the west far stranger than one could possibly imagine?'

👮 Border Security: Australia's Front Line (NGC, 9:00 PM) 'An American is caught with large quantities of undeclared medicines; a couple from Korea draw attention; officers make a discovery inside a fridge from Spain. / Odd travel plans and strange documents concern officers; the Border Force plays no games when it comes to busting an attempt to smuggle cocaine through the border.'

🔔 BMF (Starz, 9:01 PM) 'Meech and Terry navigate their relationship challenges while looking to expand the business; Purdy is stuck in the middle of a bidding war, leading to an explosive outcome.'

🐶 Totally Funny Animals (CW, 9:00 PM) 
💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
👮 Killer Cases (A&E, 9:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 
🍽️ Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 
🏠 My Lottery Dream Home (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
🔨 Lakefront Bargain Hunt: Renovation (Magnolia, 9:00 PM) 
👮 On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM)
👶 Totally Funny Kids (CW, 9:30 PM) 
🏠 Zillow Gone Wild (HGTV, 9:30 PM) 

Let's Go Bananas

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👽 Resident Alien (SYFY & USA, 10:00 PM) 'With lives hanging in the balance, Harry is put to the test.'

👽 The Proof is Out There (History, 10:03 PM) 'Is a picture taken in the 1890's the first Bigfoot photo ever? Is a recording captured in Pennsylvania a genuine Bigfoot howl? Why are UFOs drawn to Powerlines? Did a photographer inadvertently capture a UFO at the coronation of King Charles.'

🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
⚖️ Taking the Stand (A&E, 10:01 PM) SEASON FINALE. 

LATE NIGHT

👮 City Confidential (A&E, 11:04 PM) 'When one of Redlands', California's new residents goes missing, the distraught community bands together to help find her; but when the case shifts from missing to murder, everyone learns their tranquil little town has a much darker side.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 AM) 'Actors Adam Sandler and Bad Bunny on "Happy Gilmore 2"; actress Mary Beth Barone on "Overcompensating" and "Ride with Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone."'

🔔 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)
🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 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, 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM); Parks and Recreation (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); 227 (Antenna, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM); The Jeffersons (Antenna, 7:00 PM -9:00 PM); Everybody Loves Raymond (TVLand, 7:00 PM - 11:00 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 AM - 1:00 AM); The Drew Carey Show (Antenna, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 11:00 PM) 'Actor Charles Grodin; comic Dom Irrera; Tommy Walton.'

Final Destination Bloodlines

Key Sources: The Futon Critic; Rotten Tomatoes; YouTube

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