What's On Tonight (Friday): Do You Want a Cure for Cancer, or Do You Want Ochi?

  

The Legend of Ochi

At 8 PM ET tonight every major network along with several cable channels and streaming services will be airing Stand Up to Cancer 2025.  Speaking as someone who very recently lost someone I loved to cancer, I am totally behind anything that helps raise money for research.  Speaking as someone who has a natural aversion to stuff like Stand Up to Cancer 2025, I am granting Top Pick status to The Legend of Ochi, which has it's streaming premiere today on HBO Max.

Starring relative newcomer Helena Zengel along with Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson and one of the Stranger Things kids (do you really care which one?), Ochi takes place on a small island in the Black Sea where people live along side wolves, bears and a fantastical race of creatures.  The latter seems to be feared far more than the other two.  Zengel finds a young Ochi and decides to return it to it's family rather than let her family kill it.

I'm a sucker for the "kid finds magical creature" genre.  Sure, sometimes you get Mac and Me, but you also get ET.  This looks to be closer to the ET end of that spectrum.  Filmed in Romania (including Transylvania!), the movie uses a mix of puppetry and CGI to pull off the creatures, and the result, at least with the young Ochi, is something like a fuzzy Grogu.  Baby Yoda for the uncouth.  You got a problem with Baby Yoda?

If nothing else, this should be an interesting film for accents.  The lead actress is German, Watson is English, and Dafoe and Stranger Things kid are American.  They are all playing Romanians who apparently all speak English.  Might need to use the subtitles with this one.

TOP PICK

⭐🎥 The Legend of Ochi (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a shy farm girl named Yuri is raised to fear an elusive animal species known as ochi. But when Yuri discovers a wounded baby ochi has been left behind, she escapes on a quest to bring him home. With Willem Dafoe and Emily Watson.'

Elsewhere...

PREMIERES

Magic City: An American Fantasy

🔔 Abandoned: The Woman in the Decaying House (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'After almost 30 years of silence, a victim shares new and disturbing details of the horror she experienced in the home of the person who became known throughout Brazil as the woman with white ointment on her face.'

🎥 The Siege at Thorn High (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 'Years after witnessing an assault on his sister during a riot, Edwin is determined to fulfill her dying wish--to find her child born from the horrific incident. His search leads him to become a teacher at Thorn High School, a school for troubled teens. When he finally discovers the teen, another riot erupts, trapping them in the school and forcing them to fight for their survival.'

🔔 The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'This docuseries reveals the harrowing tales of those who survived Korea’s darkest chapters, breaking years of silence to shine a light on hidden truths.'

🏃‍➡️ Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Former contestants and producers reveal the intense, damaging reality behind the success of "The Biggest Loser" in this provocative documentary series.'

🎥 Night Always Comes (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Based on the best selling novel by Willy Vlautin, Night Always Comes follows Lynette, a woman who risks everything to secure the house that represents a future for her family. On a dangerous odyssey through a single night, Lynette is forced to confront her dark past in order to finally break free.  Starring Vanessa Kirby and Jennifer Jason Leigh.     

🎥 Can't Have It All (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'When Ari tries to juggle two different romances at once, shocking secrets emerge, igniting betrayal and violence.'

🦀 Stand Up to Cancer 2025 (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Disney+, HBO, HBO Max, Hulu and many others) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'Country music stars, celebrities, athletes and cancer researchers join together to fundraise for cancer research; music icon Dolly Parton appears and Sheryl Crow hosts.'

🎥 Eat, Pray, Lie (LMN, 8:00 PM) 'When an altercation between her cheating husband, Will, and another man has deadly consequences, Sophia must figure out if Will is her knight in shining armor or an obsessed soon-to-be ex.'

🔔 Magic City: An American Fantasy (Starz, 10:00 PM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'An immersive five-part docuseries that brings viewers inside the famed Atlanta club and features an oral history from the A-listers who made it legendary.'

🌧️ The Rainmaker (USA, 10:00 PM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Rudy Baylor, who is fresh out of law school, goes head-to-head with courtroom lion Leo Drummond as well as his law school girlfriend, Sarah. Rudy, along with his boss, Bruiser, and her disheveled paralegal, Deck, uncover two connected conspiracies surrounding the mysterious death of their client's son.'

The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies

RETURNING SHOWS

🔔 Betty La Fea, The Story Continues (Amazon, 12:01 AM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE.

🔔 Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical (Apple, 12:01 AM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION.

🏃‍➡️ Limitless with Chris Hemsworth (Disney+ and Hulu, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

👸 The Prince (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE.

🔔 Fatal Seduction (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

STREAMING

🌴 Chief of War (Apple, 3:01 AM) "City of Flowers Part II" 

🪐 Foundation (Apple, 12:01 AM) "The Shape of Time" 

🔥 Smoke (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Mirror Mirror" SEASON FINALE. 

🤬 Rage (Furia) (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) 

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

🏉 The Winning Try (Netflix, 3:01 AM) "Episode 7" 

💀 Dexter: Resurrection (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "Course Correction" 

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

🔔 Tougen Anki (Netflix, 11:31 AM) 

👮 Crime Cam 24/7 (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM) 

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️ LPGA Tour Golf: 2025 The Standard Portland Classic - Round 2 (Golf, 11:00 AM) 

⚾ Little League World Series (ESPN, 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM)

🏌️ LIV Golf: Indianapolis - Individual Championship - First Round (Fox, 2:00 PM)

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

⚽ English Premier League Soccer: Bournemouth at Liverpool from Anfield (USA, 3:00 PM)

🐂 PBR Friday Night Live (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds (Apple, 6:40 PM)

🏌️ Amateur Golf: 2025 U.S. Amateur - Quarterfinals (Golf, 7:00 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays (Apple, 7:07 PM)

⚽ USL Soccer: Detroit City FC at North Carolina FC (CBSSN, 7:30 PM)

🏀 WNBA Basketball: Washington Mystics at Indiana Fever (Ion, 7:30 PM)

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

🥊 Professional Fighters League: Finals: Lightweights, Bantamweights & Women's Flyweights (Main Card) (ESPN, 9:00 PM)

🏀 WNBA Basketball: Las Vegas Aces at Phoenix Mercury (Ion, 10:00 PM)

⚽ NWSL Soccer: Utah Royals vs Angel City FC (Paramount, 10:00 PM) 

Night Always Comes

🕖 EARLY PRIMETIME 🕖

🏠 The Loud House (Nickelodeon, 7:00 PM) 'When Lincoln and Clyde discover a centuries-old pirate flag, they accidentally awaken the ghost of a vengeful zombie pirate and his octopus sidekick; during a nature hike gone wrong, Leni clashes with a snarky co-counselor.' 

🔔 Wylde Pack (Nickelodeon, 7:30 PM) 'Lil and her BFFs Anusha and Debs fight to win the coveted trophy at Hank n Beans arcade; determined to learn the truth about Jack's secret morning life, Lily does the unthinkable and wakes up early; her sleuthing gets them both in big trouble.' 

🕖 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🦀 The Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 'A typhoon brings monstrous waves and high winds to the west; Rick and Bob attempt to stitch a head wound in turbulent seas; John risks capsize to make a harbor entrance; an emergency tests Jake between his duties as captain and man of the house.'

🔔 Outlander: Blood of My Blood (Starz, 8:02 PM) 'As the oath-taking ceremony to determine who will be Laird of Clan MacKenzie approaches, Ellen hatches a new plan to protect herself and her family; Julia is forced to make an impossible choice.'

🦀 Stand Up to Cancer 2025 (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Disney+, HBO, HBO Max, Hulu and many others) 
🎥 Eat, Pray, Lie (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) SEASON FINALE. 'The three finalists face two rounds of cooking -- first, a hometown recipe, followed by an entree side dish and dessert.'

👮 Border Security: Australia's Front Line (NGC, 9:00 PM) 'A fake passport, risky snacks and a package raise alarms for officers. / Two men change their stories. A romance scam and a risky freight emerge.'

🔔 BMF (Starz, 9:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'Meech and Terry return to Atlanta, where a battle ensues, changing relationships and the business forever.'

🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:00 PM) 
💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:00 PM) 
💰 Bering Sea Gold (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) 
🍽️ 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) 
🏠 Zillow Gone Wild (HGTV, 9:30 PM) 

The Siege at Thorn High

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

🔔 Magic City: An American Fantasy (Starz, 10:00 PM) 'Before the club, there was the man - Michael Barney, a natural hustler, he was so gifted that people started calling him Mr. Magic.'

🌧️ The Rainmaker (USA, 10:00 PM) 'Fresh out of law school, Rudy Baylor confronts Leo F. Drummond in a medical malpractice case.'

👽 The Proof is Out There (History, 10:03 PM) 'Exploring if a retired Army aviation officer uncovered evidence of intelligent anomalies or technosignatures, in NASA archived solar satellite photos; why a giant shark caught on camera sparked a debate about if megalodons still exist and more.'

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

LATE NIGHT

🔔 After Midnight (CBS, 12:37 AM) 'Comic Maria Bamford; actor Zach Noe Towers; comic Laura Peek.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:37 AM) 'Actor Bill Hader; actress Brittany Snow; actresses Kat Sadler and Lizzie Davidson.'

🔔 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 - 9:00 AM); 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, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM); The Facts of Life (Logo, 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM); Parks and Recreation (Comedy Central, 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM); The Andy Griffith Show (TVLand, 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM); Family Ties (Antenna, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM); 227 (Antenna, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM); Three's Company (Logo, 6:00 PM - 1:30 AM); 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 Golden Girls (Hallmark, 10:00 PM - 1:00 AM); The King of Queens (TVLand, 11:00 PM - 2:00 AM); Wings (Antenna, 12:30 AM); The Drew Carey Show (Antenna, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 11:00 PM) 'Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger; Ginger McLamb; actor Ed Begley Jr.'

The Rainmaker

Key Sources: The Futon Critic; Rotten Tomatoes; YouTube

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