What's On Tonight (Friday): Backrooms Back, Alright?

Backrooms

Oh my God, we're back again.  Today's Top Pick is the streaming premiere of one of the big horror surprises of the year, Backrooms.  The film was one of a series of horror films directed by young whippersnappers to overperform at the box office in 2026, but Backrooms holds the record for youngest director ever (Kane Parsons - ONLY 20 YEARS OLD!) to open a film at number one.  Before anyone claims Parsons is the future of cinema, you might want to check in with the previous record holder: Chronicle director Josh Trank.

⭐🎥 Backrooms (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) STREAMING PREMIERE. 'A strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom.'

Elsewhere...

Chilean Mine Rescue: Race Against Time

  PREMIERES

🎥 Don't Be Shy (Amazon, 3:01 AM) 'Quintessential Mean Girl, Shyamili 'Shy' Das, finds herself suddenly relegated to Loser-ville, when Mayank, her boyfriend of three years, suddenly dumps her. But Shy, all set to get her revenge, finds herself falling into friendship and compassion with someone unexpected… Mayank's new girlfriend - Tara.'

🎥 Bloody Tennis (AMC+ / Shudder, 3:01 AM) 'After being admitted to an elite tennis academy in Europe, Sophie must contend not only with fierce competition, but also the school's increasingly sinister undercurrents. '

🎥 The Kingdom (AMC+ / Sundance Now, 3:01 AM) 'On the island of Corsica in 1995, teenage Lesia is plucked from her sheltered life, and taken to a remote villa where her fugitive mob boss father, Pierre-Paul, is hiding out. At first Lesia feels trapped by the secrecy and danger which defines Pierre-Paul's life. But when an assassination attempt sets a chain of bloody vendettas in motion, they are forced to go on the run together.'

🔔 4 Blocks Zero (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'This prequel to the series 4 Blocks explores the early years of the Hamady family. Having fled from Lebanon with his four children and mother-in-law, Malik Hamady attempts to provide a better life for his family in Germany but struggles to gain a foothold amid prejudice and the challenges of daily life.'

🔔 The Good Spirit: Behind the Doors of the Opus Dei (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Men from diverse backgrounds detail the spiritual, psychological, and financial abuse they experienced under the religious group Opus Dei.'

🔔 Paolo (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'Paolo lives a simple yet fulfilling life in a small provincial town. After a chance encounter, Paolo finds himself attending a campaign event for his former classmate Téophane, an ambitious local politician on the rise. What begins as a commitment to Téophane's campaign soon spirals as Paolo's world is upended by his all-consuming desire to be part of the hopeful mayor's inner circle.'

🔔 The Final Problem (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'A fading actor must use his famous characters' detective skills to solve a suspicious death at an isolated hotel where everyone becomes a suspect.'

🎥 Unabomber (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Follows Ted Kaczynski's (Jacob Tremblay) transformation from 16-year-old Harvard prodigy into the infamous Unabomber. Subjected to psychological experiments by Professor Henry Murray (Russell Crowe), Kaczynski's past resurfaces when his manhunt, led by FBI agent Joanne Miller (Shailene Woodley), brings to light the chilling consequences of ambition and isolation.'

🎥 Buzzkill (Tubi, 3:01 AM) 'When a masked killer targets her sorority, party girl Nora must get drunk to unlock the memories that reveal the murderer.'

⛏️ Chilean Mine Rescue: Race Against Time (NGC, 8:00 PM) LIMITED SERIES. 'Features never-before-seen cell phone footage filmed in the mine and includes powerful interviews with survivors, families and rescuers - some speaking publicly outside of local Chilean press for the first time - to tell the definitive story of the 69 days rescuers raced to save the trapped miners while the men underground fought to survive.'

👮🏻 SWAT: Exiles (Starz, 10:00 PM) SERIES PREMIERE. 'After a high-profile mission goes sideways, Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson is pulled out of forced retirement to lead a last-chance experimental S.W.A.T. unit made up of untested, unpredictable young recruits.'

RETURNING SHOWS

🍽️ Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars (Apple, 12:01 AM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE.

🩸 Blood Legacy (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON TWO.

🍰 The Great British Baking Show (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON FOURTEEN PREMIERE.

🔔 Steel Ball Run: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON PREMIERE.

🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:00 PM) SEASON FORTY-NINE PREMIERE.

🔔 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:01 PM) SEASON THIRTY-FIVE PREMIERE.

💖 Love After Lockup: Relationship Rehab (WE, 10:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION.

SWAT: Exiles

STREAMING

🔔 Dark Matter (Apple, 12:01 AM) 

⚖️ Judy Justice (Amazon, 3:01 AM) "Flip or Forever" 

🔔 Escape to the Country (Britbox, 3:01 AM) "TBA / Cornwall / Somerset / South West Wales" SEASON FINALE. 

🔥 Fired Up! (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 The Producer (HBO Max, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 Physical 100: Italy (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 Mobland (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "Song 2" 

🧼 Days of Our Lives (Peacock, 3:01 AM) 

 

👮🏻 Cops (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM) 

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️ LPGA Tour Golf: 2026 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship - Round 1 (Golf, 11:00 AM)

🏌️ 2026 Presidents Cup: Day 2 (Golf, 2:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Army West Point Black Knights at Temple Owls (ESPN, 4:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Harvard Crimson at Brown Bears (ESPN2, 7:00 PM)

⚾ MLB Baseball: Chicago Cubs at Boston Red Sox (ESPN App, 7:10 PM)

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

🏈 CFL Football: Toronto Argonauts at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CBSSPT, 8:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Northwestern Wildcats at Indiana Hoosiers (Fox, 8:00 PM)

🍌 Banana Ball World Tour: Texas Tailgaters vs Savannah Bananas (Roku, 8:00 PM)

🏈 College Football: Clemson Tigers at California Golden Bears (ESPN, 10:30 PM)

Unabomber

🕖EARLY PRIMETIME🕖

🏠 The Loud House (Nickelodeon, 5:30 PM) 'Lana takes on her toughest pet-matching client yet; after scoring a perfect test result, Zach's ego balloons.'

⭐ The Patrick Starr Show (Nickelodeon, 6:00 PM) 'Cecil and his friends go on a fishing trip at the lake. Henry Winkler as Jeff Tentacles; in a post-apocalyptic future, Bunny competes in a Roller Derby match to save the world.'

🥊 The Ariel Helwani Show (Vice, 7:00 PM) 'Ariel Helwani speaks to top UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan and UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van after UFC 331.'

🕖8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🦀 Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel, 8:00 PM) 'As the season nears its end, tragedy strikes on the Aleutian Lady when greenhorn Todd Meadows falls overboard. As Captain Rick and the crew fight to save their crewmate, the true stakes of fishing on the Bering Sea hit home across the fleet.'

⛏️ Chilean Mine Rescue: Race Against Time (NGC, 8:00 PM) 'A desperate search begins when 33 miners become trapped half a mile underground.'

🔔 Outlander: Blood of My Blood (Starz, 8:04 PM) 'Brian and Ellen help their clans prepare for the coming rebellion, with varying levels of success; Julia and Henry learn more about the stones at Craigh na Dun from unexpected sources.'

👀 Big Brother (CBS, 8:00 PM) 
🎵 Jay-Z in 8 (HBO, 8:00 PM) 
💍 Put A Ring On It: Cheathab (OWN, 9:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 

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

🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (USA, 8:00 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

🎵 Sing Democracy 250 (PBS, 9:00 PM) 'Hundreds of diverse choral groups from all 50 states perform a new work in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.'

👻 Scariest House in America (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 'Retta's journey to find scary takes her to the Ominous Ozarks where three homes duke it out for a chance at a $150,000 makeover by designer Alison Victoria! It includes a home of devilish doppelgängers and a ghostly gangster meeting place.'

⛏️ Chilean Mine Rescue: Race Against Time (NGC, 9:02 PM) 'Contact is made with the miners, but for rescuers, the challenge has just begun.'

🥊 Fightland (Starz, 9:02 PM) SEASON FINALE. 'An explosive showdown leads Duke to a surprising truth, rocking him to the core, as an audacious move captures the world's attention.'

🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:00 PM) 
🐶 Totally Funny Animals (CW, 9:00 PM) 
👮 On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 Age Inappropriate (WE, 9:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 
💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 9:01 PM) 

Steel Ball Run: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

🔥 Roast My Rental (HGTV, 10:00 PM) 'Leslie's shocked as she checks into a so-called Villa in Palm Springs, California. Broken water features and layers of dust are just the beginning of what Jasmine faces in order to turn this villa of bad decisions into a dream resort.'

👮🏻 SWAT: Exiles (Starz, 10:00 PM) 'Hondo Harrelson gets one shot at redemption: build an S.W.A.T. unit from LA's overlooked talent; the team clicks under fire, but one of Hondo's own made a promise that has nothing to do with protecting S.W.A.T.'

🔍 Anna Pigeon (USA, 10:00 PM) 'The discovery of a body in the river draws Anna into the complicated world of a celebrated artist.'

⛏️ Chilean Mine Rescue: Race Against Time (NGC, 10:04 PM) SERIES FINALE. 'Preparations begin for one of history's most challenging mine rescue attempts.'

🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
💖 Love After Lockup: Relationship Rehab (WE, 10:00 PM) 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 'Actor Matthew McConaughey; influencer Alix Earle; Riley Green performs.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC, 12:37 PM) 'Actor Timothy Olyphant; actor Cooper Hoffman.'

🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 11:35 PM) 
😂 Comics Unleashed (CBS, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 Nightline (ABC, 12:37 AM)
😂 Funny You Should Ask (CBS, 12:37 PM)

📺Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO BINGE📺

South Park (Comedy Central, 5:00 AM -2:00 PM); The Andy Griffiths Show (Sundance, 5:00 AM - 3:30 PM); Law & Order (Pop, 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM); Friends (TBS, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM); Living Single (TV One, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM); M*A*S*H* (TVLand, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM); Gunsmoke (11:00 AM - 4:00 PM); Seinfeld (Comedy Central, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM); The Big Bang Theory (TBS, 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM); The Andy Griffiths 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); Three's Company (Antenna, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM); Barney Miller (Antenna, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM);  Everybody Loves Raymond (TVLand, 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM); One Day at a Time (Antennae, 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM); The Jeffersons (Antenna, 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM); Sanford & Son (Antenna, 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM); The Golden Girls (Hallmark, 10:00 PM - 3:00 AM); The King of Queens (TVLand, 11:06 PM - 2:00 AM); Wings (Antenna, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 11:00 PM) 'Lawrence Welk; David Brenner; writer Ashley Montagu; actress Joan Embery.' *Originally Aired Sept 13, 1974*

The Great British Baking Show

Key Sources: The Futon Critic; Rotten Tomatoes; YouTube; TV Guide; TV Passport

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