What's On Tonight (Saturday): Big balls

Big Ten Saturday Night

Another cow! Here's what's on television for tonight, Saturday, September 12!

Our Top Pick tonight is Big Ten Saturday Night (NBC, 7:30 p.m.). It's Iowa's superb owl with the Cyclones traveling to take on the Hawkeyes. Like every football game, I hope no team wins.

Elsewhere, Brandi Carlile is honored to the Limits, Huntsville has an institute you can't disparage, Prime finds Love, 9/11 survivor Genelle Guzman gets Lifetime movie treatment, and Jon Lovett has News.

What's On Tonight (Friday): 25 Years Ago We Were All 50 Years Younger

           

9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan

Not surprisingly there isn't a lot premiering today, so Top Pick goes to 9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan.  The special will air on ABC, National Geographic, Disney+ and Hulu.  I am a little surprised Disney isn't putting it on all the networks they own, but I guess this would be pretty heavy stuff for Disney Jr.  Doc McStuffins won't be making an appearance.

⭐🔔 9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan (ABC / Disney+ / National Geographic, 8:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'As the iconic Tribute in Light illuminates the skies above Lower Manhattan marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11, this special spotlights the resilience and hope that arose since that day through inspiring stories and historic musical performances.

Elsewhere...

What's On Tonight (Thursday): Killer Story, HBO

 

Courtesy TV Insider.

Tonight's Top Pick is the series premiere of the three-part A Killer Story, debuting at 9 p.m. on HBO. It's a true crime docuseries about a 2002 murder in Topeka, Kansas. An ex-wife was convincted of killing her former husband and his partner.

What's On Tonight (Wednesday): Breaking news and broken hearts

The Paper

We're paratroopers, Lieutenant. We're supposed to be surrounded! Here's what's on television for tonight, Wednesday, September 9!

Our Top Pick tonight is the sophomore season of The Paper (Peacock, 3 a.m.). This seemed the right choice because it is adjacent(ish) to what I do IRL. While the show takes numerous liberties with journalism and the news industry — the economics of the show's newspaper make no sense — it does have a heart that is pretty true to the practice of community reporting. And like the show, trying to inform with a volunteer/freelance staff is largely what I do. Plus given it's my birthday, I figured this Top Pick is commendable. Also, the headlining is terrible.

Elsewhere, football is back, Tyler Perry is gettin' Married Again, Band of Brothers has a Legacy, Ted Lasso rings in the new year, Diarra solves the case, the Hardacres are threatened, Miles O'Brien does one more Solve, and it's a Shardy Halloween.

What's On Tonight (Tuesday): Is is Real or make believe?

 

Courtesy ScreenRant.

Tonight's Top Pick is the sixteenth season premiere of The Real Housewives of New York City, returning after a 19-month absence. Just a little bit longer until scripted network programming comes back.

What's On Tonight (Monday): Who's up for a little Exploitation of Evil?

 

Courtesy Vulture.

Tonight's Top Pick is the two-episode (!) premiere of the four-hour (!) O.J. Unseen: Exploitation of Evil, debuting at 9 p.m. on HBO Max and ID. It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since Juiced.

What's On Tonight (Sunday): You know nothing, Sydney Carton

A Tale of Two Cities

It was the best of times! Here's what's on television for tonight, Sunday, September 6!

Our Top Pick tonight is the series premiere of A Tale of Two Cities (MGM+, 10 p.m.). This miniseries adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic stars Gilderoy Lockhart Kit Harington and François Civil as Sydney and Charles and Mirren Mack as Lucie. For such a quintessential piece of literature — of which reading it in high school unquestionably spurred my life track as a writer — the work isn't often adapted. The mini was developed by Daniel West, who also did the Kit-led mini Gunpowder, that I assume no one remembers.

Elsewhere, Susan Reyland and the Marlow gang both find Murder on PBS, Librarians answer the call, Negan saves community, and the President gets malware.

What's On Tonight (Saturday): Bad feminist

Surviving the Silence: The Roxane Gay Story

Sister sister! Here's what's on television for tonight, Saturday, September 5!

Our Top Pick tonight is Surviving the Silence: The Roxane Gay Story (Lifetime, 8 p.m.). Author Roxane Gay's memoir Hunger gets Lifetime movie treatment. Gay is one of my favorite writers. Her Black Panther: World of Wakanda was wonderful and I still regularly revisit Bad Feminist essays. Her Tyler Perry essay is exceptional.

Elsewhere, Tamera Mowry loves a Mystery, balls are foot'd, Camp Rock gets vertical, Scavengers Reign in linear, and Practical Magic goes to Dinner.

What's On Tonight (Friday): We Can Have a Parade and Serve Hot Hors D'oeuvres!

          

Mayday

Today's Top Pick is the Apple original film Mayday.  Ryan Reynolds stars as a US pilot who is shot down over the Soviet Union in 1987.  Luckily he is found by Kenneth Branagh, who gets to do the Liam Neeson old man ass kicker role as a former KGB agent who loves Americana and decides to help Reynolds.  Your mileage may vary regarding the two stars, but the directors are Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, who also directed the far better than it had any right to be Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.  

Other than that, there's not much happening.  It's the Friday before a 3-day weekend.  Go out.

⭐🎥 Mayday (Apple, 12:01 AM) 'When hotshot U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy "Assassin" Kelly (Ryan Reynolds) is sent on a top-secret mission into Russian territory at the height of the Cold War, the operation implodes, leaving him stranded behind enemy lines. Discovered by Nikolai Ustinov (Kenneth Branagh), a gruff ex-KGB agent with a penchant for American culture, Troy thinks he's toast -- but could an unlikely alliance between the two lead to Troy's rescue and a bond neither saw coming?'

Elsewhere...

What's On Tonight (Thursday): Powers to the people

 

Courtesy The Hollywood Reporter.

Tonight's Top Pick is the second season premiere of Chad Powers, which is apparently happening in a six-episode burnoff at 12:01 a.m. on Hulu. Well, you gave it your best shot, Glen Powell. You gave it your all.

What's On Tonight (Wednesday): Hard knock life

The Hardacres

May the Lego be with you! Here's what's on television for tonight, Wednesday, September 2!

Our Top Pick tonight is The Hardacres (BritBox, 3 a.m.). This UK drama is like The Beverly Hillibillies meets The Forsyte Saga (or The Gilded Age) meets All Creatures Great and Small where the poor Hardacre family inherits a large estate and must adapt to a new social class because they want to fit in, mostly. The family is a force for good and life lessons can be spoon fed. It fills a PBS Masterpiece niche.

Elsewhere, Reacher runs, Gal Gadot is a Runner, Diarra is held hostage, Ted faces Chelsea, MasterChef goes real time, Netflix recalls 9/11, and Lindsay Clancy get primetime news treatment.

What's On Tonight (Tuesday): Talk about a throwback!

 

Courtesy Deadline.

Tonight's Top Pick is the two-episode series premiere of The Varnell Hill Show, which is not only starring Tommy Davidson, perhaps best known for In Living Color, but having him reprise a role he played nearly 33 years ago on Martin. If this was any more early '90s FOX, I'd have to use tin foil to get the station.

What's On Tonight (Monday): She'll Spread Her Wings and She'll Learn How to Fly

 

Via Giphy.

Tonight's Top Pick is the series finale of The Kelly Clarkson Show, airing at various times on various stations nationwide. Hey, why not? TALKIN' 'BOUT TALK returns as a regular feature on Sept. 8.

What's On Tonight (Sunday): News flash, I wanna be Dolly. Who doesn't?

Remembering Dolly: A Rhinestone Life

Roses really smell like boo-boo-ooh! Here's what's on television for tonight, Sunday, August 30!

Our Top Pick tonight is Remembering Dolly: A Rhinestone Life (CBS & Paramount+, 8 p.m.). This retrospective of the late singer-songwriter, actress, and businesswoman is produced by Entertainment Tonight.

Elsewhere, the Dead have purpose, LeBron and Simone and Steph arrive on the sports scene, we like the way Lanterns move, Librarians retreat, and Robot Chicken returns for another special.

What's On Tonight (Saturday): Are you ready?

CFB on Fox

Balls on balls on balls! Here's what's on television for tonight, Saturday, August 29!

Our Top Pick tonight is CFB on Fox (Fox, 10 p.m.). Ugh. Football. But that's about all Saturday becomes in the fall.

Elsewhere, many more balls are sported, pianists are rivals, Lifetime has a Copycat, and Hallmark is About Nothing.

What's On Tonight (Friday): Joel Edgerton and the Multiverse of Madness

         

Dark Matter

Today's Top Pick is the second season premiere of the Apple sci-fi series Dark Matter.  The series stars Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly and regards a device that allows people to access all potential realities.  The second season is a bit of a surprise for me as the first season was based on a book and both book and show ended in the same place.  There's no book to follow now so it will be interesting to see where the writers decide to take it.  The last couple seasons of Game of Thrones did the same thing and was universally loved by all.

⭐🔔 Dark Matter (Apple, 12:01 AM) SEASON TWO PREMIERE. 'Picks up with the Dessens as they settle into a quiet life in a world that finally seems safe until the unimaginable forces them to run once again. As Jason’s (Joel Edgerton) obsession with the Box deepens, Daniela’s (Jennifer Connelly) growing paranoia pushes her to the brink, threatening to tear their fragile stability apart. Elsewhere, Amanda and Ryan join forces in a desperate attempt to find their way home. With Blair determined to stop him, Leighton relentlessly chases his grand vision of creating a perfect world.'

Elsewhere...

What's On Tonight (Thursday): You Is Watching Big Brother?

 

Courtesy IMDB.

Tonight's Top Pick is the 1,000th episode of Big Brother, airing live at 8 p.m. on CBS. For comparison, Survivor has aired 727 episodes, The Bachelor(ette) has aired a total 540, and The Voice has done about 300.

What's On Tonight (Wednesday): Joe way out

Average Joe

Did I do that? Here's what's on television for tonight, Wednesday, August 26!

Our Top Pick tonight is Average Joe (Paramount+, 3 a.m.). There were 3 years in between seasons 1 and 2 of this dark comedy. It also flipped from BET+ to Paramount+. Working man Joe (Deon Cole) finds out his deceased father stole $10 million from the Russian mafia. They are coming to collect and Joe wants to put down his claim on it. Things escalate quickly. This series is unrelated to the early '00s reality show and that Amy Acker movie.

Elsewhere, the '90s Totally live again on HGTV, the Last Sunrise approaches, Diarra does cat and mouse, the Shards are galvanized, a festival is Trying, Ted Lasso breaks up cliques, Reacher is always sunny, and Hugo Weaving goes to the Airport.

What's On Tonight (Tuesday): These ... are ... Jeopardy! Masters

 

Courtesy Jeopardy.com.

Tonight's Top Pick is the fourth season premiere of Jeopardy! Masters, airing at 8 p.m. on ABC. The runner-up is the sixth season summer finale of Ruthless, dropping at 3:01 a.m. on Paramount+.

What's On Tonight (Monday): Shazam!

 

Courtesy Variety.

Tonight's Top Pick is Beat Shazam, airing two episodes starting at 8 p.m. It was either going to be this or the 100th episode of The Wall. Next Monday's Top Pick is guaranteed: The Kelly Clarkson Show's finale.