Fridays are traditionally a release day for movies (and recently music), but have always been second to Saturdays as a dump day for mediocre or poorly watched television; however, that metric has been upended by Netflix and others, and this January Friday is one of the busiest we’ve ever seen. It’s led by a legend of late night who needs no introduction returning with an interview of the last good president, but there’s also a new sci-fi anthology sporting a familiar name in the title, the 100th episode of a Screen Scholars fave musical comedy, the return of a critically acclaimed Kathy Bates legal pot drama, and that particular set of skills comes back to the small screen for a second season. We’re seeing nothing but razzle-dazzle and the astonishing{?!} return of Mama June.
NAVANI’S PICK:
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman [Netflix]
Former Late Night host and weatherman David Letterman returns in the form of streaming talk show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. The premiere kicks off with Barack Obama and George Clooney which basically means this show needs no introduction. Besides getting Barack, and his dad pants, back on the small screen I’m looking forward to some signature Letterman bits from yesteryear — like post-interview interviews and stupid pet tricks to make my Friday night complete.
JASON’S PICK:
Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams [Amazon]
After all the success Amazon has had with Dick’s The Man in the High Castle, why not go back to the late author’s mind for more prime content (one wonders what PKD would make of Peak TV). Showrunner Michael Dinner has dubbed this anthology a ‘series of 10 films,’ and recruited stars and character actors from Brian Cranston to Steve Buscemi to Timothy Spall. If it sweetens the deal, there’s also an impressive array of writers and directors, including Mudbound‘s Dee Rees and Battlestar Galactica‘s Ronald D. Moore.
BRAD’S PICK:
Disjointed [Netflix]
Kathy Bates and crew return for part two of Disjointed — what happens after their dispensary is raided?
KATHERINE’S PICK:
Crazy Ex Girlfriend [The CW, 8p]
Rebecca learns about the limitations of altruism. Also, tonight’s episode is the series’ 100th episode.
- The episodic prequel to the popular Taken series gets a cast makeover, as Clive Standen remains as Bryan Mills continues to build his skill-set (aiming for the level “particular”) alongside Jennifer Beals as his cohort, as Adam Goldberg and Jessica Camancho join them for a second season on NBC.
- Over 65 years after his first hit — the 1951 Billboard number one smash “Because of You” which interestingly knocked one of David Letterman’s new show’s first guests’ aunt out of the top spot — Anthony Dominick Benedetto (Tony Bennett to laymen) is honored on Tony Bennett: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, airing on PBS.
- If you’re nostalgic for Here Comes Honey Boo Boo (hey, we won’t judge — well, we will, but relatively quietly), Mama June: From Not to Hot looks like pretty much a reunion, as the titular mom shows off her weight loss on WE tv.
