Russian Doll (Netflix, Friday) — Natasha Lyonne stars in this magnetic show that’s one of the most compelling original series to debut in quite some time. With Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland on board as co-creators, this is the darkly comedic update on Groundhog Day that we never knew we needed. More importantly, Lyonne truly comes into her own as a writer and star. She, as Nadia, gets stuck in a death loop, and you’ll revel in her misanthropy while appreciating the humanity housed within such an ultimately vulnerable tale.
Super Bowl LIII (Sunday, CBS 6:30 p.m.) — You know what’s up here. The New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams will go head-to-head at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. This could be a record-tying 6th Super Bowl win for Tom Brady and the Pats, but no matter who you’re rooting for, the commercials and movie trailers should provide a win somewhere. Oh, and Maroon 5, Travis Scott, and Big Boi will do the halftime thing.
Always A Witch (Netflix, Friday) — Another new Netflix series slipped in under the radar because they’re just pumping them out these days. This one’s geared towards the YA crowd while introducing Carmen, a 19-year-old slave and witch who finds salvation from an old wizard and avoids being burned at the stake. Part of the deal is giving up her powers, but she gains a different life while still, at heart, remaining a witch.
Here are the rest of this weekend’s notable listings for new programming.
MacGyver (Friday, CBS 8:00 p.m.) — Matty receives an offer she can’t refuse from an international crime boss, who only wants to attend his daughter’s wedding before facing the music. Naturally, this leads to wedding shenanigans.
Last Man Standing (Friday, FOX 8:00 p.m.) — Mike issues a challenge for the whole family to turn off their phones for an entire weekend, which probably works out as well as one would imagine.
Blindspot (Friday, NBC 8:00 p.m.) — The team lands in the sights of a killer due to an author’s fixation with the team, but I must mention that this episode is actually called “Careless Whisper.”
The Cool Kids (Friday, FOX 8:30 p.m.) — Sid tries to uncover his wok after it gets lost in Charlie’s junk-filled apartment, and Margaret’s daughter comes looking for trouble.
The Blacklist (Friday, NBC 9:00 p.m.) — Red’s trying to keep an immunity agreement intact while on trial, and the Task Force digs into the weird case of a man with an unbelievable inheritance.
Hawaii Five-0 (Friday, CBS 9:00 p.m.) — McGarrett and Grover discover an extremist group’s deadly plot, which prompts an emotional reaction from Grover as they’re in the midst of another murder investigation.
Dynasty (Friday, CW 8:00 p.m.) — Fallon isn’t taking rejection well, Sam attempts to be a better person to keep Steven around, and Alexis is trying to ruin Blake and Crista’s relationship.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (Friday, CW 8:00 p.m.) — Rebecca and Greg’s day trip turns into an adventure from hell while Paula stresses out over work.
Real Time With Bill Maher (Friday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — Interview guests include Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) and NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio (D). Panelists shall be Washington Post writer Jennifer Rubin, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meachem, and GMA host Peter Hamby.
Dynasties (Saturday, BBC America 9:00 p.m.) — BBC Earth’s followup from the Planet Earth II team follows a tigress who struggles to protect her cubs while her territory is under threat by rivals.
Puppy Bowl (Sunday, Animal Channel 6:00 p.m.) — If football isn’t your thing, and you’ve run out of stuff to binge during the game, there’s always the annual Puppy Bowl! Two installments of these cutie pies will air tonight, two hours apart.
True Detective (Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — New clues in the Purcell case lead Wayne to a lose-lose situation while Roland wrestles with how to protect the investigation from meddling attorneys. Also, Amelia’s writing aspirations start to create problems in her marriage to Wayne.
Crashing (Sunday, HBO 10:10 p.m.) – Pete dives right into a new relationship with Kat, who pushes him to be more ambitious. Then they end up at a sex shop and a comedy show, and sh*t gets weird.
High Maintenance (Sunday, HBO 10:40 p.m.) – Young Raymond attempts to make himself useful, and Barbie needs to find a new home but ends up becoming roommates with a … nudist. Protect the couch!
