‘Severance’ Finale, Stream and Sing Along with ‘Wicked,’ Strangers in ‘Yellowjackets’ Territory, Reba Getting ‘Happy’

Severance

Thrilling, haunting, surprising, as entertaining as it is original, TV’s most mind-teasing sci-fi drama wraps its second season with a game-changing finale (directed by executive producer Ben Stiller) that puts the troubling existential duality of Lumon Industries’ “innies” and “outies” into sharp, emotional focus. Mark S. (Adam Scott) is oh so close to completing the Cold Harbor project—and yes, there will be answers—but what then? Can “outie” Mark’s imprisoned wife Gemma (Dichen Lachman) be saved? What happens to Helly (Britt Lower) and the other “innies” if Lumon goes down? It all builds to a chaotic cliffhanger, and let’s hope it doesn’t take another three years for a just-announced third season to arrive.

Wicked

The hit musical that puts a new twist on the Wizard of Oz legend couldn’t be more popular—and as director Jon M. Chu’s Oscar-winning (for costume and production design) film adaptation makes its streaming debut, Peacock also offers a singalong version. Good luck matching the vocals of Oscar-nominated stars Cynthia Erivo (as the misunderstood Elphaba), Ariana Grande (the luminous Glinda) and the rest of the starry cast. Available bonus content includes a making-of special and deleted and extended scenes—though do even die-hard fans wish the movie (covering only the first act) was any longer?

Yellowjackets

Shocks come with the territory on this sensational thriller, but even so, it was quite the jolt when strangers appeared in the teenage plane-crash survivors’ camp, interrupting their cannibalistic orgy. Who are these interlopers? This episode, directed by Jennifer Morrison (Once Upon a Time), reveals all, and if you think Team Yellowjackets will be all “kumbaya” to newcomers, even with the possibility of rescue, you don’t know this show. By comparison, the present-day storyline pales—and should have been rested for a week—with Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) on a fractious road trip with Misty (Christina Ricci), Tai (Tawny Cypress) and Van (Lauren Ambrose). The episode airs Sunday on Showtime’s linear channel.

Happy’s Place

With a second season already ordered, Reba McEntire’s sitcom wraps its first with bar owner Bobbie (McEntire) becoming more protective than usual of her half-sister Isabella (Belissa Escobedo), whom she first met in the series opener. Bobbie insists she’s more capable of looking after Isabella than the bar’s cook, Emmett (Rex Linn), who offers to help install a security system. A competition ensues.

Great Performances

For more esoteric tastes, the Metropolitan Opera presents a rare modern opera, from composer Jeanine Tesori, who’s better known for Tony-winning musicals (Kimberly Akimbo, Fun Home). With a libretto by George Brant adapting his play, the production (staged by Michael Mayer) stars Canadian mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo as Jess, an accomplished fighter pilot in the Iraq War who’s grounded by an unexpected pregnancy and becomes commander of a drone operation a world away in Las Vegas. American tenor Ben Bliss co-stars as the Wyoming cowboy Jess falls for in a contemporary story of love and war.

INSIDE FRIDAY TV:

• NCAA Basketball: First round men’s action continues on CBS (starting at 12:15 pm/ET), truTV (12:40 pm/ET), TNT (1:30 pm/ET) and TBS (2 pm/ET), with women’s games beginning at 11:30 am/ET on ESPN2, noon/ET on ESPN, 2:30 pm/ET on ESPNews and 3:30 pm/ET on ESPNU. See ncaa.com for complete listings.
• RuPaul’s Drag Race (8/7c, MTV): In the performance challenge, the queens tell true stories while their partners bring these tales to life through interpretive dance. Jerrod Carmichael is the guest judge.
• Love After Lockup (8/7c, We TV): The seventh season of the Love During Lockup spinoff introduces seven couples hoping to keep love alive after incarceration, including the love triangle of Julius, who’s been dating two women, Alexis and Ashley, from behind bars.
• Animals: They’re Just Like Us! (9/8c, National Geographic): Similarities between wildlife and human behavior are on display in a series premiering with back-to-back episodes, with vignettes featuring a flamingo that wears makeup, an amorous penguin and a kidnapping otter.
• Dateline NBC (9/8c, NBC): Andrea Canning reports on the decade-long investigation into the 2015 poisoning death of upstate New York chiropractor Mary Yoder.

ON THE STREAM:

• Dope Thief (streaming on Apple TV+): Ray (Brian Tyree Henry) comes clean to his combative adoptive mother Theresa (a hilarious Kate Mulgrew) about the scheme gone wrong, but where’s his partner in crime, Manny (Wagner Moura)? Also on Apple TV+: Be@rbrick, a CG-animated musical comedy for kids and families.
• Sing Sing (streaming on Max): The stirring movie about a prison program rehabilitating prisoners through theater, starring Oscar nominee Colman Domingo, makes its streaming debut. The movie premieres Saturday on HBO.