Worth Watching: ‘Grace and Frankie’ and ‘Punisher’ Return, Hulu’s ‘Butterfly,’ License to Drive on ‘Boat’
A selective critical checklist of notable Friday TV:
Grace and Frankie (streaming on Netflix): Already renewed for a sixth season, one of Netflix’s signature comedies returns for a fifth round with Frankie (Lily Tomlin) and Grace (Jane Fonda) unsettled to learn that while they were in a retirement community, their kids sold the beach house out from under them. This development pits them against a most fabulous guest star, Emmy winner RuPaul (!), who represents the La Jolla property’s mysterious new owner. In other news, Frankie puts the ladies’ adult-toy business at risk with a careless tweet.
The Punisher (streaming on Netflix): Marvel’s footprint may be diminishing on Netflix, but the hyper-violent Punisher (aka Walking Dead alum Jon Bernthal as Marine-turned-vigilante Frank Castle) is back for a second tour of duty. This season, as Frank digs into the attempted murder of a young girl (Giorgia Whigham), he’ll have to contend with arch-nemesis Billy Russo (Ben Barnes), who after last season’s disfiguring incident will now be referred to as the fearsome “Jigsaw.”
Butterfly (streaming on Hulu): Reminiscent in tone of Sundance’s poignant The A Word, this sensitive three-part British drama stars Pushing Daisies’ Anna Friel and Emmett J. Scanlan as estranged parents split over how to deal with 11-year-old Max (Callum Booth-Ford), who identifies as Maxine. They wonder if Max/Maxine’s gender orientation will change at puberty? Butterfly asked: Should it? The child desperately craves a nurturing “normal” family and life, but is that even possible?
So. Much. Streaming. Other Friday premieres (always a big day in this world) include a third season of Amazon Prime Video’s The Grand Tour, with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammon and James May driving muscle cars in the motor city of Detroit; the complete second season of IFC’s hilarious Brockmire arriving on Hulu, with Hank Azaria as debauched as ever as the washed-up sportscaster; and joining Netflix’s swollen roster, the action thriller Close, starring Noomi Rapace (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as a counter-terrorist expert who becomes bodyguard to an heiress; the post-apocalyptic film IO, starring Margaret Qualley and Anthony Mackie as Earth’s last survivors, weighing whether to stay or leave on the last shuttle into space; and the six-episode Trigger Warning with Killer Mike, in which the Grammy-winning rapper/activist conducts outrageous social experiments to challenge cultural taboos.
Fresh Off the Boat (8/7c, ABC): The Huangs knew this day would come, but now that Eddie (Hudson Yang) finally has his driver’s license, the teen finds his ambitions — taking his buds to an Insane Clown Posse concert — quashed by an endless list of errands to run for mother Jessica (Constance Wu). And we all know who holds the keys to surviving this family.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (9/8c, The CW): Not sure who thought this was a good idea, but Darryl (Pete Gardner) enlists Rebecca “I bring out the worst in babies” Bunch (Rachel Bloom) to babysit her almost-namesake infant. Let the wailing begin. Elsewhere in West Covina, Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin) hosts a game night, too self-effacing to tell anyone she’s actually celebrating her law-school graduation. The chemistry on the teams she puts together leaves a lot to be desired — but it does give mismatched Nathaniel (Scott Michael Foster) and Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III) a chance to duet on one of the season’s best fantasy production numbers to date: a swinging Brat Pack-style ditty all about sports analogies and daddy issues.
Inside Friday TV: With the help of Lakers’ owner Jeanie Buss and original GLOW founder David McLane, AXS TV revives a female wrestling dynasty with WOW-Women of Wrestling (9/8c)… He seems to be everywhere these days, but Howie Mandel hasn’t fronted a solo comedy special in 20 years — until Showtime’s modestly titled Howie Mandel Presents Howie Mandel at the Howie Mandel Comedy Club (10/9c), filmed at the Atlantic City venue that bears his name… HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher (10/9c) returns for a 17th season, no doubt with plenty to say about the current broken state of political affairs. Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich is his top-of-show guest.
Conversation14 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Comments are closed on this story.
-
O
Sorry Matt but I will not watch anything that the traitor Hanoi Jane is in. Ashamed that a good actress like Lily would have anything to do with this woman. Another reason why Netflix is a waste of money. Just my opinion.
-
R
CBS for me, although I may have to watch some of the shows tomorrow.
-
G
The latest edition of TV GUIDE magazine has a huge spread listing new WGN programing . The new show Pure looks especially enticing.
If anyone has a chance to watch it, let me know what I'm missing.
-
C
I don't plan to watch it.
-
R
I won't be watching, either. I loved WGN's original show Underground, a few years ago, but WGN (new management) dropped it, so I'm not interested in anything new they have. For me, WGN is strictly a place to watch reruns of Blue Bloods and MASH, if nothing else is on.
1
-
G
This same issue of TV GUIDE has 2 full pages dedicated to various Oscar nominated movies airing on TCM from Feb 1 - March 3 . The 31 Days of Oscar article pairs movies that have something in common. Such as
Best Coming of Age - The Graduate and The Last Picture, Top Survival at Sea- Titanic ((1953) and Life Boat, Favorite version of Star is Born (1937 and 1954), Best Picture nominee non winner , High Noon and The Quiet Man, Favorite prisoner movie, Cool Hand Luke and Papillon, Favorite Epic Soap Opera, Raintree County and Giant, Favorite movie Dog, Asta of Thin Man or Lassie of Lassie Comes Home, Favorite Movie Wedding, Philadelphia Story or Father of the Bride........
The listings go on and on. Worth reading it
-
R
Yeah, every now & then I notice a "theme" on TCM. One day (or weekend?) it was numbers, like The Two Jakes, Three Coins in the Fountain, Four for Texas, etc. Another day, it seemed like movie titles had body parts in them (Adam's Rib, Cool Hand Luke, Three Faces of Eve). These aren't the real moves from that day, just examples. I wish there was a way to know when they're doing themes like that. I guess the TCm website might have that info, but it's not a site that I usually frequent.
-
G
I never go to their website. I just check the listing in my magazine or on Comcast.
Anyway some themes are dumb , but the current 31 Days of Oscar is an enjoyable read.
-
-
G
I watched some Netflix programing last night: Bird Box with Sandra Bullock is truly frightening and started the series Bodyguard. Recommend to all that have access to Netflix
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend tonight.
-
C
Have you been hearing about all the stupid things people are doing because of that movie? On the news yesterday, a kid had smashed up a car trying to drive blindfolded. Lots of other stories about people doing dangerous things blindfolded.
-
G
Yes, people are crazy!
-
-
C
Looks like just MacGyver, Speechless, and The Hendersons for me tonight.
-
R
I'm a little surprised that MacGyver has lower "adults 18-49" than the Tim Allen show. You'd think the younger demographic would latch onto a show like MacGyver rather than a show about a middle-aged man and his wacky (?) family.
-
C
My guess is that the 18-25 crowd isn't watching either show.
-
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services