Worth Watching: A ‘Blue Bloods’ Wedding and Other Finales, ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Returns, Songbirds on PBS
A selective critical checklist of notable Friday TV:
Blue Bloods (10/9c, CBS): Wedding bells chime in the ninth-season finale of the police/family drama, as NYPD Sgt. Jamie Reagan (Will Estes) walks down the aisle — filmed at NYC’s Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral — with fellow officer Eddie Janko (Vanessa Ray), with families in attendance. (The guest list includes Christine Ebersole as Eddie’s mom.) Naturally, there a few hitches before they’re hitched, including Jamie’s sister Erin (Bridget Moynahan) doubting Eddie’s honesty after interviewing a witness in one of her cases. Maybe she shouldn’t line up for the bouquet toss.
Last Man Standing (8/7c, Fox): Having survived cancellation by ABC and, after a year’s absence, triumphantly moved to Fox for its seventh season, the Tim Allen sitcom takes its summer break with Mike (Allen) and Vanessa (Nancy Travis) anxiously waiting for Mandy (Molly McCook) and Kyle (Christoph Sanders) to move from the house into their own apartment. Why are they dragging their heels? The answer is actually quite touching.
Followed by the first-season finale of The Cool Kids (8:30/7:30c), which finds the golden-age buds celebrating their “Friend-aversary,” but when Margaret (Vicki Lawrence) realizes she’s not invited to their party since she’s not one of the “founding fathers,” she springs into overreaction. Stick with it for a fun final sight gag involving fellow resident Jamie Farr (M*A*S*H) in what some might see as a throwback to his days as Klinger.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (8/7c, ABC): The late-arriving sixth season of the action fantasy opens with the team scattered across the galaxy, still grieving Coulson — but Clark Gregg isn’t altogether MIA. He directs the season opener and is now playing a new, more menacing character named Sarge. And while Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) also perished in last season’s finale, thanks to time travel, there’s an unharmed, cryogenically frozen version of him floating in deep space. As one does.
Live From Lincoln Center (9/8c, PBS, check local listings at pbs.org): The first of three Stars in Concert specials, filmed at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s scenic Appel Room, showcases Tony-winner Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple revival), who’s been making a splash in movies including Widows and the upcoming Harriet Tubman biopic Harriet. She performs an eclectic set including Annie Lennox’s “Why,” Brian Wilson’s “God Only Knows” and Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way.” (Following weeks will feature Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford and Smash star Megan Hilty.)
Streaming Ever Onward: Among the many, many new streaming options: a third season of Amazon Prime Video’s twisty crime dramedy Sneaky Pete; and the usual deluge from Netflix, including first-time director Amy Poehler‘s female buddy comedy Wine Country, with a starry ensemble of Saturday Night Live alums including Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey, Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch; a supernatural YA thriller series The Society, about a group of teens who find themselves mysteriously transported to a New England town with no parents in sight. (The fun doesn’t last long.); a real-life Orange Is the New Black in the docuseries Jailbirds, about women incarcerated in the Sacramento County Jail; and the third and final season of Joe Swanberg’s star-studded rom-com anthology Easy.
Inside Friday TV: The glamorous Diahann Carroll created the role some 35 years ago, and now The CW’s Dynasty reboot (8/7c) introduces a “New Lady in Town,” in the form of Jeff’s (Sam Adegoke) mother, Dominique Deveraux, now played by Michael Michele… With only one more episode to go this season, NBC’s The Blacklist (8/7c) pits Cooper (Harry Lennix) and the Task Force against presidential advisor Anna McMahon (Jennifer Ferrin) in a race to find a dossier with details of a conspiracy against America… Showtime takes a deep dive into the history of one of hip-hop’s most influential groups in the four-part docuseries Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men (9/8c).
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