Worth Watching: Nicki Minaj Visits ‘Drag Race,’ ‘Shark Tank’ Returns to Friday, ‘Kingmaker’ on Showtime, ‘Queen Sono’ & More Streaming
A selective critical checklist of notable Friday TV:
RuPaul’s Drag Race (8/7c, VH1): How much high camp can a single season premiere embrace? To launch the 12th season of the Emmy-winning reality competition, hip-hop superstar Nicki Minaj shocks the queens on the runway with a surprise appearance as she joins host RuPaul and judges Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley and Ross Mathews in the 90-minute premiere. Among the drag divas strutting their stuff: Crystal Methyd, Heidi N Closet and Sherry Pie. How Delish!
Shark Tank (8/7c, ABC): How’s this for timing? Having just announced her retirement from tennis at 32, Maria Sharapova joins the revolving tank of guest sharks (having founded Sugarpova) as the show moves back to the Friday lineup. Among the pitches: innovations in dog food, resistance training and hair- and skin-softening.
The Kingmaker (9/8c, Showtime): Described by the New York Times as “an unsettling look at imperial power,” this acclaimed documentary from Lauren Greenfield (The Queen of Versailles) profiles Imelda Marcos, notorious former first lady of the Philippines. Though best known for her lavish lifestyle — and shoes, so many shoes — Marcos reveals in this intimate portrait a keen sense of political manipulation in her self-promotion.
Queen Sono (streaming on Netflix): Said to be the streaming giant’s first fully produced African original series, filming in locations from South Africa to Zanzibar, Nigeria and Kenya, Queen Sono has elements of Alias in its spy-thriller DNA. Quantico‘s Pearl Thusi stars as Queen Sono, a maverick and glamorous agent working for South Africa’s Special Operations Group. Haunted by having witnessed the assassination of her anti-apartheid activist mother as a child, Queen seeks the truth while conducting a mission to take down a terrorist organization. Where’s Sydney Bristow when you need her?
Also new to Netflix: a third season of the German crime drama Babylon Berlin, with a new murder mystery unfolding in 1929, weeks before the calamitous stock-market crash; a second season of Formula 1: Drive to Survive, going behind the scenes of the racing circuit, this time including Ferrari and Mercedes teams; and the movie All the Bright Places, starring Elle Fanning and Justice Smith as the emotionally scarred romantic heroes of Jennifer Niven’s novel.
Inside Friday TV: Disney+ goes to Shop Class in a new competition series featuring teams of young builders. In the opener, they’re challenged to create their own mini-golf holes… While Magnum P.I. is on hiatus, series co-star Zachary Knighton crosses over to CBS’s Hawaii Five-0 (9/8c) to help the team with a case involving a murder on a cargo ship where pirates impersonated the Coast Guard to gain access… FX’s The Weekly (10/9c) investigates “The Sicario,” the story of a Mexican hitman who may have killed as many as 100 people and could walk away without being charged of a single crime.
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C
Lincoln Rhyme !!
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J
Is that you, Fred? You're no longer an orange sushi. :-p
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G
Babylon Berlin is possible the best show on Netflix. It also may be the most expensive looking TV series I've ever seen. Every shot looks like it's from a 100 million dollar movie. It deserves more than a one sentence, Oh by the way, mention.
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R
OK...but...but...since only about 1 in 5 households (in the U.S.) subscribe to Netflix...80% of people...like me...instantly ignore any Netflix references...
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C
I know lots of folks that don't subscribe but use other passwords (like I used to). Now my cable package includes Netflix.
Truthfully I barely watch it. Too many great shows on regular TV and not enough time for Netflix.
Actually I find the Amazon Prime streaming service
(included with our Amazon Prime shipping service) more desirable to stream. Lots of classic movies there. I also have Disney + for free (until November 2020) because I'm a Verizon subscriber.
I could get Apple + for free also but I have zero time left over for it so i didn't bother subscribing.
Broadcast and Cable take up the vast majority of my entertainment time.
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J
So now I'm a battery. Only half-charged, apparently. I guess I change almost daily. ANyway, tonight is CBS night for me-- MacGyver and H-50.
Last night's Tommy was good. I'm still curious about the difference between her role and Frank Reagan on Blue Bloods. Tommy is much more approachable and... "normal." Tommy isn't treated like a king (or dare I say "fawned over") like Frank Reagan. And Tommy is also much more hands-on than Frank.
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C
Now I'm an Orange Sushi and my name is no longer there. I really prefer Disqus.
Meanwhile FBI wont be on next week either! Because of Super Tuesday.
Lincoln Rhyme for me tonight.
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R
Interesting...how your Name and Avatar are frequently changed...while Jena's Name remains the same but her Avatar is frequently changed...while my Name and Avatar have remained UNchanged since the first time I signed onto this Spot.IM thingy!!??!!
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J
Maybe yours remains unchanged because you uploaded your own avatar? LOL, my avatar has changed since earlier this morning. I was a battery, and now I'm a.... pepper?
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R
Yea...but...at least you get to keep your NAME...(unlike poor OrangeSushi)...
[Tomorrow...when they change her/his Name to "PurplePoop"...we won't even recognize/remember her/him.]
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