HBO Max's Search Party is finally back for season 5

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Friday, January 7, and Saturday, January 8. All times are Eastern.

Top pick

Search Party (HBO Max, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): “Search Party goes for broke in the moments leading up to the final credits rolling on its fifth and final season. The bizarre denouement won’t necessarily appease everyone, but it’s an oddly perfect fit for a show that revels in its heightened situations. The HBO Max comedy dials up the absurdity in the last few episodes of season five, mostly pulling off a whiplash-inducing third act pivot like no other TV show can, thanks to a virtuoso but vastly underrated cast.” Read the full review here. All 10 episodes will be released at the same time.

Regular coverage

RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1, Friday, 8 p.m., season 14 premiere)

Wild cards

A Discovery Of Witches (Sundance Now, Saturday, 3:01 a.m., season-three premiere): “This swoony fantasy adaptation is back to its old tricks—and that’s a good thing. Where the second season lingered in the past and the growing conflict between Diana (Teresa Palmer) and Matthew (Matthew Goode), the third season effectively resets the series, taking it back to its dreamy roots. Though they face increasingly perilous threats, the couple is more united than ever, and Goode and Palmer are even more in sync. The first two episodes of season three strike the right balance between supernatural romance and occult thriller; Matthew and Diana’s relationship continues to evolve as relations among the council of creatures—vampires, witches, and demons—deteriorate. Peter Knox (Owen Teale) and Gerbert (Trevor Eve) want war, and they’re prepared to do whatever it takes to bring the de Clermonts to heel. But Diana, whose powers have only grown since she was introduced in season one, wants a revolution. Who will win? And can anything be done about the blood rage and the dwindling populations of these mystical/mythical beings? There’s a lot to resolve in this shortened season (only seven episodes total), but the show seems to be on the right track again.” [Danette Chavez]

The Tender Bar (Amazon Prime Video, Friday, 12:01 a.m.): “A far bigger surprise than anything that happens in The Tender Bar: This glorified version of an indie wank like The Only Living Boy In New York comes from director George Clooney. Clooney has made some promising imitations of movies he admires and some awfully leaden retro exercises, but he’s never made something this feckless, this lacking in personality. The generic flimsiness only makes the occasional visual inspiration feel more out of place.” Here is Jesse Hassenger’s full review of the movie, which stars Tye Sheridan, Ben Affleck, Lily Rabe, and Christopher Lloyd.

Hype House (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): In this reality series, 20 TikTok influencers will reside in the infamous Hype House and open their lives up to the world so everyone can see a side of them rarely seen in the middle of viral dances. Some of the cast members include Larri Merritt, Nikita Dragun, LILHUDDY, Alex Warren, Thomas Petrou, and Vinnie Hacker.