Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, August 5, and Saturday, August 6. All times are Eastern.
Top picks
The 2016 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies (NBC, 7:30 p.m., Friday): Look, make all the jokes you want about this year’s Olympics. About the horribly polluted water some athletes will be competing in, or the fact that more than 100 Russian athletes have been barred for being ’roided up to their eyeballs, or that the Brazilian Olympic committee has proved woefully inadequate to the task of building the massive infrastructure required, or the very idea that one of the most poverty-crippled cities in the world is spending ungodly cash to host the games, or… well, those are all valid criticisms, actually. But, hey, it’s the Olympics, where, ideally, athletes from perpetually clashing countries compete on a more civilized plane (including badass American fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, pictured above). As with most things, such a sentiment sounds better coming from Donald Sutherland.
David Cross: Making America Great Again! (Netflix, 3:01 a.m., Friday): Mr. Show and With Bob And David gadfly Cross brings out his first standup special in six years. As it was recorded back in April of this year, he only does a few minutes on Donald Trump, something that no doubt expanded by the time the international tour wrapped up last month. In his pre-air review, Dennis Perkins says the special is David Cross at his most confrontational, and perhaps his best.
The Little Prince (Netflix, 3:01 a.m., Friday): A new adaptation of Antoine De Saint-Exupéry’s philosophical children’s novella, which, based on the trailer, goes for the Pixar-adorable vibe. (In his review, A.A. Dowd says this version is more of a Hook-esque re-imagining of the original.) As opposed to the book’s “S.S. totalitarian sentimentality,” as interpreted by famed theater director Andre Gregory, once upon a Criterion release.
Kitten Summer Games (Hallmark, 8 p.m., Friday): Counter-programming from Hallmark, if the Olympics are too stressful. Still, we can all agree that that kitten from Keanu would straight-up dominate this.
2 Lava 2 Lantula! (Syfy, 9 p.m., Saturday): So that Syfy “so bad, you’ll hashtag it” TV movie Lavalantula (that also served as a Police Academy reunion) was ironically watched by enough people to warrant this sequel. Police Academy vets Steve Guttenberg, Michael Winslow, and Marion Ramsey go all Mission To Moscow on some spider-asses in this film with a title only slightly more confusing than a Tracy Jordan joint.
The Bandit (CMT, 10 p.m., Saturday): You didn’t know you needed a documentary about the long personal and professional relationship between Burt Reynolds and director Hal Needham that led to the making of Smokey And The Bandit. But you do. Also, they should do one of these about Hooper. (In his review, our own Scott Von Doviak says the ’70s bromance is actually pretty great.)
Premieres and finales
The Eric Andre Show (Adult Swim, 11:59 p.m., Friday): The fourth season premiere of this faux talk show/surrealistic comedy machine sees Andre and cohost Hannibal Buress continuing to make an adoring America ask, “What? Why?” (And check out Marah Eakin’s interview with Andre, who talks about the stuff that makes him laugh. As one might expect, it gets a little weird in there. )
Regular coverage
BoJack Horseman (Netflix, Friday)
Streaming pick
“Now Who Wants Ice Cream?,” Mr. Show (Amazon): There’s never a bad reason to watch Mr. Show, but we’re all about synergy here at What’s On Tonight. So check out this episode that concludes with the Independent Nations Games, the sketch show classic’s Olympics for Cliven Bundy types who’ve decided to set up their own countries. (Man, Mr. Show anticipated a lot of stuff.) Plus, it’s got David Cross as a bearded, shotgun-toting commentator assuring his straight-laced colleagues, “Y’all don’t know what it’s like to be judged. You have no idea.” Hindsight being 20/20, we all should have bet on Hank Dobson’s Mini-Mart And Country.