6 things you have to watch on TV this weekend
Billy Crudup and Julianne Moore land on Apple TV Plus, Carnival Row returns to Prime Video, and more
Welcome to the weekend edition of What’s On. Here are the big things happening on TV from Friday, February 17, to Sunday, February 19. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekly What’s On will publish on Sundays.]
1. Billy Crudup switches from The Morning Show to Hello Tomorrow!
Apple TV+, Friday, 12:01 a.m.: Billy Crudup can’t get enough of Apple TV+, or is it the other way around? He’s the best part of The Morning Show, and now the actor leads the retro-futuristic series Hello Tomorrow! as a salesman trying to sell timeshares on the moon. Developed by Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen, the sci-fi dramedy also stars Allison Pill, Haneefah Wood, Hank Azaria, Dewshane Williams, and Jacki Weaver. Here’s a bit from The A.V. Club’s review:
It’s unfortunate that a show that might have traveled the route of “sexy nihilism” went “glum Norman Rockwell” instead. Stories about seduction need to seduce the viewer, but Hello Tomorrow! evokes dread instead of danger, and, over the course of 10 episodes, the vibe wears thin.
2. Julianne Moore leads the psychological thriller Sharper
Apple TV+, Friday, 12:01 a.m.: The Benjamin Caron-directed Sharper boasts quite an impressive ensemble: Julianne Moore, John Lithgow, Justice Smith, Sebastian Stan, and Briana Middleton. The film, produced by A24, follows a young man who exacts revenge on his wealthy family for not accepting him, and he cons other rich people to gain the wealth he desires. Here’s an excerpt from The A.V. Club’s review:
While the construction and the succession of reversals and revelations are cleverly executed, this film doesn’t rise to the level of the really great puzzle films like The Usual Suspects, The Last Of Sheila, or The Sting (to which it bears the closest resemblance). But it is wholly satisfying and keeps us on our toes until the final moments.
3. Animaniacs returns for its final season
Hulu, Friday, 12:01 a.m.: Animaniacs is set to end with its third and final season. A revival of the 1990s animated series, the show follows the Warner siblings, who tend to wreak havoc in the lives of everyone they meet. Original voice actors reprising their roles include Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress MacNeille, and Maurice LaMarche.
4. Peacock drops Josh Johnson’s new comedy special
Peacock, Friday, 3:01 a.m.: Comedian Josh Johnson takes the stage in the hourlong Up Here Killing Myself to talk about therapy, his relationship with money, Black mental health, his father, and a stalker. Jacob Menache directs.
5. Get ready for another round of Carnival Row
Prime Video, Friday, 12:01 a.m.: Neo-noir fantasy drama Carnival Row is ending with its 10-episode second season. Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne play star-crossed lovers in this show about mythical creatures who flee their war-torn homeland only to be met with simmering tension between citizens and immigrants in a new city. David Gyasi, Indira Verma, Jared Harris, Tamzin Merchant, and Simon McBurney co-star.
6. AMC adds Indian heist comedy Four Samosas
AMC+, Friday, 3:01 a.m.: Written and directed by Ravi Kapoor, this film is set in Los Angeles’ Artesia neighborhood and follows aspiring rapper Vinesh (Venk Potula), who learns his ex is engaged to his smarmy rival. So, of course, he plans a heist with his friends to steal her wedding diamonds … which are apparently a thing.