Apple TV Plus kicks off The Afterparty, and a new Janet Jackson docuseries

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Friday, January 28, and Saturday, January 29. All times are Eastern.

Top picks

The Afterparty (Apple TV+, Friday, 12:01 a.m., series premiere): Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s new comedy series stars Tiffany Haddish as Detective Danner. She investigates famous pop star Xavier’s (Dave Franco) murder at his mansion during a high school reunion party. Each episode is told from the perspective of the suspect she interviews, and the genre also changes according to their personality. The cast includes Sam Richardson, Zoë Chao, Ben Schwartz, Ilana Glazer, Ike Barinholtz, John Early, and Jamie Demetriou. The Afterparty premieres with three episodes, and Lisa Weidenfeld will be recapping the show weekly for The A.V. Club.

Janet Jackson (Lifetime and A&E, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.): Filmed over the last few years, this docuseries invites viewers into the private life of superstar Janet Jackson. It’s divided into four parts, two of which will air on January 28, and the final two on January 29.

Regular coverage

RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1, Friday, 8 p.m.)
Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:29 p.m.)

Wild cards

The Woman In The House Across The Street From The Girl In The Window (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): “The long title is a witty wink to the genre it attempts to parody: psychological thrillers like 2016’s The Girl On The Train and 2021’s The Woman In The Window. Unfortunately, this Netflix comedy is hardly inventive. In fact, it’s quite tedious. There’s a glaring lack of incisive commentary and comedic risks. The Woman In The House… just rehashes narratives of the films it is trying to lampoon with barely any derisive humor or dramatic flair. It often feels like the show forgets it’s a parody.” Read the full review of this Kristen Bell-led dark comedy here.

The Legend Of The Vox Machina (Prime Video, Friday, 12:01 a.m.): Created by and starring Matthew Mercer, this animated fantasy drama is based on the web series Critical Role. It’s an all-new story about the seven Vox Machina members who are on their first grown-up mission of Dungeons & Dragons.

Getting Curious With Jonathan Van Ness (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): Getting Curious With Jonathan Van Ness is based on the Queer Eye host’s investigative podcast of the same name. The six-episode first season follows trying to understand the complex science behind a single axel, to meeting members of underrepresented communities, to learning new things about fashion.

All Of Us Are Dead (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): This post-apocalyptic South Korean drama is based on a webtoon called Now At Our School. The show follows students who are trapped inside their high school because it’s ground zero of a zombie virus outbreak. Now they have to fight their way out or turn into the infected.

Movie night

Ice Age: Adventures Of Buckwild (Disney+, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): Directed by John C. Donkin, the sixth Ice Age film has a voice cast that includes Simon Pegg, Vincent Tong, Aaron Harris, Justina Machado, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Dominique Jennings, Sean Kenin Elias-Reyes, Skyler Stone, Jake Green. Look for Jesse Hassenger’s review on the site today.

Home Team (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): Kevin James leads this sports comedy as the New Orlean Saints head coach, Sean Payton. After he is suspended from the NFL for one year for allegedly taking pay-out bonuses, Sean returns to his hometown and reconnects with his 12-year-old son. Taylor Lautner, Chloe Fineman, and Rob Schneider also star.