Jan. 20 – Jan. 26
Top picks to watch on broadcast TV and streaming
The origins of Iron Man, suspicious Playboy murders & Natasha Lyonne knows when you’re lying!
See how it all began with ‘Iron Man’ on The Wonderful World of Disney Sunday night, Jan. 22.
All times Eastern.
FRIDAY, Jan. 20
Truth Be Told
Octavia Spencer returns to the role of investigative reporter-turned-true-crime podcaster Poppy Scoville to take on a new case in season three of the acclaimed, NAACP award-winning drama. With Gabrielle Union (Apple TV+).
Real Time with Bill Maher
The talk-show host/comedian begins his 21st season with more guests, panelists and prickly topics (10 p.m., HBO).
SATURDAY, Jan. 21
Love & Marriage: DC
A new power couple joins the group of the reality show in season two, from producer Oprah Winfrey, exploring romance in Washington (8 p.m., Own).
BRING IT HOME
Santa opens up a big bag of holiday whoopass in Violent Night (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment). Stranger Things‘ David Harbour stars as a St. Nick pushed way past cookies and milk when he finds himself in the middle of a violent home invasion. It’s rollicking, naughty-nice fun.
SUNDAY, Jan. 22
Accused
Collection of stories of crime and punishment is based on a hit BBC series, with each tale presented from the defendant’s point of view—and you watch as the wheels of justice spin. (9 p.m., Fox).
The Wonderful World of Disney: Iron Man
Well, it’s a few thousand pop-cultural miles away from Peter Pan, Snow White and The Jungle Book, but tonight’s franchise-launching superhero saga (from 2008) is a slam-bang comic-book fairy tale sprung to big-screen life as a billionaire-genius industrialist (Robert Downey Jr.) builds a metal suit and becomes a global crime-fighter (8 p.m., ABC).
MONDAY, Jan. 23
The Lazarus Project
Imagine a secret organization, one that has figured out to turn back the hands of time whenever humanity is threatened with extinction. This eight-episode drama series ponders the existential question: If you had the power to change the past, would you? Should you? (9 p.m., TNT).
Judy Justice
Manhattain’s honorable Judy Sheindlin—formerly known as simply Judge Judy, who began her TV sessions way back in 1996—arbitrates a new slate of small-claim cases with wisdom-tempered wit, candor and honesty (Amazon Freevee).
The Playboy Murders
Former Playboy bunny Holly Madison hosts this true-crime anthology series probing the dark side of the popular men’s magazine—and a series of murders and mysteries that intersected with it (ID and Discovery+).
TUESDAY, Jan. 24
How I Met Your Father
Comedy series returns for a second season with Hilary Duff (left) recounting to her son how she met his papa in her younger years. With Kim Cattrall, Ashley Reyes and Josh Peck (Hulu).
American Masters: Roberta Flack
An intimate look at the music icon following her career from a piano lounge to the top of the charts, with such hits as “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly.” Features interviews from Flack, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Peabo Bryson and more (9 p.m., PBS).
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25
Grown-ish
Junior isn’t making enough money, so he starts up a new stock market side hustle, while Lauryn stops singing to focus on finding more substantial work (10:30 p.m., Freeform).
THURSDAY, Jan. 26
The 1619 Project
Six-part streaming docuseries looks at the institution of slavery and traces its historical consequences in the development of America (Hulu).
She knows when you’re not telling the truth!
Poker Face
Natasha Lyonne stars in this new streaming series as a young woman with an uncanny ability tell when someone is lying, who becomes a crime-solver in different places and scenarios for each episode. Guest appearances by Tim Blake Nelson, Adrien Brody, Nick Nolte and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Peacock).
—Neil Pond
The Media Tourist 