What to watch, and more! Jan. 23 – Jan. 29
When daytime TV was wild, the drama of African animals & the return of Patrick Dempsey
FRIDAY, Jan. 23
Dirty Talk: When Daytime Talk Shows Ruled TV
Revist the not-so-long-ago era when sensational, tabloid-style talk shows like Jerry Springer (above), Geraldo and Maury dominated ratings with explosive, often scandalous, content, pushing boundaries with fights, paternity tests, and outrageous guests (9 p.m., ABC).
Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie
Gabby (Laila Lockhart Kraner) and Grandma Gigi (Gloria Estefan) set off on a magical road trip to Cat Francisco. But when her dollhouse is swiped by the eccentric cat lady (Kristen Wiig), Gabby embarks on a real-world rescue mission (Peacock).
SATURDAY, Jan. 24
Kingdom
New natural history series chronicles the drama of real-life sagas of four African animal families in one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by BBC Studios Natural History Unit (8 p.m., AMC+ and BBC America).
Toni Braxton’s Breathe Again
The Grammy-winning singer kicks off the network’s winter slate in a tale of three women who meet on a reality dating show and suffer heartbreak in the spotlight (10 p.m., Lifetime).
SUNDAY, Jan. 25
It’s Not Like That
Scott Foley, Erinn Hayes and J.R. Ramirez star in this new faith-based drama about a recently widowed pastor with three kids who meets a newly divorced mom with two teens (Prime Video).
Memories of a Killer
Patrick Dempsey returns to broadcast TV alongside Michael Imperioli and Gina Torres in this new drama about a hitman living a double life (10 p.m., Fox).
MONDAY, Jan. 26
American Idol
The hit singing competition returns for its ninth season with superstars Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood in the judges’ seats, and making a trip to Nashville for round one (8 p.m., ABC).
TUESDAY, Jan. 27
33 Photos from the Ghetto
Documentary tells the story of civilian photos taken inside the notorious Warsaw Ghetto during the 1943 uprising and purge by German forces (HBO Max).
Moonshiners: Master Distiller
New series of the backwoods competition tests competitors turning beer into spirits, making prison ‘shine and distilling. Yee-haw! (9 p.m., Discovery Channel).
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28
Shrinking
Jason Segel and Harrison Ford return for season three of the dramedy about a therapist who breaks the rules and tells his clients exactly what he’s thinking (Apple TV+).
Queens of Combat
Experts search for evidence to prove that women once fought among men in Rome’s infamous gladiatorial arena (10 p.m., PBS).
The Wrecking Crew
Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa (above) star as two estranged half-brothers who reunite after their father’s death, only to discover a conspiracy that threatens to tear their family apart (Prime Video).
THURSDAY, Jan. 29
Scenes After a Marriage
New imported drama series strips relationships down to their core and captures the universal struggles of love, loss and the uncertainties of divorce (Viaplay).
Cross
Aldis Hodge returns to season two of the pulse-pounding thriller series about a brilliant homicide detective/forensic psychologist now hunting down a ruthless vigilante targeting crooked millionaires (Prime Video).
BRING IT HOME
Channing Tatum is a real charmer starring in Roofman (Paramount Home Entertainment), based on the surprisingly true story of a real-life prolific robber known for breaking into establishments (you guessed it!) through the roof…and for stealing hearts. With Kristen Dunst, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple and Peter Dinklage.
Ready for a good scare? In Shelby Oaks (Decal-Neon Films), a film crew uncovers a disturbing lead in a woman’s search for her missing sister, steering her into a terrifying mystery and an unknown evil. Starring Camille Sullivan and Keith David. Loaded with extras, including commentary and a making-of feature.
Groove to the amazing story of the South African band Ladysmith Black Mambazo—who, you might recall, broke into the musical mainstream by performing with Paul Simon on his hit “Graceland—in Beyond Graceland (MVD Entertainment). Tracing the history and success story of the group, it includes commentary from Simon, Oprah Winfrey, Dolly Parton and Whoopi Goldberg.
Reach for the sky! And your remote, to start watching the Outlaws & Lawmen: 10 TV Westerns Collection (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment). Ride alongside Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott in this wild-West roundup of episodes from shows including Crossfire Trail, Rough Riders and Conagher. Special features include commentary, insights and cast profiles.
Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s sprawling drama One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment), a movie-awards favorite this year, stars Leonardo di Caprio as a former counterrevolutionary who reunites with some of his old colleagues when his daughter (Chase Infiniti Payne) goes missing. With Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall and Alana Haim.
In Keeper from director Osgood (The Monkey) Perkins, a romantic retreat takes a dark turn when a sinister presence reveals the cabin’s chilling past. Starring Tatiana Maslany and Rossif Sutherland (pssst…he’s Kiefer’s brother!)
READ ALL ABOUT IT
It rose into pop-cultural prominence after Jurassic Park III when it bested a mighty T-Rex, but how much do you know about the Spinosaurus? In Spinosaur Tales, paleontologists David Hone and Mark P. Whitton explore the ins, outs and all abouts of one of the Earth’s largest land predators of all time—and one of the strangest-looking and most enigmatic dinosaurs.
Explore a master of 20th century photography in Louis Stettner: Photofile (Thames & Hudson), about the New York lensman of the 1940s and ‘50s whose career lasted nearly 80 years and stretched from the streets of the Big Apple into the battles of World War II.
Why do we love monsters? And why do we love them so much there used to be scuds of magazines about them? In The Great Monster Magazines (McFarland), author Robert Michael Cotter digs into the graveyard of publications that once fed readers’ appetites for fear and fantasy, including Famous Monsters of Filmland, Midnight Marquee, Fangoria, Terror Tales and dozens more, plus monster-adjacent comic books.
NOW HEAR THIS
The new remix of Yes Symphonic Live (Mercury Studios)—originally a 2001 LP recorded by members of the prog-rock pioneers with a live orchestra—is a feast for the ears, with lush versions of radio hits like “Close to the Edge,” “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and “Roundabout.” Available as a 4-LP set, which includes a Blu-ray documentary, or 2 CDs with a fold-out poster.
The Media Tourist 