Category Archives: Books

Apr 17 2026
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Books, DVDs, Movies, Music, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

What to watch, and more! Week of April 17 – April 23

Lainey Wilson is keepin’ it country, a monster marathon & ‘Stranger Things’ gets animated!

FRIDAY, April 17
American Gladiators
New season features amateur male and female “contenders” stepping into the arena to face fearsome “gladiators” in hopes of bringing home $100,000 (Prime Video).

Hive
When an already-anxious teen loses the child she’s babysitting, she’s forced to confront a sinister presence hiding among playground children as her grip on reality slips (Tubi).4.18

We Are All Trying Here
12-episode South Korean drama about characters seeking inner peace amidst intense jealousy and personal struggles (Netflix).

SATURDAY, April 18
Movie Monster Marathon
Settle in for an evening of Godzilla, Kong and all the dinos from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (5:30 p.m., TBS).

SUNDAY, April 19
From
Season four of the hit sci-fi horror series about a nightmarish town that traps all who enter returns tonight with star Harold Perrineau from Lost (MGM+).

The Food That Built America
Returning series continues its exploration of brands and franchises that shaped what we eat, from pizza and rice to bubblegum, iced tea and hamburgers (10 p.m., History Channel).

MONDAY, April 20
American Roadshow: 250 Years of Americana
Honoring the country’s semi-quincentennial in 2026, this special edition spotlights 30 years of discoveries of American art, artifacts, crafts and collectibles spanning the country’s entire history (8 p.m., PBS).

Kevin
New animated comedy series—about a housecat who “breaks up” with his owners—features voices of Jason Schwartzman, Whoopi Goldberg and John Waters (Prime Video).

TUESDAY, April 21
Farmer Wants a Wife
More hunky plowboy playboys lookin’ for love in season four, with Kimberly Williams-Paisley returning as host (8 p.m., Fox).

Daredevil: Born Again
In season two, the Marvel superhero (Charlie Cox) gathers allies to resist the mayor of New York City (Vincent D’Onofrio) and his anti-vigilante task force (Disney+).

WEDNESDAY, April 22
Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ It Country
An up-close look at the country hitmaker’s career and her impact on the genre (Netflix).

Criminal Record
Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo return for season two of the London-based drama series about rival police officers forced into an uneasy alliance to hunt a murderer (Apple TV).

THURSDAY, April 23
Stranger Things: Tales from ’85
New animated series (above) returns to the town of Hawkins, where the show’s original characters fight new creatures and work to unravel a paranormal mystery (Netflix).

Half Man
Limited series explores 30 years in the lives of two broken men, bound not by blood but circumstance, and their volatile mix of brotherhood, violence and the intense fragility of male relationships (HBO Max).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Actor Steve Schirripa (he played Bobby Bacala on The Sopranos) pens a fantastical and heartwarming (and tail-wagging) tale in WillieBoy Eats the World (Akashic), as his beloved dachshund introduces him—somewhat reluctantly—to international-cuisine wonders all over New York City. And the illustrations by Kirk Parrish are fantastic.

BRING IT HOME

Jennifer Lawrence gives a potent gut-punch performance in the psychological thriller Die My Love (Mubi), about a young woman drowning in postpartum madness. With Robert Pattinson, Nick Nolte and Sissy Spacek.  

A woman and her friends fight to survive against a rabid predator that used to be a clever, playful ape in the adrenaline-fueled Primate. It’s like Cujo with a chimp—and some truly scary monkeyshines!

School’s in session! All season four episodes of writer/producer Quinta Brunson’s award-winning comedy series Abbott Elementary are now available on Blu-ray!

Apr 10 2026
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Books, Movies, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

What to watch, and more! Week of April 10 – April 16

Euphoria returns, Keanu’s new dark comedy, boy band scandals, and the quest to live forever! And more!

Sydney Sweeney heats up the new season of ‘Euphoria.’

FRIDAY, April 10
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair
New four-episode spinoff of the landmark sitcom reunites original stars Bryan Cranston, Frankie Muniz, Jane Kaczmarkek and Justin Berfield (Hulu and Disney+).

Outcome
Keanu Reeves stars as a beloved Hollywood actor who’s extorted with a video that’s sure to shatter his image and end his career. Also in the dark comedy series are Jonah Hill, Cameron Diaz, Roy Wood Jr., Susan Lucci and David Spade (Apple TV).

SATURDAY, April 11
UFC 327: Prochazka vs. Ulberg
Watch the Czech Republic’s Jeri Prochazka and New Zealand’s Carlos Ulberg use every trick in the Ultimate Fighting handbook to try to take home a win (8 p.m., CBS and Paramount).

Kara Swisher Wants to Live Forever
The journalist embarks on a deeply personal journey into the rapidly expanding world of longevity science and humanity’s enduring quest to cheat death (9 p.m., CNN).

SUNDAY, April 12
The Audacity
Billy Magnussen (above), Zach Galifianakis and Sarah Goldberg lead the cast of this new drama series about the warped dreams and outsized egos of Silicon Valley inventors working to craft the future (AMC and AMC+).

Euphoria
Season three of this deep-dish young-adult fave drama (with a cast that includes Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Eric Dane, Hunter Shafer and more) should make fans, well, euphoric (9 p.m., HBO Max).

MONDAY, April 13
Boy Band Confidential
Former members of former boy bands (NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Boyz II Men and more) are interviewed in this documentary exposing untold stories of abuse, addiction and financial manipulation in the process that transformed young men into superstars (9 p.m., ID).

The Quiz with Balls
Host Jay Pharoah is back for the new season of the high stakes, sink-or-swim game show (10 p.m., Fox).

TUESDAY, April 14
#Skyking
Documentary tells the true story of an air traffic controller who stole a 33-million-dollar plane and took off into the skies of the Pacific Northwest. The film ultimately offers a look into the U.S. mental health crisis (Hulu).

The Dark Wizard
Documentary series about Dean Potter, the controversial climber, BASE jumper, and highline walker, and the jaw‑dropping feats that made him a legend (HBO Max).

WEDNESDAY, April 15
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
An all-star cast (Elle Fanning! Michelle Pfeiffer! Nicole Kidman! Nick Offerman! Greg Kinnear!) star in this drama series about a young college dropout with mounting bills, a new baby and parents with colorful pasts (Apple TV+)

Made With Love
Romcom series about an ambitious chef named Luka, who must work with her rival to save her family’s restaurant (Netflix).  

THURSDAY, April 16
Beef
In season two of the terrific high-tension drama series (above), a young couple witness an alarming fight between their boss and his wife, triggering trouble in the elite world of a country club and its billionaire owner. Starring Oscar Issac, Carey Mulligan and Charles Melton (Netflix).

Jerry West: The Logo
Documentary about the pro basketball Hall of Famer and how he became enshrined in sports culture when his silhouette became part of the NBA’s official logo (Amazon Prime).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

You might not be thinking about just how much influence The Beatles and Bob Dylan had on each other, but Where The Music Had to Go (Simon & Schuster) dives into that very relationship, showing how the two acts were at first dismissive of each other. Dylan dissed the Beatles as “teenieboppers,” and Paul McCartney called Dylan’s music “folk crap.” Find out how they eventually came to be mutual admirers and even imitators. Journalist Jim Windolf packs his biography with loads of anecdotes, including accounts of every documented encounter between the two acts.

Learn the true story of how the U.S. Navy courted mobsters to fight Nazis in Ghosts of Sicily (HarperCollins), the third in the true military-espionage series written by NCIS actors-turned-authors Mark Harmon with Leon Carroll Jr.

Since Mesopotamia, humans have created gardens, creating spaces to shape our surroundings with beauty, order, comfort and even mystery. In The Landscape of Man (Thames & Hudson) authors Geoffrey and Susan Jellicoe explore mankind’s instincts to modify, model and enhance Mother Nature with “landscape architecture.” 

Mar 20 2026
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Books, Movies, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

What to watch, and more! Week of March 20 – March 26

Warring witches, Southern law and the return of Hannah Montana!

FRIDAY, March 20
Wicked: For Good
The hit movie musical—actually part two of the 2024 box-office winner—comes to streaming, with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo reprising their roles as witches at odds with each other, plus the backstories to the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow (Peacock).

Company Retreat
This new “faux documentary” (from the creative team behind Office Space) revolves around an unsuspecting temp worker at a corporate event—where everyone else is “in” on the joke (Amazon Prime).

SATURDAY, March 21
I Killed Him in My Sleep
Abigail Breslin stars in this thriller about a young woman who has a terrifying dream about a violent death—then discovers it might be true (8 p.m., Lifetime).

SUNDAY, March 22
The Faithful: The Women of the Bible
New series starring Minnie Driver (above), Jeffery Donovan and Natacha Karam, dramatizing the Old Testament book of Genesis (8 p.m., Fox). 

Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia
Series examines the fragile, high-risk relationship between FBI directors and the Presidents they serve, and the moments that push those relationship to the brink (9p.m., CNN).

MONDAY, March 23
A Little Prayer
David Strathairn plays a father grappling with how to protect his daughter-in-law (Jane Levy) when he finds out his son is having an affair (Prime Video).

Mystery Road: Origin
A couple explores their relationship and a new world of forests and high country, when a sudden series of deaths and a crime that strikes at the heart of their household suggest sinister depths to their new home (Acorn TV and AMC+).

TUESDAY, March 24
White With Fear
Documentary explores how racial division has been used as a political tool for decades (10 p.m., PBS).

Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special
Two decades after she first rocked the airwaves on her own Emmy-nominated TV series, Miley Cyrus returns to talk about her television experiences and revisit the music that defined the era (Disney+).

WEDNESDAY, March 25
Bait
Comedy series stars Riz Ahmed as a struggling actor facing the audition of a lifetime (Prime Video).

Southern Law
New series follows law enforcement officers across the South as they respond to calls, protect their communities, and face the realities of policing in places below the ol’ Mason-Dixon (10 p.m., A&E).

THURSDAY, March 26
Detective Hole
A pair of police officers—supposed colleagues—operate opposite sides of the law in this new whodunnit serial-killer mystery (above) based on the acclaimed crime fiction of Jo Nesbø. With Tobias Santelmann and Joel Kinnaman (Netflix).

Something Very Bad is Going to Happen
Atmospheric horror tale of a young wife-to-be (Camila Marone) at a snowy mountain retreat with her fiancé’s family, where she’s gripped by the feeling that, well, what the title says (Netflix).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Everybody lies, right? In The Lie You Don’t Know You Believe (Nelson Books), podcaster Jennie Allen explains how “hidden lies” shape our thoughts, our relationships and our sense of self-worth. Especially when we lie to ourselves. “Freedom isn’t about being perfect,” Allen says. “It’s about being honest.” And that’s no lie.

BRING IT HOME

What would it be like to be stranded in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico after your boat capsizes? Find out in Not Without Hope (Alliance Entertainment), a true-ish tale starring Zachary Levy and Josh Duhamel. Come for the hypothermia, stay for the sharks—and the massive waves and dehydration.

Ralph Fiennes stars in The Choral (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment), a touching drama set during World War I as a war-ravaged English community decides to combat the ugly realities all around them with music. Order here .

NOW HEAR THIS

Not only can you watch the movie (on Amazon Prime!), now you can own the music with Man on the Run: The Movie Soundtrack. It’s got all the songs from the new documentary about Paul McCartney and his post-Beatles career, including the theme to the James Bond flick Live and Let Die, “Mull of Kintyre,” “Coming Up” and “Too Many People.” Plus a cool poster!

Mar 13 2026
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Books, Movies, Pop Culture, Sports, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

What to watch, and more! Week of March 13 – March 19

The Oscars! ‘The Golden Girls’ are back, baby! And rollin’ with bowler ballers!

Former Oscar winners will hand out trophies at the Academy Awards Sunday night.

FRIDAY, March 13
Celebrity Jeopardy All Stars
Series pits previous champions and other standout players in classic bouts to win $1 million for their favored charities (8 p.m., ABC).

Twisted Yoga
Three-part documentary series examines the rise and unraveling of a global tantric yoga movement that drew followers worldwide with promises of spiritual growth and belonging, but brought a swirl of serious criminal accusations around its founder (Apple TV).

SATURDAY, March 14
The Boy with My Son’s Face
A woman convicted of murdering her infant son gets a shock years later when sees a photo of a boy who looks exactly like him, only older (8 p.m., Lifetime).

Michelle Pfeiffer stars in ‘The Madison,’ creator Taylor Sheridan’s sprawling new drama series.

The Madison
Ready for yet another series from Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone, Landman, Tulsa King)? This one’s a family drama that sprawls from Montana to Manhattan and stars Beau Garrett, Kurt Russell, Michelle Pfeiffer, Matthew Fox, Patrick J. Adams and Elle Chapman (Paramount+).

SUNDAY, March 15
The Academy Awards
Who, and what films, will bring home the year’s most prestigious movie awards? As always, you’ll have to watch to find out, as presenters (like former Oscar winners Adrien Brody, Kieran Culkin, Mikey Madison and Zoe Saldaña, in top pic) pass out the 2026 Oscars (7 p.m., ABC).

Rivals
Season two begins about the cutthroat world of independent television in England in the 1980s. Starring David Tennant, Adian Turner and Kathleen Parkinson (Hulu).

MONDAY, March 16
The Golden Girls
Bring back the memories with Blanche, Sophia and Rose as reruns of the fan-fave sitcom (above) return to the airwaves for the first time since its final episode in the 1990s (10 p.m., MeTV).

Born to Bowl
Go inside the world of professional bowling, chronicling five stars of the sport as they chase glory, respect and prize money on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour (HBO).

TUESDAY, March 17
Shake Hands with the Devil
1959 classic about the Irish War for Independence in the ‘20s has a strong anti-violence message and stars James Cagney, Don Murray and Glynnis Johns (12:30 p.m., TCM).

WEDNESDAY, March 18
Imperfect Women
New series based on Araminta Hall’s novel of the same name examines a crime that shatters the lives of three longtime female friends. Starring Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara, above (Apple TV).

Invincible
Adult animated superhero series begins season four, based on an award-winning comic book series and featuring voices by Sandra Oh, J.K. Simmons, Seth Rogen, Walton Goggins, Zazie Beetz and Mark Hamill (Prime Video).

THURSDAY, March 19
Beauty in Black
In season two, the ruthless, backstabbing family behind a famous beauty brand (and an underground trafficking ring) faces a reckoning. Starring Taylor Polidore Williams, Crystle Stewart  and Amber Reign Smith (Netflix).

Our Dementia Choir
Trigger Point and Alex Rider star Vicky McClure puts together a musical choral group to help people with dementia (BritBox).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Sit back and sip a spell with The True History of Tea (Thames & Hudson), in which you’ll learn about the deep roots, widespread use and diverse applications of one of the world’s most enduring beverages. And hint, hint: It goes much deeper than the stuff was dumped in Boston Harbor!

Batter up! You wanna talk baseball? Baseballisms (McFarland) by Leonard Skonecki hits a home run with etymologies and origins of dozens of baseball-related words and phrases, like “Tinker to Evans to Chance” and “chin music” to “I call ‘em as I see ‘em” and “murderer’s row,” which once referred to a team’s lineup of formidable hitters.

BRING IT HOME

Hiiii-yah!!! Call your sensei ‘cause TV’s sequel to the Karate Kid movies is now rounded up into one package with Cobra Kai: The Complete Series (AV Entertainment). You’ll hit the mats with all seven seasons of Ralph Maccio doing his dojo best, alongside Johnny Lawrence, William Zabka and Courtney Henggeler. (Order at https://tinyurl.com/27rux8be).

The hit TV procedural The Closer, which ran 2009 to 2012 and starred Kyra Sedgwick as an L.A. detective known for getting convictions (and “closing” the case), is now available in the boxed set The Closer: The Complete Series (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment). It has all 109 episodes of the show, plus a bounty of bonus features.

Mar 06 2026
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Books, DVDs, Music, Photography, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

What to watch, and more! March 6 – March 12

Miley gets Muppet-ized, it’s a wrap for ‘Outlander’ & NatGeo hunts for elephants

Miley Cyrus kicks off a new season of ‘Sesame Street’ Monday night.

FRIDAY, March 6
Outlander
Tonight begins the eighth and final season of the time-traveling romance starring Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, based on author Diana Galbaldon’s international best-selling book series (Starz).

Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese
When 16-year-old Skylar Neese vanishes from her West Virginia home, her family and community are thrown into turmoil. As the search for answers intensifies, attention turns toward Skylar’s closest friends, uncovering a tangled web of secrets, betrayal and identity (Hulu).

SATURDAY, March 7
Vanished in an Instant
A widowed high school teacher (Vinessa Antoine) and rebellious teen daughter (Arista Arhin) find themselves on parallel paths of terror during what was supposed to be a fun weekend getaway. Don’t you just hate it when that happens? (8 p.m., Lifetime).

SUNDAY, March 8
Rooster
Steve Carell stars in this new college-set comedy series about an author and his complicated relationship with his daughter (HBO Max).

Ghost Elephants
Come along with National Geographic explorers in this documentary about the search in South Africa for legendary “ghost” elephants, long believed to exist only in myth. It’s directed and narrated by Werner Herzog (Disney+ and Hulu). 

MONDAY, March 9
The Ultimate Baking Championship
Sixteen elite pastry chefs vie to be crowned the best of the best. Hosted by Duff Goldman (9 p.m., Food Network).

Sesame Street Vol. 2
New season of the newly revived iconic kids’ show features well-known Muppet characters and guests, like tonight’s Miley Cyrus (Netflix).

TUESDAY, March 10
One Piece: Into the Grand Line
Season two, based on Japan’s high-rated animated series, goes live-action for more high-seas adventure (Netflix).

Fukushima: A Nuclear Nightmare
Documentary examines the devastating 2011 9.0 earthquake in Japan and the following tsunami that washed away entire towns—and destroyed cooling systems of three nuclear reactors, causing a chain reaction of high radiation and hydrogen explosions (9 p.m., HBO).

WEDNESDAY, March 11
Sunny Nights
In this dark comedy, a brother and sister (Will Forte and D’Arcy Carden, above) try to set up a spray-tanning business in Australia, only to run afoul of Sydney’s criminal world (Hulu). 

Scarpetta
A doctor tries to unmask a serial killer in this thriller series produced by Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis, with an all-star cast including Bobby Cannavale, Ariana DeBose and Simon Baker (Prime Video).

THURSDAY, March 12
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives
More secrets, more TikTok-ing wives, more drama (above). Season four starts tonight (Hulu).

The Stroke
Polish dark-comedy drama about an openly gay, middle-aged cultural tastemaker whose stroke shatters not only his body, but his ego, status, and carefully constructed persona (Viaplay).

BRING IT HOME

If you’re a fan of “hair metal,” you know Cinderella. The new Cinderella in Concert (MVD Entertainment) takes you back to glory days of glam rock, filmed on the Philly-based band’s tour in 1991, and featuring most of the group’s songs you ever heard on the radio (or watched on MTV), including “Nobody’s Fool,” “Gypsy Road” and “Shelter Me.”

The Band’s Levon Helm narrates Elvis ’56 (MVD Entertainment), a chronicle of Presley’s breakthrough year, with his hip-shakin’ early TV appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and other programs. You’ll see rare live performances of “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Hound Dog,” “Don’t Be Cruel” and much more.

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Looking forward to passing along all those souvenirs, family photos and heirlooms to your kids when they leave the nest? Well, guess what? In Nobody Wants Your Sh*t (Skyhorse Publishing), author Messie Condo offers practical—and motivational—advice for the art of decluttering, dealing with all your “stuff” and moving on.

It’s been 50 years since Blondie sang about “Freddy” in the hit rap song “Rapture.” Now Fred Brathwaite (aka Fab 5 Freddy) is telling his own story in Everybody’s Fly: A Life of Art, Music and Changing the Culture (Viking). It’s an essential street-level cultural history with an intimate look into New York City’s underground art and music scene, and how it transformed culture into the late ‘70s and beyond.


With spring just around the corner, Flower Power by plant advocate and gardening expert Jac Semmler provides a beautifully illustrated, step-by-step guide to planning and designing your own parcel of year-round botanical goodness. Just add water and sunshine and see! (Thames & Hudson)

The Art of the Book: 75 Years of Thames & Hudson looks at the company founded in 1949 by Walter and Eva Neurath and how it grew into a pinnacle of publishing, with books ranging across art, archaeology, architecture, history, photography and fashion. With covers, reproductions of inside pages and more, it’s a book for book lovers, for sure! 

What’s a Nordic house? Well, find out in The Iconic Nordic House (Thames & Hudson), a visually sumptuous look inside (and outside) architecturally splendid Scandinavian homes, spanning more than a century in some of the most beautiful, and extreme, geographic locations on the planet.

Feb 27 2026
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Books, Movies, Music, Pop Culture, Sports, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

What to watch, and more! Week of Feb. 27 – March 5

‘Monsters’ roar, another ‘Yellowstone’ spinoff & the dark side to daytime TV

King Kong fights for his throne in season two of ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.’

FRIDAY, Feb. 27
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
Kurt Russell and son Wyatt are aboard for season two on Kong’s Skull Island, where a Titan emerges from the sea and sets up an epic battle for the fate of the world (Apple TV+).

In the Blink of an Eye
Three storylines, spanning thousands of years, intersect and reflect on hope, connection and the circle of life. Starring Rashida Jones, Kate McKinnon and Daveed Diggs (Hulu).

SATURDAY, Feb. 28
Dinner and a Movie: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Pull up a seat and dig into the 2024 Mad Max origin story starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth (8 p.m., TBS).

Pulled off a Plane and Survived
A skydiver (Tyler Lepley) lives a nightmare when she survives a 4,000 fall from the sky. Now that’s what I call an emergency exit!  (8 p.m., Lifetime).

SUNDAY, March 1
Y: Marshals
How hot was Yellowstone? So hot that this new series starring Luke Grimes is both a sequel and a spinoff (8 p.m., CBS).

American Classic
Kevin Kline, Tony Shalhoub and Laura Linney star in this new comedy series (above) about a Broadway star who returns to his roots in a small theater after a spectacular public meltdown (MGM+).

MONDAY, March 2
The Murdoch Mysteries
Season 19 of the hit series is set in Toronto in the early 1900s and follows detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) as he employs radical forensic techniques to solve some of the city’s most gruesome murders (Acorn TV).

The Kelly Clarkson Show
Kicking off Women’s History Month, singer P!NK will guest host for the entire week (check showtimes, NBC).

TUESDAY, March 3
RJ Decker
New series about a disgraced newspaper photographer (and ex-con) who tries for a fresh start as a private investigator in crime-ridden South Florida. Starring Scott Speedman (10 p.m., ABC).

NCIS: Elite Mission
Knight (Katrina Law) is ordered to hunt down a former member of the team, who turns to Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) for help in tonight’s episode (9 p.m., CBS).

WEDNESDAY, March 4
Young Sherlock
Yet another TV reincarnation of Sir Arthur Doyle’s iconic Scotland Yard sleuth, this time played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin, with Colin Firth and Max Irons among the supporting cast. Directed by Guy Richie (Amazon Prime).

Dirty Rotten Scandals
New investigative series explores the darker underbellies to some of America’s top TV shows, including The Dr. Phil Show (above), America’s Next Top Model and The Price is Right (9 p.m., E!)

Feds
Documentary series enters second season about the Federal Bureau of Investigation and some of its famous and most dramatic cases (9 p.m., ID).

THURSDAY, March 5
Deb is Boss
Biopic of Deb Antney, the music mogul who launched the career of Nicki Minaj and others—after she graduated from the crime-riddled streets of New York City and Boston. Starring LisaRaye McCoy (ALLBLK).  

Ted
Seth McFarlane’s hilariously profane comedy, about a hard-partying, potty-mouthed teddy bear (above), begins season two tonight. Starring Max Burkholder, Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach (Peacock).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

We all agree that censorship can be a bad thing. And in On Censorship (Thames & Hudson), author Ai Weiwei breaks it all down and explains why it continues to persist—as a tool of authoritarian regimes, but also in more subtle “democratic” ways, and how the information gap caused by censorship is filled with “fake news.” It’s a rallying cry for free speech in a new world of AI, social media, Big Data, mass surveillance and new tech out of control.

Singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco tells her story in The Spirit of Ani (Akashic Press), opening up a window on her creativity, spirituality, personal experiences, evolving consciousness, feelings about climate change and fiercely prolific artistic journeys.

Feb 13 2026
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Books, DVDs, Movies, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

What to watch, and more! Week of Feb. 13 – Feb. 19

A Valentine’s Day marathon, more ‘Dark Winds’ in the desert & a triple ‘Hangover’

Watch a Valentine’s Day pair of ‘Father of the Bride’ flicks.

FRIDAY, Feb. 13
Kissing is the Easy Part
Asher Angel, Paris Berelc and Jennifer Robertson star in this YA romcom about a straight-A student who agrees to tutor a wild child, causing some crazy sparks to fly (Tubi). 

Honey Bunch
A woman who wakes from a coma begins to think that neither her treatment nor her husband is really helping her. Starring Grace Glowicki, Ben Petrie and Jason Issacs (Shudder).

SATURDAY, Feb. 14
The Dating App Killer: The Monica White Story
A mom (Lela Rochon) discovers she may have the key to ending the deadly rampage a dude (Jarod Joseph) she met online (8 p.m., Lifetime).

Valentine’s Day TV Marathon
Cuddle up with your honey bunch and date-themed episodes of Modern Family, Friends and Big Bang Theory, followed by two Father of the Bride flicks (begins 7 a.m., TBS).

SUNDAY, Feb. 15
Dark Winds
The acclaimed noir thriller is back for season four, focusing on a missing Navajo girl, a race against the clock and an obsessive killer with ties to organized crime (9 p.m., AMC and AMC+).

Love, Ted Bundy
Two-hour crime doc reveals the torrid tale of the infamous serial killer’s letters to the woman who says she loved him like a brother. Her name was Edna, and now she’s ready to tell her story (6 p.m., Oxygen).

MONDAY, Feb. 16
Hangover Movie Marathon
It’s all three of the boozy adventures of best friends in The Hangover and its two movie sequels (begins 10 a.m., TBS).

TUESDAY, Feb. 17
Sommore: Chandelier Fly
The contemporary comedy diva returns to Detroit for her 7th standup special (Netflix).

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 18
56 Days
Dove Cameron and Avan Jorgia lead the cast in this twisty psychological thriller about a toxic love affair adapted from Catherine Ryan Howard’s bestseller (Amazon Prime).

Rain Bombs
Follow scientists as they race to understand an invisible, unpredictable atmospheric force wreaking havoc across the globe—sinking superyachts, flattening forests and bringing down airliners (9 p.m., PBS).

THURSDAY, Feb. 19
True Crime Story: It Couldn’t Happen Here
Hilarie Burton-Morgan from The Walking Dead hosts the new season examining the challenges and complexities of small-town justice (10 p.m., Sundance TV).

Murder in Glitterball Hall
Two-part documentary about a dark tale of a 2010 murder case that starts with a 911 phone call that leads police to the gruesome discovery of a body buried in the basement of a Victorian mansion in Lexington, Ky. (8 p.m., HBO Max)

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Playmakers (W.W. Norton) by Michael Kimmel tells the fascinating story of the first-generation Jewish American toymakers who gave us golden 20th Century childhoods by climbing the ladder of New World success at Ideal Toys, Hasbro and Lionel Trains—and creating such icons as Barbie, G.I. Joe, Popeye, Superman and Mr. Potato Head.

What’s the connection between Aristotle and Alan Jackson? You might think country music is all about pickup trucks and beer but check out Country Music and Philosophy (McFarland) to dig a lot deeper into the subject, with essays on such wide-ranging topics as “Law and Virtue in Outlaw Country,” “Why Do We Drink, Smoke and Cheat on Those We Love Most” and “Bards and (Prison) Bars.”

Need a bit more hocus-pocus-ery in your life? Get author Brigid Ehrmantraut’s Celtic Magic: A Practitioner’s Guide (Thames & Hudson), which invites readers to explore the mysteries of the ancient practices of a people for whom “mysticism” wasn’t just parlor tricks, but the basis of an entire religion. It’s fascinating stuff! 

Another “magical” new book is Mundane Magic: A Lazy Witch’s Guide to Hacking Your Brain (Rodale), in which Demystify Magic podcaster and crystal healing expert Molly Donlan tells how motivational fun, actionable exercises and some handy practices and rituals can make life simpler and more joyful.

BRING IT HOME

It’s like being in the front row with Broadway on the Big Screen (AV Entertainment), a roundup of six Broadway hits that got the Hollywood treatment: Gypsy, Guys and Dolls, Brigadoon, Damn Yankees, The Boyfriend and The Pajama Game, with stars including Twiggy, Doris Day, Gene Kelly, Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra and Natalie Wood. Order at https://moviezyng.com/products/broadway-on-the-big-screen-6-film-collection?_pos=1&_psq=Broadway+on+the+big&_ss=e&_v=1.0

The late, great actress Diane Keaton made her directorial debut with Heaven (Lightyear Entertainment) back in the 1980s, exploring the idea of the hereafter and asking such probing questions as “What do you think God looks like?,” “Is there sex in heaven?” and “Are you afraid to die?” Now re-released on DVD, it’s a freewheeling, almost surreal excursion into the afterlife, featuring interviews with real people, snippets of TV evangelists and songs mixed with old movie clips. It’s a trip!

Available for the first time on 4K UHD, 2014’s Nightcrawler (Shout! Studios) stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a freelance news crime photographer drawn deep into the nocturnal underbelly of modern-day Los Angeles. With Renee Russo, Riz Ahmed and Bill Paxton. Plus commentary and other behind-the-scenes bonus features.

It’s Oscar-rama with two new re-releases of classic films now available on 4K discs. Ben-Hur (1959) starred Charlton Heston as moviedom’s most iconic Roman chariot racer, while All the President’s Men (1976) featured the dynamic duo of Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as tenacious newspaper reporters who exposed President Nixon’s Watergate scandal. Together, the two films brought home 15 Academy Awards!

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson sing up a storm in the highly acclaimed, heart-rending Song Sung Blue, based on a real-life Wisconsin couple who performed in a Neil Diamond tribute band. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll sing along to “Sweet Caroline”! With Michael Imperioli, Jim Belushi and Fisher Stevens.

Nicolas Cage has done some crazy flicks in his time, and now he’s Joseph (yep, the father of Jesus) in The Carpenter’s Son (Magnolia Home Entertainment), a sorta-Biblical tale with a horror-movie twist. Noah Jupe, recently Shakespeare’s son in Hamnet, plays young Jesus.

Jan 23 2026
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Books, DVDs, Movies, Music, Photography, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

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.

Version 1.0.0

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. 

Jan 16 2026
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Books, DVDs, Movies, Music, Photography, Pop Culture, Sports, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

What to watch, and more! Friday, Jan. 16 – Thursday, Jan. 22

A landmark Mel Brooks birthday, celebrating Black movies and TV & HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’ spinoff

HBO Max celebrates Mel Brooks turning 99!

Friday, Jan. 16
How to Lose a Popularity Contest
New comedy for young adults about a charming underachiever and a type-A overachiever teaming up to win student body president…and perhaps more. Starring Chase Hudson and Sara Weisglass (Tubi).

The Nowhere Man
Six-part drama series—unrelated to The Beatles’ song—about an ex-mercenary drawn back into a world of violence after witnessing a home invasion. With Bonko Khoza and Naturi Naughton-Lewis (Starz).

Saturday, Jan. 17
I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco
The wife of the convicted child rapist tells her own story, for the first time, three decades after she was thrust into the spotlight when her husband tried to kill her (8 p.m., Lifetime).

“One Battle After Another”

Celebration of Black Cinema & Television
Spike Lee, David Alan Grier and One Battle After Another stars Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti and Regina Hall will be among the honorees in this ceremony held at Fairmont Century Plaza in Hollywood (streaming on Starz).

SUNDAY, Jan. 18
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
New half-hour drama series—related to the realm of Game of Thrones—follows two unlikely Westeros heroes, a tall young knight (Ser Duncan) and his diminutive squire (Daniel Ings) (10 p.m., HBO).

The Hillside Strangler
Doc about 1970s Los Angeles serial killer known for striking without warning, abducting, raping and murdering a dozen women and leaving their bodies displayed on hillsides like gruesome trophies (9 p.m., MGM+).

MONDAY, Jan. 19
Alma’s Way
Emmy-nominated kids show kicks off its new season with a spotlight on Black cowboy culture, the self-expression of hair and quintessential New York City eats (check local listings, PBS Kids). 

Hoops, Hopes & Dreams
Animation brings to life the untold story about how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a team of civil rights activists took to basketball courts to connect with young voters (Hulu).

TUESDAY, Jan. 20
Breaking the Deadlock
Eight-episode series asks when it comes to your health and your body, who knows best: You, your doctor, or the government? (9 p.m., PBS).

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 21
Steal
Sophie Turner from Game of Thrones stars in this action thriller (above) about the heist of the century, and an ordinary office worker who finds herself in the middle of it (Prime).

Drops of God
The International Emmy-winning multilingual drama series begins season two tonight, about lead characters (Fleur Geffrier and Tomohisa Yamashita) continuing their quest to uncover the origin of the world’s greatest wine (Apple TV).

THURSDAY, Jan. 22
The Curse
Two sisters plagued by misfortune discover they’re victims of a family curse, embarking on a comical quest to end it in this Polish feature film (Viaplay).

Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man
Two-part documentary on the filmmaker comedy genius behind Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. The title comes from one of his earliest comedy routines (HBO Max).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Take a wondrous plunge beneath the waves in Ocean: From the Shore to the Abyss, marine biologist Asha de Vos’ amazing visual project celebrating the diversity of life in the sea. It’s full of pics of marine life of all sorts, at various depths, from jellyfish to gigantic squids, plus graphs and charts with insights into ocean science, whale communication, underseas volcanoes and even the history of scuba diving.

Meet renowned Japanese architecture master Fumihiko Maki in Maki Opus and see some 60 buildings he’s made (from the 1960s onward) in Japan and around the world. It’s a visual chronicle of his understanding of how people use and experience structures, his use of materials and the changes in building technology over the years.

BRING IT HOME

Zip back to a ‘60s Saturday morning with Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har: The Complete Series (AV Entertainment), with all the merry misadventures of a happy-go-lucky lion and his pessimistic hyena sidekick (voiced by the era’s king of cartoon voices, Mel Blanc). Order at https://www.moviezyng.com/lippy-the-lion-and-hardy-har-har-the-complete-series-bluray-blu-ray-daws-butler/840418339619

Look out below! Falling Skies (AV Entertainment), the hit TV series about the aftermath and survivors of an alien invasion, is now assembled in a cool box set. Falling Skies: The Complete Series is a 10-disc set with all the episodes of the TNT post-apocalyptic drama starring Noah Wylie and co-produced by Steven Spielberg. (Order at https://www.moviezyng.com/falling-skies-the-complete-series-bluray-blu-ray-noah-wyle/883929844791).

Meet the sexpot photographer whose work fed America’s growing appetite for “girlie magazines” in the 1950s in Naked Ambition (Bright Iris/Music Box Films). It’s a documentary about Bunny Yeager, whose groundbreaking lens work helped pinup queen Bettie Page go mainstream, popularized the bikini, most likely invented the selfie, and influenced Hugh Hefner in shaping Playboy magazine.

Jan 02 2026
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Books, Movies, Music, Photography, Pop Culture, Television

The Entertainment Forecast

What to watch, and more! Jan. 2 – Jan. 8

The ‘Angels’ return to TV, meet the Donkey King & movie awards season begins!

‘Charlie’s Angels’ return to TV in a salute to the work of producer Aaron Spelling.

FRIDAY, Jan. 2
MonsterQuest
The hunt continues in season two, looking for more evidence of bigfoot, UFO encounters, hauntings and killer beasts on land and sea (10 p.m., History).

SATURDAY, Jan. 3
Donkey King
Half-hour docuseries about a 75-acre nonprofit donkey rescue and sanctuary in California, where Ron King and dozens of volunteers have rescued and re-homed more than 400 donkeys (check listings, ABC).

Stolen Girl
Kate Beckinsale and Scott Eastwood star in this tale based on real events about a mom who goes to the Middle East to track down her ex-, who has abducted their young daughter (8 p.m., Lifetime).

SUNDAY, Jan. 4
The Critics Choice Awards
Chelsea Handler returns as host of this annual event, voted by movies critics and kicking off the movie awards season. Sinners (above) and One Battle After Another lead the nominations (7 p.m., E! and USA Network).

Aaron Spelling Sundays
|New weekend programming block features hit-show nostalgia from the iconic TV producer/director, including Charlie’s Angels, Hart to Hart, Fantasy Island and The Love Boat (2 p.m., MeTV).

MONDAY, Jan. 5
My Life is Murder
Season five begins as sharp-witted investigator Alexa Crowe tackles her most perplexing and personal case yet (Acorn TV).

Antiques Roadshow
Season 30 begins with all-new searches for America’s hidden treasures (8 p.m., PBS).

TUESDAY, Jan. 6
Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr.
|The heralded genealogical series kicks off season 12 tonight, looking ahead to upcoming celebrity guests including Kristin Chenoweth, America Ferrera, Spike Lee, Tracy Letts, Barry Diller, Wiz Khalifa and many more (PBS).

Best Medicine
New comedy series set in a Boston hospital stars Josh Charles, Abigail Spencer, Josh Segarra and Annie Potts (8 p.m., Fox).

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7
The Masked Singer
The hit competition—with masked and heavily costumed celebs singing, until they’re “revealed”—returns for season 14 with more stars, more songs and new twists on pop culture. Hosted by Nick Cannon (8 p.m., Fox).

Harlan Coben’s Final Twist
Author Harlan Coben—whose books include Missing You and Fool Me Once—hosts this new true-crime series (10 p.m., CBS).

THURSDAY, Jan. 8
The Hunting Party
Crime procedural about a team of investigators assembled to track down a dangerous serial killer who’s escaped from prison. Starring Melissa Roxburgh, Patrick Sabongui, Josh McKenzie and Sara Garcia (NBC).

Alfie Allen in ‘Girl Taken.’

Girl Taken
New series about the abduction of an English girl, her escape from captivity, and her discovery that freedom brings its own challenges. Starring Alfie Allen, Jill Halfpenny, Tallulah Evans and Delphi Evans (Paramount+).

Golden Globe Awards|
Tonight’s movie awards are voted by international journalists who cover Hollywood. Helen Mirren will receive the organization’s highest honor, the Cecil B. DeMille Award (8 p.m., CBS).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Author Carrie Gibson’s The Great Resistance (Atlantic Monthly Press) chronicles dramatic stories of slavery. It’s a powerful reminder of the horrors, and an inspiring saga about some 12 million Africans who were brought to the Western Hemisphere as slaves and the four-hundred-year fight to end the abomination of a system that treated them as subhuman.

David Gilmour: Luck and Strange Studio/Live (Thames & Hudson) is a photographic chronicle by Polly Samson of the former Pink Floyd band member’s latest solo project, “Luck and Strange,” as he makes it and then takes his new music on the road. Includes song lyrics and a Q&A interview.

What if the key to healthier living wasn’t to be found in fads or extreme diets? Find out more in Eat Your Ice Cream (W.W. Norton) by Ezekiel J. Emmanuel, a common-sense guidebook for beneficial behaviors and healthy habits…including, yes, having some ice cream now and then.

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