February? Already? Yes. So let's get to it already:
Wednesday - February 7
ABC / Abbott Elementary, S3. Quinta Brunson's much-acclaimed (and deservedly so) mockumentary-style sitcom about a group of Philly schoolteachers returns for a third season with an hour-long premiere episode. Per Variety, the series 'flies even higher' in its junior year. Trailer here.
Returning - ABC, The Connors and Not Dead Yet; Britbox, Bad Education; Hulu, 50-50 Split
Thursday - February 8
Netflix / One Day (limited series). Based on the David Nicholls novel of the same name, this decades-spanning story follows Dex and Em who meet on their graduation day in 1988 and reconnect (mostly) every year for the next 20 years. While their lives spin off into vastly different directions, they remain inextricably linked. Stars Ambika Mod (This Is Going to Hurt), Leo Woodall (The White Lotus), Joely Richardson (Return to Me), and Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark). Previously adapted into a movie starring Anne Hathaway (Brokeback Mountain) and Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe), this 14 episode series is better reviewed while lamenting that 14 episodes just feels...long. Trailer here.
Prime Video / The Silent Service Season One - The Battle of Tokyo Bay, S1. Adapted from Kaiji Kawaguchi's popular manga series, this live action series follows the rogue crew of a nuclear submarine and features footage from last year's film adaptation of the same series. Trailer here.
Max / They Called Him Mostly Harmless (documentary). Inspired by a 2020 Wiredarticle about a hiker found dead in the Florida wilderness, this documentary is as much about the internet sleuths - predominantly women - who worked together to identify him as it is about a man who walked into the woods one day and, when things started to go wrong, apparently simply chose not to walk out. Trailer here.
Returning - Paramount+, Halo; Max, Tokyo Vice; MTV, Jersey Shore Family Vacation
Friday - February 9
Hulu / Suncoast (movie). This well-reviewed semi-autobiographical tale follows a teen in 2005 Clearwater, Florida whose older brother is dying of brain cancer in the same facility where Terri Schiavo very famously was lingering in a persistent vegetative state. Stars Laura Linney (You Can Count on Me), Nico Taylor (The Last of Us), and Woody Harrelson (White Men Can't Jump). As Suncoast will have a brief theatrical run, you have 'the option of discreetly sniffling beside fellow moviegoers or ugly crying on the couch.' Trailer here.
Prime Video / Upgraded (movie). Camila Mendes (Do Revenge) stars as young woman who gets upgraded to first class on a work trip to London. Flirting with the handsome man seated next to her, she doesn't correct him when he assumes she's the director of the art gallery where she's but a lowly intern. Can she fake it 'til she makes it? Will she get the guy and succeed in the art world? Do we trust a man who would confuse Camila Mendes for that gallery director who's played by Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny)? Who cares? It's Friday, you're exhausted, and you just cried your eyes out at Suncoast. Trailer here.
Sunday - February 11
CBS / Super Bowl LVIII (special). The San Francisco 49ers and Taylor Swift face off at 3:30pm San Francisco time, with a mini-concert by USHER kicking off around 4:15pm.
Max / Puppy Bowl XX (special). No pads, no helmets: just pure football the way it was intended.
CBS/Paramount+ / Tracker, S1. This Is Us's Justin Hartley stars as a survivalist who uses his expert tracking skills to solve mysteries. His character will be able to find missing people by listening for them sobbing sometime around the show's 48 minute mark. Trailer here.
Monday - February 12
National Geographic / The Space Race (documentary). Streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu, this documentary explores the stories of the first Black astronauts, NASA engineers, and pilots who helped shape the US space program. (I have no idea if astronaut Leland Melvin is even featured in this documentary but I'll take any excuse to share his official NASA portrait.) Trailer here.
Paramount+ / The Daily Show. Previous The Daily Show host Jon Stewart returns to the anchor chair - mostly. He'll be hosting only on Mondays, and only through November's election, while the other nights will continue to see a revolving door of TDS correspondents hosting the show.
Returning - CBS, Bob Hearts Abishola, The Neighborhood, NCIS, and NCIS: Hawai'i
Tuesday - February 13
Prime Video / Five Blind Dates (movie). This Australian rom-com follows a young tea shop owner who is instructed to go on five dates in order to save her failing business - and find true love. I'm guessing the odds are... steep. Seriously, her chances of a love matcha are getting pu-erh by the minute. Trailer here.
Netflix / Taylor Tomlinson: Have It All (special). The 20-something comedy phenom stars in her third Netflix comedy special and riffs on why no one can truly have it all. Trailer here.
Returning - CBS, FBI, FBI: International, and FBI: Most Wanted
And that's it for the week! Please enjoy this effort from a Puppy Bowl reject. Apologies if you had him on your fantasy roster but whoever suggested you draft him clearly steered you wrong. This is what happens when you misread Christian McCalf-rey.
Moira