To paraphrase The Simpsons‘ Jeff Albertson, now more than ever, America needs the wit and wisdom of a musical version of Herman’s Head. In any case, we don’t necessarily get the programming we want, but we do get the programming we deserve. Also, the straw that stirred the New York Yankees drink from 1977-81 gets a deep dive treatment. Are we having fun yet? If not, remember there’s a new episode of the other Rob Thomas’ reunited catering comedy starring a rogue’s gallery of actors who have become way more famous.

KATHERINE’S PICK:
Up Here [Hulu]
This musical romantic comedy is everything I hate–song from the duo behind Frozen, a cowriter from Tick, Tick Boom, singing, in general–but it stars Mae Whitman and is set in the “waning days” of 1999 in New York City.

JASON’S PICK:
Reggie [Amazon Prime]
When I was a little kid, I loved both baseball and the number 44. Growing up in NYC in the late 1970s and ’80s, that meant I was a fan of Mr. October, Reginald Martinez Jackson. As it turned out, as clutch as he was, and as fun as it was to watch him hit dingers, he was not the kind of player I would generally root for. He would become infamous for his nature: mercurial, arrogant, sullen. Then again, he was also an African American star whose career started only two decades after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, so… there’s reasons. Either way, he’s a perfect subject for a deep dive documentary and I’m excited to revisit the “hero” I have mostly forgotten about in my adult life.  

BRAD’S PICK:
Party Down [Starz]
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BUT, WAIT, THERE’S MORE:

• Even if you think you don’t like country music, don’t sleep on My Kind of Country. As the title (may) imply, this reality competition focuses on the more genrebending brand of country–evidenced by its excellent trio of judges: Orville Peck, Jimmy Allen, and Mickey Guyton. Peck is coming off an absolutely charming stint on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Not one of them is a cis white man, so expect the Apple TV debut to garner some cries of “woke country music” from Tucker Carlson types.
• The trailer for the Tubi thriller You’re Not Alone starts with a man on the phone in an airport telling his girlfriend “I just landed in New Jersey.” That’s scary enough as it is. Two editors here are from the Garden State, so we can say that. One of them is writing this and loves living there. Anyway, his “sweetie” is home alone as a serial killer stalks her neighborhood.
• One of the first SNL copycats, was a show called Fridays which starred Larry David and Michael Richards among others. Talk about two people who went in the same direction and then in very different directions. The new Disney+ show Saturdays is a direct non-sequel to that 40-year-old show, but it does put roller-skating front-and-center as it was back in the late-’70s/early-’80s. It’s got plenty of Disney coming-of-age comedy beats and looks, well, charming, if you’re into its particular genre. So grab your roller skates, y’all, it’s a… Friday.