#SetTheVCR: March 09-15, 2026

Monday, March 09

Bedtime Stories with Ryan (9:00 p.m. / Nick Jr.)

In the series, Ryan Reynolds reads new and classic bedtime stories as the tales magically come to life around him – creating a warm, playful and imaginative wind-down experience for kids and parents to enjoy together. Airs air Monday through Friday, from March 2-13 (9:00-9:30 p.m.) on the Nick Jr. channel.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: HOLLYWOOD SUITE: FREE PREVIEW (ANYTIME / HOLLYWOOD SUITE CHANNELS)

Hollywood Suite’s Free Preview from March 1 to 31! Ring in the spring with hundreds of free, uncut movies and daring new series! Hollywood Suite is commercial-free movie channels and an on-demand library dedicated to popular films from the 1970s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, and 2010s.
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The annual Hollywood Suite Free Preview for Canadians will put a Spring into your step this March. It is free for the entire month of March. Hollywood Suite is a collection of movie channels: one channel is dedicated to the 70s, another to the 80s, 90s, and finally 2000s. All uncut and no edits: swears and sex and satire. Bonus: the movies are also On Demand so basically, it’s like having another Netflix…for free! Some of this year’s fantastic features include Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Back to the Future…s, Creature From The Black Lagoon (released on March 5, 1954, so celebrate that anniversary), The Movie Man and so much more. On the TV side, there’s 2 season of the Charlie Cox’s Kin. Kin tells the story of a fictional Dublin family embroiled in gangland war and speaks to the enduring unbreakable bonds of blood. In Flight is a British limited series from 2025: “The son of a flight attendant is arrested and she is blackmailed into drug smuggling.” At 6 episodes that’s ideal to enjoy during the Free Preview. 1982: Greatest Geek Year is a remarkable four-part moviegoing culture in 1982. So much `80s glory. Highly Recommended viewing. Oasis: Live at the City of Manchester Stadium is a loud time with the lads. Hollywood Suite is a curated mix of cult classics. Deep cuts. Blockbusters. New discoveries. So…now what will you watch first: something classic or something that will become a classic or something that is classically so bad it’s good?

Tuesday, March 10

Disaster: The Chernobyl Meltdown (Anytime / CNN App)

Spanning the scope of the catastrophic collapse of the reactor, the Soviets’ calculated cover-up, and the present-day fallout now intersecting with the war in Ukraine, Disaster: The Chernobyl Meltdown reveals a tragedy still reverberating across history. Featuring revealing interviews with survivors speaking publicly for the first time, alongside rare insight into the CIA and Soviet responses, the series exposes a web of secrecy, miscalculation, and human cost. Astonishing new footage from inside the nuclear exclusion zone reveals how this scarred landscape is once again under siege as war encroaches on one of the most dangerous places on Earth.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: FUKUSHIMA: A NUCLEAR NIGHTMARE (ANYTIME / HBO MAX & CRAVE)

In March 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake – the strongest ever recorded in Japan – unleashed a tsunami that devastated the country’s northeast coast. Entire towns were erased, and 20,000 lives were lost, but an even greater threat loomed at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, where the giant wave disabled the cooling systems of three reactors. As radiation levels soared and hydrogen explosions tore through the facility, Japan’s leaders faced the unimaginable prospect of evacuating Tokyo – the world’s largest city with 35 million people.
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Wow, this is riveting. It also reads like Godzilla’s origin story. “Fukushima: A Nuclear Nightmare reconstructs the nine harrowing days following the disaster in forensic, real-time detail, from the control-room engineers fighting to prevent a total meltdown, to the political leaders confronting the unthinkable, to ordinary citizens caught in the fallout. At the heart of the story are the power plant workers who were tasked with averting a major catastrophe. It was potentially a suicide mission, commanded by Japan’s prime minister Naoto Kan. Navigating days of isolation and terror, these plant workers – who would later be known as the courageous Fukushima 50 – recount the mounting pressures they faced as they entered the darkened reactors to try to avert the worst outcome, knowing the work might kill them. For years, these men stayed silent, burdened by guilt and stigma rather than celebrated as heroes. Now the control-room supervisor on duty when the disaster began, Ikuo Izawa, and others who were present in those nine fateful days, recount their detailed experiences publicly for the first time.” I’ve often wondered how did those in charge get it right. The Allies won WWII, whew, right? But how? And now this…how did they get it right? Did they get it right? This documentary comes as we mark the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl Meltdown (April 26, 1986).

Wednesday, March 11

Never Look Away (Anytime / TVO YouTube Channel)

Lucy Lawless directs this striking portrait of groundbreaking CNN camera operator Margaret Moth, whose bravery in the face of danger sometimes bordered on self-destructive. Margaret Moth is a pioneering news camerawoman dedicated to documenting the civilian impact of war, who stared death in the face but refused to look away.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: SCARPETTA: SEASON 1 (ANYTIME / PRIME VIDEO)

Scarpetta is a chilling crime thriller that unfolds across two timelines. This dual narrative explores Kay Scarpetta’s (Nicole Kidman) journey from her beginnings as a Chief Medical Examiner in the late ’90s to her present-day return to her hometown, where she resumes her former position while investigating a grisly murder. As Scarpetta pursues justice, she must navigate complicated relationships, including the fraught dynamic with her sister Dorothy Farinelli (Jamie Lee Curtis), confront long-held professional and personal grudges, and face secrets that threaten to unravel everything she’s built.
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“What we’re looking for here is a serial killer.” Okay, decent start. What else? I’ve only read one or two Patricia Cornwell novels; like years ago. This isn’t bad, it’s not Must See TV either. Maybe I’ll #SetTheVCR. For now:
I’m 100% Out for Cross; 100% In for Reacher, though. Oh and I enjoyed Ballard’s first season; I’ll be back for Season 2 Scarpetta is Prime Video’s latest Detective Deeds Done Dirt Cheap series. The description is strange: “Kay Scarpetta is a brilliant and beautiful forensic pathologist,” umm okay and “she employs advanced forensic technology to unravel mysteries and solve crimes.” Super interesting because the character was introduced in the novels in the 90s. Forensic technology must be radically different now…isn’t it? Let’s see what cases she cracks. Programming Note: Scarpetta has already renewed for a second season. No stress.

Thursday, March 12

Sunny Nights: Season 1 (Anytime / Hulu)

Strait-laced American Martin Marvin teams up with his loose-cannon sister, Vicki, to set up a spray tan business in Sydney. Home to one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world, Australia is also home to Martin’s estranged wife, whom he’s determined to win back. But as Martin and Vicki attempt to turn their company from a start-up operating out of the back of a van into a multi-million-dollar empire, the siblings become tangled up in Sydney’s criminal underworld, and when a ruthless gangster begins to catch up with them, the two must figure out how to stay alive, out of prison, and in the black. Programming Note: The series premiered in Canada on the CTV Drama channel in late February 2026 and can be streamed on Crave.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE (ANYTIME / NETFLIX-US)

In a 1962 alternate history where the Axis powers won World War II and divided the United States, a woman discovers mysterious films that suggest a different reality, driving her into the heart of the resistance against the Nazi and Japanese regimes.
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Yo…are you cereal? I told you (and I for sure told your fat mom) to watch Prime Video’s The Man in the High Castle back in the day: 2015-2019. One of the best sci-fi TV shows in like the past 20 or 30 years? Now it’s on American Netflix. Basically? The Allies done messed up and lost WWII, then lost America. The Japanese are rude. The Man in the High Castle was clearly filmed in Vancouver so you’ll see Hitler get capped by Oceanic Plaza. Snap: The Führer is bleeding out on W Hastings St. That’s a surreal image. Rufus Sewell kills (a Nazi with a heart of gold) and so does Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Tagomi!!). Watch the series if you haven’t but know it gets Stranger Things 5 bad by the end. Sigh. Creator Frank Spotnitz left (after 1) and Castle had a different Showrunner for each of its 4 seasons. Castle quickly becomes Manwich sloppy joes instead of a gourmet hamburger. Sigh. Still, it was a miracle this distinct world lasted four seasons. And I am a sucker for alternative history TV shows and comics (what if JFK lived etc.) especially when you pair it some yummy Dystopia.

Friday, March 13

Bodycam (Anytime / Shudder)

Two police officers investigate a domestic dispute and there is an accidental shooting. Not wanting to be crucified by the public, the officers attempt to cover it up – only to uncover that the cameras aren’t the only things watching them.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: HELL MOTEL: LIMITED SERIES (ANYTIME / HOLLYWOOD SUITE)

Hell Motel sees a group of 10 true crime obsessives invited to the opening weekend of the newly renovated Cold River Motel, the site of a 30-year-old unsolved satanic mass murder. History repeats itself when the guests become stranded and start getting knocked off one by one.
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Limited Series Premiere: Back in 2025…oh I can’t wait to “check in” to this horror series from the same people (Aaron Martin and Ian Carpenter) that created Slasher. We got Eric McCormack and Paula Brancati and Brynn Godenir trapped and waiting to perish. If you haven’t seen it, it is now free thanks to the current Hollywood Suite Free Preview. Check out this 8 episode series, all directed by Adam MacDonald. Who do you think is gonna eat it first in this Shudder Original Series? Should we run a deadpool? I won’t cheat since I’ve seen it. Super fun to watch on Friday…the 13th! Programming Note: Hell Motel is also streaming on Shudder; but not for free.

Saturday, March 14

Beware the Batman: The Complete Series (Anytime / Tubi-US)

Saturday Morning Cartoons: Beware the Batman presents a modern CGI take on the Dark Knight, focusing on the early, action-oriented years of his career. It distinguishes itself by utilizing a rogues gallery of obscure, lesser-known villains—such as Anarky, Professor Pyg, and Magpie—rather than iconic favorites, with assistance from Alfred Pennyworth and Katana.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE ROAD BETWEEN US: THE ULTIMATE RESCUE (ANYTIME / CBC GEM)

On the morning of October 7, 2023, Amir Tibon, an author, was at home with his family in the Nahal Oz kibbutz, less than one kilometer away from the Gaza border. His father, retired general Noam Tibon, was 85 kilometres away in Tel Aviv. As Amir and his wife and children heard Hamas attackers get closer and closer to their home, he was able to reach his father. This film recounts how Noam set out to cross the distance between them, trying to rescue his family who were trapped in their home and surrounded by gunfire. Winner of TIFF 2025’s People’s Choice Award (Documentary).
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In 2024 it was Russians At War. In 2025 it was The Road Between Us. What a silly cycle we’re in: I suspect every TIFF will program a third rail film. Still, all that obnoxious protesting during #TIFF50 (mostly by people who hadn’t seen the doc!) resulted in The Road Between Us winning the People’s Choice Doc Award. (Really? Over Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert. Incredible doc. That was rude, yo!) Now, the documentary that caused all issues at TIFF streams on CBC Gem on (ironically…) Friday, March 13. Hah…Friday the 13th, really? Somebody at CBC has jokes. (I moved it today since Friday the 13th is way too fun with the horror suggestions.) Look. See for yourself…but only if you want. Don’t let anyone (ever) dictate your pop culture. Be Free. You’re not curious. You don’t care? Also a valid choice. What applies for pop culture applies even more for politics. Be Free. Ignore the hype, the panic and everything on social. Everything. And go to books, to podcast interviews with the filmmakers…cultivate resources that are addicted to nuance. Nuance and historical context…that’s The Road Between Us.

Sunday, March 15

The Madison: Season 1 (Anytime / Paramount+)

Taylor Sheridan’s latest TV is The Madison is a profound love story, channeled through a deeply personal family drama about resilience and transformation, starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell. The six-episode first season is Sheridan’s most intimate work to date, unfolding across two distinct worlds – the beautiful landscape of Montana and the vibrant energy of Manhattan – as it examines the ties that bind families together.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: GONZAGA: THE SLIPPER STILL FITS (ANYTIME / TUBI)

Witness the hard work, loyalty, and humility that turned a tiny basketball program into a national powerhouse with 27 straight NCAA appearances.
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Welcome to Selection Sunday. Followed by First Four: March 17-18. First round: March 19-20 and Second round: March 21-22. March Madness all ends on April 6 with the NCAA championship game in Indianapolis. Cue One Shining Moment. Since February, I’ve been enjoying college basketball. The men’s game is played with energy, fast tempo, lots of scoring, too. There’s fantastic teams and impressive wins. So, I’m expecting this year’s March Madness to be a wild ride. I’m counting on the Madness. And games aside there is this Tubi offering this Gonzaga-March Madness documentary. It includes “interviews with notable Gonzaga alumni active in the NBA, including 2025 NBA Champion Chet Holmgren (OKC), Andrew Nembhard (IND), Jalen Suggs (ORL) and Domantas Sabonis (SAC). Additional featured talent includes: Few, former professional basketball player and current Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, former professional basketball player Adam Morrison and former professional basketball player John Stockton.” Stockton was the one most associated with Gonzaga for years. The underdog has now become a Bulldog.

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Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.