You can review TV Recommendations until you’re Blue In The Face. #SetTheVCR may be written by a Slow Horse but it’s just as wild as The Stern Show.
Monday, September 14
Independent Lens: Ghost in the Machine (10:00 p.m. /PBS)
Ghost in the Machine reveals how the human values, biases, and power structures behind artificial intelligence are shaping our world—and its societal and environmental consequences.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: LITTLE LORRAINE (ANYTIME / CRAVE)
Little Lorraine, a North Atlantic seaside town with a population of 60, becomes embroiled in an international cocaine smuggling operation under the noses of multiple governments, distributed in coffins through a network of funeral homes.
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Little Lorraine has a known cast (Stephen Amell and Matt Walsh and Sean Astin…you know and like all of those dudes) and there’s a “dope” international drug smuggling ring. That works, yeah? For Cape Breton it is what City of God was for the buckwild suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. (I’m strictly talking regional drug impact coupled with local desperate characters trapped in hopeless situations. City of a God is a #GOAT movie.) I saw this at #TIFF50 and the wild ending is not Little at all. Cool dudes and a drug smuggling ring, that adds up to some sweet TIFF fun at home.
Tuesday, September 15
Agatha Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence: Limited Series (Anytime / BritBox)
In the first contemporary English language television adaptation of Agatha Christie’s stories, Tommy and Tuppence are a detective duo for the ages. They fall in love, fall out of it, and tumble back in, all while solving some thrilling, entertaining mysteries along the way.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: JO KOY: BLUE IN THE FACE (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)
Filmed in front of a sold out crowd in Stockton, California, Jo Koy relives a wild dental disaster, recounts getting fired from McDonald’s and celebrates his veteran stepdad in this hilariously heartfelt special.
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Jo Koy: In His Elements (2020) was disappointing. It wasn’t a comedy special. Rather it was just bland home movies of Jo in his homeland. Cheap likes. And Easter Sunday is as terrible as Filipino spaghetti. Hopefully he gets back on track with this special. I used to be happy talking about Jo Koy until I was…Blue In The Face. Then I felt he just…blue it. If puns give you the blues I hope this comedy special is the cure.
Wednesday, September 16
The Highest Stakes (Anytime / Paramount+)
Five strangers are invited to a luxurious hotel for a high-stakes poker game. What begins as a contest for fortune quickly spirals into something far more dangerous. As tensions rise and secrets surface, the players realize the stakes aren’t just about money—they’re about survival. In a night of escalating peril, trust becomes a weapon, and every choice could seal their fate.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: NEAGLEY: SEASON 1 (ANYTIME / PRIME VIDEO)
Frances Neagley is a private investigator in Chicago and former military protégé of Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) in the Army’s 110th Special Investigations Unit. When she learns that a beloved friend from her past has been killed in a suspicious accident, she becomes hell-bent on justice. Using everything she’s learned from Jack Reacher and her time as a member of the 110 Special Investigators, Neagley puts herself on a dangerous path to uncover a menacing evil.
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So…Neagley is just affirmative action Reacher? Reacher becomes Preacher? A) What Bad Luck and Trouble are you gonna offer me that I can’t already get from Reacher? 2) Without Fail on IG Alan Ritchson holds up a Lee Child book before each Reacher season: that’s the season’s Night School. Their north star. Reacher: Season 4 is based on Gone Tomorrow. Season 5 adapts Make Me. So that makes me nervous. So do this. In 2023, maybe 2024….Prime Video got all excited and promised Citadel spin-off shows in different languages set in the Italian Alps, India, Spain and Mexico. Citadel: Diana was released in fall 2024 and…cancelled after one season. Citadel: Honey Bunny followed in 2024 offering Hindi-espionage and…was promptly canceled after one season.After that, Prime Video officially canceled the international Citadel spin-offs. Granted, Reacher is a far more popular TV show than Citadel. Legit factor. However, Prime’s damning track record remains valid. Let’s see what action this new series ushers in.
Thursday, September 17
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story: Limited Series (Anytime / Netflix)
Ryan Murphy is way more whack than Lizzie Borden: When the repressed daughter of a wealthy New England family and her rebellious maid find themselves trapped in a house built on humiliation and cruelty, they escape into a fantasy of sex, power, and revenge. The gruesome unsolved murders that follow don’t just shock the world – they give birth to an icon who refuses to live imprisoned in a cage, choosing instead to forge her own legend: shocking, monstrous, and gloriously free. If you don’t know who Lizzie Borden is…ya better axe somebody.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: SLOW HORSES: SEASON 6 (ANYTIME / APPLE TV)
When a brutal game of revenge and retaliation turns into an absolute bloodbath, the disgraced MI5 misfits of Slough House are forced to go completely off the grid. Hunted by an unseen enemy determined to wipe them all out, Jackson Lamb and his team find themselves running for their lives as Second Desk Diana Taverner embroils them in her most volatile, high-stakes bureaucratic war yet.
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Jackson Lamb has officially returned, and the cantankerous leader smells worse than ever. Based on the shocking trailer, Season 6 is prepared to completely blow up the lazy Slough House status quo. The stakes have never been more personal; the team is actively being hunted down, forcing Britain’s most dysfunctional spies into a desperate game of survival. Which seems possible…it’s the one thing they’re good at. The headline-spoiler alert from the compelling trailer is the ghost from the past. Olivia Cooke is back as Sid Baker. A character we haven’t spied on since the chaos of Season 1. What makes Slow Horses so good is the British writing…unlike most American TV each episode is densely packed. Season 6 is adapted for television by pulled off a massive creative flex: adapting two of Mick Herron’s Slough House novels—Joe Country and Slough House—into one single, six-episode arc. Now that’s not doing Slough House work. I missed the cast when they were here during TIFF. But it’s all good…I get to hang out with them now. Wednesday, September 16, 2026 is the first episode, followed by one episode weekly until October 21, 2026.
Friday, September 18
MobLand: Season 2 (Anytime / Paramount+)
In the upcoming season, the Harrigans struggle to show a unified front as rising rivals threaten their fractured criminal empire – and Harry Da Souza, their street-smart and formidable ‘fixer,’ must walk a dangerous tightrope when tensions within the family intensify. As violence spills into every corner of their lives, loyalties snap, safety proves temporary, and the battle for power leaves no room for mercy.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: JAŸ-Z IN 8 (ANYTIME / HBO MAX & CRAVE)
In Rick Rubin’s directorial documentary debut, the series unfolds over many hours of candid conversation between two creative superstars. The career-spanning series closely studies the ingenuity of JAŸ-Z’s lyrics as he breaks down his writing process and traces how his words reflect his childhood, the experiences that shaped him, and the evolving world he navigated as his career grew. As JAŸ-Z guides us through the words and music that informed the work, he shows the deep inextricable connection between art and life.
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“Dark Knight feeling: die and be a hero
or live long enough to see yourself become a villain
I went from the favorite to the most hated
But would you rather be underpaid or overrated?
Moral victories is for minor league coaches…”
Rick Rubin is in this docuseries.
Rick Rubin directed this docuseries.
Rick Rubin is the entire hook and the best reason to push play on this 8-part docuseries.
#SetTheVCR weekly to tap into J’s Empire State of Mind: 2 episodes every Friday until October 9.
Saturday, September 19
Golden Axe: Season 1 (Anytime / Paramount+)
In a hilarious homage to Sega’s iconic 1989 video game, “Golden Axe” follows legendary warriors Ax Battler, Tyris Flare and Gilius Thunderhead as they reunite to save Yuria from the evil giant Death Adder, who just won’t seem to stay dead.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE HOWARD STERN SHOW: SEASON 1 (ANYTIME / HBO MAX)
Each week, Howard’s SiriusXM show will be adapted into a streamable episode for HBO Max with periodic extras. Each episode spotlights Stern’s boundary-pushing humor, social commentary, and intimate conversations – all with his iconic voice and unique perspective. Recognized as one of the best interviewers in the business, the series also features Howard’s in-depth, candid conversations with celebrities, musicians, and more. Joined by his longtime team, including Robin Quivers, Fred Norris, and Gary Dell’Abate, THE HOWARD STERN SHOW delivers the unusual, unexpected, and uncensored for devoted fans and new viewers alike.
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The Howard Stern Show finally putting the Max in HBO Max…now the name change makes sense. And remember boys and girls…just because this is trending doesn’t mean ya gotta comment. Everybody can tell when you don’t listen and it makes you look stupid. Why are you so determined to look stupid in public? Not to sound Stern but it’s a dumb way to respond to pop culture. The End…when it finally comes for Howard Stern will be interesting. He will be missed. Enjoy him, now.
Sunday, September 20
Trespasses: Limited Series (10:00 p.m. / PBS)
Cushla is a young Catholic schoolteacher whose life in 1975 Northern Ireland is shadowed by the Troubles. She meets and falls for Michael – an older, married Protestant barrister. Their affair is intoxicating and dangerous. As the forbidden love between Cushla and Michael deepens, violence looms and tensions rise. Cushla is pulled between duty and desire, family and freedom. Gillian Anderson plays Gina Lavery.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: AMERICAN HOSTAGE: LIMITED SERIES (ANYTIME / MGM+ & CRAVE)
Based on the acclaimed first season of the scripted podcast of the same name, American Hostage is a psychological thriller set in the 1970s that tells the harrowing true story of Fred Heckman, a beloved Indianapolis radio reporter who is thrust into the middle of a life-or-death crisis when hostage-taker Tony Kiritsis demands to be interviewed on his popular radio news program.
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I suspect as we get tech-weary we long for the analog ‘70s. No cell phones, no internet, just raw, analog tension playing out over a microphone. I hope American Hostage captures some of the kinetic energy of Dog Day Afternoon with the rule-breaking chaos of The Boat that Rocked. This time the media isn’t just covering breaking news. They’re actively part of the happening. Stay Tuned to witness how a routine local broadcast spirals into a national obsession. The ‘70s were wild, yo.
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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.
