#SetTheVCR: April 28 – May 04, 2025

Monday, April 28

Making Manson (Anytime / Crave)

An explosive 3-part docuseries offering unfiltered insights into America’s most notorious killer, Charles Manson. Through 20 years’ worth of never-before-aired conversations, those closest to the case have their views challenged as Manson talks openly about his part in the infamous crimes, as well as his upbringing, criminal youth, and his true feelings about The Family. We’re still on this?! Programming Note: This is a Peacock Original it streamed on that network on November 19.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: EXTERRITORIAL (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)

A boy disappears inside the U.S. consulate. Former elite soldier Sara (Jeanne Goursaud) embarks on a nerve-wracking search for her son.
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Don’t Mess With Mothers! Is this a Female Taken?

Tuesday, April 29

Nosferatu (Anytime / Prime Video-Canada)

A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman in 19th century Germany and the ancient Transylvanian vampire who stalks her, bringing untold horror with him. It’s kinda but not really based on a book you can take out from the library. And boy is that book better than this Crap Carnival. Programming Note: In America this horror-able movie debuted on Peacock on February 21st, 2025.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: FREE FOR ALL: THE PUBLIC LIBRARY (10 P.M. / PBS)

A beloved American institution, the public library’s founding principle is simple: build a place where anyone can enter, free of charge, and encounter a universe of ideas. Free For All: The Public Library chronicles the fascinating evolution of the American public library’s trajectory, from the original Free Library Movement that began in the late 19th century to the present, when many libraries find themselves caught in the crosshairs of the culture wars and struggling to survive amid budget cuts and closures.
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Woah! A public library documentary! “Free for All: Inside the Public Library tells the story of the quiet revolutionaries who made a simple idea happen. From the pioneering women behind the “Free Library Movement” to today’s librarians who service the public despite working in a contentious age of closures and book bans, meet those who created a civic institution where everything is free and the doors are open to all.” You’ll hear a librarian confirm: “And it’s okay to be yourself at the library. It’s okay to be weird.” That’s it right there. Etch that in stone over the front doors archway. And I knew it! The documentary confirms it is wild fun to drive around in a library bookmobile. I’ve always suspected it’s a cool gig. The doc footage verifies it. The library is just one of things…it’s always been there. And I’ve been grateful for their presence. (Especially post-pandemic when it shut down for a while…). But I never knew how we got there. This is that story. You’d be wise to “check it out.” Programming Note: This is PBS so always check your local listings. Times and date sometimes shift.

Wednesday, April 30

People of Comedy: Celebrating 30 Years of the Nubian Show (Anytime / Crave)

Known for breaking boundaries and amplifying diverse voices, Kenny Robinson’s The Nubian Show has built a lasting legacy of resilience, representation, and revolution. Directed by Darrell Faria and featuring appearances from Russell Peters, Hassan Phills, and Crystal Ferrier, the documentary traces The Nubian Show’s early beginnings at Toronto’s Yuk Yuk’s to it’s evolvement into a powerful and unfiltered platform that propelled numerous careers and captured the attention of comedy legends like Dave Chappelle and Kevin Hart.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: ERNEST COLE: LOST AND FOUND (ANYTIME / HULU)

Drawing upon a trove of unpublished images, this moving portrait of South African photographer Ernest Cole from director Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) offers a harrowing history of Apartheid and chronicles the life of an artist in exile.
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As you can wisely deduce from the trailer: Ernest Cole was a black photographer who grew up in South Africa and photographed The Apartheid. South Africa’s Apartheid ran from 1948 to 1994; mostly concluding when antiapartheid activist Nelson Mandela became the country’s first Black President. And while I kinda but not really knew about The Apartheid; I’d never heard of photographer Ernest Cole until I saw this compelling documentary at TIFF 2024, this past September. Cole died of pancreatic cancer, back in February 1990—the month of Nelson Mandela’s release from Robben Island—Cole died as he lived with Apartheid. Often, we don’t see the end of every significant fight we start. The documentary acknowledges he was a mostly forgotten figure. However, the doc’s title: Lost and Found kicks in now. In 2016 when, quite randomly, a Swedish bank found 60,000 of his negatives in its vaults. Cole’s discovered photos are stunning. Ernest Cole: Lost and Found is the latest from filmmaker Raoul Peck who continues to use his well-aimed camera to examine colonialism: James Baldwin in I Am Not Your Negro (2017) and the theft of Black land in Silver Dollar Road (2023). It’s heavy and it’s dark but it’s Must See TV.

Thursday, May 01

Another Simple Favor (Anytime / Prime Video)

A streaming sequel to the 2018 comedic thriller A Simple Favor. Stephanie and Emily head to the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE FOUR SEASONS: SEASON 1 (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)

Like the 1981 movie, the series follows six old friends—three couples—on a series of four vacations together over the course of one year as the relationship of one of those couples is dissolving, impacting the entire group.
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It’s been more than four seasons however here is Tina Fey’s first regular television role since 30 Rock. This time Tina Fey — who also served as the series’ co-creator — is joined by Steve Carell, Colman Domingo and Will Forte. Decent group right there. The entire hook is the cast. (And maybe the locations?) The basic premise is: “Six old friends head out for a relaxing weekend away only to learn that one couple in the group is about to split up. The three couples –– Kate (Fey) and Jack (Forte), Nick (Carell) and Anne (Kenney-Silver), and Danny (Domingo) and Claude (Calvani) –– are completely upended by the news.” See? That story is acceptable. But you’re really gonna just tune in for the cast and the comedy.

Friday, May 02

100 Foot Wave: Season 3 (Anytime / HBO Max & Crave)

The five-part third season features the series’ signature intimate interviews, vérité photography, and dramatic visuals with stunning aerial and water footage, showcasing the death-defying beauty of big wave surfing as the athletes risk it all in a quest for the ultimate high. United in their love for the ocean and a compulsion to push the limits of their minds and bodies, the surfers also endure mental and emotional struggles dealing with parenthood, aging, injuries, and even death.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: INHERITANCE (ANYTIME / AMC+)

When Maya learns her father Sam was once a spy, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an international conspiracy. As she seeks answers, Maya herself becomes a target and must quickly learn the skills of her father in this nervy, fast-moving thriller.
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I can’t tell if this espionage thriller is inherits classic spy clichés or offers something fresh. We got the girl who gasp! just learned her father is a spy. I dunno, man. But it’s also a movie shot in Cairo. I wanna see that. Oh and it’s filmed entirely on an iPhone. Perhaps if the plot clichés struggle…can the innovation overcome all that?

Saturday, May 03

RoboForce: The Animated Series: Season 1 (Anytime / Tubi)

Saturday Morning Cartoons: Based on the nostalgic toys of the 1980s, the animated series will continue the narrative inspired by the original robot action figures. In 2089 Detroit, Soraya Aviram’s RoboForce debuted with plans to assist a new intergalactic society on Earth. Unfortunately, the same day as the announcement, Soraya’s rival, Silas Duke, revealed his new Utopia Aegis 101 line of bots, which made RoboForce immediately obsolete. RoboForcesplit up and was forced into menial jobs for 15 years without hope of ever being heroes… Until suddenly, the Utopia Aegis 101’s turn on humanity and no one else besides RoboForce can stop them.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE ETERNAUT: LIMITED SERIES (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)

After a deadly snowstorm that kills millions, Juan Salvo along with a group of survivors fight against an alien threat, controlled by an invisible force.
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The Eternaut is an adaptation of the iconic Argentinian graphic novel by Héctor Germán Oesterheld, illustrated by Francisco Solano López. “In The Eternaut 1969, the great world powers have forsaken South America to alien invaders, and POV character Juan Salvo, along with his friend Professor Favalli, metalworker Franco, and neighbor Susanna, join the resistance in Buenos Aires with the knowledge that the outside world will not come to their aid. Through the lenses of these timeless characters, the politically prescient creators ask readers to consider the implications of global domination by the “great powers” before it’s too late.” I’m not exactly sure what’s going on but this all vaguely sounds cool and like sci-fi fun. It’s also impressive our pop culture is now adapting graphic novels outside North America for productions outside North America. I wanna see strange new worlds and explore darker (harder?) sci-fi.

Sunday, May 04

Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld (Anytime / Disney+)

May the 4th Be With You: Lady Asajj Ventress and her yellow lightsaber are back alongside the infamous quick-draw Cad Bane in a new anthology of 6 animated shorts. Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld is the third installment in the Tales anthology series following Tales of the Jedi and Tales of the Empire. This Is The Way To Have A Happy Star Wars Day!
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: CONAN O’BRIEN: THE KENNEDY CENTER MARK TWAIN PRIZE FOR AMERICAN HUMOR (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)

Comedy’s biggest stars gather to toast — and roast — late-night legend Conan O’Brien as he accepts the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in a heartfelt, hilarious ceremony.
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While Conan O’Brien Must Go: Season 2 premieres May 8 on HBO Max and Crave; right before that you can see Conan O’Brien on ye olde Netflix. Spend Star Wars Day (May The 4th Be With You) with the Chewie of comedy. I adore Martin Short. Martin Short is an outstanding red light comic: put him in front of a TV camera and let him go…off! However, Conan O’Brien is right behind him as a Top Shelf comedy dynamo. Since wrapping up his TV show Conan’s (comedy) work has been impressive. Conan is on fire…he’s becoming the new Martin Short. Like Martin he explodes like a comedy grenade and so much of it is raw gold. Conan probably stayed on TV too long but his current media empire is impressive. Basically, Conan went from classic late night talk to Howard Stern with his podcast. Yet it works. And yo: he keeps finding himself on TV. Speaking of TV and late night. Shortly before the pandemic and even leading into the pandemic SiriusXM added a Johnny Carson channel. I was mesmerized by classic Carson. And sure there were some Nixon jokes that lost all context but overall? I listened stunned…stunned. Wow. I understood Johnny Carson was good but I had no idea he’s a GOAT. His smooth delivery, his timing, his wit and more. It was a dynamic package that neatly fit the TV medium. What Conan is doing now smartly ties into Carson’s legacy: that’s impressive and so difficult to do well. I dropped Johnny Carson and Martin Short in talking about Conan O’Brien. And I didn’t drop either name casually. My point is this Conan has rightfully earned the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Programming Note: More Conan? On Netflix check out Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley directed by Last Dance’s Jason Hehir. I spoke to Jason about Conan.

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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.