#SetTheVCR: February 17-23, 2025

Monday, February 17

The White Lotus: Season 3 (Anytime / HBO Max & Crave)

The social satire is set at an exclusive Thai resort and follows the exploits of various guests and employees over the span of a week. It’s Season 3…you know the deal by now.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: ORIGIN: THE STORY OF THE BASKETBALL AFRICA LEAGUE (ANYTIME / CRAVE)

This four-part series showcases the importance of sports to the African continent’s future as well as the complex relationship between America and Africa and how The BAL (Basketball Africa League) is a bridge between the two.
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I have not watched any WNBA games. The (Caitlin Clark) hype is fine and the momentum is acceptable. I also don’t watch any MLB games, either. I don’t have the bandwidth or the genuine interest in either sports league. What I do watch (aside from the NBA and some NFL), especially working from home is The BAL ((Basketball Africa League). Origin looks back at the history of The BAL, its first season and the complex basketball relationship between Africa and America. The BAL was founded in 2019 by the NBA and FIBA. “In 2019, 12 teams came together to compete in the first NBA league outside of the US using the language of basketball to unite Africa’s culturally and socially diverse countries. The four-part documentary traces the pivotal foundation of the Basketball Africa League (BAL); showcases the challenges each team faces and reveals how BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall and his organisation aims to create lasting opportunities for young people – and untapped talent – across the whole of this diverse continent.” Steph Curry, J. Cole, Masai Ujiri, Joakim Noah, Obama and more are the talking heads. (That’s a strange doc line up.) I want more BAL documentaries. Oh and fun fact? On May 30, 2021 Zamalek from Egypt won the first-ever BAL championship after beating US Monastir in the inaugural final. Yes. That’s right.

Tuesday, February 18

Court of Gold (Anytime / Netflix)

The 1992 dream team brought basketball to the global stage. 30 years later, the world’s caught up and the talent gap has closed. No one is untouchable. Witness the drama unfold in the battle to dethrone the US. It’s more than a game, it’s personal.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: WE BEAT THE DREAM TEAM (ANYTIME / HBO MAX)

We Beat the Dream Team reveals the little-known story of a group of college basketball players who were tasked with preparing Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and the rest of the legendary Dream Team for their Olympic debut in 1992.
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“We in here talking about practice. I mean, listen: We talking about practice. Not a game. Not a game. Not a game. We talking about practice. Not a game. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it’s my last. Not the game. We talking about practice, man.” The 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain marked the first time professional basketball players were allowed to compete, giving rise to the legendary team. However…in an unexpected outcome, the college team, which featured Grant Hill, Chris Webber, Penny Hardaway, Bobby Hurley, Jamal Mashburn, Allan Houston, Rodney Rogers, and Eric Montross, shocked the NBA legends by defeating them in a scrimmage. I’ve been waiting for this documentary for decades. This is the story of how the punk kids beat The Dream Team.

Wednesday, February 19

Terrifier 3 (Anytime / Screambox)

After surviving Art the Clown’s Halloween massacre, Sienna and her brother struggle to rebuild their shattered lives. As the holiday season approaches, they try to embrace the Christmas spirit and leave the horrors of the past behind. However, just when they think they’re safe, Art returns, determined to turn their holiday cheer into a new nightmare.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: BLUE RODEO: LOST TOGETHER (ANYTIME / CBC GEM)

An electrifying journey into the heart and soul of Blue Rodeo, one of Canada’s longest-running and most beloved bands. Guided by the unmistakable voices of Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, this film delivers an unfiltered, often hilarious, and deeply moving account of their 40-year journey. Blue Rodeo is at a creative high, showing no signs of slowing down, and this film takes you right into the thick of their incredible journey.
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For over 40 years Blue Rodeo’s music has been the soundtrack to our lives. And with Dale Heslip’s documentary Blue Rodeo: Lost Together we travel with the band through their inconceivable story. At its core Blue Rodeo was sparked when Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor met in high school. As someone who has worked creatively with high school friends…that intense connection and that formative bond creates an extraordinary dynamic. As you’ll see in this documentary it’s a friendship and a partnership with Jim and Greg as well as the rest of the guys in the band. After 40 years…after all the struggles and setbacks…after all the success and the songs…the boys enjoy each other’s company and making each other laugh. You treasure that because that alchemy is so rare. Towards the end of this My Summer Lair chapter I quote Tegan & Sara from the documentary. They talk about “re-falling in love with Blue Rodeo” which neatly sums up the sentimental space the band occupies. Re-falling in love with Blue Rodeo is a wonderful sentiment that accurately expresses the emotional and often Canadian connection they’ve canonized for over 40 years. As you’ll hear Dale enthusiastically agrees with me as well as Tegan & Sara. Prepare now to re-fall in love with Blue Rodeo.

Thursday, February 20

Resident Alien: Season 3 (Anytime / Netflix-US)

Based on the Dark Horse comics, Resident Alien follows a crash-landed alien named Harry whose secret mission is to kill all humans. In season three, Harry vowed to work with General McCallister to rid the Earth of the Grey aliens, a task made more difficult when he discovered that the Grey Hybrid Joseph had taken a job in town as the new Deputy. In addition, Harry struggled to balance business and his personal life when he fell in love for the first time. Highly Recommended; Must See TV.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: REACHER: SEASON 3 (ANYTIME / PRIME VIDEO)

In the third season Reacher hurtles into the dark heart of a vast criminal enterprise when trying to rescue an undercover DEA informant whose time is running out. There he finds a world of secrecy and violence – and confronts some unfinished business from his own past.
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A valid question from the trailer: “How often do you do shit like this?” Reacher: “Every so often.” Welcome back to Season 3…let’s see how often “every so often” happens. (Reacher’s Season 2 was based on Bad Luck and Trouble: the 11th book in Lee Child’s series. Season 3 is an adaptation of the 7th book: Persuader. I’ve never Reacher-ed for any of these books or any Lee Child really. 11 books is deep; that might be too late for me to start.) Anyways. Team Ruckus Reporting For Duty. This is Season 3…you know the drill by now. Programming Note: The eight-episode season will roll out weekly, with the first three episodes premiering on Thursday, February 20 and subsequent episodes dropping every Thursday through March 27, 2025,

Friday, February 21

American Masters: The Disappearance of Miss Scott (9 p.m. / PBS)

This feature documentary will spotlight Hazel Scott, the most famous jazz virtuoso of her time and the first African American to have her own television show. A champion for racial equality before what we now consider to be the civil rights movement, Scott’s bright star dimmed when she was caught up in the Red Scare of the 1950s and refused to back down, testifying in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee to defend herself and her colleagues, and was blacklisted as a result.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: ZERO DAY: LIMITED SERIES (NETFLIX)

After a cyberattack sabotages transportation and power infrastructure across the U.S., former President George Mullen is asked to find the culprit. Robert De Niro plays respected former President George Mullen, who, as head of the Zero Day Commission, is charged with finding the perpetrators of a devastating cyberattack that caused chaos and thousands of fatalities across the country. Disinformation runs rampant and the personal ambitions of power brokers in technology, Wall Street, and government collide. Mullen’s unwavering search for the truth forces him to confront his own dark secrets while risking all he holds dear.
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Limited Series Premiere: Oh, oh: Lizzy Caplan derailed the Now Your See Me franchise. She’s terrible. Though really, even if Zero Day is just TV Robert De Niro just needs a strong win. Way too much Dirty Grandpa and Intern lately. And like most famous folks his politics are blandly boring: so is Zero Day his back on track?  In this 6-part limited series: “Robert De Niro as respected former U.S. President George Mullen, who, as head of the Zero Day Commission, is charged with finding the perpetrators of a devastating cyber attack that has caused chaos around the country and thousands of fatalities. As disinformation runs rampant and the personal ambition of power brokers in technology, Wall Street, and government collide, Mullen’s unwavering search for the truth forces him to confront his own dark secrets while risking all he holds dear.” Netflix described Zero Day as a political conspiracy thriller. Should pair well, if you’re watching Paradise on Hulu.

Saturday, February 22

Win or Lose: Season 1 (Anytime / Disney+)

Saturday Morning Cartoons & Series Premiere: Pixar’s first original series follows intertwined stories of eight different characters as they each prepare for their big championship softball game. The series reveals what it actually feels like to be in the shoes of each character—the insecure kids, their helicopter parents, even a lovesick umpire—with incredibly funny, very emotional and uniquely animated perspectives.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: CLEAN SLATE: SEASON 1 (ANYTIME / PRIME VIDEO)

This comedy follows Harry (George Wallace), an old-school car wash owner in Alabama who has a lot of soul searching to do when the child he once called “son” returns after 17 years as a proud trans woman named Desiree (Cox). Her homecoming brings together a hilarious cast of friends, coworkers, and love interests as Desiree and Harry try to get it right the second time around.
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Series Premiere: “What’s your favorite coat factory mine’s probably Burlington.” The king of the one-liners George Wallace has a TV series. That’s it. That’s the entire hook: comedian George Wallace. (Though I’d add this is one of the last series produced by the late Norman Lear. What a run…)

Sunday, February 23

Suits: L.A. (9 p.m. / NBC)

Series Premiere: Ted Black, a former federal prosecutor from New York, has reinvented himself representing the most powerful clients in Los Angeles. His firm is at a crisis point, and in order to survive, he must embrace a role he held in contempt his entire career. Ted is surrounded by a stellar group of characters who test their loyalties to both Ted and each other while they can’t help but mix their personal and professional lives. All of this is going on while we slowly unravel the events that years ago led Ted to leave behind everything and everyone he loved.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: MEMES & NIGHTMARES (ANYTIME / HULU)

The true currency of our digital age isn’t rooted in crypto but instead a person’s ability to fire off a meme funny enough to take the world by storm. For NBA Twitter king Josiah Johnson, his ability to capture a moment from a live game and contextualize it within online shenanigans has garnered him reverence from fans to members of the league itself. But when one of the most popular memes goes missing without a trace, it’s up to Josiah to solve a mystery that goes to the highest levels of the Association and the darkest trenches of Twitter — or X, whatever we’re calling it these days.
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“NBA Twitter king’s quest unravels the fleeting nature of online content and human bonds in the digital era, shaping our ephemeral connections.” What now? “Memes & Nightmares is a hilarious and insightful satirical film that dives into the vibrant world of NBA Twitter. Guided by the witty and iconic social-media personality Josiah Johnson (aka King Josiah) and his equally hilarious co-star Jamel Johnson (no relation!), the film weaves a dark, satirical buddy-cop mystery as “the Brothers Johnson” unravel the culture of memes, viral moments, and digital fandom that have turned basketball into a 24/7 cultural phenomenon. Packed with humor, unforgettable stories, unexpected guests, and the absurd brilliance of internet culture, Memes & Nightmares reveals how social media has forever transformed the way the NBA is experienced and celebrated. Whether you’re a die-hard NBA fan, a lover of memes, or someone who thrives on the chaos and creativity of the internet, this film offers a unique look at the intersection of sports and digital culture.” Huh. I am curious how NBA memes operate…they don’t make being a fan of the league any better. It’s like a stranger posting a GIF after a deep Curry 3: whatever dude. That stranger’s GIF don’t make Curry’s shot better or seeing the the shot better. So what has been accomplished here? Memes, White House visits and National Anthems before games: these are the dumbest experiences in sport fandom. So, I appreciate Nightmares are in this title of this unique NBA documentary. However, a doc like this which explores Black culture and NBA Twitter is most likely focused on different Nightmares. Shall we find out what’s so scare about a GIF?

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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.