#SetTheVCR: October 12-18, 2026

Have I got the Lowdown on TV Recommendations like a VisionQuest at Crystal Lake. this #SetTheVCR is a Treasure Island of TV goodness.

Monday, October 12

Clown Panic (Anytime / Hulu & Disney+ Canada)

When children in a small South Carolina community report seeing clowns hiding in the woods in 2016, few believe them. But as sightings spread across the country, panic escalates into school lockdowns, police investigations and a nationwide media frenzy. Featuring chilling archive footage, viral internet videos and revealing interviews with witnesses, law enforcement, clowns and cultural commentators, Clown Panic examines the collision of fear, social media and modern America at a moment of deep national anxiety. Darkly funny, unsettling and unexpectedly emotional, the documentary uncovers how a bizarre urban legend spiraled into a global moral panic that has echoes that resonate today.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: UNSOLVED MYSTERIES: UNMASKING THE TYLENOL KILLER (ANYTIME / THE ROKU CHANNEL)

For over four decades, the 1982 cyanide poisonings that claimed seven lives in Chicago remained an unsolved enigma that forever changed consumer safety. Now, an Idaho cold-case detective consumed by the mystery of a well-dressed stranger who died in a Boise church uncovers a chilling connection. This gripping, 88-minute investigative special blows the legendary cold case wide open with unreleased evidence and a viable new prime suspect.
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Remember when the classic Robert Stack Unsolved Mysteries offered 3 or 4—you know—unsolved mysteries every episode? Well, this feature-length documentary offers 2 captivating unsolved mysteries. The first is a viable resolution to one of Idaho’s longest-standing cold cases: the identity of the “Unknown Wanderer.” An unidentified man who died inside a Boise church in December 1982. Dude was found dead of cyanide poisoning in the pews with a suicide note signed with a fake name, William L. Toomey. His true identity remained unknown for decades—until now, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. However, identifying who “William L. Toomey” really was also unveiled a possible connection between this strange cold case case and the 1982 Tylenol poisonings, which remains one of the most significant unsolved crimes in U.S. history. Or is it solved, now? While there is no smoking gun, Unmasking the Tylenol Killer offers compelling evidence that, yes…the Unknown Wanderer, aka William L. Toomey, may indeed be the Tylenol Killer. I wish I could have delivered this TV recommendation at night, in a graveyard, dressed in a trench coat—but unfortunately, I don’t have that distinct Robert Stack voice.

Tuesday, October 13

The Love Boat: Seasons 1-9 (Anytime / Netflix-Canada & Paramount+)

Welcome aboard Aaron Spelling’s iconic, long-running anthology series. Helmed by the affable Captain Stubing (Gavin MacLeod), the crew of the Pacific Princess—including Doc, Gopher, Isaac, and Julie—works tirelessly to ensure their guests experience the vacation of a lifetime. Each voyage weaves together three breezy, lighthearted tales of tropical adventure, unexpected heartbreaks, and shipboard romance.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: TREASURE ISLAND: LIMITED SERIES (ANYTIME / MGM+)

A high-stakes reinvention of the classic, Treasure Island follows teenager Jim Hawkins and his formidable mother Bess as they’re pulled into a deadly race for the treasure of the infamous Captain Flint. Battling for control are Long John Silver – a ruthless survivor who is just as charming as he is cunning – and Aaron Graham, a revolutionary spy seeking to use the gold to upend colonial power. Set in 1788 across storm-battered Cornwall, treacherous seas, and a jungle island soaked in secrets, this is Treasure Island reimagined as a thrilling, immersive, and character-driven epic.
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Pirates! X marks the spot! A gold tooth. All hands on deck—there is a fresh Treasure Island ahoy. And there’s sword fights as the ship is taking on water. How fortune-nate are we? Shall we set sail on a bold adventure? Ya gotta figure this Treasure Island can’t be any worse than Gilligan’s Island, but that may be a Fantasy Island.

Wednesday, October 14

Love of Your Life (Anytime / Prime Video)

This junk follows Maya, whose chance encounter with Charlie sets in motion a sweeping romance and a future beyond anything she had imagined. When that future is suddenly upended, Maya is sent hurtling toward an unexpected new life—one that will force her to reckon with who she is, what she wants, and how to love again. A #TIFF26 movie.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE LOWDOWN: SEASON TWO (9:00 P.M. / HULU & FX)

The Lowdown follows the gritty exploits of citizen journalist Lee Raybon, a self-proclaimed Tulsa “truthstorian” whose obsession with the truth is always getting him into trouble.
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Sterlin Harjo’s delightfully unhinged neo-noir crime-comedy is back for seconds, which is as fantastic as the pie at Sweet Emily’s. Self-proclaimed “truthstorian” and rumpled Tulsa bookstore owner Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke) is back to unearth more hidden rot, corrupted power and political malfeasance. Things are not OK in OKC. This season, his chaotic muckraking takes on an escaped convict conspiracy, a razor-sharp public defender (Betty Gilpin), and the sudden, awkward resurrection of his estranged father (Tommy Lee Jones)—whom Lee told everyone had died years ago. Ya don’t need to be a truthstorian to know the lowdown on Lowdown Season 1 was its fantastic TV.

Thursday, October 15

Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th (Anytime / Shudder)

The ultimate deep dive into horror’s most resilient boogeyman. Narrated by Corey Feldman, this exhaustive chronicle unmasks the Friday the 13th franchise from its low-budget 1980 camp beginnings to the 2009 reboot. Packed with rare archival footage and fresh interviews with over 150 cast and crew members (including legendary effects artist Tom Savini and director Wes Craven), it’s an essential, gory slice of cinema history.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: CRYSTAL LAKE: SEASON 1 (ANYTIME / PEACOCK & CRAVE)

A prequel to the Friday the 13th franchise, the series follows single mother Pam Voorhees who has been unable to shake her grief after her young, sickly son Jason tragically drowned in the town lake almost a year before. When two strangers arrive at Pam’s door digging into her past, a disturbing chain of events is set into motion, leaving the townspeople of Crystal Lake wondering: just who is Pam Voorhees?
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A rare return to slasher royalty…welcome back, Pam Voorhees. This time played by Linda Cardellini, who has been unable to silence her simmering grief after her sickly son (and acknowledged ‘80s loser) Jason fatefully drowned in the town lake. Ironically, the hockey mask-wearing slasher couldn’t be saved. This prequel series to Friday the 13th (1980) has the “canon-balls” to tap into the traumatic origin of Crystal Lake with a retconned and condensed continuity. Back in 1980, Pam Voorhees bodied nine victims—including Kevin Bacon (the infamous arrow-through-the-bed kill). Now, across eight episodes in 2026, what will her final body count be? There won’t be a Kill of the Week spotlight for this series as all eight episodes drop at once. Prepare for a binge watch of binge kills. (Americans can happily watch Pam go full Karen over on Peacock.)

Friday, October 16

The Rainmaker: Season 2 (10:00 P.M. / USA Network)

The season picks back up with Rudy Baylor, an underdog lawyer taking on powerful interests alongside his boss Jocelyn “Bruiser” Stone and his right-hand man Deck Shifflet, the firm’s colorful paralegal. This season, J. Lyman Stone and Associates faces old adversaries and new ones in a case where the lives of hundreds of children hang in the balance, and where winning might be just as dangerous as losing. Later, Rudy goes up against his former law school flame, Sarah Plankmore, in the courtroom at the behest of her mysterious new boss, Amanda Vonn, a powerful attorney whose agenda may be hiding a shocking international conspiracy. In a separate case, Bruiser’s ex-husband Tom Cassady turns to her for help as his legal troubles threaten his life and that of the star pitcher of the minor league baseball team he coaches.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: DOLPH UNBREAKABLE (ANYTIME / SUPER CHANNEL FUSE)

An intimate look at Dolph Lundgren’s untold story: his rise, struggles, and resurgence —from Rocky IV to battling cancer. Interviewees include Hollywood legends Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Van Damme and others.
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When I and Sean Sirianni (host of The Creative Imbalance) randomly caught Dolph Lundgren at Fan Expo Canada a couple of moons ago we were surprised to learn that ever since Rocky IV fans—and worse “journalists”—fully believe Dolph is Russian. That’s dumb. So yeah it’s time for him to set the record straight on so much with this documentary…and if that silly narrative dies…it dies. What else can we learn about Dolph Lundgren? This Expendable documentary about the Universal Soldier explores his life, his Showdown in Little Tokyo with cancer and remarkable comeback just like the Punisher. The documentary is out on PVOD for Americans, however Canadians can check it out via Super Channel. Turns out…unlike Apollo Creed…Dolph is Unbreakable.

Saturday, October 17

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Anytime / Apple TV)

The Peanuts gang returns for their timeless Halloween tradition, and you don’t need to bob for apples to watch. Non-subscribers can stream It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown for free on Apple TV all this weekend, Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18. In this 1966 animated masterpiece, while the rest of the Peanuts gang goes trick-or-treating (leaving poor Charlie Brown with a bag full of rocks…does that finally make him a legit blockhead?), Linus skips the candy to spend the night waiting in a lonely pumpkin patch. He is convinced the mysterious Great Pumpkin will fly down to reward his sincerity with toys. Fueled by a soaring jazz soundtrack and Snoopy’s epic imaginary dogfights as a WWI flying ace, this heartwarming Halloween classic beautifully captures the innocence, hope, and hilarious heartaches of childhood.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: VISIONQUEST: LIMITED SERIES (ANYTIME / DISNEY+)

Vision, rebooted and having escaped from those who sought to weaponize him, has been in hiding. Searching for new meaning, he consults the AI personas embedded in his programming, including F.R.I.D.A.Y., E.D.I.T.H., J.A.R.V.I.S., and the infamous Ultron. His discreet existence ends when a bounty placed on his head thrusts him on the run with Thomas Shepard, a mysterious boy who may be Vision’s son, reincarnated. As Vision evades capture, he must confront his nature, resist Ultron’s influence, and unravel the enigma that is his young companion if he’s to survive.
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Nobody can confidently proclaim the bogus narrative that this is the golden era of TV when janky, badly written shows like WandaVision exist. I get the subpar joke: Television…Vision: TeleVision? Har, har. Cue #Rimshot. I didn’t even bother watching Agatha All Along. With the MCU’s poor track for TV shows, I really wish this was a legit VisionQuest for something fresh and creative. Let’s get this over with.

Sunday, October 18

The Diplomat: Season 4 (Anytime / Netflix)

In Season Four of The Diplomat, two marriages threaten to eat each other alive. One catastrophic moment shatters the fragile peace Kate Wyler brokered between the US and UK, as well as the crumbling marriage she’s trying to save. While she fights to stem the bleeding, President Grace Penn and VP Hal Wyler’s conspiracy to steal Russia’s most powerful weapon hurtles the United States toward war. Kate and Todd, at best an uneasy pair, unite to stop the Grace-Hal alliance from upending the balance of power abroad and at home.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: NORM: THE TALE OF NORM MACDONALD (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)

From director Judd Apatow comes an intimate portrait of one of comedy’s most singular voices. Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald traces the life and career of the stand-up and Saturday Night Live legend, from his rise as the deadpan anchor of “Weekend Update” to his enduring legacy as a comedian’s comedian – a master of the absurd, the dry, and the unexpected. Built entirely from archival footage, personal photos, and rare home videos contributed by fans and friends, the documentary lets Norm tell his own story in his own voice. This is a tribute to a comic genius whose influence on stand-up and television comedy remains unmatched.
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Obsessively, Judd Apatow is exhuming Norm Macdonald for a manic autopsy of Norm’s pure, unadulterated deadpan. On a recent episode of South Beach Sessions with Dan Le Batard (Dan is so good at this gig!) Judd Apatow revealed: “What we were trying to follow was how Norm presented himself to the world. He had this really unique sense of humor. Norm was kind of a mysterious character. People didn’t really know him personally that well, and I think on purpose. He didn’t share that much in his standup act. He didn’t really tell you the truth about what he was feeling about his life and the experiences he was having. So we made this choice to do a documentary where we didn’t interview anybody, because whenever anyone talks about Norm, the stories are kind of crazy and it makes him a caricature. We wanted to let Norm tell his own story [using] his own words, his jokes, his sketches, and even his book to create a collage where the audience can decide who he was. He was like Bob Dylan in that way—he loved to blur the lines between truth and fiction.” That is incredibly insightful. Truthfully, Norm wasn’t Normal and that strange Norm he established made him, wonderfully…Norm Macdonald.