Weekend Preview: ‘The Crown,’ ‘Ray Donovan,’ And ‘The Man In The High Castle’ Are Back
The Crown: Season 3 (Sunday, Netflix series) — The streaming giant’s crown jewel splashes out a worthy third installment with an updated cast to catch up with the mid-1960s Windsor troubles and beyond. Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter take formidable turns as Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, respectively, and the series as a whole continues to dive into the mystique of the British Royals.
Ray Donovan (Sunday, Showtime 8:00 p.m.) — Season 7 (!) arrives with Ray escorting Mickey to turn himself into FBI custody. However, everything begins to unravel months later when Ray (along with his family) finds himself implicated in the capital crime.
The Man in the High Castle: Season 4 (Friday, Amazon Original series) — The final season of this alternate history series continues to portray a world where the Axis powers found World War II victory. The series still sits firmly in the multiverse with new clashes this season, including a fresh insurgency, the Black Communist Rebellion, battling against the Japanese army.
Earthquake Bird (Friday, Netflix film) — This psychological thriller stars Alicia Vikander as an enigmatic ex-pat troubled by her past when she begins an intense relationship with an also-troubled photographer, played by Naoki Kobayashi. Then a newcomer, portrayed by Riley Keough, arrives on the scene to wreak havoc.
Klaus (Friday, Netflix film) — Jason Schwartzman stars in this animated holiday comedy along with Joan Cusack, Will Sasso, and Norm Macdonald. The story follows the postal academy’s worst student, who ends up working in the Arctic Circle, where locals voiced by Rashida Jones and J.K. Simmons help forge a new legacy filled with magic.
Dollface (Friday, Hulu series) — Starring Kat Dennings, Brenda Song, Shay Mitchell, and Esther Povitsky, this series follows a young woman who gets over a bad breakup by igniting her own imagination to rekindle female friendships the previously abandoned.
Here’s the rest of this weekend’s notable programming:
Charmed (Friday, CW 8:00 p.m.) — Macy takes on another demon because that theme’s not even close to getting old yet, and Maggie does … karaoke with Jordan. Oh, and Mel and Harry battle a demon as well.
Dynasty (Friday, CW 9:00 p.m.) — Liam’s looking for a favor from Fallon, who’s looking to change how her company runs when Dominique approaches with one of those offers you can’t refuse.
Room 104 (Friday, HBO 11:00 p.m.) — The Duplass Brothers are still doing their thing in a nondescript motel room, this time with two 1970s horror stars appearing on a podcast to discuss their cult TV show.
Real Time with Bill Maher (Friday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — Senator Sherrod Brown and Jaime Harrison are guests while Donna Brazile, Ian Bremmer, and Frank Bruni fill out the roundtable.
Batwoman (Sunday, CW 8:00 p.m.) — The past affects the present between Kate and Sophie as Kate questions whether her former lover can be trusted at all.
Watchmen (Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — Looking Glass’s origin story gets the spotlight while Adrien Veidt begins to plot his escape within Damon Lindelof’s continuation of Alan Moore’s graphic novel.
Shameless (Sunday, Showtime 9:00 p.m.) — Lip’s finding fatherhood to be much more difficult than he ever imagined, and Ian finds that prison paradise with Mickey isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Supergirl (Sunday, CW 9:00 p.m.) — Truths are revealed about Lena during an altercation with Leviathan, and J’onn J’onnz makes an important discovery.
The Walking Dead (Sunday, AMC 9:00 p.m.) — The Whisperers continue to terrorize all with Alpha and Beta discovering reservations. Meanwhile, Carol’s pushing boundaries, and Daryl’s beginning to feel uncomfortable.
Silicon Valley (Sunday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — The final season continues to roll with the guys attempting to cope with organizational-running stress.
Mrs. Fletcher (Sunday, Showtime 10:30 p.m.) — Eve goes to a wake while others go on dates. The tables have turned!