Friday brings a mix of remembrance, athletic competition, and fresh television offerings. General Hospital honors a beloved figure, the Winter Olympics move toward their conclusion, and several new series debut or continue their runs. A compelling Italian drama explores a case of mistaken identity and the perils of a flawed justice system.
The entertainment landscape is diverse this week, ranging from long-running daytime dramas paying tribute to iconic actors to thrilling new series and the excitement of international sporting events. A new mockumentary sitcom also joins the fray, offering a comedic look at the pressures of collegiate cheerleading. These varied offerings provide a broad spectrum of viewing options for audiences.
General Hospital Pays Tribute to Anthony Geary
General Hospital is dedicating a special episode to the memory of Anthony Geary, the actor best known for his portrayal of Luke Spencer. Geary passed away in December, but his impact on the show and its fans remains significant. The episode will feature Laura (Genie Francis) leading a gathering of Luke’s closest friends – Lulu (Alexa Havins Bruening), Tracy (Jane Elliot), Sonny (Maurice Benard), Carly (Laura Wright), and Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst) – to share memories and celebrate his life. Though the character of Luke died on the show four years ago, Lulu is still grappling with her grief, having been in a coma at the time of his passing. The tribute promises to be a poignant and heartfelt homage to a daytime television legend.
Winter Olympics Reach Their Final Days
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics are entering their final weekend, with men’s hockey taking center stage in the semifinals. The U.S. Team will face Slovakia, even as Canada will compete against Finland (10:40 am/ET and 3:10 pm/PT). A full slate of medal events is scheduled, including women’s ski cross, men’s aerials and freeski halfpipe in freestyle skiing, men’s 15k mass start in biathlon, women’s 1500m in speed skating, men’s 5000m relay and women’s 1500m in short track speed skating, and the men’s bronze medal game in curling. All events can be livestreamed and replayed on Peacock, with coverage also available on USA Network and NBC. NBC’s “Primetime in Milan” recap airs at 8/7c.
New Shows and Streaming Options
Several new and returning shows are also vying for viewers’ attention. Jennifer Garner returns in the second season of the thriller The Last Thing He Told Me, based on Laura Dave’s novel. Garner plays Hannah Hall, whose husband Owen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) mysteriously disappeared, and whose reappearance after five years throws her and her stepdaughter Bailey (Angourie Rice) back into danger. The series also features Judy Greer, John Noble, and Luke Kirby. Episodes are released weekly on Apple TV. NBC is also debuting a new episode of the mockumentary sitcom Stumble at 10:30/9:30c, following the Olympics recap, focusing on an underdog cheer squad’s struggle to qualify for Daytona.
HBO Max is premiering Portobello, its first Italian-language original series. The drama recounts the true story of Enzo Tortora (Fabrizio Gifuni), a popular Italian television host who was wrongly accused of drug trafficking in the 1980s. The series explores the theme of being “guilty until proven innocent” within the Italian judicial system.
Other Programming Highlights
Friday’s television lineup also includes RuPaul’s Drag Race (8/7c, MTV) with Brooke Shields as a guest judge, a special exploring the rise of the UFC (8/7c, CBS), the return of Dreaming Whilst Black (9/8c, Paramount+ With Showtime), a profile of jazz musician Sun Ra (9/8c, PBS), and Real Time With Bill Maher (10/9c, HBO) featuring Paul Anka, Lauren Boebert, and James Talarico. Streaming options include Strip Law (Netflix), new additions to the Netflix library, the erotic thriller Watching You (Hulu), and the suspense film Dead of Winter (HBO Max).
As the week concludes, audiences have a wide array of choices, from honoring television history to following the excitement of the Winter Olympics and exploring new dramatic series. The coming days will likely witness continued coverage of the Olympics and the unfolding storylines in these new and returning shows.
What are your viewing plans for the weekend? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
