Prime Video unleashes an animated The Boys spinoff and a Lucy And Desi documentary

Also this weekend: Netflix’s Pieces Of Her, Hulu’s Fresh, and Apple TV Plus’ new episodes of Central Park, Dear…, and The Afterparty finale

By Saloni Gajjar | March 4, 2022 | 6:00am

TV Lists Lucy

Prime Video unleashes an animated The Boys spinoff and a Lucy And Desi documentary

The Boys Presents: Diabolical Image: Amazon Studios

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5. All times are Eastern.

Top picks

The Boys Presents: Diabolical (Prime Video, Friday, 12:01 a.m.): This animated anthology series is set in The Boys universe and will reveal unseen stories about Vought Industries and the show’s superhero world. The (quick) bite-sized episodes are around 12 to 14 minutes, each one featuring its unique animation style. The voice cast includes Awkwafina, Ilana Glazer, Seth Rogen, Andy Samberg, and Garth Ennis. Check out Leila Latif’s full review here, in which she writes:

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We’re still a few long months from The Boys’ third season… in the meantime, The Boys Presents: Diabolical is a reminder of just how gross and fun a world of superpowered sociopaths can be.

Lucy And Desi (Prime Video, 12:01 a.m.): Directed by Amy Poehler, this documentary explores Lucille Ball’s life, her relationship with husband Desi Arnaz, and her iconic Hollywood legacy. Noel Murray writes in his review:

Poehler and company break up Lucy And Desi’s clips with a standard assortment of talking head interviews, the most insightful of which are with the couple’s daughter, Lucie Arnaz. She clearly sympathizes with the pressures her parents faced, while also noting they could be closed-off, wary of talking openly about their hard times and bitter feelings. Famous fans like Carol Burnett and Bette Midler—both of whom were mentored by Ball to a degree—weigh in as well, though their comments about her are more boilerplate.

Regular coverage

RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1, Friday, 8 p.m.)
The Afterparty (Apple TV+, Friday, 12:01 a.m., season-one finale)
Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:29 p.m.): Studio 8H welcomes Oscar Isaac, a.k.a. the MCU’s new Moon Knight, as a first-time host with musical guest Charli XCX.

Wild cards

Pieces Of Her (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): Toni Collette and Bella Heathcote star in this middling thriller based on Karin Slaughter’s 2018 novel of the same name. Here’s an excerpt from the review:

Created by Charlotte Stoudt, this eight-episode adaptation has ample curveballs, red herrings, and reveals strewn along the way. The approach isn’t inventive by any means. There are no pulpy stories or even a fast-paced momentum, but there’s still a certain comfort in knowing the stockpile of mysteries concludes with a satisfactory—if predictable—end.

Fresh (Hulu, Friday, 12:01 a.m.): To no one’s surprise, Katie Rife goes out in a blaze of glory for her final A.V. Club film review:

Fresh waits a whole 33 minutes to roll its opening credits sequence, right as the movie veers in a completely different direction. The cornball rom-com elements of Steve (Sebastian Stan) and Noa’s (Daisy Edgar-Jones) courtship take on an ironic new resonance, rendered sinister by context like a pop song in the trailer for a horror movie. To that end, Stan’s performance remains frighteningly consistent; what once read as charming banter now comes across like the shallow affect of a sociopath.

Central Park (Apple TV+, Friday, 12:01 a.m., season 2B premiere): The second season of this animated musical series resumes with three new episodes. The show follows the Tillerman family, whose patriarch Owen (Leslie Odom Jr.) manages New York City’s Central Park. They struggle to fend off wealthy hotel heiress Bitsy (Stanley Tucci), who wants to turn the park into condos.

Dear… (Apple TV+, Friday, 12:01 a.m., season-two premiere): R.J. Cutler’s heartwarming documentary series spotlights recognized entertainers and leaders as they read intimate letters from fans. All 10 episodes of season two drop today. This season features the late André Leon Talley, Viola Davis, Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, Jane Fonda, Ava DuVernay, Billy Porter, Malala Yousafzai, Sandra Oh, and Laird Hamilton.