Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Friday, October 4, and Saturday, October 5. All times are Eastern.
Top picks
Big Mouth (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m., complete third season) and Peaky Blinders (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m., complete fifth season): Cor blimey, there’s a lot of television arriving this weekend, and some of that television is just brimming with mysterious feelings.
We’ve made no attempt to hide our love for Big Mouth under a bushel, and as such are tickled pink to remind you that there’s no need to beg for a fourth season of this gem: Netflix renewed it for three additional seasons back in July. Look for Emily L. Stephens’ third-season review later today.
Once you’ve spent some time with the Hormone Monsters and Monstresses, crack open the nearest dictionary of British slang and stroll on over to the turf of Peaky Blinders.
With both Cillian Murphy and Helen McCrory in the mix, it’s not as though this show was hurting for great actors, but the cast has gotten increasingly better over the years. This season sees the addition of both Sam Claflin and Anya Taylor-Joy, so it’s safe to say that this casting department isn’t mucking about. Look for more on this show from Danette Chavez in the coming weeks.
Regular coverage
The Great British Baking Show (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.)
Saturday Night Live (NBC, Saturday, 11:29 p.m.)
Wild card
Raising Dion (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m., complete first season): Here’s our own Shannon Miller on this family-friendly series:
Executive-produced by Michael B. Jordan and based on the comic from Dennis Liu, Raising Dion carries the hefty duty of being two things at once: a supercharged origin story of a child who is only just beginning to navigate life’s biggest lessons, and the tale of a mother raising her son while still bearing the weight of grief. Series creator and writer Carol Barbee’s effort works best as a youthful point of entry into more complex subject matter. As a more mature story of a woman figuring out motherhood amid adversity, Raising Dion is clumsy and a little too simplistic, levitation and melting Legos aside. Because these two elements often clash, the series, as a whole, struggles to find a working balance.
It’s a mixed review (worth reading in full) for a show that nevertheless shows promise.