Two years after it unceremoniously got the axe after its seventh season cliffhanger finale, Ray Donovan returns to Showtime this weekend with a wrap-up movie that promises to bring closure for Liev Schreiber’s iconic fixer. Plus, Ricky Gervais’ After Life wraps after three seasons, Netflix brings viewers into the world of dangerous cults and supernatural forces in Archive 81, and Hotel Transylvania jumps to streaming with the fourth film in the franchise. Here’s what’s new and noteworthy on TV this weekend:
FRIDAY JANUARY 14
Ray Donovan: The Movie: Original film. After the events of Season 7, Mickey (Jon Voight) remains on the run, but Ray (Liev Schreiber) is determined to find and stop him before he can cause any more damage. The wrap-up film also weaves together present-day fallout from the Donovan/Sullivan feud with Ray and Mickey’s origin story from 30 years ago. Watch trailer. 9:00 PM ET on Showtime (airs again Saturday and Sunday nights)
After Life: Complete third season (series finale). Still devastated by his wife’s death, Tony (Ricky Gervais) goes on a trip to scatter his father’s ashes. Along the way, he takes steps to embrace his future, while slowly letting go of the past. Watch trailer. Streaming on Netflix
Archive 81: Complete first season. When an archivist (Mamoudou Athie) takes a job restoring a collection of damaged videotapes from 1994, he finds himself drawn into a documentarian’s investigation of a dangerous cult and her subsequent disappearance. Dina Shihabi, Martin Donovan, Matt McGorry, and Julia Chan also star. Watch trailer. Streaming on Netflix
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania: Original film. When Van Helsing’s “Monsterification Ray” goes haywire, Drac and Johnny team up to find a cure before it’s too late. The animated film landed on Amazon after the Delta variant scuttled plans for a October 2021 theatrical premiere. Watch trailer. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
The Expanse: Series finale. After six seasons, the Syfy-turned-Amazon drama ends with an episode that sees all-out war breakout between Marco Inaros' (Keon Alexander) Free Navy and the united forces against him. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Original film. Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand headline Joel Coen’s updated take on Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The Oscar favorite, which also stars Corey Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson, and Bertie Carvel, opened in select theaters on Christmas Day. Watch trailer. Streaming on Apple TV+
The House: Complete first season. Netflix follows three generations of families inhabiting the same otherworldly house in this stop motion animated dark comedy featuring voice work from Matthew Goode, Mia Goth, Miranda Richardson, and Helena Bonham-Carter. Read our review. Streaming on Netflix
Sex Appeal: Original film. An overachieving high school student (Mika Abdalla) sets out to master her sexuality, employing her oldest friend, Larson (Jake Short), as her test subject. The raunchy new teen comedy is the latest film from American High, the indie studio behind Plan B and The Ultimate Playlist of Noise. Watch trailer. Streaming on Hulu
ER: Complete series. Michael Crichton’s iconic medical drama finds a new home on HBO Max, where all 15 seasons are now available to stream. Streaming on HBO Max
Secrets of Sulphur Springs: Season premiere. Griffin (Preston Oliver), Savannah (Elle Graham), and Harper (Kyliegh Curran) find themselves face to face with Harper’s carbon copy, and the Tremont ghost sends Harper and Griffin an important message. Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on Disney Channel
RuPaul’s Drag Race: New episode. 8:00 PM ET on VH1
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars: Cable premiere. After streaming last year on Paramount+, All Stars Season 6 makes its linear debut on VH1, with episodes airing every Friday night through April. Watch trailer. 10:00 PM ET on VH1
SATURDAY JANUARY 15:
Saturday Night Live: West Side Story star Ariana DeBose makes her hosting debut in SNL’s first show since Omicron shut down production of Paul Rudd’s December 18 episode. With musical guest Bleachers. 11:29 PM ET/8:30 PM PT on NBC
NFL Football: The 2022 playoffs get underway with a host of wildcard games:
Safe Room: TV movie. After an autistic 14-year-old (Nik Sanchez) witnesses and records a murder across the street, her and his mother (Nicole Ari Parker) will need to use all of their strength and intelligence to outsmart the murderers (Mackenzie Astin and Drea De Matteo) hell-bent on retreiving the evidence of their crime. Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on Lifetime
The Perfect Pairing: TV movie. Hallmark goes for a lighter mood with this romance about a food and wine critic who suffers amnesia after she slips and falls at a winery she once panned . Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on Hallmark Channel
NBA Basketball: The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets jockey for position in the Western Conference in a marquee matchup. 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT on NBA TV
SUNDAY JANUARY 16
Somebody Somewhere: Series premiere. Bridgett Everett created and stars in this new comedy series about a Kansas woman’s journey to discover herself through singing. Read our review. 10:35 PM ET on HBO
America's Funniest Home Videos: New episode. The long-running series is set to pay tribute to Bob Saget with clips and remembrances at the top of this week's epsiode. Watch preview. 7:00 PM ET on ABC
Britannia: Season premiere. As the Roman invasion of Britain continues, the ruthless General Aulus Plautius (David Morrissey) sets out to capture and kill Cait (Eleanor Worthington-Cox), the Chosen One, leaving her more vulnerable than she could ever imagine. Watch trailer. 9:00 PM ET on EPIX
NFL Football: Wildcard weekend continues with three more games:
Around the World in 80 Days: New episode. Stuck on Yemen’s west coast, Fogg (David Tennant) commits to a dangerous crossing, leaving Abigail Fix (Leonie Benesch) in hostile territory. 8:00 PM ET on PBS
The Real Murders of Atlanta: Docuseries premiere. Oxygen aims to shine a light on “the dark side of the New South” as it explores a series of startling homicide cases in Atlanta. Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on Oxygen
Two Sentence Horror Stories: Season premiere. The fan fiction-inspired series returns with a new batch of horrific tales about evil plants, demonic dolls, and more. Two episodes air back-to-back tonight. Watch trailer. 9:00 PM ET on The CW
Reframed: Marilyn Monroe: Docuseries premiere. CNN explores the life and legacy of the Hollywood icon in a four-part series narrated by Jessica Chastain. Two episodes air tonight, followed by two next Sunday. Watch trailer. 9:00 PM ET on CNN
Yellowjackets: Season finale. In 1996, salvation finally comes for the stranded Yellowjackets, but the effects of their 19 months in the wilderness continue to haunt them, 25 years later. Watch preview. 10:00 PM ET on Showtime
Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.
TOPICS: Ray Donovan, After Life, Archive 81, The Expanse, Somebody Somewhere