The first fruit of Ryan Murphy’s big deal with Netflix is a typically lavish and splashy limited series that, like his “Feud: Betty and Joan,” is steeped in glossy Hollywood history. But in his “Hollywood” (Netflix, streaming), he takes the route of a Quentin Tarentino did in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” in creating his own alternate history. In his case, he muses what direction Tinseltown would have taken had it accepted more people of color or other sexual orientation.
So there’s only a few real personalities (Rock Hudson and Hattie McDaniel among them) depicted in the fiction that is filled with a cast that includes Ryan favorites like Darren Criss and Dylan McDermott, but also Jim Parsons, Patti LuPone, Holland Taylor, Joe Mantello and Samara Weaving, with guest spots from Mira Sorvino, Rob Reiner and Maude Apatow.
Plus, his eye for production design and costumes will likely make it quite a visual treat.
After the joy of the “Parks and Rec” reunion Thursday, one might look forward to the latest from Greg Daniels (who was also behind the equally singular “The Office”). But his new “Upload” (Amazon, streaming) is a surprising dud. A kind of worse version of “The Good Place” its high tech afterlife story seems to borrow ideas borrowed from old “Black Mirror” scripts. A big special effects budget can’t make up for its bland cast, led by Robbie Amell. Hoping it might get better.
Characters from Crystal Moselle’s skater movie “Skate Kitchen” continue their New York adventures in the limited series “Betty” (HBO, 11 p.m.).
Jeffrey Wright plays a father spending tie in prison with his son (Ashton Sanders) in the new movie “All Day and a Night” (Netflix, streaming).
In Alice Wu’s new film “The Half of It” (Netflix, streaming), Leah Lewis plays a high school girl who advises a jock, Daniel Diemer, on how to attract a girl she wants as well.
In the Indian import “Mrs. Serial Killer” (Netflix, streaming), a woman tries to disprove the murders charged to her husband by replicating similar crimes herself. Jacqueline Fernandez stars.
Esther Smith and Rafe Spall play a couple unready for parenthood in the new British comedy series “Trying” (Apple TV+, streaming).
On the new series “Prop Culture” (Disney+, streaming), Dan Lanigan rummages through studio holdings for artifacts from classic Disney movies, starting with “Mary Poppins.”
Sam Trammell of “True Blood” plays a high school guidance counselor accused of being a serial killer in the new series “Reckoning” (Netflix, streaming). Aden Young of “Rectify” plays the detective trying to nail it down.
The third and final season of “Medici: The Magnificent” (Netflix, streaming) begins.
“Charmed” (CW, 8 p.m.) ends its second season by trying to prevent disaster.
There’s also a finale for the 10th season of “Blue Bloods” (CBS, 10 p.m.) while “Shahs of Sunset” (Bravo, 9 p.m.) ends its 15th season.
Superfine get made over by the queens on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (VH1, 8 p.m.) and Daisy Ridley is a guest judge.
Ressler confronts past trauma on “The Blacklist” (NBC, 8 p.m.).
“MacGyver” (CBS, 8 p.m.) gets influenced by his aunt.
Vivian Howard gets some smoked mullet in Florida on “Somewhere South” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
Eric Holder, Bret Stephens and Matt Taibbi are among the guests on “Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.).
“Magnum P.I.” (CBS, 9 p.m.) is called back to Hawaii.
Sam gets a visit from Danny Trejo on “Dynasty” (CW, 9 p.m.).
“Shark Tank” (ABC, 8 p.m.) gets a fried food pitch.
Turner Classic Movies welcomes the aliens in “Cocoon” (8 p.m.), “It Came from Outer Space” (10:15 p.m.) and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (11:45 p.m.).Things change later with the 1960s horror films “Maniac” (2:15 a.m.) and “Stop me Before I Kill” (3:45 a.m.).
During the day on TCM are a half dozen Tennessee Williams adaptations with “The Night of the Iguana” (7:15 a.m.), “Period of Adjustment” (9:30 a.m.), “Sweet Bird of Youth” (11:30 a.m.), “The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone” (1:45 p.m.) “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (3:45 p.m.) and “Baby Doll” (5:45 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest: Michael Bublé, Bethenny Frankel, Jewel (rerun). The View: Billy Porter, Paula Faris. The Talk: Donnie Wahlberg, Mary Steenburgen. Ellen DeGeneres: Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Kelly Clarkson: Whitney Cummings, Alexander Ludwig, Wolfgang Puck (rerun). Tamron Hall: Tika Sumpter, Peter Gallagher. Wendy Williams: Brian Balthazar, K. Michelle (rerun). The Real: Marques Houston, Wyclef Jean.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Thandie Newton, Ina Garten, John Mulaney. Jimmy Fallon: Jon Hamm, Brené Brown, Hailee Seinfeld. Seth Meyers: Rachel Maddow, JB Smoove, Jean-George Vongerichten, Caitlin Kalafus (rerun). James Corden: Liv Tyler, Norman Reedus, Blackbear (rerun). Lilly Singh: Tan France (rerun).