Beanie Baby Mania, Return of ‘Good Omens’ and ‘Heels,’ Tropic Jaws and Other Sharks

The Beanie Bubble

Who knew such intrigue lurked beneath the hot ’90s craze for cuddly, understuffed and in-demand Beanie Babies? A blustery Zach Galifianakis stars in this brisky entertaining docu-dramedy as eccentric founder Ty Warner, whose fragile ego and childish vanity eventually doomed his company, because he refused to give or share credit with the forceful women who helped guide his success. Succession’s Sarah Snook reveals a warmer side as the single mom who stood by him during the Beanie frenzy, Elizabeth Banks is a whirlwind of ambitious drive as his first partner (in business and bed), and Miracle Workers’ Geraldine Viswanathan steals the show as the young visionary who foresaw the marketing power of the Internet to fuel demand for the beanbag animals.

Good Omens

You’d think it would be impossible to have more fun than Michael Sheen and David Tennant as the mismatched angel (Aziraphale) and demon (Crowley) in the series based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s comic cosmic fantasy. And yet the offbeat buddy quotient expands in Season 2 with the arrival of a charmingly goofy Jon Hamm as archangel Gabriel, who appears at Aziraphale’s bookshop in an unclothed state of amnesia. The mystery of why he’s gone missing from heaven provides the focus for another romp through time and history.

Heels

The surprisingly heartfelt wrestling drama returns for Season 2 as the small-town Duffy Wrestling League rebounds from its triumph at the South Georgia State Fair to confront some painful new realities. Duffy heir Jack (Arrow’s Stephen Amell) has to cope with his wife Staci (Alison Luff) leaving him and rival brother Ace (Alexander Ludwig) possibly hanging it up in the ring. Maybe giving Crystal (Kelli Berglund) a chance to shine in the male-dominated local arena will be the key to DWL’s future.

Minx

The saucy ’70s proto-feminist comedy reflects on a cultural flashpoint when Minx publisher Bottom Dollar hosts the splashy West Coast premiere of the controversial porn-gone-mainstream hit Deep Throat. Joyce (Ophelia Lovibond) is conflicted about its notoriety, but Doug (Jake Johnson) gloats at the publicity—until a glitch is discovered in the projection room. While Doug fends off cops and seeks the correct film reels, Joyce reels when she realizes her idol Joan Didion (Samantha Sloyan) is in the audience and might consider writing an essay for her hot new magazine.

The Crowded Room

It took long enough to get to the finale, but there’s high drama as Danny (Tom Holland) struggles to break through the barriers of his multiple personalities to face the truth about his past—which could set him free, regardless of the trial’s outcome. His lawyer Stan (Christopher Abbott) and therapist Rya (Amanda Seyfried) have their own professional challenges as they put everything on the line for Danny.

INSIDE FRIDAY TV:

• Tropic Jaws (8/7c, Discovery): Shark Week heads into the weekend with an expedition to Bali to discover why 16-foot great whites, conditioned to colder climes, are beginning to invade the warmer beaches of Indonesia. Followed by Deadly Sharks of Paradise (9/8c), tracking tiger sharks in Brazil, and Haunting at Shark Tower (10/9c), looking into an incident at North Carolina’s Frying Pan Tower.
• Tough as Nails (8/7c, CBS): Before Sunday’s finale, the last team competition pits Dirty Hands and Savage Crew in head-to-head matches inspired by the various trades.
• Outlander (8/7c, Starz): The Revolutionary War is in full throttle as Jamie (Sam Heughan) prepares to fight British forces while his biological son William (Charles Vandervaart), a redcoat, joins the First Battle of Saratoga.
• How To with John Wilson (11/10, HBO): The quirky “docu-comedy” of self-discovery and offbeat observation returns for its third and final season, opening with Wilson’s “how to” guide on locating public restrooms.

 ON THE STREAM:

• This Fool (streaming on Hulu): Working-class South Central L.A. cousins Julio (Chris Estrada) and Luis (Frankie Quiñones) become roommates seeking new opportunities in romance and business in Season 2 of the urban comedy.
• How to Become a Cult Leader (streaming on Netflix): Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage narrates a mock documentary that uses notorious figures including Charles Manson and Jim Jones as examples of how to attract a cult following: “It’s very important to convince people there is something sacred about you.”
• Captain Fall (streaming on Netflix): Make that “fall guy.” Jason Ritter provides the voice of the hapless title character in an adult animated comedy about a Navy Academy washout who’s recruited to captain a vessel used by a cartel for smuggling. Christopher Meloni is the agent on his trail and Barry’s Anthony Carrigan is the ominous Mr. Tyrant.
• Tomorrow X Together: Our Lost Summer(streaming on Disney+): A music documentary follows the K-Pop band as they prepare for an international tour including Lollapalooza.