Baez Brings ‘Bloods’ to ‘Blue,’ Joel Edgerton in ‘Train Dreams,’ Ed Sheeran’s ‘One Shot,’ a Dog’s Ghost Story

Boston Blue

Blue Bloods‘ Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez) pays her most substantial visit yet to the Boston-set Bloods spinoff when she works a case involving a serial home invader with her long-distance boyfriend, Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg), and his new Beantown partner, Lena Silver (Sonequa Martin-Green). The episode also introduces Dancing With the Stars winner Xochitl Gomez as Penny, the love interest of Danny’s officer son Sean (Mika Amonsen).

Train Dreams

A remarkable film about a seemingly unremarkable man of the early 20th century, director and co-writer Clint Bentley’s sensitive adaptation of Denis Johnson’s acclaimed novella tells a deceptively simple fable of love, loss, and endurance set against the soaring backdrop of the Pacific Northwest. Joel Edgerton (Dark Matter) stars as stoic logger Robert Grainier, who finds great joy with his wife (Felicity Jones) and child but also crushing grief and existential despair when confronted with the violence of his fellow man and the cruel caprices of Mother Nature. Bentley explains: “Robert doesn’t do anything that alters the course of history. He doesn’t fight in some great battle or create an invention that changes people’s lives, and yet he lives a very deep and rich life.”

One Shot With Ed Sheeran: A Music Experience

I won’t lie, it’s kind of a thrill seeing my Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood (including my building) as part of the backdrop of Ed Sheeran’s impressionistic special, billed a “music experience,” in which he dons his vagabond shoes for a musical tour of New York City. Adolescence director Philip Barantini employs his one-continuous-shot method to follow Sheeran from subways to rooftops, iconic venues and local watering holes, as the musician interacts with fans and pedestrians for a memorable single take — and more than a few double-takes.

Good Boy

Just when you think you’ve seen every variation on the haunted-house story comes this compelling and clever indie thriller from director Ben Leonberg, who puts his own dog — a lovable retriever named Indy — front and center. Indy is our expressive eyes and attentive ears as he accompanies his ailing master, Todd (Shane Jensen), into his grandfather’s abandoned and spooky house in the woods. Indy is the first to notice the bumps in the night and assorted eerie visions as this loyal and watchful canine tries to protect Todd from succumbing to the house’s dark spell. It’s a riveting 73 minutes, and Indy is the best friend any man (or woman) would want to have.

The American Revolution

No spoilers necessary in the final chapter of Ken Burns‘s epic history of the war for independence, which depicts Benedict Arnold’s infamous betrayal amid the struggles of a war-weary Britain, increasingly isolated as they pursue their bloody campaign in the South and wage their final battle in Yorktown. As historian Vincent Brown notes: “It’s an ugly, ugly, ugly conflict. And if one wants a national origin story that’s clean and neat and tells very clearly who the good guys and who the bad guys are, the American Revolution… is not that story.”

Pluribus

Having learned that the “others” will give her just about anything — including a grenade — to make her happy, Carol (Rhea Seehorn) tries to manipulate the pod people of Albuquerque into telling her what she really wants to know: how to return the world to its formerly fractious state. This episode of Vince Gilligan’s provocative, absorbing Twilight Zone-like fantasy also provides a tantalizing glimpse into the life of the mystery man from Paraguay (Carlos-Manuel Vesga) who may be the only other person on Earth unwilling to play along to get along.

INSIDE FRIDAY TV:

• Happy’s Place (8/7c, NBC): Bobbie (Reba McEntire) is happy to help Gabby (Melissa Peterman) research candidates for a potential sperm donor — until she realizes her beau, Emmett (Rex Linn), is on the list.
• Sheriff Country (8/7c, CBS): Fire Country‘s Kevin Alejandro guests on the spinoff as Manny, paying a visit to Edgewater as Sheriff Mickey (Morena Baccarin) investigates a body found along the Eel River. Followed by Fire Country (9/8c), with Christine Lahti (Evil) guest-starring as Sharon’s (Diane Farr) mother, Ruby.
• Mistletoe Murders (8/7c, Hallmark Channel): In the two-part “Twas the Fight Before Christmas” season finale, Emily (Sarah Drew) works with detective Sam Wilner (Peter Mooney) to solve the murder of a restaurateur, but Sam is distracted when his ex-wife shows up in town.
• Stumble (8:30/7:30c, NBC): The cheerleading mockumentary finds coach Courteney (Jenn Lyon) playing mama bear to her crew, especially the perpetually late Sally (Georgie Murphy), but when her period doesn’t sync up with the rest of the squad, she begins to wonder if she’s about to become a real mom.
• Dateline NBC (9/8c, NBC): Keith Morrison reports on the investigation into the 1992 stabbing deaths of Tanna Togstad, boyfriend Tim Mumbrue, and their dog inside a Wisconsin farmhouse.
• 20/20 (9/8c, ABC): Deborah Roberts reports on the disappearance on Mother’s Day 2018 of Florida hairstylist and mother of three Joleen Cummings.

 ON THE STREAM:

• Sebastian Maniscalco: It Ain’t Right (streaming on Hulu): The comedian, whose distinctive style was recently parodied by Marcello Hernández on Saturday Night Live, regales a packed arena at Chicago’s United Center with rants and riffs in a comedy special.
• Kathleen Madigan: The Family Thread (streaming on Prime Video): More stand-up comedy from a familiar face on the late-night and comedy-club circuit.
• The Family Plan 2 (streaming on Apple TV): In a sequel to the action comedy, Dan’s (Mark Wahlberg) family vacation backfires when his past as a government assassin once again resurfaces, with a mystery man (Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington) sending the Morgans on another hectic adventure.
• The Conjuring: Last Rites (streaming on HBO Max): The reportedly final film in the Conjuring franchise, making its streaming debut, features Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga taking one last trip into the occult as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, this time battling an evil force coming after their daughter, Judy (Mia Tomlinson). The movie premieres on HBO Saturday at 8/7c, following a daylong marathon of movies from the Conjuring universe (all available to stream on HBO Max).
• The Bad Guys 2 (streaming on Peacock): Also making its streaming debut: the sequel to the hit animated comedy about a gang of reformed animal outlaws.