Power plays, broken trust, cozy TV with a dark side, and spies hiding in plain sight — this week’s watchlist is doing a lot. From Landman’s pre-finale gut punch to a small-town procedural that quietly shatters expectations, plus one of Netflix’s sleekest thrillers in years, there’s plenty to unpack. Let’s get into it.
Welcome back to TV Corner Notes — your weekly check-in for what’s worth watching, what’s quietly great, and what might emotionally ruin your group chat.
This week brings a little bit of everything: corporate implosions in Landman, a deceptively cozy CW drama that turns out to have teeth (Good Cop/Bad Cop), and a reminder that Black Doves deserves a permanent spot on your spy-thriller shortlist. I’ve also rounded up the biggest premieres, finales, and binge drops coming your way over the next few days.
Grab your remote (and maybe something comforting to snack on), and let’s dive in.
Landman Turns the Knife Before the Finale
The penultimate episode of Landman (“Plans, Tears, and Sirens”) didn’t just raise the stakes — it quietly detonated the entire board.
Cami fully embraces her power-player era by firing Tommy, stripping M-Tex of its last voice of caution just as the company launches its most dangerous offshore gamble yet. Meanwhile, Cooper finally earns his crew’s respect on the job… only to face a deeply troubling situation off it that could carry serious legal consequences.
On the home front, Ainsley’s disastrous cheer camp experience (and Angela’s predictably lavish rescue mission) once again highlights how sheltered she remains, while T.L. and Penny continue to be the show’s emotional safe harbor.
It’s a sharp, tense hour that reshapes the endgame for nearly every major character — and sets up a volatile finale.
Read my full recap and review.
Landman airs Sundays on Paramount+.
Good Cop/Bad Cop Is Cozy TV… Until It Isn’t
If you’ve been missing that “blue sky” comfort-watch energy (Psych meets Northern Exposure meets Schitt’s Creek), The CW’s Good Cop/Bad Cop starts out feeling like a warm hug of a procedural. Small-town murders, sibling banter, a gruff dad as police chief—easy, breezy, comforting TV.
And then the finale quietly pulls the rug out from under you.
Without spoiling too much, what begins as a light family cop show takes a sharp, emotional turn that completely reframes everything you thought you knew about the Hickman family and their picture-perfect town. It’s the kind of twist that makes you sit there for a minute after the credits roll… and immediately hope Season 2 is already on the way.
If you’re into character-driven mysteries with heart, humor, and just enough darkness creeping in at the edges, this one’s worth adding to your list.
Check out my complete review over on The TV Corner.
Black Doves Season 1: Worth Your Spy Thriller Watchlist
Netflix’s Black Doves is the kind of espionage thriller that trusts its audience. Set against a glittering, ominous Christmas-time London, the series blends high-stakes spycraft with deeply personal storytelling. This isn’t just about international intrigue—it’s about loyalty, identity, and the cost of living a life built on lies.
Keira Knightley delivers one of her strongest television performances to date, grounding the series with quiet intensity. Ben Whishaw is equally compelling, bringing nervous energy and emotional depth that cuts through the show’s colder moments. Together, they form the emotional core of the series—less glamorous spies, more scarred survivors.
Visually, Black Doves leans into a stylish “London noir” aesthetic, using festive backdrops to heighten the tension rather than soften it. The writing is sharp and often darkly funny, though the plot occasionally becomes dense enough to demand close attention.
Still, the payoff is worth it. Black Doves is a sleek, adult thriller that balances action with introspection, ending its first season on a note that all but demands a continuation as a smart, atmospheric espionage drama anchored by exceptional performances.
Check out my full review.
What To Watch This Week
Monday, January 12
Here Come the Irish Season 2 finale (Peacock)
One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 (Netflix): This behind-the-scenes chronicle follows the cast, creators, and crew as they bring the final season to life, and say goodbye to the show that changed them forever.
Tuesday, January 13
Tell Me Lies Season 3 (Hulu, two-episode premiere)
8/7c Best Medicine Episode 2/time slot premiere (FOX)
8/7c The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 6 (Bravo, three-week event)
9/8c Pole to Pole with Will Smith (National Geographic, two-episode premiere): Will Smith travels across all seven continents, tackles extreme environments and challenges while exploring science, culture, and the future of the planet.
Wednesday, January 14
Hijack Season 2 (Apple TV)
Palm Royal Season 2 finale (Apple TV)
Riot Women (BritBox, two-episode premiere): Five menopausal women, Jonna Scanlan, Rosalie Craig, Tamsin Greg, Lorraine Ashnourne, and Amelia Bullmore, form a punk rock band to take part in a local talent contest.
9/8c Love Island All Stars Season 3 (Peacock)
Thursday, January 15
Gangs of London Season 3 (AMC+)
POINES (Peacock, eight-episode binge): Set in 1977 Moscow, the drama stars Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson as embassy secretaries who are recruited by the CIA after their husbands are killed under mysterious circumstances.
Agatha Christie's Seven Dials (Netflix, three-episode binge): Based on the Agatha Christie novel, the limited series follows Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent (Mia McKenn-Bruce) as she investigates after a country house party prank turns unexpectedly deadly.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (Paramount+, two-episode premiere): A new class of cadets trains to become Starfleet officers under the leadership of a demanding captain and chancellor (played by Holly Hunter).
The Upshaws Final Season (Netflix, 12-episode binge)
9/8c Animal Control Episode 2/time slot premiere (Fox)
9:30/8:30c Going Dutch Season 2 (Fox)
Friday, January 16
What Drives You With John Cena Season 2 (The Roku Channel, four-episode binge)
8/7c Happy's Place returns (NBC)
8/7c Power Book IV: Force series finale (Starz)
8:30/7:30c Stumble returns (NBC)
9:30/8:30c Nowhere Man (Starz, stateside debut): Bonko Khoza stars as a former mercenary haunted by PTSD who is forced back into a world he's tried to escape after witnessing a crime on the streets of Johannesburg; Natui Naughton-Lewis co-stars.
Black Phone 2 (Peacock)
The Rip (Netflix movie): Ben Affleck and Matt Damon star as Miami cops whose discovery of millions in cash fractures trust within their unit and draws dangerous outside attention.
Twinless (Hulu)
Saturday, January 17
A Big Bold Beautiful Jounry (Netflix)
That’s it for this week’s TV Corner Notes.
Whether you’re bracing for Landman’s finale fallout, emotionally recovering from Good Cop/Bad Cop, or finally adding Black Doves to your queue, there’s no shortage of great (and occasionally devastating) TV to keep us company right now.
As always, I’d love to know what you’re watching, what you’re loving, and what you’re ready to argue about in the comments.
Until next week,
Adam
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