HBO Max Brings the Multiplex Home With The Little Things

Warner Bros sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry when it announced that it would release all seventeen films in its 2021 film slate on HBO Max, day and date with their theatrical release. Arriving this weekend, the first of those films is The Little Things, a not-at-all-little crime thriller led by Oscar winning actors Denzel Washingon, Rami Malek and Jared Leto..

Also this weekend: Justin Timberlake stars in the Apple TV+ original film Palmer, John Krasinski makes his SNL hosting debut, and HBO bows its new auto scam docuseries The Lady and the Dale. Here's what's new and noteworthy on TV this weekend:

FRIDAY JANUARY 29

ORIGINAL MOVIE: Written and directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side), The Little Things follows detectives Joe Deacon (Denzel Washington) and Jim Baxter (Rami Malek) as they follow the trail of a serial killer. Jared Leto plays Albert Sparma, their number one suspect. Watch trailer. Streaming on HBO Max

SERIES PREMIERE: From Schitt’s Creek Producer Andrew Barnsley, the Canadian comedy Jann stars singer, songwriter, and actress Jann Arden, who plays a fictionalized version of herself as she tries to revive her fading musical career. Seasons 1 and 2 drop today. Read our review. Streaming on Hulu

DOCUSERIES PREMIERE: The four-part docuseries We Are: The Brooklyn Saints follows the coaches of a youth football team as they work to provide a safe haven for kids to compete and learn lessons that will take them far in life. Read our review. Streaming on Netflix

SERIES PREMIERE: Richard Hammond (The Grand Tour) and Tory Belleci (Mythbusters) are dropped on a desert island with nothing but the remains of a wrecked ship in The Great Escapists, a turbo-charged reality series that challenges them to use their unique skills to plan their return to civilization. Watch trailer. Streaming on Prime Video

ORIGINAL MOVIE Set in the run-up to World War II, a wealthy widow (Carey Mulligan) hires an amateur archaeologist (Ralph Fiennes) to excavate the burial mounds on her estate in The Dig. When they make a historic discovery, the echoes of Britain's past resonate in the face of its uncertain future. Watch trailer. Streaming on Netflix

ORIGINAL MOVIE: After 12 years in prison, former high school football star Eddie Palmer (Justin Timberlake) returns home in Palmer. As he tries to put his life back together, he forms an unlikely bond with Sam (Ryder Allen), an outcast boy from a troubled home. Watch trailer. Streaming on Apple TV+

NEW EPISODE: Comedian, host and Primetimer favorite Nicole Byer (Nailed It!) joins the panel on RuPaul's Drag Race as the queens put their design skills to the test in a pageant showcasing three bag-themed looks. 8:00 PM ET on VH1

SATURDAY JANUARY 30

NEW EPISODE: Kicking off the first of five new episodes in a row, Saturday Night Live welcomes John Krasinski in his hosting debut, where he'll be joined by musical guest Machine Gun Kelly. 11:30 PM ET / 8:30 PM PT on NBC

MADE FOR TV MOVIE: Talk show host Wendy Williams gets the made-for-TV biopic treatment in Wendy Williams: The Movie, which tracks her rise from urban radio to her headline-making run in syndicated television. Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on Lifetime

DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE: After the movie, the real Wendy Williams holds court in the new documentary The Wendy Williams Story: What a Mess!, giving the self-anointed Queen of all Media the chance to discuss every bit of joy and humiliation she has experienced over the years. Watch trailer. 10:00 PM ET on Lifetime

SEASON PREMIERE: The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics get a network showcase as NBA Saturday Primetime returns for its sixth season. 8:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM PT on ABC

NEW EPISODE: Back after an extended break, the second season of Love & Marriage: Huntville picks up with the Black Lives Matter movement and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic taking their toll on the show's three power couples and their families. Watch trailer. 9:00 PM ET on OWN

MADE FOR TV MOVIE: A travel-averse New York writer (Jen Lilley) finds herself up north and out of her element in Snowkissed, but sparks fly after she connects with handsome B&B owner (Chris McNally). Watch preview. 9:00 PM ET on Hallmark

SUNDAY JANUARY 31

DOCUSERIES PREMIERE: Automotive entrepreneur Elizabeth Carmichael made a name for herself in the 1970s after she unveiled a three-wheeled fuel-efficient car named the Dale. The four-part docuseries The Lady and the Dale tells her extraordinary story. Read our review. 9:00 PM ET on HBO

MINISERIES PREMIERE: Masterpiece presents the three-part miniseries The Long Song, which follows Robert Goodwin (Jack London) as he seeks to address the wrongs of a slave-owning plantation in Jaimaca. Watch trailer. 10:00 PM ET on PBS

SEASON PREMIERE: As Barack Obama aptly put it when he sat down with them for a special interview in December, Desus & Mero are "blowing up." Addition to Obama, last season saw the duo interview the likes of Anthony Fauci, Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. Watch trailer. 11:00 PM ET on Showtime

NEW EPISODE: Ryan (Javicia Leslie) encounters the challenges of living a double life as she tries to prove herself as Batwoman. Meanwhile, Luke (Camrus Johnson) continues to have reservations about Ryan. Watch preview. 8:00 PM ET on The CW

SEASON FINALE: Ray Romano plays for the charity Harvest Home on the season finale of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, while firefighter Lauren Kuykendall takes her shot at the grand prize. 8:30 PM ET on ABC

Mike Attebery is Senior Editor at Primetimer and the author of seven mystery thrillers. Follow him on Twitter at @mikeattebery.