What to watch this weekend Jan. 31, 2025: TV awards contenders
Apple TV+ has come a long way since its debut, when it was more of a nebulous idea than a fully functioning streaming platform. One of the service’s best comedies from those early days, the Emmy-nominated Mythic Quest, is still chugging along though. The show, which follows a group of coworkers at a video game studio, returns this week with a fourth season that proves the series is comfortable in its skin but is smartly evolving alongside its characters as they enjoy the fruits of their labor in an ever-changing video game landscape.
In its long-awaited return — the first two episodes of which are now streaming — Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) is finally embarking on her own journey, which proves difficult for Ian (co-creator Rob McElhenney), who struggles with their diverging paths. Elsewhere, the success of a new game leads to questions of proper compensation for Dana (Imani Hakim), while the series tackles timely questions about the creation and use of AI and the need for better work-life balance. With a solid cast at its core and its consistent ability to find new ground in what is arguably a niche setting, Mythic Quest is the awards contender to watch this weekend.
More from GoldDerby
SEE What to watch this weekend Jan. 24, 2025: TV awards contenders
However, there is plenty on tap if gaming isn’t up your alley. Other contenders include:
Mo: The second (and regrettably final) season of Mo Amer’s semi-autobiographical comedy about a Palestinian asylum seeker living in the U.S. for 20 years exists in a much different world than the one in which it debuted in 2022, but it is an emotional, worthy conclusion to the Peabody Award-winning series. The new season picks up six months after the first, with Mo still stranded in Mexico, stuck in immigration purgatory. Always poignant but never without a sense of humor, the series is must-see TV. All eight episodes are now streaming on Netflix.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man: Is there anything two-time Oscar nominee Colman Domingo can’t do? This latest project features an animation style that pulls from the comics as it regales viewers yet again with the origin story of Peter Parker as the titular web-slinging superhero. The series exists in an alternate timeline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Domingo lends his voice to the role of Norman Osborn, who acts as a mentor to a high school-bound Peter (Hudson Thames, who voiced the role in the Emmy-winning What If…?) instead of Tony Stark. Additional cast members include Charlie Cox (reprising his role as Daredevil), Hugh Dancy, Kari Wahlgren, Eugene Byrd, Grace Song, and Zeno Robinson. The first two episodes are now streaming on Disney+.
Common Side Effects: On the opposite end of the animation spectrum lies this new Adult Swim series. Co-created by Joe Bennett and Steve Hely and executive-produced by Greg Daniels and Mike Judge, the conspiracy-laden show follows two former high school buddies (voiced by Dave King and Emily Pendergast) who discover a mushroom that can allegedly cure any ailment, leading to plenty of problems as they run up against big pharma and the U.S. government, both of which want to keep the fungi out of the hands of Americans. The first two episodes are now streaming on Max.
Best of GoldDerby
Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword

