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Apple TV+ streams “The Changeling,” a contemporary fairy tale with horror overtones based on the book by Victor LaValle.
The best horror tales sneak up on you and invest the ordinary with the strange and unsettling, just enough to keep you off balance without hitting you over the head with mythic malarky and cosmic coincidences.
This is not one of those.
“The Changeling” announces up front that strange forces are at work, starting with a doomed Norwegian sailing ship that survived a storm at sea with the help of some dark force.
Fast forward to New York City hundreds of years later, and we’re introduced to two overlapping tales of very persistent suitors who eventually woo and wed reluctant women who bear them children who might be enchanted. Or possibly doomed.
“The Changeling” does an ambitious job of bouncing back and forth between the 1960s and 2010, depicting a changing city. It also offers violent flashbacks to terror in Africa and a trip to Brazil complete with an encounter with a witch.
“Changeling” unfolds with the logic of a European fairy tale set in a grim new world, where, instead of haunted castles and enchanted forests, we have harrowing scenes of a woman giving birth on the floor of a filthy subway car. Now that’s a nightmare.
The first three episodes of “The Changeling” stream today with subsequent installments arriving on Fridays through Oct. 13.
— Hulu streams the 2023 comedy thriller “Self Reliance.” Jake Johnson (“New Girl”) acts in and directs this spoof of web and reality TV culture, playing a man vying for a million-dollar prize who needs the cooperation of family and friends to help him survive. Anna Kendrick and Andy Samberg co-star.
— As the fall broadcast season looms and a strike continues to idle production sets, look for more creative recycling like CBS’s borrowing of the Paramount+ streaming series “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (8 p.m. and 9 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
Anson Mount stars as Captain Christopher Pike of the USS Enterprise. For those unacquainted with series lore, Pike’s character was originally played by Jeffrey Hunter in the 1966 series pilot. After leaving the series, he was replaced by William Shatner’s Captain James Kirk.
Look for Ethan Peck as the logical Vulcan Spock and Rebecca Romijn as Number One. This is the 11th series spin-off for the franchise. “Strange” has received near-universal critical praise and has been a hit and an anchor for Paramount+ as it strives to attract an audience and build an identity.
This network exposure for “Strange New Worlds” is part of a larger “Star Trek Day” celebration. This marks the fourth annual such event that Paramount+ has celebrated. This year, the streamer will present a special hosted by Jerry O’Connell, glancing back at the series created by Gene Rodenberry, which debuted on Sept. 8, 1966.
For those keeping score, the sitcom “That Girl,” starring Marlo Thomas, premiered the very same day. “The Monkees” was first broadcast four days later. The fact that those two series seem like relics of the 1960s and “Star Trek” has evolved and endured is a testament to the strength of the series’ concept and the dedication of its fans.
— Intelligence agencies share stories and secrets on the new Netflix docuseries “Spy Ops.”
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— A woman’s fling with her wealthy boss ends with the discovery of his wife’s body in the 2023 shocker “The Kept Mistress Killer” (8 p.m., Lifetime, TV-PG).
— “American Masters” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-14, check local listings) repeats the 2022 profile of Rita Moreno.
CULT CHOICE
Directed by William Wellman, the 1933 drama “Wild Boys of the Road” (10 p.m., TCM, TV-PG) followed teens living as vagabonds in railroad cars, a grim reality for an estimated quarter million young people during the worst of the Great Depression.
SERIES NOTES
“America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG) … “WWE Friday Night SmackDown” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) … An agent vanishes on “Will Trent” (8 p.m., ABC, r, TV-14) … “20/20” (9 p.m., ABC) … “Dateline” (10 p.m., NBC) … “48 Hours” (10:15 p.m., CBS).
LATE NIGHT
Due to the Writers Guild strike, all late-night shows are repeats.
Trevor Noah and Stephanie Hsu appear on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS) … Jimmy Fallon welcomes the Jonas Brothers, Chloe Bailey and the Foodie Magician on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … The Kardashians and Rob Gronkowski join “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (11:35 p.m., ABC).
Aubrey Plaza, Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle and Kevin Murphy visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC).
