This weekend I have … a half-hour, and I need something adorable.
‘Pinecone & Pony’
When to watch: Now, on Apple TV+.
This happy cartoon for young children, based on the book “The Princess and the Pony,” by Kate Beaton, has an appealing bounce and warm humor; as a bonus, it is also not screechy, nor is it packed with earworm-forever songs. Pinecone is an aspiring warrior princess whose world is filled with wizards, heroes, swords and sandals, and she and her noble steed encounter messages of love, patience and self-acceptance. If you’re waiting a few years until everyone in your household is old enough for “Steven Universe” or “The Owl House,” try this. So far there are two eight-episode seasons.
… an hour, and it’s been a weird time.
‘Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark’
When to watch: Saturday at 10 p.m., on HBO.
The comedian Marc Maron continues in his role as comedy’s tetchy sage, insightful and aggrieved, punchy and philosophical. His new special includes material about his aging parents’ decline and the 2020 death of his girlfriend, the director Lynn Shelton — heavy topics, certainly, but ones that Maron approaches the way determined bubbles attack grease in dish soap commercials. Comedians are sometimes praised for being “raw,” but what’s most potent here is the sense of consideration, of evolution, and Maron incorporates his redrafting process into the act itself. The special is indeed both bleak and dark, and it is also viciously funny.
… several hours, and I love feats of strength.
‘Physical: 100’
When to watch: Now, on Netflix.
If you simply cannot wait for the seemingly ill-conceived “Squid Games” reality show to arrive on Netflix, try this Korean competition series (in Korean, with subtitles or dubbed), in which 100 men and women — including Olympians, fitness influencers, CrossFit devotees, stunt performers and professional athletes — endure brutalizing challenges in pursuit of a cash prize. Unlike the perky ludicrousness of, say, “Holey Moley,” “Physical: 100” has a grim intensity. Even watching requires endurance: One challenge is often spread over multiple episodes, and the show’s editing maximizes ominousness. It is, of course, riveting. Six episodes are available now, and new ones arrive on Tuesdays.
