The BoysPhoto: Jasper Savage/Amazon

Heres whats happening in the world of television for Friday, September 4, and Saturday, September 5. All times are Eastern.

The Boys (Amazon, Friday, 3:01 a.m., second-season premiere, first three episodes): As a whole, the second season of The Boys is a solid improvement on the first: Smarter, sharper, and more engaged with its stories and characters... If season one was mostly empty spectaclea bunch of super-powered assholes unleashing heat-vision blasts and concrete-shattering punchesnow weve got a reason to care, a retort to the bleak nihilism that previously drove things along. The supers may be the basis for this show, but its the humanity that powers it. Read the rest of Alex McLevys pre-air review.

The three episodes that arrive today will be covered throughout the weekend by recapper Roxana Hadadi. And if you need a refresher on the madness of season one, catch up with our character guide.

Can you binge it? The first season awaits you on Amazon.

RuPauls Drag Race: Vegas Revue (VH1, Friday, 8 p.m.)Raised By Wolves (HBO Max, mini-binge coverage continues)

Mulan (Disney+, Friday, 3:01 a.m., premiere): Given the impressive scope of the movie, and its lengthy runtime, its disappointing that Mulan never manages to breathe life into its many environments, or its plot points for that matter. Instead it rushes thoughtlessly past what matters most, hoping the pretty spectacle and cultural accuracies will suffice. Read the rest of Beatrice Loayzas review.

Im Thinking Of Ending Things (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m., premiere): Its good to remind yourself that the worlds larger than inside your own head, Jake (Jesse Plemons) says to Lucy (Jessie Buckley) early into Im Thinking Of Ending Things, [Charlie Kaufmans] latest maddening plunge down the rabbit hole of his boundless imagination. Is Kaufman assuring us or himself? By the end of this strange moviepossibly his most uncompromising and discombobulating, which is really saying somethingwe have no guarantee that the world it depicts exists outside of someones head. The question may just be whose? Read the rest of A.A. Dowds review.

Time for another wild card lightning round.

Noughts + Crosses (Peacock, Friday, 3:01 a.m., complete first season, U.S. premiere): Look for Nadra Kareem Nittles coverage of this adaptation of Malorie Blackmans YA series later today.

Away (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m., complete first season): Netflixs Away depicts humanitys first, perilous mission to Mars, but its not a gritty sci-fi drama like Star Trek: Picard. Its more West Wing: NASA, with smart, passionate people working together to solve problems. Everyones well-intentioned, fundamentally decent, and capable. Read the rest of Stephen Robinsons pre-air review.

Earth To Ned (Disney+, Friday, complete first season): In this series from the Jim Henson Company, alien commander Ned and his trusty lieutenant abandon a planned invasion of Earth when they become smitten with pop culture. Naturally, they start a talk show instead.

Muppets Now (Disney+, Friday, 3:01 a.m., first-season finale): And speaking of Jim Henson, the first season of what Erik Adams calls Disneys best effort to date at bringing Hensons most famous creations back to TV ends tonight.

A Most Beautiful Thing (Peacock, Friday, 3:01 a.m., premiere): This documentary, which was headed to SXSW before, you know, everything, tells the story of the first all-Black high school rowing team.

The New York Times Presents, The Killing of Breonna Taylor (FX, Friday, 10 p.m.): The episode title should explain the significance of this one.

Looking for ways to advocate for Black lives? Check out this list of resources by our sister site Lifehacker for ways to get involved.

Read more:

Lets hear it for The Boys - The A.V. Club