What to Watch Instead of the Super Bowl on Sling
Sling will not have this year's Super Bowl on CBS. Here are five things you should watch instead of the Big Game.
Sure, the Super Bowl is consistently the most-watched event on TV every year. But in a country with 331 million citizens, more than twice as many people DO NOT watch the Super Bowl than do. Given the sport’s massive ratings and cultural ubiquity, that bears repeating: Professional football is far more unpopular than it is popular.
So if you’re in the majority of people—that is, those who will NOT watch Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers—this is for you. Here’s what to watch on Sling instead of the Super Bowl.
Puppy Bowl XX - TBS, Discovery, truTV (2pm ET)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/r9tGPjBd-fM?si=SwcQ8kdaUj3ikGoB
Continuing the theme above, dogs are vastly more popular than football. Therefore, we wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Puppy Bowl XX crushes the Super Bowl in ratings. I mean, we’re talking about the chance to see some of the cutest, most adorable puppies from these United States pretend to play football in what the show’s producers are calling “the puppiest Puppy Bowl ever!” The three-hour special promises to include 131 puppies—many of whom have NFL-inspired names like Bark Purdy and Patrick Mabones—along with “Adoptable Pup” segments that will spotlight 14 shelters and rescues where you can bring home your own furry friend. Puppy Bowl XX should deliver the warm and fuzzies, much like the puppies themselves.
Stupid Pet Tricks - TBS (5pm ET)
The animal-themed programming doesn’t stop there. Following the Puppy Bowl, TBS, Discovery, and truTV will air a sneak peek of the new show Stupid Pet Tricks, which premieres the next day, Monday, Feb. 12 at 9pm ET on TBS. Inspired by the classic David Letterman segment, Stupid Pet Tricks will feature “a parade of pets performing ridiculous and extraordinary tricks.” Guests scheduled to appear on the show include Jon Hamm, Will Ferrell, Judd Apatow, Howie Mandel, Jack McBrayer, Charlotte McKinney, Reggie Watts, Jeff Ross and even Letterman himself.
Ninja Kamui - Adult Swim (VOD Feb. 11)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ai83FJsPoVo?si=G3a_l6k19imkq4D8
There is significant overlap in the Venn diagram between “People who don’t watch football” and “People who watch anime.” This one is for them. Ninja Kamui, which is directed by Sunghoo Park (Jujutsu Kaisen, The God of High School), centers on Joe Higan, “a former ninja who escaped his clan and is hiding from his violent past in rural America with his family. One night, he is ambushed by a team of assassins from his former organization who exact a bloody retribution on Joe and his family for betraying their ancient code. Rising from his seeming "death," Joe will re-emerge as his former self – Ninja Kamui – to avenge his family and friends. Kamui is a 21st century ninja, a shadowy anachronism who pits his ancient skills against high-tech weaponry with brutal finesse. He must face off against trained assassins, combat cyborgs, and rival ninjas to bring down the very clan that made him." Catch the first episode On Demand following its premiere Saturday night on Adult Swim.
Boston Celtics at Miami Heat - ESPN3/ ABC (2:00pm ET)
There’s a not-insignificant number of people who don’t watch football but love the NBA. This cohort will undoubtedly tune-in for a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. The Heat got the better of Boston in that series, but as of this writing, the Celtics have the best record in the NBA, while Miami has lost eight of their last 10 games. Still, these teams have met in the Eastern Conference Finals in three of the last four seasons, and every series has gone at least six games. Something tells us this game could be an appetizer for yet another playoff rematch this spring.
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy Marathon - CNN (6pm ET)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/fucxxHB7dj4?si=DgBWWW-gzeloz7QT
Tucci won two Emmys for his CNN Original Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy. You can binge both seasons by adding discovery+ to your Sling subscription, but CNN will air a five-episode marathon of its first season beginning at 6pm ET (this is your friendly reminder that Sling offers 50 hours of free DVR to all subscribers). If you’re into celebrity travel shows, be sure to check out the spin-off Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico, which aired last year and is also available with a subscription to discovery+.
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