more retro rewinds

The “X-Men” franchise became quite expansive over the better part of two decades, but it all started with the original 2000 movie (Disney+, streaming starting Friday, Aug. 7). Director Bryan Singer skillfully establishes the legend of the team of Marvel mutants including such popular characters as Wolverine, Storm and Rogue (played by Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry and Anna Paquin). Also highly notable are Patrick Stewart as their mentor, Professor Xavier, and Ian McKellen as his enemy Magneto.

While “All in the Family” often regaled in tackling social issues of the day, it went for a more universal topic by trying something different with the three-part episode “Archie’s Brief Encounter” (Wednesday and Thursday, Get TV). It may have seemed inconceivable that Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) ever would be unfaithful to his daffy but devoted wife Edith (Jean Stapleton), but he’s tempted big-time by a waitress (Janis Paige) who clearly shows interest in him.

“The Flight of the Phoenix” (Wednesday, FXM) is a marvelous 1965 survival drama from typically gritty director Robert Aldrich, challenging the survivors of a cargo-plane crash to overcome the punishing heat of the Sahara as they try to build a new vehicle from the wrecked one’s parts to escape. As the pilot, a stalwart James Stewart leads a first-rate cast including Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Ernest Borgnine and a reasonably frequent Stewart colleague, George Kennedy.

Me TV has been organizing Sunday summer repeats of “The Brady Bunch” into same-themed sets of four, and the Aug. 2 episodes involve contests that lured the blended family over the show’s five seasons. First up: “Father of the Year,” which came early in the show’s run and finds Marcia (Maureen McCormick) deciding her new stepdad Mike (Robert Reed) deserves that title – but entering an essay to win it for him ends up getting her grounded.