Check what still responds
Try a normal return to the home screen or another simple interface action. Record whether the player is frozen, the remote has stopped controlling every screen or the television is simply showing the wrong HDMI input. These observations prevent an app problem from becoming a needless whole-system reset.
If another app opens normally, keep that useful comparison. It suggests a narrower starting point but does not prove the source account inside the affected player is healthy. Avoid signing out or clearing the account until you know whether the app can reopen.
Close only the affected app
Apple documents pressing the TV button twice quickly to show the App Switcher, moving to the app and swiping up to force it to quit. Then reopen it from the home screen. Use the gesture for your actual remote, and check that you selected the intended app window.
Repeat the smallest action that previously failed. If the player now opens its list but a particular item errors, record the new failure stage. The recovery has changed the app state; it has not necessarily solved the separate media request.
Restart when the wider system needs it
Apple’s documented menu route is Settings → System → Restart. If the system cannot be controlled, its restart guide also covers disconnecting power briefly and reconnecting it. Allow the device to complete its normal startup before judging the result.
Restart only the equipment you intend to test. A shared power strip may also restart the router or receiver, making it unclear which change mattered. Keep a physical or supported alternate remote available if control itself is the problem.
Use a repeatable return as evidence
A freeze returning at the same menu action or media point is worth reporting with the app and tvOS versions. Mention whether force quit or a device restart temporarily changes it. That is more useful than repeatedly cycling power without a record.
A factory reset is a later, configuration-removing action. Prepare account and app details before considering it, and follow the relevant manufacturer guidance. Stop if the next proposed step does not address the observed scope of failure. Successful reopening alone is not a test of an entire subscription catalogue.