What to Watch / August 7, 2024
In which the Olympics once again leaves us with a light week of non-Olympics programming
Another super short week thanks to the Olympics so let's get to it already:
Wednesday - August 7
Netflix (and NOW in the UK) / Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough (docuseries). Not to be confused with the CBC's Secret World of Sound or Apple TV+'s Earthsounds, this latest nature documentary from David Attenborough focuses on, yes, the sounds of nature. Reviews are decidedly mixed for it turns out that by turning up the mics on nature robs the animals of some of their innate majesty: a lion's 'roars and growls are comically inadequate, like Chewbacca farting in a bathtub.'
Netflix / Love Is Blind: UK, S1 (reality). After extending the LoveIsBlindaverse™ into Mexico last week, this week it heads to the UK. Trailer here.
Hulu / Dance Moms: A New Era, S1 (reality). The long-running Lifetime dance series that launched the careers of Maddie Ziegler (West Side Story) and JoJo Ziwa (Special Forces: World's Toughest Test) among others gets rebooted with a new dance coach and a fresh batch of tiny dancers. Trailer here.
Thursday - August 8
Peacock / Mr. Throwback, S1. From creators of canceled-too-soon comedy Happy Endings comes this redemption story about a down-on-his-luck sports memorabilia dealer (Happy Endings' Adam Pally) who reconnects with his sixth-grade basketball teammate: Steph Curry. Also stars SNL's Ego Nwodim, Rich Sommer (Mad Men), and Tracy Letts (Ford v Ferrari). (And if you're curious as to how Steph Curry found himself in a sit-com, I got you.) Trailer here.
Prime Video / One Fast Move (movie). Riverdale's KJ Apa stars as a troubled young man vying to succeed as a motorcycle racer, with the help of his estranged father, a former racing champ (Eric Dane, Grey's Anatomy) and his mentor (Edward James Olmos, Selena). Trailer here.
Returning - Prime Video, The Mallorca Files; Netflix, The Umbrella Academy
Friday - August 9
Apple TV+ / The Instigators (movie). Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity) and Casey Affleck (A Ghost Story) star in this crime caper directed by Doug Liman (Mr. and Mrs. Smith) about a pair of inept criminals attempting one big score. Reviews suggestthat if you're looking for an old-fashioned, shaggy, low-stakes buddy comedy, you'll be well-served. And, if nothing else, the film provides an embarrassment of riches where character actors are concerned: Hong Chau (The Menu), Ron Perlman (Hellboy), Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me by Your Name), Paul Walter Hauser (I, Tonya), Alfred Molina (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction), and Toby Jones (The Detectorists). Trailer here.
Netflix / Blue Ribbon Baking Championship, S1 (reality competition). The Great British Baking Show but make it American and draw all the contestants from state fairs. Hosted by Jason Biggs (American Pie) who presumably will not be left alone with any of the pies. Trailer here.
Apple TV+ / Yo Gabba Gabbaland, S1. Nickelodeon series Yo Gabba Gabba which ended its run in 2015 gets a brand-spanking new reboot on Apple TV+, and features musical guests Reggie Watts (Adventure Time), Anderson .Paak (Trolls World Tour), Gillian Jacobs (Community), Chelsea Peretti (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Flea (My Own Private Idaho), and Portugal. The Man. Trailer here.
Paramount+ / Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, S1 (animated). A spinoff from last year's Mutant Mayhem, this animated series features the same voice cast as the movie, including Ayo Edebiri (Bottoms) as April O'Neil. Guest stars include Pete Davidson (Set It Up), Rose Byrne (Platonic), and Timothy Olyphant (Deadwood). Trailer here.
Netflix / Inside the Mind of a Dog (documentary). Rob Lowe (The West Wing) hosts this look at what I can only imagine is a photo of whatever I'm currently eating. Oh, wait, that's what's inside the mind of MY dog. Trailer here.
Sunday - August 11
HBO/Max / Industry, S3. Notable return: this intense drama set in London's financial industry returns after a 2 year hiatus, adding Game of Thrones' Kit Harington and Barry's Sarah Goldberg to the cast. Reviews are solid. (Season 3 will air on the BBC later this year on a date TBD.) Trailer here.
Returning - Paramount+ (and CBS), SEAL Team
Monday - August 12
Returning - Hulu, Solar Opposites
And that's it for the week! (No, really.) Please enjoy this GIF of Katie Lab-decky enjoying a day off.
Moira