Another light week so this week's missive is leaning more heavily into docs and returning seasons of notable series with very few must-watches sprinkled in, so let's buckle up and get to it already:
Wednesday - July 26
Max / After the Bite (documentary). When a local man was killed by a shark off the coast of Cape Cod in 2018, the community was forced to confront the new reality - due to warming waters, conservation efforts, or both, seals have moved north and their predators have followed the buffet, bringing sharks to what had previously been considered waters that humans could safely fish, sail, and swim in. Reviews are generally positive, praising filmmaker Ivy Meeropol's skill in placing the death of one man in the context of the larger picture: not just about sharks nor seals, nor the fisherman or swimmers, but an entire ecosystem thrown out of balance. Trailer here.
As a result of the Discovery/HBO/Max merger, we are now treated to a content slurry that includes both the preceding (and well-reviewed) documentary as well as something called Florida Shark: Blood in the Water, Cocaine Sharks (which I assume is a prequel to Florida Shark), and Air Jaws: Final Frontier which suggests there are now sharks in space. (*Quietly adds Air Jaws to queue.*)
Returning - Hulu, The Hardy Boys
Thursday - July 27
Peacock / Twisted Metal, S1. The Sony PlayStation demolition derby game, first released in 1995, is the latest to be adapted into a streaming series. Anthony Mackie (The Avengers) stars in this half-hour action comedy as a fast-talking and faster-driving amnesiac promised a better life if he can deliver a package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland without getting killed by marauders. Alas, reviews are not great ('a borderline unwatchable car wreck' and 'feels like a 10-episode cutscene before we get to the gameplay'). Along for the ride are Stephanie Beatriz (Encanto), Will Arnett (Arrested Development), Thomas Haden Church (Wings), and guest star Neve Campbell (Party of Five). All 10 episodes are available today. Trailer here.
Netflix / The Witcher, S3, Part 2. Speaking of video game adaptations, this book series-turned-video game-turned Netflix series drops its last 3 episodes of the third season but the real news is that this is star Henry Cavill's final turn in the lead role (he's taking a break to spend more time with his chin). Trailer here.
Netflix / Happiness for Beginners (movie). The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s Ellie Kemper stars as a women trying to get her life together by signing up for a survival class on the Appalachian Trail, in this rom-com based on the novel by Katherine Center. Also stars Luke Grimes (Yellowstone). Trailer here.
Paramount+ / Zoey 102 (movie). Zoey 101 star Jamie Lynn Spears heads up this full-length movie sequel to West Wing. Or Zoey 101. One of those two.
Returning - Max, Harley Quinn; AMC+, Dark Winds
Friday - July 28
Apple TV+ / The Beanie Bubble (movie). Based on the true story of the rise of the plush doll craze of the ‘90’s - and released in select theaters last Friday, this dramedy stars Zach Galifianakis (Between Two Ferns) as Ty Warner, the college dropout who became a a billionaire in less than 3 years as Beanie Babies exploded in popularity. However, instead of focusing on Ty's point of view, the movie is told from the perspectives of the three women in Ty's life and instrumental in his success: Elizabeth Banks (Zack and Miri Make a Porno) as his business partner, Geraldine Viswanathan (Hala) as the young hire who helps develops the company's then-innovative internet strategies, and Sarah Snook (Succession) as his single-mom girlfriend. Despite an often confusing time-shifting structure, the film has garnered largely positive reviews especially for its lead ('one of his best performances to date') and for the scene-stealing Viswanathan. Trailer here.
Max / How To With John Wilson, S3. The trailer alone for the third and final season of this absolute gem of a series is perfectly elegiac, and while the decision to end the series after this season hurts, Wilson himself is circumspect: 'There are only three seasons of Jackass.' Thanks, John.
Prime Video / Good Omens, S2. The second season of the adaptation of the beloved Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman novel ventures beyond the events of the book much to critics' relief: 'our second outing with our angel and demon is still another triumph.' Stars Michael Sheen (Far from the Madding Crowd) and David Tennant (Broadchurch), along with Jon Hamm (Bridesmaids). Trailer here.
Netflix / Hidden Strike (movie). Jackie Chan (Police Story) and John Cena (Trainwreck) star in this action adventure about two ex-special forces vets who are recruited to escort a group of civilians along Baghdad's 'highway of death' to the safety of the green zone. That is literally all I could learn about this but then, what else, really, could you possibly need to know? Exactly. Trailer here.
Netflix / Captain Fall, S1 (animated). Jason Ritter (Gravity Falls) returns to animation in this adult comedy about a sea captain who finds himself on a smuggling run. Also features voice work but Christopher Meloni (Oz), Adam Devine (PItch Perfect), and Lesley-Ann Brandt (Lucifer).
Returning - Starz, Heels; Hulu, This Fool
Sunday - July 30
Returning - Hallmark, When Calls the Heart
Monday - July 31
Peacock / WWE American Nightmare: Become Cody Rhodes (documentary). This feature-length doc traces wrestler Cody Rhodes, son of WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Dusty Rhodes, on his path to make a name for himself. If Dusty was known as 'The American Dream,' Cody would become 'The American Nightmare' and would fight to do the one thing his father couldn't do: win the WWE championship. Trailer here.
Returning - Hulu, Breeders
Tuesday - August 1
Paramount+ / MIXTAPE (documentary). In celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip hop, this doc explores the outsized impact mixtapes had on the explosion of the new genre - and how they helped take the sound from underground to mainstream. Features interviews with notables like Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, 2 Chainz, Big Boi, DJ Drama, Kid Capri, KRS-One, and more. Trailer here.
And that's it for the week! Related, I couldn't find a gif of someone scraping a barrel so this will have to do:
Moira