Surprisingly rich week of shows, including a phenomenal musical, a long-awaited comic book adaptation, and a buzzy remake of a film classic - so let’s get to it:
Wednesday - September 8
Disney+ / Doogie Kameāloha, M.D., S1. This reboot of the show that launched the career of Neil Patrick Harris wins raves for its charming leads and the well-told family-friendly stories. The Hollywood Reporter calls it 'a fine balancing act between playing to an older audience’s nostalgic appetites and simply telling a good, admirably personal stand-alone story.' Trailer here.
Netflix / On the Verge, S1. Actress, writer, and director Julie Delpy (Before Sunrise) has essentially created a French comedy set in Los Angeles. The four close friends at the heart of the show are all middle-aged, all dealing with crises of work, family, or just getting older. Happily, their travails don't include COVID as this is set in a pandemic-free reality: hot flashes, yes; ventilators no. Reviews are scant but positive, and the strong cast includes Delpy herself and Elisabeth Shue (Adventures in Babysitting).
Returning - Hulu, Wu-Tang: An American Saga; Netflix, The Circle and Into the Night
Thursday - September 9
AMC+ / Kin, S1. This Dublin-based organized crime drama - O'Sopranos? - might well be worth watching for the cast alone: Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Game of Thrones' Aidan Gillen and Ciarán Hinds, Maria Doyle Kennedy (Orphan Black), and Emmett Scanlan (Peaky Blinders). Reviews suggest the series does little to expand on familiar mob tropes but you won't mind thanks to the stellar performances elevating the material. Interestingly, while this is a production of Irish broadcaster RTÉ, this premieres first in the US and won't be available in Ireland on RTÉ until September 12. Trailer here.
Peacock / Frogger, S1 (game show). Yes, it's exactly what you think it is and no, it is not hosted by George Costanza.
Peacock / Top Chef Family Style, S1 (reality competition). The latest Top Chefspinoff features kids as the competitors but in a twist, they are paired with a family member of their choice. Hosted by Meghan Trainor which even she admits is a bit of a head-scratcher.
Friday - September 10
Apple TV+ / Come from Away (musical). On 9/11, 38 commercial planes were diverted to the tiny town of Gander, Newfoundland which welcomed the bewildered passengers with open arms - and a local drink called 'screech.' Such is the premise of this Tony-nominated musical whose original Broadway cast, including Tony nominee Jenn Colella, reunited earlier this year for this filmed version of the production. (I was fortunate enough to see this twice and highly recommend it.) Trailer here.
HBO Max / Malignant (movie). James Wan, the director of The Conjuring, is behind this original story about a woman who has visions of someone named Gabriel. Based on the trailer (here), it seems like Gabriel is fond of jump scares, hiding in dark corners, and, probably, Frogger.
Netflix / Kate (movie). Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs the World) stars as an assassin who's been poisoned and has less than 24 hours to exact her revenge in this Tokyo-set thriller that also stars Woody Harrelson (Cheers) as her handler. Which of course means he probably poisoned her. Trailer here.
Showtime / Detainee 001 (documentary). John Walker Lindh became known as the 'American Taliban' when the Marin County native was captured in Afghanistan in a mujahideen enclave during US-led incursions after 9/11. Directed by Emmy-winning documentarian Greg Barker, Detainee 001 features never-before-seen footage of Lindh's capture and ensuing interrogations. Trailer here.
IMDbTV / Pretty Hard Cases, S1. What if they took The Heat, made it into a series, and set it in Toronto? Stars Meredith MacNeill (Baroness Von Sketch Show) and Adrienne C. Moore (Orange Is the New Black's Cindy) as the mismatched police officers. Trailer here.
Prime Video / LuLaRich (docuseries). Hey, hun! The folks behind Hulu's Fyre Fraud turn their focus to the *koff* alleged *koff* multi-level marketing scam/pyramid scheme that ensnared thousands of women into buying and selling leggings with promises of riches. Trailer here. (And reminder to check out the canceled-too-soon On Becoming a God in Central Florida on Showtime whose entire premise is based on an MLM.)
Nickelodeon / The Smurfs, S1 (animated). Meet the newest Smurf, Reboot Smurf. Trailer here.
Prime Video / The Voyeurs (movie). When a young couple realizes they can see directly into their neighbors' apartment, they quickly become obsessed and I become distracted wondering how can these people afford these enormous New York apartments?! Anyway, it appears to be a little bit of Rear Window and a lot of Addicted to Love. Stars The White Lotus's Sydney Sweeney. Trailer here.
Paramount+ / Star-Crossed (music). This is a 50-minute companion film to Kacey Musgraves' new album of the same name.
Returning - Netflix, Lucifer; Disney+, SparkShorts
Sunday - September 12
HBO / Scenes from a Marriage (miniseries). Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac are reunited onscreen after their previous venture, A Most Violent Year, and star in this mostly faithful remake of Ingmar Bergman's 1973 classic as a couple whose marriage is disintegrating. Reviews are mixed, lamenting that director Hagai Levi (The Affair) made distracting creative choices throughout the adaptation while conceding that the performances of its stars are extraordinary: 'This new Scenes...can be hell to sit through across most of its five hours. Yet as a showcase for the deep talents and remarkable chemistry of its stars, it can be one hell of a thing.' Incidentally, Chastain and Isaac, longtime friends, ignited the internet over the weekend by sassing around on the red carpet of the Venice Film Festival, showing off that chemistry. Or something. Trailer here.
Showtime / American Rust, S1. Jeff Daniels (Terms of Endearment) stars as a police chief in southwest Pennsylvania whose life is upended when the son of the woman he's dating is accused of murder. This is drawing inevitable - and unflattering - comparisons to Mare of Easttown lamenting that it lacks any sense of place and is often a dreary exercise in misery porn, with too few scenes between Daniels and his co-star Maura Tierney (The Affair). Trailer here.
MTV / 2021 MTV Video Music Awards (special). Hosted by Doja Cat.
Returning - CBS, 60 Minutes; Bravo, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City
Monday - September 13
FX on Hulu / Y: The Last Man, S1. Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's Hugo Award-winning graphic novel about an apocalyptic event that kills off everyone with a Y chromosome - except for one - finally gets adapted and stars Diane Lane (Under the Tuscan Sun) as Senator Brown, Ben Schnetzer (Happy Town) as Yorick, and Olivia Thirlby (Juno) as Hero Brown. This long-awaited adaptation was over a decade in the making, and went through several showrunners. Reviews are mixed though optimistic that the grimness of early episodes will give way to the comic's relentlessly upbeat tone. Strong reviews in particular for supporting performances by Amber Tamblyn (Joan of Arcadia) and Missi Pyle (Galaxy Quest). Trailer here.
Returning - Showtime, Back to Life; Comedy Central, The Daily Show With Trevor Noah; AMC, Ultra City Smiths (not a return but the cable debut of this highly-rated stop-motion dramedy/musical that premiered on AMC+ earlier this year)
Tuesday - September 14
BET / Karen (movie). Taryn Manning (Orange Is the New Black) stars as a 'Karen' who stirs up trouble for her new neighbors.
ESPN / 30 for 30: Once Upon a Time in Queens (miniseries). The latest installment in ESPN's venerated docuseries is a two-part look at the 1986 Mets.
Returning - Netflix, Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father
In Other News...
Another week, another notable passing: Michael K. Williams, star of The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, When They See Us, and Lovecraft Country passed away this last weekend. He was 54. The New York Times compiled some of his best performances and where/how to stream them while The Hollywood Reporter has an appreciation. || Steve from Blues Clues made an appearance on Twitter yesterday and spoke to the generation of kids who grew up with him. || Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) exits Amazon's upcoming series adaptation of Mr. and Mrs. Smith but she and would-be co-star Donald Glover assure us that they're still very good friends. || Evil's Aasif Mandvi discusses casting, South Asian folklore, and shooting an entire episode nearly free of dialog. || Roku has revived NBC's Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist - sort of - in the form of a Christmas TV movie. Both seasons of the musical rom-com will be available on Roku, and the holiday movie is expected to be available in the US, UK, and Canada later this year. || HBO Max will expand to Europe on October 26, coming to Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Spain, and Andorra, with further countries to come in 2022. || Meanwhile, Hulu is increasing its price for on-demand plans by a buck, in a not-so-veiled attempt to get consumers to opt for the Disney Bundle which includes the ads-supported version of Hulu along with Disney+ and ESPN+. || Bob Odenkirk goes back to Oden-work, 6 weeks after a small heart attack on the set of Better Call Saul took him out of commission. || And finally, in honor of Star Trek Day, Rolling Stone has an extensive breakdown of how to watch every episode and movie. Live events will be streamed here starting today at 5:30pm Pacific.
Have a great rest of the week!
Moira