new, and new to you, fall tv

Fall is looking a little different this year and while things are now starting to kick back into production there will be a bit of a lag. In addition to a few new shows that are making it out we’ll start to see re-purposing shows that have already been released in one way or another, which I think is a great idea.

This isn’t the first time this has happened but it’s been kicked up a bit, CBS All Access (CBSAA) showed the first season of The Good Fight on CBS, but only the first season which was enough to get me hooked to pay for the next season(s) through Amazon. Syfy showed the first season of Harley Quinn from DC Universe, but only the first season (it’s now on HBO Max) and I’ve yet to break down to pay for any further services (though it’s very fun). We are up through season 3 of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Burden of Truth on the CW which makes an entertaining enough summer show. Oh and Schitt’s Creek, you can thank the CBC for that one too, it aired on Pop though most of you are seeing it on Netflix.

A few of these are in their wrap up phase but here are a few exchange students you might want to say hello to:

  • Coroner (CW, 8/5) – From the CBC, so far this show is a good procedural where our protagonist is struggling with her own demons and solving crimes through the bodies found, a third season has been ordered.
  • Dead Pixels (CW, 8/18) – This British show has been renewed for a second series where we’ll see what happens with three obsessive online gamers, somewhat entertaining but not my thing, finale 9/22.
  • Devils (CW, 10/7) – An international co-production from Italian and French companies, Patrick Dempsey works his way into the picture as American CEO while a head of trading tries to get to the bottom of a scandal, it’s been renewed for a second season.
  • LA’s Finest (Fox, 9/21) – From Spectrum, Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union are cop partners in an offshoot of the Bad Boys franchise, renewed for a second season, early reviews are middling.
  • Manhunt: Deadly Games (CBS, 9/21) – From Spectrum this is a scripted true-crime anthology focused on Richard Jewell and the ’96 Olympic bombing, the first season on Unabomber aired on Discovery and was solid enough though wouldn’t go too far out of my way for it.
  • One Day at a Time (CBS, 10/12) – This fun re-imagining of the original ’70s show started on Netflix and got picked up by Pop starting with season 4 which is where we’ll start on CBS, it’s a fun one and if you can go back and catch earlier shows do it.
  • Star Trek: Discovery (CBS, 9/24) – From CBSAA, the seventh in the franchise, based on history I’m not sure we’ll continue to get these on CBS but the third season is targeting later this year, generally favorable reviews.
  • Swamp Thing (CW, 10/6) – From DC Universe this was cancelled after the first season so this tale of mysterious swamp creature will be one shot (I was under the impression this got axed with a network direction change and not because it was a stinker).
  • Tell Me a Story (CW, 7/28) – From CBSAA the first of the two seasons starts with riffs on fairy tale themes but as a modern day serialized drama, I passed on this.
  • Transplant (NBC, 9/1) – More of the Canadians as this story of a Syrian refugee who is rebuilding his medical career and so far is a good procedural, and has been renewed for a second season, also playing on Hulu so you can catch up.

There are also a few new shows coming up, these are the ones that look like they’ve been scheduled:

  • Connecting (NBC, 10/1 moved to 10/8) – A video chats in the pandemic show, and based on my impressions of comparable step into separate filming Love in the Time of Corona, turns out you actually need to have a good show to make this format work, we’ll see.
  • Filthy Rich (Fox, 9/21) – Kim Cattrall is the matriarch of this mega-rich evangelical family, early notes on this say it’s not quite capturing the soapy magic it should.
  • NEXT (Fox, 10/6) – Delayed from midseason, an AI gets loose and it’s creator, played by John Slattery, helps try to protect the world from it.
  • Big Sky (ABC, 11/17) – Are two disappeared sisters not the only missing girls in this area, the latest from David E. Kelley.

Note: Schedules are even more fluid than normal so stay tuned to “New and Noteworthy TV” posts, which will also continue to feature the ever releasing cable and streaming, as well as your own local listings. 

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new and noteworthy tv: 9/14-9/27

Filthy Rich

Good gawd, we’re six months into a pandemic lockdown and I’m still not caught up on television. It’s clearly impossible. Though I did wrap up both the odd yet amusing season 2 of Ramy and the rewatch of Better Off Ted, a workplace comedy that’s still very sharp and funny today. Ok I guess I am admittedly also doing some rewatching. But there’s still more coming. I guess it is fall, and though things look a little different this year I really should look at what sort of fall tv has coming. Will check out Filthy Rich and returning shows Pen15 and Fargo.

  • The Third Day/We Are Who We Are (HBO) Series Premiere, Monday 9/14, 9/10pm – Jude Law and Naomie Harris star as visitors to a mysterious island followed by a story of two American kids living on a US military base in Italy in these limited dramas, the latter more positively reviewed than the former.
  • Departure (Pea) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/17 – Investigators look into the disappearance of a passenger plane
  • The Great Pottery Throwdown (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/17 – Reality spotlight on a competition to find Britain’s best home potter.
  • The Last Word (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/17 – A woman overcoming the sudden death of her husband becomes a
    eulogist, the person who eulogizes in this German dramedy.
  • One Lane Bridge (SundN) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/17 – This New Zealand character driven crime drama with a supernatural edge.
  • Spides (Crack) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/17 – A young woman wakes from a coma after taking a mysterious drug in this sci-fi series.
  • Ratched (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 9/18 – For those Ryan Murphy and Sarah Paulson fans this one’s for you as we see the beginning of Nurse Ratched’s work at a psychiatric facility, no early reviews.
  • LA’s Finest/Filthy Rich (Fox) Series Premiere, Monday 9/21 – I’d call this the first of fall tv with a reairing of Spectrum’s Bad Boys spinoff with Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union and then Kim Cattrall as matriarch of an evangelical family whose secrets and bastard siblings come out, sudsy fun perhaps, no early reviews.
  • The Murders at the White House Farm (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/24 – Dramatized true crime story of three generations of a family murdered on their farm, limited but not enthusiastic early reviews.
  • Sneakerheads (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 9/25 – A family man falls back into his sneaker obsession in this comedy.
  • Tehran (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 9/25 – A new espionage thriller about a Mossad agent who goes deep undercover.
  • Utopia (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 9/5 – A conspiracy thriller following young fans of a comic who find that the threats of the demise of humanity is real.
  • The Comey Rule (Show) Miniseries Premiere, Sunday 9/27, 9pm – Jeff Daniels stars as former FBI director Comey, mixed early reviews.

Returning streaming: Taco Chronicles (Net, 9/15), Criminal: UK (Net, 9/16), Meateater (Net, 9/16), Signs (Net, 9/16), Becoming (Dis+, 9/18), Pen15 (Hulu, 9/18), Bang (Acorn, 9/21), The Yorkshire Vet (Acorn, 9/21), Chico Bon Bon (Net, 9/22), Jack Whitehall: Travels with my Father (Net, 9/22), The Chef Show (Net, 9/24).

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 8/31-9/13

Woke

So looks like more sports are picking back up again Tour de France is happening, US Open Tennis kicks off on Monday, and NFL Thursday 9/10. I wrapped up End of the F***ing World and Undone both of which were good but odd. Still plugging away on the backlog. Not sure how there’s so much new stuff, but nothing piquing my interest, other than season 2 of The Boys, having recently wrapped season 1.

  • Gosta (HBOM) Series Premiere, Monday 8/31 – This Swedish drama follows a child psychologist who moves to a small town and is apparently trying to do good in a dysfunctional world.
  • Bookmarks (Net) Series Premiere, Tuesday 9/1 – Reality spotlight on the Marley Dias hosted showcase of celebrity authors reading children’s books by black authors.
  • Metro Sexual (Crack) Series Premiere, Tuesday 9/1 – Australian sitcom takes a peek behind the doctor’s curtain at a small local sex clinic.
  • Transplant (NBC) Series Premiere, Tuesday 9/1, 10pm – Another Canadian arrival to network tv, this drama follows a Syrian doctor trying to reestablish his career after fleeing his country.
  • Assisted Living (BET) Series Premiere, Wednesday 9/2, 10/10:30pm – Tyler Perry’s latest is a comedy centered on a family trying to run a home for the elderly.
  • Raised by Wolves (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/3 – Two androids raising children on an alien planet from EP Ridley Scott, early reviews are mixed.
  • The Sounds (Ac) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/3 – A Canadian couple move to New Zealand to run a salmon fisher and when the husband disappears secrets are revealed in this drama.
  • We Got This (SundN) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/3 – An American in Sweden tries to solve 30 year old murder of a former prime minister, dark comedy based on true speculation.
  • Young Wallander (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/3 – A re-imagining of BBC’s Wallander as a cop in his early 20s in Sweden.
  • Away (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 9/4 – Hilary Swank commands a mission to Mars, early reviews are mixed.
  • Noughts + Crosses (Pea) Series Premiere, Friday 9/4 – Adapted from the YA series following the story of two star-crossed kids whose color divides them.
  • Power Book II: Ghost (Starz) Series Premiere, Sunday 9/6, 8pm – A Power spinoff picks up after the finale and follows Tariq trying to navigate his new life, I assume if you watched Power you know what that means.
  • Record of Youth (Net) Series Premiere, Monday 9/7 – South Korean drama about two actors and a makeup artist making their way in the world.
  • Get Organized with the Home Edit (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 9/9 – Another reality spotlight because I just love some organizing, this one brought by Reese Witherspoon and Molly Sims with Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin of The Home Edit.
  • Woke (Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 9/9 – Inspired by the work and art of Keith Knight, a comedic look at a cartoonist who suddenly starts seeing things a little differently.
  • The Idhun Chronicles (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/10 – An animated comedy about a magical world where two young earthlings fight assassins.
  • Julie and the Phantoms (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 9/10 – A teen girl helps a trio of ghosts with their band in this comedy.
  • The Duchess (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 9/11 – A single mom juggling life and considering another kid.
  • Malory Towers (BYUTV) Series Premiere, Sunday 9/13 – Based on British novels set in an all-girls boarding school in England after WWII.
  • Van Der Valk (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 9/13, 9pm – Three part drama based on Feeling’s crime thrillers, cop faces cases in Amsterdam.

Returning streaming: The Yorkshire Vet (Ac, 8/31), A.P. Bio (Pea, 9/3), The Boys (Am, 9/4), Spirit Riding Free (Net, 9/4), Starbeam (Net, 9/8), LA’s Finest (Spec, 9/9), The Gift (Net, 9/10), Family Business (Net, 9/11).

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 8/17-8/30

Dead Pixels

This week’s completed seasons included Dear White People, which I overall still really dig but maybe not as much as last season, Big Mouth, which is one of those shows I’m not sure why I find funny but I do, and The Boys which I can’t wait for this next season to see what these guys will be into. Still lots of backlog, I guess at some point I need to narrow down again but I can worry about that when tv production properly resumes.

  • Democratic Convention (Various) – From Monday, August 17 to Thursday, August 20, 9-11pm Eastern, NBC/CBS/ABC seem to be showing it at 10pm PST or you do live with CNN or stream it from the site at demconvention.com/watch.
  • Dead Pixels (CW) Series Premiere, Tuesday 8/18, 8pm – A British sitcom about a three of online fantasy gamers.
  • RuPaul’s Drag Race: Vegas Revue (VH1) Series Premiere, Friday 8/21, 8pm – Reality spotlight on this spin-off from Drag Race where we follow legendary drag queens.
  • Love in the Time of Corona (Free) Series Premiere, Saturday 8/22, pm – So someone had to crank out the first full Corona series shot in their own homes, this limited series shows three married couples and a pair of roommates.
  • Pure (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 8/27 – A woman tries to combat her obsessive x-rated thoughts and flees home to London where she finds connections.

More streaming:

  • Biohackers (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 8/20 – A woman gets tangled up trying to find out info about a past family tragedy in this German sci-fi thriller.
  • Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 8/26 – Riches-to-rags pianist is guided by stars to a small town in this Korean romantic dramedy.
  • Her Mother’s Killer (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 8/26 – A political strategist plots to ruin the Colombian presidential candidate who killed her mom 30 years ago in this political drama.
  • Masaba Masaba (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 8/28 – Real life mother and daughter play fictions versions of themselves in this Hindi fashion drama.

Returning Streaming: Lucifer (Net, 8/21), Find Me in Paris (Hulu, 8/21), Rust Valley Restorers (Net, 8/21), Aggretsuko (Net, 8/27).

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 8/3-8/16

Ted Lasso

This week I wrapped up the second season of Kominsky Method which has some very good old guy humor from Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin. I also wrapped my New Adventures of Old Christine rewatch which is still a hoot of a good show, if you like a show about people who are a mess, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and this cast nails it. Last week I also tried Tell Me a Story that wasn’t showing up as new because it’s apparently a reairing on CW from CBS All Access, while the slow season means I’ll give this show another shot I like the idea of reselling some of these series from off networks and things like Canadian reairing, Coroner below. No advanced word on any of the new entries.

  • Invisible Stories (HBOM) Series Premiere, Monday 8/3 – A six -episode half hour anthology drama about migrant workers in Asia.
  • Coroner (CW) Series Premiere, Wednesday 8/5 – Recently widowed newly appointed coroner investigates suspicious deaths in this Canadian drama.
  • Hitmen (Pea) Series Premiere, Thursday 8/6 – A comedy about two best buddy hitmen and the hijinks they get into.
  • Upright (SundN) Series Premiere, Thursday 8/6 – An eight-part Australian comedy drama that follows a shabby musician driving across the country.
  • We Hunt Together (Show) Series Premiere, Sunday 8/9 – Two conflicted detectives track down a pair of killers in this six-episode drama.
  • The Other One (Acorn) Series Premiere, Monday 8/10 – A comedy following two half sisters both named Catherine Walcott who find each other after their father dies.
  • Five Bedrooms (Pea) Series Premiere, Thursday 8/13 – Five people who meet at the singles table at a wedding end up buying a house together, for some reason.
  • The Great Heist (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 8/14 – Based on the ’94 robbery of $33 million from Colombia’s central bank.
  • Ted Lasso (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 8/14 – A comedy series where Jason Sudeikis plays a Kansas football coach hired to coach an English pro soccer team.
  • Teenage Bounty Hunters (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 8/14 – Twin sisters in an elite high school get to bounty hunting.
  • Lovecraft Country (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 8/16 – Based on a book, a trek across ’50s segregated America to find a missing father.

Returning streaming: The Seven Deadly Sins (Net, 8/6), High Seas (Net, 8/7), Nailed it! Mexico (Net, 8/7), The New Legends of Monkey (Net, 8/7), Selling Sunset (Net, 8/7), Infinity Train (HBOM, 8/13), Glow Up (Net, 8/14), Weird But True (Dis+, 8/14), Rita (Net, 8/15).

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv 7/20-8/2

In My Skin

Wrapped up this season of Dead to Me and Never Have I Ever, both compelling in their own ways as well as the choose your own adventure version of Kimmy Schmidt, which was fun enough if you’ve gone on the Kimmy journey.

I also somewhat successfully started watching The Peacock, mainly because I recently binged all of Psych and darned if I was going to miss the second movie (which was much as expected if not a little light on psychic powers). And while I wasn’t able to get it to work in browser on my iPad (which supposedly meets the requirements, it does seem to work on laptop browser) I was able to watch on the free app though unable to Chromecast to my TV which appeared available just wouldn’t connect. And while I’m not really going out of my way to go back soon, if it were easy enough to use and they had something I wanted, why not? Though not yet interested in any of the original content and not quite sure on the content level of paid vs free.

This week along with some imports I’m excited for the return of Wynonna Earp on Syfy and didn’t love but enjoyed elements of the first Umbrella Academy so will likely check in on season 2.

  • Signs (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 7/22 – A Polish murder mystery, where a new murder shows similarities to a cold case.
  • Maxxx (Hulu) Series Premiere, Tuesday 7/28 – A former famous boy band star tries to make a comeback in this UK comedy.
  • Ladhood (Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 7/29 – A UK coming-of-age comedy looking at masculinity and memories of misspent adolescence.
  • Frayed (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 7/30 – A wealthy London housewife returns to Australian roots and events that led her to flee in this drama.
  • In My Skin (Hulu) Series Premiere, Thursday 7/30 – Another coming-of-age UK comedy this one about a teen girl’s very different home and school life.
  • Brassic (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 7/31 – A UK comedy following two friends, one with bipolar disorder.
  • Get Even (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 7/31 – Four teen girls band together to get revenge in this UK private school comedy.
  • Locked Up (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 7/31 – This Spanish thriller follows a naive young woman sentenced to prison after being manipulated by her boyfriend.
  • The Code (Ova) Series Premiere, Saturday 8/1, 7pm – A drama about two brothers in Australia who come across a video of a car accident whose contents are ‘shocking’.

Returning streaming: How to Sell Drugs Online (Net, 7/21), Norsemen (Net, 7/22), Rebecka Martinsson (Acorn, 7/27), Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons (Net), The Umbrella Academy (Net, 7/31).

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 7/6-7/19

Intelligence

I actually knocked a few things off I’d been streaming Grace & Frankie (cute), Queer Eye (fun enough), Orange is the New Black (very uneven but some great elements in early and final seasons), Bosch (will miss his detective capers), and Upload (fun sci-fi romance romp) as well as a Hot in Cleveland rewatch (fun and fluffy). Still plugging away at others and thinking of diving back into a few dvr saves like the final season of Mr Robot.

In this round’s new launches Peacock comes out on Wednesday July 15 – and is apparently free, but not sure that applied so everybody. A quick google got me to Peacock TV which seems to indicate you need an X1 (xfinity device?) or a Flex (internet with an option like a roku?) with a basic level of service. Whether this will also be available online or with other smart devices is unclear but would seem like a bad move if not. There’s also a paid version that gets you ‘more’ but what that means is also unclear. I have to say if I bothered to look into this and I’m not sure about it it’s really not a good sign, but likely more clarity as the launch date approaches/passes.

  • Stateless (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 7/8 – The paths of four diverse strangers intersect at an immigration detention center in the Australian outback with Cate Blanchett, Dominic West, Jai Courtney, and Yvonne Strahovski with some good early buzz.
  • Was It Love (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 7/8 – A single mother has four men come into her life in this South Korean drama.
  • Close Enough (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 7/9 – An adult animated comedy about a married couple live in a shared space with their kid and their two divorced friends.
  • Japan Sinks (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 7/9 – An ordinary family faces massive earthquakes in this Japanese animated comedy.
  • Breathe: Into the Shadows (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 7/10 – An Indian psychological thriller where a man and his wife delve into the case of their kidnapped daughter.
  • Little Voice (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 7/10 – A comedy about an aspiring singer trying to fulfill her dreams with music by Sara Bareilles.
  • The Twelve (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 7/10 – This drama from Belgium about twelve jurors deciding the case of a woman accused of killing her best friend and her own daughter.
  • P-Valley (Starz) Series Premiere, Sunday 7/12 – A dramatic look at the lives of strip club dancers.
  • The Nest (Acorn) Series Premiere, Monday 7/13 – A couple trying to have a baby meet a troubled 18-year-old surrogate.
  • Brave New World (Pea) Series Premiere, Wednesday 7/15 – Based on the novel a Utopian society is threatened after a couple meets a man while on vacation in the Savage Lands.
  • The Capture (Pea) Series Premiere, Wednesday 7/15 – A conspiracy thriller looking at truth of digital evidence in a crime.
  • Dark Desire (Pea) Series Premiere, Wednesday 7/15 – A married woman’s weekend away sparks some passion, tragedy, and questions in this Spanish drama.
  • Cleopatra in Space (Pea) Series Premiere, Wednesday 7/15 – An animated comedy based on a graphic novel where she is transported into the future and trains to take on bad guys and get back to her time.
  • Intelligence (Pea) Series Premiere, Wednesday 7/15 – An American NSA agent, David Schwimmer, joins a UK Government Communications Headquarters in this comedy.
  • Psych2: Lassie Come Home (Pea) Special presentation, I not that long ago did a Psych binge including the first movie only to find that this one wasn’t out yet, and would like to cross it off.
  • United We Fall (ABC) Series Premiere, Wednesday 7/15 – A new family comedy, with extended family.
  • The Secrets She Keeps (SundN) Series Premiere, Thursday 7/16 – Set in Sydney two pregnant women’s lives and secrets collide in this drama based on a novel.
  • Cursed (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 7/17 – Another re-imagining of the Arthur/Merlin dramatic tale.

Returning streaming: The Protector (Net, 7/9), Hello Ninja (Net, 7/10), Absentia (Am, 7/17).

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 6/22-7/5

Warrior Nun

I’m still finding it kind of a relief that TV is slowing down for the end of seasons and Covid. I mean don’t get me wrong I’d trade no virus for an overflowing backlog but it’s giving me some time to do some catch up. This week I got back up to date with One Day at a Time after it’s move the POP, and it’s still a sweet fun show to ride an exercise bike to. A few more things in the queue as well as a few real time things like Bold Type and Agents of SHIELD, though I am a little disappointed the fun Search Party moved from TBS to HBO Max which I’m not throwing down for.

  • Amar Y Vivir (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 6/26 – Country boy gets mixed up with organized crime searching for his sister in Bogota.
  • Blinded (SundN) Series Premiere, Thursday 7/2 – Financial thriller follows a young financial journalist and the secrets that she finds investigating her lover’s bank.
  • Warrior Nun (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 7/2 – A young woman wakes up in a morgue with inexplicable powers and in the battle between good and evil.
  • The Baby-Sitters Club (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 7/3 – An update on the book series of five friends baby-sitting business.
  • Ju-On (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 7/3 – A horror story based on real events occurring over four decades.

Returning streaming: Doom Patrol (HBOM, 6/25), Esme & Roy (HBOM, 6/25), Search Party (HBOM, 6/25), The Twilight Zone (CBSAA, 6/25), Pete the Cat (Am, 6/26), The Summerdahl Murders (Aco, 6/29), Chico Bon Bon (Net, 7/1), Hanna (Am, 7/3).

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 6/8-6/21

The Woods

I wrapped Ozark which threw down with another dark season, visually and content wise, if this is your kind of show definitely check it out. Things are starting to peter out but one of my fave escapist shows The Bold Type and a very special animated episode of One Day at a Time are on the radar. And this week if you’re looking for a special on the topics of today Monday The Time is Now: Race and Resolution on History/Lifetime/A&E, and Tuesday-Wed on various channels including Own: Own Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here?

  • The Woods (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 6/12 – Based on a Harlan Coben novel, a prosecutor’s hopes rise when a body is found and linked to sister’s disappearance.
  • Partners in Crime (Ova) Series Premiere, Saturday 6/13 – Based on Agatha Christie’s work and following a crime fighting couple, probably par for this kind of course.
  • Beecham House (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 6/14 – Not great early buzz for former soldier trying to start a new life but carrying a secret.
  • Love,Victor (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 6/19 – Inspired by the film Love, Simon this one follows our protagonist while adjusting to a new high school.
  • Perry Mason (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 6/21 – Matthew Rhys picks up as criminal defense lawyer, with the case of the decade, no early word but I’d give it a shot.

Additional streaming:

  • Curon (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 6/10 – Teen twins discover secrets when their mother mysteriously disappears in this Italian fantasy series.
  • Reality Z (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 6/10 – A zombie apocalypse imprison contestants on a reality show studio in this Brazilian Horror series.
  • Whispers (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 6/11 – A Saudi thriller about a family facing the death of the patriarch as secrets come out.

Returning streaming: Dating Around (Net, 6/12), F is for Family (Net, 6/12), Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (Net, 6/12), Pokeman the Series (Net, 6/12), Marcella (Net, 6/14), Hidden (Acorn, 6/15), Mr. Iglesias (Net, 6/17), The Bureau (SundN, 6/18), The Order (Net, 6/18), Summer Camp Island (HBOM, 6/18), Babies (Net, 6/19), Coisa Mais Linda (Net, 6/19), The Politician (Net, 6/19).

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 5/25-6/7

Space Force

I knocked off Veep through a free window into some HBO shows, and while it was mostly a hoot I wish the finale could have been both dramatically satisfying and a little less depressing. I also knocked off two adaptations Little Fires Everywhere which I thought lacked the nuance of the book and Normal People which minus a few tweaks in tone mostly mirrored the book which I never quite loved. And the latest season of Sex Education which I’m still enjoying. Queer Eye returns this week as well as a special Family Feud celebrity old vs new cast (ABC, 5/31). I’m also looking forward to Agents of SHIELD which returns for its final season, though it’s been uneven I’ve enjoyed the journey and will give another run at Ramy.

In other tv news, HBO Max is now a thing, kicking off on May 27, but what’s the difference between HBO GO (included with HBO), HBO NOW (standalone streaming and apparently comes with access to HBO Max at launch at no additional charge) and HBO Max? Well Max seems to give you all of HBO plus more including some original series and stuff from WarnerMedia and maybe more? How that ends up shaking out in the long run time will tell I suppose. But until then you’re note a few new originals, most of which seem to yet have any advanced critical review as of yet.

  • Barkskins (NGC) Series Premiere, Monday 5/25, 9pm – No advanced word on this drama series based on the Annie Proulx novel, a look at the mysterious massacre of settlers in the 1690s New France in Quebec.
  • Ghosts (HBOM) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/27 – A comedic take on a group of former inhabitants haunting a country mansion.
  • Home (HBOM) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/27 – A comedy that follows a family and the refugee who escapes in their car.
  • Love Life (HBOM) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/27 – Anna Kendrick stars in at least part of this comedic anthology series looks at the journey from first to last love, so far not a lot of positivity.
  • Stath Lets Flats (HBOM) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/27 – A comedy where a rubbish lettings agent aims to take over the family business.
  • Trigonometry (HBOM) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/27 – Three people in a complicated relationship.
  • Central Park (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 5/29 – Animated release from one of the Bob’s Burgers peeps, and with cast including Daveed Diggs, Josh Gad, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, and Stanley Tucci about a family that cares for and lives in the park and their foe a hotel heiress, getting some early good buzz.
  • Space Force (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 5/29 – Following the latest launch 5/27 hopefully that puts you in the mood to watch Steve Carell as a serious military man who swaps his dreams of running the Air Force for running the Space Force, good pedigree but time will tell.
  • Quiz (AMC) Series Premiere, Sunday 5/31, 9pm – Early good word on this three-part drama series about the people who tried to cheat their way through the British version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
  • Maxxx (Hulu) Series Premiere, Tuesday 6/2 – A comedy about a former boy band star trying to make a comeback, might have some laughs.
  • In My Skin (Hulu) Series Premiere, Thursday 6/4 – Welsh coming-of-age dark comedy about a teen girl who hides her troubled home life, might be worth a look.
  • McCallum (Ova) Series Premiere, Friday 6/5 – Motorcycling forensic pathologist, not sure if this is worth finding Ovation or not.
  • Trackers (Cin) Series Premiere, Friday 6/5 – Six episode crime drama set in South Africa finds a low-level analyst uncovering a conspiracy.
  • I May Destroy You (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 6/7, 10:30pm – After an up-and-coming writer is assaulted at a nightclub she reconsiders parts of her life.

More streaming

  • Can You Hear Me? (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 6/4 – Canadian drama about three friends grappling with life.
  • El Presidente (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 6/5 – A Mexican true crime series inspired by the 2015 Fifa corruption scandal.

Returning streaming: Ramy (Hulu, 5/29), Somebody Feed Pil (Net, 5/29), Baki (Net, 6/4), Queer Eye (Net, 6/5)

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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