BEFORE THE FALL
New and returning shows mark August lineup
SUMMER may be drawing to a close, but prime-time is still open for business.
The rest of August will feature a mix of new and returning shows on all platforms (broadcast, cable, streaming). There are too many entries to digest in one sitting, but here are some of the more notable series premieres and returnees.
“White Gold” (Friday on Netflix): This six-episode Britcom , an ’80s-era look at a group of window salesmen, stars Joe Thomas, James Buckley and, yes, ex-“Gossip Girl” headliner Ed Westwick. It’s been renewed for a second season in the UK, which bodes well for a second go-round on Netflix.
“Bachelor in Paradise” (Monday on ABC): The scandal-scarred new season finally drops, two months after production was suspended and an internal investigation launched amidst sexual misconduct allegations involving contestants Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson (and that now-infamous pool scene). Neither returned for the rest of the season, but they’ll both be back (separately) for the show’s reunion special.
“Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” (Tuesday on A&E): Remini returns for Season 2 of her searing, Emmynominated docuseries profiling ex-Scientologists like herself. It’s an offshoot of her 2015 book “Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology.”
“Marlon” (Wednesday on NBC): Marlon Wayans headlines this semiautobiographical sitcom as a dad co-parenting his two kids with his ex-wife. it’s the last of NBC’s 2016-17 season premieres. And there’s probably a reason for that.
“Marvel’s The Defenders” (Friday, Aug. 18, Netflix): In this highly anticipated series, Marvel heroes Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Iron Fist (Finn Jones) join forces to battle the evil forces behind a sinister conspiracy threatening New York City. The nerve! Guest stars include Sigourney Weaver, Rosario Dawson and Jon Bernthal.
“Dice” (Sunday, Aug. 20, Showtime): The Season 2 premiere of comic Andrew “Dice” Clay’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”- style scripted mockuseries, set in Las Vegas and costarring Natasha Leggero and Kevin Corrigan. Ron Livingston (“Office Space”) will recur this season as a mercurial entertainment lawyer.
“The Tick” (Friday, Aug. 25, Amazon): Amazon gets into the superhero game with this series, based on the cult comic of the same name and starring Peter Serafinowicz (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) as the blue-suited hero. Note: back in 2001, Fox aired a short-lived version of “The Tick,” starring Patrick Warburton (Puddy from “Seinfeld”).