10 for summer TV
Netflix sinks bucks into ‘Stranger Things.’
Back when the TV season took place between autumn and spring, the summer months were awash in reruns. Streaming upended all of that for good, and here we are with new shows and new seasons premiering year-round. With that in mind, here’s a look at what’s to come.
Note: Many upcoming titles have yet to announce their premiere dates, so this list (presented in chronological order) is drawn from the limited number of shows on the schedule so far.
“Stranger Things” (May 27
on Netflix): The series is back for Season 4, which is being parceled out in two installments (with the second half coming July 1). Fun fact: Netflix reportedly spent $30 million per episode. If you’re wondering if that’s a lot of money, it’s a lot of money. Robert Englund (best known as “A Nightmare on Elm Street’s” Freddy Krueger) joins the cast this time out as Victor Creel, “a disturbed and intimidating man is who imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital for a gruesome murder in the 1950s.”
“The Real Housewives of Dubai” ( June 1 on Bravo) :As someone who has watched various incarnations of this franchise, only to finally break the habit once and for all this year, I can’t exactly recommend the newest spinoff. But I am curious if it will feature the kind of public drunken shenanigans that are commonplace on “Real Housewives” shows, because those antics might be frowned upon in this particular locale. According to the Associated Press: By law, non-muslim residents are supposed to carry a permit issued by the Dubai police that allows them to “purchase, transport and consume beer, wine and liquor. Otherwise, they can face fines and arrest — even though the sheikdom’s vast network of bars, nightclubs and lounges never ask to see the permit.”
“All Rise” ( June 7 on OWN):
Canceled by CBS last year, the legal drama returns for a third season with a new home on the basic cable channel OWN. Starring the wonderfully elegant Simone Missick as an idealistic judge in Los Angeles.
“Ms. Marvel”( June 8 on Disney+): What’s summer without a superhero? In Marvel’s latest, New Jersey high schooler Kamala Khan (played by Pakistani Canadian newcomer Iman Vellani) is a superhero superfan with a rich fantasy life that becomes a reality.
“For All Mankind” ( June
10 on Apple TV+): Ronald D. Moore’s alternate reality space race drama returns for a third season. The show’s premise began with a “what if ?” — what if the Russians landed on the moon first? — and has jumped ahead in time ever since, with global political dynamics becoming increasingly complicated. This season, everyone’s focused on Mars.
“Evil” ( June 12 on Paramount+): Created by Michelle and Robert King (the same duo behind “The Good Fight,” which also returns with new episodes this summer), “Evil” is one of those strange curiosities — the first season aired on CBS, but then it became a streaming exclusive on Paramount+. If you’re into
thoughtful-freaky horror with a deeply religious tinge, “Evil” does the trick. The Catholic nun played by Andrea Martin has been upped to a regular cast member this season.
“Rutherford Falls” ( June 16 on Peacock): Had this sitcom premiered on NBC rather than its streaming service Peacock, chances are it might have been the big breakout hit of the season. It’s charming and legitimately funny and one of the only comedies on TV co-created and written by Indigenous writers. It centers on two lifelong friends (Ed Helms and Jana Schmieding) who see their bond tested when tensions arise between the white descendants of the settlers of Rutherford Falls and the local Indigenous tribe that’s pushing back on this whitewashed version of history.
“The Old Man” (June 16 on FX): A thriller based on the Thomas Perry novel of the same name, Jeff Bridges stars as a former CIA operative whose quiet life under the radar goes kablooey when an assassin tries to take him out. John Lithgow and Alia Shawkat also star.
“Loot” ( June 24 on Apple TV+): A new workplace comedy starring Maya Rudolph and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, the latter of whom is coming off her Emmy nominated role in “Pose”? Yes, please. Rudolph plays a billionaire whose pampered world spirals out of control when her marriage of 20 years goes kaput. Turns out she has a charity foundation she never paid attention to, run by a no-nonsense woman played by Rodriguez.
“Only Murders in the Building” ( June 28 on Hulu): A whodunit peppered with comedic zing and plenty of real estate envy, the amateur sleuthing trio — played by Selena Gomez, Martin Short and the show’s co-creator Steve Martin — are back for a second season.