Story of a life disrupted on HBO’s ‘I May Destroy You’
It’s a busy Friday night across streaming and subscription channels with season premieres, and a few debuts. HBO offers a compelling drama and contestants on a new summer game show win by not doing things.
Contenders: Shows to keep on your radar
• Showtime and RuPaul join forces for a special edition of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” (June 5, 8 p.m. ET). Previous contestants are given a second chance to win the crown, a place in the “Drag Race Hall of Fame” and $100,000.
• The fourth and final season of “13 Reasons Why” drops on Netflix on June 5. Notable for the controversy it generated in its first season over its graphic depiction of a suicide, the teen-focused series ends its run with the cast’s graduation from high school. Featured character Clay (Dylan Minnette) also has to deal with a therapist played by new addition Gary Sinise.
• Apple TV+ pays homage to celebrities and their powerful influence in “Dear…” (June 5). The 10-episode series features high profile figures including Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, Spike
Lee, Aly Raisman, Misty Copeland and others, reading letters written by people whose lives were changed by their work.
• The Fab Five hit the city of brotherly love in a new season of “Queer Eye” (Netflix, June 5). In Philadelphia for its fifth installment of inspiring makeovers, the feel-good show will have 10 episodes instead of its usual eight.
• Documentary “We
Are Freestyle Love Supreme” (Hulu, June 5) highlights 15 years of the hip-hop improvisational group. Founded by “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail and Anthony Veneziale, the group’s journey takes them from beatboxing and rapping on city sidewalks to a series of shows in New York City to a run on Broadway.
• Michaela Coel, the breakout star of British comedy “Chewing Gum” (which became a U.S. hit after debuting on Netflix in 2016), returns with “I May Destroy You” (HBO, June 7). Coel, who serves as writer, executive producer and co-director, plays Arabella, a young author and London party girl who deals with the aftermath of a sexual assault. It’s an insightful exploration of a life disrupted.
• Summer means game shows and ABC’s latest entry is “Don’t” (June 11, 9 p.m. ET). Hosted by Adam Scott and voiced by Ryan Reynolds, the show features contestants who must test their self-control with a series of “don’t” tasks in order to win a cash prize.
Report Card: Ratings winners and losers
• Winners: Disney+ renewed “Diary of a Future President.”
• Losers: CBS’s “Broke,” “Man With a Plan,” “Tommy” and “Carol’s Second Act” will not return.
Melissa Crawley is the author of “Mr. Sorkin Goes to Washington: Shaping the President on Television’s ‘The West Wing.’” She has a Ph.D. in media studies and is a member of the Television Critics Association. To comment on Stay Tuned, email her at staytuned@outlook.com or follow her on Twitter at @mcstaytuned.