The Week’s guide to what’s worth watching
Hannah Gadsby: Something Special
In 2018, Hannah Gadsby’s award-winning first Netflix stand-up special, Nanette, deconstructed the genre. The Australian comedian’s latest doesn’t have the same gravitas. But it doesn’t need it. Gadsby still injects precision blasts of disarming honesty into every bit, even when riffing on such happy topics as getting married and the customs of queer domesticity. Available Tuesday, May 9, Netflix
Class of ’09
Let the era of paranoia-inducing AI suspense thrillers commence. Brian Tyree Henry and
Kate Mara are formidable co-leads in this new limited series about the graduates of a unique FBI program. We see the classmates in three different time periods, and as their careers diverge and artificial intelligence radically reshapes the criminal justice system, ethical quandaries test their values and put old friends at odds. Debuts Wednesday, May 10, Hulu
City on Fire
This Manhattan murder mystery series arrives with an It girl as its lead, a best-selling novel as its inspiration, and the creators of the original Gossip Girl series as its guiding lights. Chase Sui Wonders plays an NYU student who’s shot dead in Central Park on the Fourth of July. Somehow, her death is tied to a series of fires plaguing the city and to an old-money real estate family. Flashbacks to her final days help reveal the truth. With Jemima Kirke and Wyatt Oleff. Debuts Friday, May 12, Apple TV+
The Great
Who knew that 18th-century Russia could be so funny? Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult return for Season 3 of this standout series about Catherine the Great and Peter III, the husband she would eventually depose. The couple are trying to give their marriage another go, after Catherine attempted to murder Peter and imprisoned all of his friends. Catherine is also about to discover that despite her enlightened ideas about rights for all, her beloved peasants revile her. Available Friday, May 12, Hulu
The Mother
Jennifer Lopez, action hero? The 53-year-old actress would like you to know that she can still pull it off. And it turns out she’s completely convincing and easy to root for in this featurelength thriller about an assassin who comes out of hiding when an arms dealer foe from her past kidnaps her teenage daughter. Gael García Bernal, Omari Hardwick, and Joseph Fiennes costar. Available Friday, May 12, Netflix
Other highlights
African Queens: Queen Cleopatra
A second installment of Jada Pinkett Smith’s history series aims to set the record straight on Egypt’s most mythologized ruler. Available Wednesday, May 10, Netflix
The Muppets Mayhem
Since their debut on The Muppet Show,
Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem have been a reliably lovable side act. A guest star–studded new comedy series puts the band members in the spotlight as label execs try to coach them into finally recording their first album. Available Wednesday, May 10, Disney+
2023 Academy of Country Music Awards Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks host this year’s ceremony. Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, and Morgan Wallen will be among the performers. Thursday, May 11, at 8 p.m., Prime