Summertime is here, and the TV viewing is easy and breezy. In other words, there’s feel-good comedies on the way along with supernatural shenanigans, a revival of a classic animated series, deliciously soapy drama, and more. The schedule’s still chock-full of goodness amid an even larger sea of mediocrity while movie theaters play only the biggest of blockbusters during these sweltering months. In other words, your home theater is still where things are at, so we’re here to sift through the new July TV shows for the must-see selections.
There’s a few relentlessly cheery comedies on Apple TV+ and a fresh take on Masters of the Universe on Netflix, which is also giving us a dating series unlike any you’ve ever seen. Disney+ is bringing us the latest effort from a Pixar mainstay, and speaking of franchises, there’s a What We Do In The Shadows spinoff on the way. HBO Max is hustling back a confection of a series that launched several O.G. careers, and Martha Stewart is getting (literally) dirty for her audience. Discovery+, AMC, Paramount, Peacock, and the CW also represent here.
Here are the biggest shows worth noticing in July:
Martha Gets Down and Dirty: Season 1 (Discovery+ series streaming on 7/1)
Martha Gets Down and Dirty: Season 1 (Discovery+) — The frequent onscreen and business partner of Snoop Dogg goes solo while traveling home to her 150-acre farm where, as the title suggests, she gets her hands seriously dirty. Martha Stewart might be 79 years young and a total perfectionist, but she’s entirely engaged in prepping her farm for summertime, and that means some serious digging in the dirt alongside her gardener, Ryan McCallister. That’s only part of the dirty work on this show, for Stewart will also welcome celebrity guests, including Seth Meyers, Kim Kardashian, Tiffany Haddish, Al Roker, Alyson Hannigan, Tamron Hall, and more. Is it too much to ask for a Snoop tulip-pruning appearance, too? C’mon, Martha.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-PA6GXwcrU
The Beast Must Die: Season 1 (AMC+ series streaming on 7/5)
Jared Harris stars in this revenge-thriller series (which originally aired on BritBox UK and achieved a viewing record) that has already been renewed for a second season. The story’s based on Nicholas Blake’s 1938 novel and revolves around a mother who’s hell-bent upon avenging her son’s death, all while a detective’s working the case and hoping to solve matters before mom takes justice into her own hands. Meanwhile, the detective’s suffering from PTSD, and yes, this sounds like an enormously chaotic show, but it’s so crushingly executed that you’d be gripping your seat arms if you watched it in a theater. (Note: Although AMC+ will stream the first two episodes of the series on July 6, AMC will wait a week for a traditional premiere on July 12.)
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Season 2 (Netflix series streaming 7/6)
Get ready for more insanely absurdist (and almost therapeutically refreshing) sketch comedy from creator and writer Tim Robinson. He’s back with partner Zach Kanin for more of turning the most mundane and bizarre life moments into shouty hilarity, and guest stars this season include Bob Odenkirk, Sam Richardson, Paul Walter Hauser, Tim Heidecker, and many more. If you haven’t had the pleasure of digging into Robinson’s work, and you love Adam Sandler and Chris Farley’s exaggerated humor, yet crowned with an especially self-aware twist, you must plop this show into your queue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsah5yCzh-U
Gossip Girl: Season 1 (HBO Max series streaming on 7/7)
The original CW series helped to launch the careers of Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Sebastian Stan, and Penn Badgley (and the latter is now portraying an amped-up version of the same character on Netflix’s You). HBO Max is now ready to welcome another crop of mostly unknown faces playing wealthy, privileged teens who find themselves socially surveilled and at the mercy of the “Gossip Girl” narrator, who’s still voiced by Kristen Bell. Showrunner Josh Safran has promised that this reboot series will be much more socially conscious than the original, and that the teens will “take Ubers, not limos.” If you’re wondering how well this premise will update for 2021, that’s one of the reasons why this show’s worth a whirl. XOXO?
Monsters at Work: Season 1 (Disney+ series streaming on 7/7)
Twenty freaking years ago when Monsters Inc. came out in theaters, Pixar films’ very existence still felt like a revelation, given that adults could straight-up dig these kid-geared movies, too. These days, that’s no longer a novel concept, but this franchise has persisted with a prequel and a few shorts, and now, John Goodman and Billy Crystal return as James P. “Sulley” Sullivan and Mike Wazowski. They have both been promoted, and a new crop of monsters (voiced by Mindy Kaling, Henry Winkler, Ben Feldman, and Alana Ubach) are doing the harvesting. The twist here, of course, is that although the franchise is going back to basics, the franchise is trading scares for laughter after realizing that — surprise — laughter generates so much more energy for Monstropolis than screams can produce.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfhbvsnR9Y0
Wellington Paranormal: Season 1 (The CW series streaming on 7/11)
What We Do In The Shadows fans rejoice because you’re receiving a spinoff mockumentary series with the same comedy-horror tone from creators and executive producers Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement. For this franchise installment, the action goes down in New Zealand, where two officers of the Wellington paranormal unit investigate apparent possessions and sightings of ghosts, aliens, and matters of cryptozoology with the most straight-faced, deadpan humor that one could possibly expect. Given the ridiculously ambiguous nature of the recent U.S. government-issued report on UFOs, the mood is already set for people to dive into this show with abandon. If one considers that Waititi and Clement always swing and never miss, consider yourself sold and surrender to the inarguably funny vibes.
Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes (HBO limited series streaming on 7/12)
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ronan Farrow’s podcast undergoes this miniseries treatment here while expanding upon existing interviews with whistleblowers, private investigators, and more. Of course, the podcast itself was inspired by Farrow’s book about the systemic protection of predators, both in Hollywood and beyond. Since Ronan’s the son of Mia Farrow, who was married to Woody Allen (with the whole paternity issue looking awfully odd), the subject of alleged predatory behavior hits particularly hard. The minseries will dig into the powers that be, beginning with the Harvey Weinstein case, for which Ronan’s groundbreaking New Yorker investigative report really got the #MeToo ball rolling. It’s heavy subject matter, of course, but the series promises some new and surprising revelations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FakCjoNnxik
Never Have I Ever: Season 2 (Netflix series streaming 7/15)
Mindy Kaling’s brainchild (one of them, at least… there are so many) returns with more coming-of-age comedy. Devi’s making more questionable decisions along the way (that’s obligatory) while fumbling around through the finer points within new relationships. She does, however, face an out-of-her-control dilemma at school when “another Indian girl who is prettier, cooler” arrives on the scene. Expect more drama at home, too, as this beloved series continues to celebrate the awkwardness of adolescence.
Dr. Death (Peacock limited series streaming on 7/15)
This true-crime series tells the story of Dr. Christopher Duntch, whose homicidal ways left dozens of victims in his career’s wake. Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater play the medical colleagues who attempt to stop the mayhem and help bring him to justice. The story’s based upon the Dr. Death podcast, and the prosecutor on the case (portrayed by AnnaSophia Robb) will stop at nothing to indict the healthcare system that helped Duntch bury his misdeeds for years before, sadly (as is usually the case), someone finally realized that things were seriously amiss. As one can see within the above trailer, the doc is so chillingly portrayed by Joshua Jackson that this show might freak Dawson’s Creek fans the hell out.
Schmigadoon!: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series streaming on 7/16)
If a musical comedy series starring Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, and Jane Krakowski sounds a little bit too frenetic to you, consider this: Apple TV+ has been crushing the comedy game these days with the likes of Mythic Quest and Ted Lasso under its still-young belt. So, one can bet that if a series called Schmigadoon! can succeed, the show found the correct streaming home. Strong and Key portray a backpacking couple who stumble into a 1940s musical, literally. More accurately, they find themselves trapped in a magical town after squabbling about their marriage, and the premise might sound a bit like a horror movie, but it’s intended to be (bizarrely) romantic with a bang-up cast that demands a streaming shot.
Masters of the Universe: Revelation (Netflix series streaming 7/23)
The very battle for Eternia’s soul continues with the ultimate fanboy, Kevin Smith, picking up the showrunner sword. Smith’s enthusiasm for all stuff geeky has led him down many roads, all of them filled with huge feelings, and honestly, the dude has the Power of Grayskull running through his veins. So, one can expect him to nail the tone here while advancing the story, justifying a revival, and continuing the story of the rivalry between Skeletor and everyone else. Cringer and Orko and Teela are on board, and the voice cast (including Lena Headey, Henry Rollins, and Jason Mewes) is phenomenal here, especially Mark Hamill as Skeletor. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of He-Man, guys.
Sexy Beasts (Netflix series streaming 7/21)
Well, if you thought that you’ve seen every kind of dating series out there, Netflix is shouting something about holding their beer. The show purports to feature contestants that will choose matches based on personality only. Sounds practical, right? Well, the key to doing that here is dressing up as furries and other prosthetic-adorned creatures, and no reveal of actual physicality shall happen until the pivotal decisions are made. It’s like The Masked Singer, only way hornier.
Ted Lasso: Season 2 (Apple TV+ series streaming on 7/23)
First thing’s first: Everyone who’s caught a glimpse of this Bill Lawrence co-created and developed series loves it. That’s a notable feat, considering that star Jason Sudeikis first portrayed the title character way back in 2013 for NBC Sports’ promos for Premier League coverage. Fast forward to the fresh hell that was 2020, and the show surfaced as one of the year’s lone bright spots. Ted Lasso is somehow both relentlessly and charmingly cheery, although the last season finale showed the team losing against Manchester City, which spelled bad news, since the team can no longer hang in English Premier League games. We’ll see how they can turn themselves around, and while considering that possibility, it’s best to remember that Ted Lasso (and Walt Whitman) once said, “Be curious, not judgmental.”
Behind The Music: Season 1 (Paramount+ series streaming on 7/29)
This revival brings back the Emmy-nominated docuseries that was once so popular on VH1 and will not be updated for a new generation. Of course, one should expect the older generations of music to be showcased here because, let’s face it, music can be considered ageless. The profiled artists this season include Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, LL Cool J, and Huey Lewis, and one can expect plenty of “vault” episodes that have bene remastered and updated with fresh interviews. MTV Entertainment co-produces this series, which will stream only on Paramount+.
Outer Banks: Season 2 (Netflix series streaming 7/30)
This is not your typical teen drama. Last season delivered loads of intrigue and flat-out woo-woo revelations following a hurricane and buried treasure and class warfare between different factions in an overall well-to-do community. There are Kooks and Pogues, and the power’s gone for the entirety of the summer, which sounds miserable, but the mysteries won’t stop, including the whereabouts of John B.’s dad. And oh yes, there’s so much soapiness to the characters’ dynamics that you might lose your footing while slipping towards that sunken treasure. This show is crackers!
