Ted Lasso: Season 2 (Apple TV+ series) — 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 there’s always the spectre of Led Tasso to consider. This week’s episode is called “Beard After Dark,” which involves Coach Beard on an all-night wandering session throughout London.
The Emmys (Sunday, CBS 8:00pm) — Cedric The Entertainer hosts the 73rd edition of TV’s favorite awards show. Hopefully, the ceremony will be suitably entertaining to honor this year’s stacked nominees roster. Join us for live coverage of the event.
Here’s some regularly scheduled programming:
Scenes From A Marriage (Sunday, HBO 9:00) — Here’s the project that Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain were firing up on the red carpet last weekend. This miniseries remakes Ingmar Bergman’s 1970s project original as directed by HBO regular Hagai Levi with a contemporary spin, including all of the love, hatred, desire, monogamy, marriage, and divorce that one would expect. Considering the Isaac-Chastain chemistry on hand, it’s a remake worth perusing.
The Walking Dead (Sunday, AMC 9:00pm) — This zombie-apocalypse universe’s flagship series returns for one final rodeo with two spinoffs (Fear The Walking Dead, The World Beyond) still in motion, so it’s time to wrap this puppy up before the various shows’ timelines begin to intersect. This week, it’s Commonwealth orientation time for Eugene and company.
Billions (Sunday, Showtime 9:00pm) — There ain’t no drama quite like hedge-fund-king drama, and it remains to be seen whether Bobby Axelrod and Chuck Rhoades will ever decide to stop wasting so much time hating the hell out of each other. Probably not? Yeah, that’d be no fun at all, and Season 5 resumes with everyone getting yanked into beefs that may very well destroy them all. This week, Axe’s unexpected announcement puts the team’s futures up for grabs, and Wendy’s divorce business isn’t going well.
Heels (Sunday, Starz 9:00pm) — Does the world need a series about a small-town wrestling circuit? Well, maybe not, but how about a show about a small-town wrestling circuit that’s written and created by Michael Waldron, creator of Loki and writer of Rick and Morty and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Now, you’ve got my attention, and there’s a baptism afoot that’s getting everyone worked up.
American Rust (Sunday, Showtime 10:00) — Jeff Daniels can swing between being comedic and dramatic, and in his new Showtime series, American Rust, he’s decidedly the latter and latest star to take on a complicated cop role after Kate Winslet’s turn in Mare of Easttown. And notably, Bridges’ new role is also set in Pennsylvania and unravels a murder, with a hasty marriage taking center stage as Harris’ inquiry heats up.
Last Week Tonight (Sunday, HBO 11:00) — John Oliver’s back, baby.
Here’s some more streaming goodness for the weekend.
The Morning Show: Season 2 (Apple TV+ series) — The gang (Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Billy Crudup, at least) is back for a new round of attempting to evade the scandal-plagued nature of their business. This season, we’ll not only see more of Steve Carell but also Hasan Minhaj and Julianna Margulies as everyone’s positioning themselves, and they’re clawing at each other on their way to the top. Alex and Bradley still can’t stand each other, despite a certain level of begrudging respect. Things will get intense, as well, with the continued #MeToo theme and also some edging into the systemic racism issue while barbs are thrown, both on-and-off camera.
Sex Education: Season 3 (Netflix series) — This Gillian Anderson-starring series returns, so that the X-Files and The Crown actress can continue embarrassing the heck out of her TV son, Otis (Asa Butterfield), who is apparently now having casual sex. Jemima Kirke is officially onboard, too, as a headteacher named Hope, who desperately wants to restore Moordale Secondary School to its former sterling reputation. Uh, good luck with that? Also, Anderson’s character is pregnant. Oh, Mom.
The Premise (FX on Hulu series) — B.J. Novak (The Office, Inglourious Basterds) writes all of the episodes on this show, which aims to use dark comedy to tackle tough topics, including sex, social media, Black Lives Matter, police brutality, and immigration. Along the way, there’s apparently the “the worst sex tape ever,” and this show aims for satire (which is not easy to pull off, especially with such hot-button topics) with mixed results.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (Netflix series) — Kevin Smith’s recent Masters of the Universe: Revelation sequel series sparked some overwrought backlash after continuing He-Man and Skeletor’s story in a way that some nerds didn’t enjoy, given that there was plenty of focus (like the original series) on other characters. Well, here’s a kid-appealing update of the classic ’80s cartoon, and this one has a much different feel with a He-Man-focused story, so maybe that will make the angry people happy? It’s got a whole lot of dude-on-bony-dude battling, looks like, while they fight for the ultimate control of Eternia and Castle Grayskull.
Cry Macho (Warner Bros. movie on HBO Max) — Clint Eastwood directs and stars in this story about an ex-rodeo star and failed horse breeder who falls upon tough times in the late 1970s. He ends up on a challenging journey of redemption while fetching a young boy from Mexico back to his father in Texas. Along the way, the grizzled horseman ends up teaching the boy how to be a decent man, and apparently, that involves showing emotions at times. Who knew?
LuLaRich — (Amazon Prime docuseries) — This four-parter from the Fyre Fraud documentarians asks the question of what happens leggings become the subject of a pyramid scheme. Well, it ain’t good, and this project tells the cautionary tale of ruined lives and vast social-media circles that became embroiled in one tacky hot mess.
The Mad Women’s Ball (Amazon Prime film) — Inglourious Basterds star Melanie Laurent directs and stars in this terrifying French film about a woman whose family institutionalizes her in the late 1880s. Before long, the film exposes the harsh treatment of women during that period, as the battle between science and faith isn’t even close to be resolved at that time. Laurent stars as a not-so-friendly nurse to the the young woman, and there’s a supernatural twist that eventually brings women together.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (20th Century Studios film on Amazon Prime) — Here’s the movie adaptation of the hit stage musical about a teenager, Jamie, who doesn’t want a career and, instead, hopes to become a drag queen. He puts that plan into motion whole vanquishing prejudice and bullies with the help of his friends and mom, and before all is said and done, Jamie’s firmly in the spotlight.
Kin: (AMC+ series) — Charlie Cox stars in this new Irish series about a tight-knit crime family that’s drawn into wartime mode with a mighty drug kingpin. The family soon discovers that this is an unwinnable war, yet as the losses begin to mount, it becomes clear that the cartel is at one distinct disadvantage: they’re not bound by unbreakable blood bonds. The cartel does, however, have a host of exotic pets and some snazzy costumes and celebrity status, so this is a heck of a story.
Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol (Peacock series) — The international bestseller is here to translate those thrills to the small screen. Settle in for Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon’s earliest adventures, which include saving his kidnapped mentor while squashing a global conspiracy by defeating a ton of deadly puzzles.
