There’s not a single title that jumps out this week as being super exciting. There’s a few favourite shows returning, but each of those are a few seasons in and don’t have as great a wow factor as they may have had previously. And then the new shows seem to just be Peak TV noise.
BUT….
Dig deeper and this is actually a pretty interesting week for TV. This is what you need to know:
- I haven’t watched it yet myself and there is zero buzz for it, but the critical buzz on Perpetual Grace Ltd is wildly enthusiastic. It also has a really dependable cast. This could be one of the quiet gems of 2019 - I get the sense we shouldn’t let it get past us. It’s on Epix in the US and streaming on Stan in Australia.
- I’ve so far only seen the season return of The Handmaid’s Tale, but I thought it seemed to be steering the season towards some interesting ideas about revolution - allowing the simmering tension of the previous two seasons to near a boil. The first 3 episodes are streaming on Hulu in the US and SBS On Demand in Australia.
- Malibu Rescue is a new Netflix kids/family show. They dropped a movie in May and now have a related TV show. Why do I mention it? Well, the guy who has brought it to the screen is Savage Steve Holland - the guy responsible for Better Off Dead and One Crazy Summer in the 80s, Eek The Cat in the 90s, and a whole bunch of the better Nickelodeon shows in the 00s. If you have kids, it might be a show to steer them towards.
- American Princess is the new show produced by Jenji Kohan (Weeds, Orange Is The New Black). Reviews on it weren’t amazing and while I think she produces series with mixed returns, it’s true to also say that the world’s she develops on screen are also really magnetic with an energy not found in many other shows. She’s a TV talent always worth paying attention to.
NEW & RETURNING
These are the notable new and returning shows that aired this week - meaning you can go right ahead and stream them now…
RETURNING SHOWS:
Fear The Walking Dead (s5), Black Mirror (s5), The Handmaid’s Tale (s3), Designated Survivor (s3), 3% (s3), Alone (s6), Queen of The South (s4)
NEW:
Tales of The City - Netflix (US)
Stars: Ellen Page, Laura Linney, Charlie Barnett, Olympia Dukakis, Paul Gross
Returning to San Francisco after a long absence, Mary Ann Singleton reunites with the community of characters at 28 Barbary Lane.
Swamp Thing - DC Universe (US)
Stars: Crystal Reed, Virginia Madsen, Andy Bean
While looking into an epidemic in her Louisiana hometown, CDC investigator Abby Arcane discovers that the local swamps hold numerous secrets after her partner seemingly dies and transforms into Swamp Thing.
Perpetual Grace Ltd - EPIX (US)
Stars: Ben Kingsley, Jimmi Simpson, Jacki Weaver,
Luis Guzmán, Chris Conrad, Dana DeLorenzo, Damon Herriman
Follows James, a young grifter, as he attempts to prey upon Pastor Byron Brown, who turns out to be far more dangerous than he suspects.
American Princess - Lifetime (US)
Stars: Georgia Flood, Lucas Neff, Seana Kofoed
When she discovers her fiance is cheating on her hours before their wedding, Manhattan socialite Amanda runs off to join a Renaissance fair as the latest wench-in-training.
NOS4A2 - AMC (US)
Stars: Ashleigh Cummings, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Jahkara Smith, Zachary Quinto
Based on Joe Hill's novel of the same name, NOS4A2 tells the story of Charlie Manx, a seductive immortal who feeds off the souls of children, then deposits what remains of them into Christmasland - an icy, twisted Christmas village of Manx's imagination where every day is Christmas Day and unhappiness is against the law. Manx finds his whole world threatened when a young woman in New England discovers she has a dangerous gift.
Malibu Rescue: The Series - Netflix (US)
Stars: Ricardo Hurtado, Jackie R. Jacobson, Abby Donnelly,
Ian Ziering
Creators: Jed Elinoff, Savage Steve Holland, Scott McAboy
A ragtag group of aspiring junior lifeguards from The Valley compete against the snobby local kids for bragging rights and the ultimate tower at Malibu beach.
