Twin Peaks Season Three (May 21)
Perhaps one of the more highly anticipated summer shows is the return of 90’s classic “Twin Peaks,” which is being revived on Showtime this May.
“Twin Peaks” originally ran from 1990-1991, created and directed by David Lynch. It has since become a cult classic. The series follows Agent Dale Cooper in the town of Twin Peaks, Washington as he investigates the murder of homecoming queen, Laura Palmer. But as the series goes on, we step into a world full of supernatural happenings that are equal parts surreal and campy.
Not much has been revealed about the new season, but showrunners have said that it isn’t a remake or reboot but, instead, a continuation of the first two seasons. The 25 years that have passed will become a major plot point as we follow Dale Cooper back into Twin Peaks.
David Lynch will be returning to direct the 18 episodes for the limited series, as will Angelo Badalamenti, the composer of the original the soundtrack which was just as iconic as the show itself.
“Twin Peaks” is available to binge on Showtime, Hulu or Netflix. Season three will be premiering on Showtime May 21, at 8 p.m. —MS
I’m Dying Up Here (June 4)
“I’m Dying Up Here” is an ode to the Los Angeles 1970s stand-up comedy scene, premiering on Showtime in early June.
With the official trailer released earlier this year, the sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, hour-long drama explores the golden age of comedy when personal anguish and self-deprecation first became a point of brilliance for comedians struggling to make it big.
The cast is comprised of familiar faces, notably Melissa Leo (“The Big Short,” “Flight”) and Clark Duke (“Superbad,” “The Office”), with relatively new talent, such as RJ Cyler (“War Machine,” “Me, Earl and the Dying Girl”). Executive producers Jim Carrey, Michael Aguilar, Christina Wayne and Dave Flebotte made a conscious effort to mingle award-winning dramaturgs with comedic flare in order to achieve the near-perfect balance “I’m Dying Up Here” must strike in order to accurately crystalize such an iconically dark time in comedy’s history.
Overall, if you have an affinity for finding humor in what should be tragic, “I’m Dying Up Here” is a must-watch.
“I’m Dying Up Here” airs June 4 at 10 p.m. on Showtime. —LV
Blood Drive (June 14)
SyFy’s new series, “Blood Drive,” brings gritty elements of grindhouse cinema to a low-budget television series.
The show follows Arthur Bailey, the last good cop left in town, as he teams up with Grace D’Argento, a classic femme fatale. It’s set in a 1999 parallel universe, a dystopia where a climate crisis has left the entire world in a post-apocalyptic shamble. With resources limited, the protagonists are forced to enter a death race where cars run on an alternative, and morally questionable, form—blood. The trailer for the series promises each week to be dedicated to an inspiration of grindhouse: cannibals, monsters, cults and more.
The show looks as campy as it is gory, so if you’re a fan of over-the-top horror, this show may be your biggest summer hit.
“Blood Drive”’s series premiere airs June 14 at 9 p.m. on SyFy. —MS
Boy Band (June 22)
ABC attempts another singing competition in June with the two-hour series premiere of “Boy Band,” a competition in which contestants compete for a spot in a band.
Produced by Matador Content of “Lip Sync Battle,” “Boy Band” notably rides the success of One Direction and the heartthrobs that came before them. Promising a grand prize to five contestants in the form of a record deal with Hollywood Records, the hope is that the elusive judges panel— or “architects”— will discover the next Harry Styles et al.
With 10 episodes on queue, enjoy the calm before an inevitable fangirl storm.
“Boy Band” premieres June 22 at 7 p.m. on ABC. —LV
GLOW (June 23)
This summer, Netflix is premiering a brand new series titled “Glow” from the same creators of “Orange is the New Black.”
“GLOW” is based off a series by the same name that ran from 1986 to 1990. It follows Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie), a struggling actress who finds herself in the middle of the female wrestler show business instead. Though Netflix hasn’t released an official trailer, we can see through the teasers and promo posters that the new series will be keeping “GLOW” in the past, for everything about the ads scream 80s (big hair, glitter and spandex). After the massive success of “Stranger Things,” it’s clear Netflix knows what it’s doing when it comes to the 80s.
The show appears to promise an entirely new female-centric cast. Alison Brie is already a fan-favorite from her days on the NBC series “Community,” and the rest of the cast looks just as promising. I can only hope it is as campy as the trailers make it out to be.
Be sure to check out “GLOW” June 23 on Netflix. —MS
Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update (August 10)
In such a content-worthy time, it only seems natural that NBC would order a “Saturday Night Live” Weekend Update spinoff series.
Airing mid-August, comedians Colin Jost and Michael Che will host a minimum of four 30-minute episodes to discuss daily news, featured content and bits from fellow “SNL” castmates—just like the current Weekend Update.
Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment, said that “SNL”’s ratings are the highest they have ever been, so continuing their most popular content into the summer only made sense.
For now, it is unsure whether or not “SNL” will still house Weekend Update if its spin-off becomes an independent success. One thing is for sure, President Trump is already not a fan.
“Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update” will air August 10 at 8 p.m. on NBC. —LV
Disjointed (August 25)
One of Netflix’s most anticipated releases of the summer is “Disjointed,” a comedy series following the daily lives of stoner grandma Kathy Bates (“American Horror Story”) and her “budtenders” as they run a cannabis dispensary in Los Angeles.
With a 20-episode series order in July, it was the brief teaser released on 4/20 that showed Bates emerging from a cloud of smoke that really grabbed the internet’s attention.
Coming to viewers from Chuck Lorre (“Big Bang Theory,” “Two and a Half Men”) and David javerbaum (former “Daily Show” head writer), “Disjointed” tells the story of Ruth (Bates) as she, her adult son and a security guard open and operate Ruth’s Alternative Caring— a lifelong dream of cannabis advocate Ruth. As one could suspect, everyone is high at all times.
“Disjointed” drops August 25 on Netflix. —LV
