Welcome to my Monday newsletter! This week, I am looking at my Most Anticipated Summer Shows, the latest episode of Platonic, the Emmy race for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and continuing my Top 25 Shows Since 2000 with #15.
MOST ANTICIPATED SUMMER SHOWS
There weren't any new shows I watched this week so I'm taking this space to list my Top 5 most anticipated summer shows. Last summer was pretty barren as far as good new shows and this summer doesn't look to be much better. There are a few I'm excited about and maybe a few will surprise but otherwise, it seems like it will be a good chance to catch up on shows I've been wanting to watch. But there are still a few I'm excited about so here are my Top 5 Most Anticipated Summer Shows!
5. The Rainmaker (USA, August 15)
USA Network is getting back into the scripted business this summer with The Rainmaker. It's been quite awhile since we've had a John Grisham adaptation of any form but I like some Grisham properties and I always trust John Slattery, who is the lead of this series. While USA was once home for many hit cable shows, it's hard to imagine this one cutting through buried on a network that abandoned scripted shows years ago, but I'm willing to give it a try!
4. The Hunting Wives (Netflix, July 21)
This series moved from Starz to Netflix with Lionsgate separating from Starz. The "wealthy housewife" subgenre is a very mixed bag but when it's good, it can be very addictive. With a cast that includes Brittany Snow, Malin Akerman, Chrissy Metz and Dermot Mulroney, I'm definitely willing to give it a try and hope it falls closer to the first season of Big Little Lies than the second season.
3. Too Much (Netflix, July 10)
Too Much marks the first show since Girls that has had Lena Dunham as a showrunner but what makes me excited about this show is Meg Stalter in the lead role. Stalter has been a scene-stealer in Hacks for four years and now gets a chance to have her own show. I am very interested to see what she's like as a lead character and definitely interested in what this show has to offer. It also features The White Lotus alum Will Sharpe, which is another plus.
2. The Bear Season 4 (FX/Hulu, June 25)
I'm very interested in the fourth season of The Bear. I didn't think the third season was as bad as many did, but it certainly didn't come anywhere close to the heights of the third season. It seemed like they were setting up the fourth season for much of the third season so hopefully that pays off here. I think it will go a long way to determining the legacy of this show.
1. Platonic Season 2 (Apple TV+, August 6)
Before Seth Rogen got Emmy attention for The Studio, he was on a different Apple TV+ show that didn't seem to get a lot of traction in its first season. But I loved the first season of Platonic and am very excited for the second season. Rogen and Rose Byrne have an undeniable chemistry and the story was really interesting. I am very excited to see where the second season goes.
Poker Face
While I have been mixed on this season of Poker Face, one thing I've really appreciated is how they play on the formula. That was definitely true this week with an episode that focused on a group of con men and women led by John Cho. The way Natasha Lyonne's Charlie fit into the story was very clever and I like that she's jumping in at different points of the timeline depending on the episode. We don't just see someone killed and then Charlie solves the crime, we see her fitting in at a wide variety of times. Also, for the second time in three weeks, the victim wasn't as clear cut as a dead body. Two weeks ago, it was a class pet. This time, Melanie Lynskey played the victim but not in the same way. The episode, while a bit predictable in terms of how it would end, stayed clever throughout and was fun to watch.
THE EMMY RACE for LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
It was determined this week that there will only be five nominees in this category, which makes things very tight. There are several actors who I would consider near locks but I don't think there's anyone I would call a complete lock. That includes two time defending champ Jeremy Allen White. Now don't get me wrong, I think White will get nominated. I just think he's not a lock after Emmy voters seem to be rebelling against The Bear. Another near lock is Martin Short, who won the SAG Award this year for Only Murders in the Building. Short has never missed for the show so he is likely to get back in, but the same can't be said for his co-star Steve Martin who has missed once before and could miss again in a crowded year. Jason Segel got in two years ago for a lesser reviewed season of Shrinking. After the second season broke out with critics, a return to the nominations seems very likely. Matt Berry was nominated last year in a weak field but it'll be a very tough climb for him to get back in and the ship has probably sailed on his co-star Kayvan Novak ever getting nominated despite the well-received final season. Then there's the new contenders. Most people think the one in best shape to get nominated is Adam Brody in the very-well-seen Nobody Wants This. It's just always hard to know for sure how well new shows will do. That also applies to Seth Rogen and The Studio. That show seems to have surged towards the top of predictions and if it's way up there, it's hard to imagine Rogen not getting in. Then there's Ted Danson, who seemed like a sure bet in the fall for A Man on the Inside but that show seems to be getting forgotten more as time goes on. If things get really wonky, there could be some surprises though I'd be surprised if the comedy category gets anyone else in besides the ones already mentioned. Still, a few dark horses include Steve Carell for The Four Seasons, Benito Skinner for Overcompensating and David Alan Grier for St. Denis Medical
Projected Nominees (ranked by likelihood of a nomination):
1. Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
2. Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
3. Jason Segel, Shrinking
4. Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This
5. Seth Rogen, The Studio
Just Missing:
6. Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside
7. Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building
8. Matt Berry, What We Do in the Shadows
#15 - SUCCESSION (HBO, 2018-2023)
My #16 show (This is Us) was about a warm family drama. My #15 is also a family drama, but in the exact opposite way. Succession was definitely a show for our time - a dark and cynical look at the world through an obscenely rich family. While we may have grown to love the characters, they were really despicable humans and they never had a change of heart for the better. But the show was incredibly compelling, especially the fourth and final season once the "succession" truly began. Not only did the family drama intensify, but we saw what happens when petty squabbles can lead to monumental shifts in the news and policy. Sound familiar? It was a biting satire that is feeling less satirical every day and I think its standing will only continue to grow as time goes by. I know I will definitely want to revisit it at some point.
COMING UP
After a very quiet start to June, there's a few more debuts this week. On Tuesday, Shudder has the premiere of the horror series Hell Motel. The series stars Eric McCormack but seems a pretty cheap, obscure show otherwise. On Wednesday, Prime Video has the premiere of We Were Liars while Netflix premieres The Waterfront on Thursday. Both shows seem to be going for that pulpy, soapy summer beach vibe. We'll see if either can break through. I think The Waterfront has a better chance. Also premiering Wednesday is the second season of The Buccaneers on Apple TV+. The series had its fans but didn't make much of a dent with its first season. Finishing out the week is the highest profile premiere: the third season of The Gilded Age on HBO. This show seemed to find more of a pulse in its second season so we'll see if that continues for the third.
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