Summer TV 2019 viewing guide: 'Stranger Things,' 'Pearson,' 'Big Little Lies,' 'BH90210,' more
Winter (and Game of Thrones) is over, but the warm weather is bringing plenty of new and returning TV series to keep you glued to your couch. From superheroes and swamp things to teenagers and convicts, here are the 28 shows you’ll want to stream this summer.
Good Omens (Amazon Prime, May 31)
Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s beloved 1990 novel is brought to life by a cast that includes a Doctor (David Tennant), a master of sex (Michael Sheen) and a mad man (Jon Hamm). Unlike American Gods, Gaiman is firmly in the creative driver’s seat on this particular book-to-screen translation, which follows a demon (Tennant) and angel (Sheen) as they join forces to prevent the looming apocalypse. The author oversaw the six-episode series as writer and showrunner, and has said that Pratchett — who died in 2015 — was a “presence” throughout the process.
Swamp Thing (DC Universe, May 31)
DC’s bayou monster hasn’t been well-served by previous live-action adaptations, but this latest iteration has the anatomy of a cult favorite. With a producing team that includes horror experts like James Wan, Len Wiseman, Mark Verheiden and Gary Dauberman, it’s no surprise that the series leans into the Swamp Thing’s roots as a ‘70s creature comic. The show’s ensemble boasts some horror veterans as well, including Derek Mears and Virginia Madsen.
Luther (BBC America, June 2 at 8 p.m.; also available for purchase on Amazon)
Who needs James Bond when you’re already John Luther? Idris Elba once again dons the signature overcoat of his Detective Chief Inspector alter ego for a fifth series that features the long-awaited return of Luther’s psychopathic partner-in-sleuthing, Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson). Their dynamic will help fill the Killing Eve-shaped hole in your viewing schedule.
NOS4A2 (AMC, June 2 at 10 p.m.; watch the entire season on AMC Premiere)
Joe Hill’s Christmas-loving, Rolls-Royce-driving vampire, Charlie Manx, cruises onto the small screen in the form of Zachary Quinto, tapping back into that Sylar menace that made him the breakout star of Heroes’s fondly-remembered first season. Where the bestselling book spans decades in the life of its protagonist, Vic McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings), the series largely takes place during her rebel teen phase. But don’t worry; all of Hill’s creepy touches — including magical shortcuts, children with sharp teeth and killers in gas masks — are faithfully recreated.
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu, June 5)
After an uneven second season, The Handmaid’s Tale looks to find renewed momentum by placing Elisabeth Moss’s handmaid on a war footing. Having made the choice to remain in the theocratic Republic of Gilead, Offred becomes a major player in the underground resistance to the male-dominated government. We may also get a sneak preview at some of the material that will be in Margaret Atwood’s planned sequel to her groundbreaking 1985 novel, due in stores in the fall.
Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City (Netflix, June 7)
Go west with Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis as they return to roles they originated in 1993 as part of PBS’s landmark miniseries based on Armistead Maupin’s enduring San Francisco-based books following an eclectic cast of friends and lovers. Picking up in the present day, Linney and Dukakis are joined by new cast members that include Ellen Page, Victor Garber and Molly Ringwald.
Big Little Lies (HBO, June 9 at 9 p.m.; also available to stream on HBO Go and HBO Now)
The lies are back and bigger than ever in the follow-up to HBO’s hit 2017 series. Andrea Arnold takes over directing duties from Jean-Marc Vallée, while Meryl Streep enters the frame to go head-to-head with returning stars Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley. Instead of another Elvis night, we’re hoping that Arnold stages another Rihanna flash mob.
Claws (TNT, June 9 at 9 p.m.; past seasons are available to stream on Hulu)
Another year, another chance to get hooked on TNT’s addictive crime series, now in its third season of being a stealth summertime smash. Find out what’s next for the ladies of Florida’s most dangerous salon, Nail Artisans, starting with whether or not Virginia (Karrueche Tran) died in the process of shielding her mobbed-up boss, Desna (Niecy Nash), from a bullet.
Pose (FX and FX+, June 11 at 10 p.m; Season 1 is available to stream on Netflix)
For its sophomore season, Pose officially crosses the threshold from the 1980s into the 1990s without sacrificing one bit of its fierce fashion game. But changes are afoot for the fabulous members of the House of Evangelista, with Angel (Indya Moore) finding success in the modeling world at the same time that ball culture itself is going mainstream. To quote one of 1990’s best songs, nothing compares to Pose.
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story (Netflix, June 12)
Fourteen years after chronicling the early years of Bob Dylan’s career in No Direction Home, Martin Scorsese recreates the story of the singer’s legendary 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue Tour. Mixing new interviews with black-and-white footage from the road — some of which was previously glimpsed in the Dylan-directed cult oddity, Renaldo & Clara — Scorsese fills in a key era of Dylan’s discography and filmography. It would only be appropriate for the director of The Last Temptation of Christ to tackle Dylan’s Jesus period next.
Strange Angel (CBS All Access, June 13)
While the Star Trek franchise takes a breather between the season finale of Discovery and the season premiere of Picard, now’s the perfect time to learn about a real-life space pioneer: Jack Parsons. Based on the biography of the same name, Season 2 of Strange Angel finds Parsons (played by Jack Reynor) continuing his rise from blue-collar laborer to the nation’s leading rocket man at the dawn of World War II.
Marvel’s Jessica Jones (Netflix, June 14)
Season 3 of Jessica Jones isn’t just the end of the road for Marvel’s hard-drinking, hard-living private eye: It’s also the end of Netflix’s corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the streaming service has already cancelled Daredevil, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. We’ll have to wait and see whether the Defenders assemble one last time in this final season, which sends Jessica (Krysten Ritter) and her newly-empowered friend-turned-rival, Trish Walker (Rachael Taylor), after a psycho killer.
All That (Nickelodeon, June 15 at 8:30 p.m.)
Calling all ‘90s kids! The vintage Nickelodeon sketch comedy series is getting a modern-day makeover, with a whole new cast of young whippersnappers. But at least some things never change: All That superstars Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell are back behind the scenes as executive producers. That means we’re also one step closer to Good Burger 2.
Euphoria (HBO, June 16 at 10 p.m.; also available to stream on HBO Go and HBO Now)
Before he was a mega-selling hip hop star and one-man meme generator, Drake was a big deal in the world of teen TV as one of the stars of the long-running Degrassi franchise. Now, he’s one of the creative forces behind a provocative new high school-set series that provides an up-to-the-minute account of the many pitfalls and temptations facing today’s teens, played by the likes of Zendaya, Storm Reid and Maude Apatow. Forget Degrassi: This is more like Degrassi After Dark.
Stranger Things (Netflix, July 4)
It’s been a full two years since we last set foot in Hawkins, Ind., but we have a sneaking suspicion that things haven’t gotten any less strange around town. In fact, we know they haven’t; early trailers have hinted at such odd sights as a new Hawkins mall, lots of spandex and, oh yeah, some creepy-crawly critters, too. Still, the strangest thing about the third season of Stranger Things is the knowledge that our favorite dorky kids are now dorky teenagers. And frankly, high school is scarier than any demogorgon.
Suits and Pearson (USA and the USA app, July 17 at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.)
After nine seasons, the hit USA series Suits is finally being hung out to dry. But just as Cheers begat Frasier and Friends begat… um, Joey, Gina Torres will continue the show’s legacy in the spinoff drama, Pearson, which follows her power suit-wearing attorney, Jessica Pearson, into Chicago’s rough-and-tumble political scene.
The Boys (Amazon Prime, July 26)
From Superman III to Brightburn, there’s plenty of precedent for superheroes behaving badly onscreen. But The Boys promises to take that bad behavior to a whole other level. Adapted from a comic by Garth Ennis — the darkly comic mind behind Preacher and Hitman — this series takes place in a world where those with great power feel no responsibility to help people. Enter Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and the rest of “the boys,” a non-super team who take the fight directly to the so-called good guys.
Orange Is the New Black (Netflix, July 26)
As Netflix’s longest-running original series prepares to call it quits after seven seasons, expect some of Litchfield’s inmates to sniff the sweet smell of freedom, while others remain under lock and key. We’re crossing our fingers for a surprise Poussey cameo.
Veronica Mars (Hulu, July 26)
You just can’t keep a good detective down. Neptune’s finest sleuth (Kristen Bell) has survived a network cancellation and a fan-backed movie to enter the streaming age. No longer a high schooler, the now-adult Veronica is still keeping tabs on her hometown’s teen and adult population, fighting the good fight to keep Neptune a good place.
Pennyworth (Epix and Epix Now, July 28 at 9 p.m.)
You’ve already seen how Batman begins: Time to learn the origin story behind Bruce Wayne’s trusty butler/surgeon/surrogate parent, Alfred Pennyworth. This new 10-episode series takes place during London’s swinging ‘60s, when former soldier boy Alfie (Jack Bannon) lands a prime gig working security for a Gotham City industrialist named Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge).
Four Weddings and a Funeral (Hulu, July 31)
It’s only appropriate that noted rom-com enthusiast, Mindy Kaling, should oversee the remake of one of the genre’s stone-cold classics. Game of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel heads up the diverse ensemble cast of the new Four Weddings, which once again centers around a group of friends celebrating a quartet of nuptials… and one burial.
BH90210 (Fox, Aug. 7 at 9 p.m.; episodes will also be available to stream on Hulu)
The gang’s all here — tragically minus Luke Perry — for a meta-revival of the generation-defining teen series. And it wouldn’t be 90210 without a little backstage drama: The original showrunner, along with several writers, reportedly left the show midway through production.
GLOW (Netflix, Aug. 9)
The gorgeous ladies of wrestling head to Sin City for the third season of Netflix’s other most excellent ‘80s-era series. But as they soon learn, working as the in-house entertainment for one of Las Vegas’s biggest casinos doesn’t come without its downsides. On the other hand, they’ve got the costumes and the numbers to execute an Ocean’s Eleven-style heist if the wrestling thing doesn’t work out.
The Terror: Infamy (AMC and AMC Premiere, Aug. 12 at 9 p.m.)
The second season of AMC’s horror anthology series jumps a century ahead from the 1840s to the 1940s, embedding viewers in a World War II-era Japanese internment camp where prisoners are dying in alarming ways. Star Trek icon and activist George Takei — who spent part of his childhood in one of these prisons — has a supporting role in the series, ensuring that beyond the supernatural scares, The Terror: Infamy will also expose modern audiences to a piece of American history that’s horrific in its own right.
Power (Starz, Sunday, Aug. 25 at 8 p.m.; also available to stream on the Starz app and Hulu with a Starz subscription)
Starz’s most popular series heads into its final season aiming to go out on a high note with 15 episodes instead of the usual 10. But even though the story of drug dealer-turned-nightclub impresario Ghost (Omari Hardwick) is coming to an end, multiple spinoffs are already in the works to build upon the burgeoning franchise’s ratings power.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix, Aug. 30)
Fans of Jim Henson’s 1982 fantasy favorite have been waiting over 30 years to return to Thra, and their patience is rewarded with this 10-episode prequel series. Years before Jen found a way to repair the titular crystal, a trio of Gelfling youths (voiced by Taron Egerton, Anya Taylor-Joy and Nathalie Emmanuel) try to discover the secret to defeating the cruel Skeksis. While some CGI was involved in the making of Age of Resistance, the trailers make it clear that there’s still plenty of classic Henson puppetry in every frame.
My Life Is Murder (Acorn TV, August TBD)
Former warrior princess, Lucy Lawless, trades in her sword for a detective badge in an all-new Australian crime series that will stream stateside on Acorn TV — home to such other addictive procedurals as Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and Jack Irish. Lawless plays the filter-free Alexa Crowe, who cracks cases with her sharp eye and even sharper wit. Since this is Xena we’re talking about, we have no doubt she’ll crack a few heads every now and then, too.
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle's newsletter.
