Back in my nascent newspaper TV critic days, I reviewed the 1999 FOX pilot episode of Futurama—I might even have the VHS copy around somewhere. It’s been one of my favorite shows ever since, and I’m happy to report that a new season of Futurama premieres Monday, July 24, on Hulu. Accordingly, you should read my How to Watch All of Futurama catch-up guide. Just sayin.’
This week’s What to Watch recs include the returns of Dark Winds and Good Omens, the premiere of Twisted Metal, Netflix comedies Happiness for Beginners and Hidden Strike, the tale of The Righteous Redeemer, and CFL Touchdown Atlantic football action. Grab a cold one and turn the TV up!
Jump to your preferred streaming service
What’s premiering this week
Season 2 premiere, Sunday, July 30 (July 27 on AMC+): The first season of AMC’s adaptation of the Leaphorn & Chee crime-noir novels was a critical smash, but season 2 of Dark Winds might top it. Lt. Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) is still with the Navajo Tribal Police in 1971 Monument Valley, and his ex-partner Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordan) is now a private detective, but their new cases seem to have the same suspect. Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Picard) and Nicholas Logan (Dopesick) join the cast this season, respectively, as a femme fatale and an assassin (ooh, intrigue).
CFL Touchdown Atlantic | CBS Sports Network | Sports, football
Coverage begins Saturday, July 29, 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT: Live from Huskies Stadium in Halifax, Nova Scotia, it’s the 2023 Canadian Football League Touchdown Atlantic, with the Saskatchewan Roughriders taking on the Toronto Argonauts, just as they did in 2022. If you’re not up on Canadian football (how is that possible?), Touchdown Atlantic is a neutral-site CFL game to gauge local interest in a new Maritime province team. Since this year’s game sold out in 24 hours, it’s safe to say interest is high.
What to watch on Netflix this week
Happiness for Beginners | Netflix | Comedy, drama
Movie premiere, Thursday, July 27: Recently divorced schoolteacher Helen (Ellie Kemper, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) joins an oddball amateur survivalist camping group to break out of her unadventurous shell. When she meets hunky Jake (hunky Luke Grimes, Yellowstone), will she learn to love again? Are you unfamiliar with rom-coms? Happiness for Beginners is Netflix’s latest attempt to beat Lifetime and Hallmark at their own games with big budgets and bigger stars and casts Kemper against her usual bubbly type (but not too much).
Hidden Strike | Netflix | Action, comedy
Movie premiere, Friday, July 28: Former special forces soldiers never become insurance agents or landscapers, they always go into mercenary work—the movies say so. In Hidden Strike, ex-special forces soldiers John Cena and Jackie Chan lead a disparate team of mercenaries (another go-to trope) on a mission to transport Chinese oil refinery workers across Baghdad’s “highway of death.” Hidden Strike, directed by Scout Waugh (Need for Speed), was bound for theaters but instead winds up on Netflix nearly five years after it was completed in 2018.
What to watch on Max this week
Harley Quinn | Max | Animation, comedy
Season 4 premiere, Thursday, July 27: The end of season 3 saw Harley Quinn (voiced by Kaley Cuoco) joining up with the Bat Family to become a crimefighter(!), which you’d think would sour her relationship with her girlfriend Poison Ivy (Lake Bell), the new CEO of the Legion of Doom. But nah, they’re good. Throwing another twist in what’s sure to be the craziest season yet, Harley even gets her own new Batman-inspired costume, complete with a cape (a questionable accessory for superheroes and supervillains alike). Three of 10 episodes stream on July 27.
Special premiere, Sunday, July 30: If you’ve been watching HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones as you should be, you know the current third season has introduced the show’s loudest character yet: The Redeemer, a menacing monster truck of holy proportions. Metal Monsters: The Righteous Redeemer is a documentary about how Rick Disharoon and his team built The Redeemer at The Metal Shop in Delaware for TV’s favorite evangelical family. Hear that? That’s the sound of the Warner Bros. (HBO) and Discovery worlds colliding.
What to watch on Peacock this week
Twisted Metal | Peacock | Comedy, sci-fi
Series premiere, Thursday, July 27: The Twisted Metal video game is almost 30 years old, and PlayStation hasn’t released a new series game since 2012—strike while that property’s hot, Peacock. Twisted Metal stars Anthony Mackie as a delivery driver who operates between walled-off, post-apocalyptic cities while evading motorized maniacs and thieves (like Will Arnett and Stephanie Beatriz). The series also stars Thomas Haden Church and pro wrestler Samoa Joe, as well as comic VIPs Jason Mantzoukas and Chloe Fineman. All 10 episodes drop on July 27.
Jaws | Peacock | Drama, thriller
Movie, now streaming: Steven Spielberg’s shark-attack classic Jaws was the first summer blockbuster theatrical movie and the first digital (LaserDisc) home video release in the ’70s—and it still holds up. The story: A giant shark terrorizes a beach resort town, prompting the local police chief (Roy Scheider) and a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfus) to hunt it down while the mayor says, “Hey, NBD.” Jaws remains a masterclass in suspense, shock edits, and soundtrack enhancement (dun-dun … dun-dun … dun-dun …). They’re also on Peacock, but just skip Jaws 2 (1978), Jaws 3D (1983), and Jaws: The Revenge (1987).
W2W wildcards of the week
Good Omens | Prime Video | Comedy, drama
Season 2 premiere, Friday, July 28: Way back in 2019, Good Omens introduced us to angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tennant), an odd couple who enjoy hanging out on Earth and would prefer that Armageddon not ruin their favorite spot. Season 2 presents new challenges for the duo in the forms of amnesiac archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) and devious demon Shax (Miranda Richardson), as well as awkward angel Muriel (Quelin Sepulveda), new in the field after a 6,000-year desk job. All six episodes stream on July 28.
Heels | STARZ | Drama
Season 2 premiere, Friday, July 28: Coincidentally, pro-wrestling drama Heels also debuted in 2019 and returns after a two-year hiatus today—but that’s all it has in common with Good Omens. Heels centers on Georgia brothers Jack (Stephen Amell, Arrow) and Ace (Alexander Ludwig, Vikings), heirs to their late father’s indie wrestling promotion. In a nutshell, Jack wants to keep the Duffy Wrestling League afloat, while Ace wants a shot at big-time stardom—hence, body-slamming drama. In season 2, Jack tries to land a deal with a streaming service, which is prescient AF in 2023.
Want more TV recommendations?
Sign up for our newsletter to stay tuned for the latest recommendations plus deals, contests, and more.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms and Conditions.
