Last Friday, I saw Jack White on his Supply Chain Issues tour here in Salt Lake City (amazing show—if Jack’s coming to your town, don’t miss it). This coming Friday, I have tickets to see Jack Black and Tenacious D. Jack White and Jack Black, back-to-back? This is some kind of cosmic coincidence.
This week’s What to Watch recommendations include the returns of Rutherford Falls and Flatbush Misdemeanors, the 2022 US Open, Chris Hemsworth action flick Spiderhead, esports mockumentary Players, and another round of Birdgirl. Let’s get watching!
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What’s premiering this week
Rutherford Falls | Peacock | Comedy
Season 2 premiere, Thursday, June 16: Nathan (Ed Helms) is a descendent of Rutherford Falls’ founder, and his best friend Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding) is a member of the Minishonka Nation, from whom Nathan’s ancestors stole the small town’s land. Despite Nathan’s insistence on preserving his family’s problematic White Savior history and Reagan’s commitment to her people’s culture, they make it work. Catch up on the first season of Rutherford Falls, it’s worth it.
2022 US Open | NBC, Peacock, USA | Sports, golf
Coverage begins Thursday, June 16, 6:45 a.m. ET/4:45 a.m. PT: Over four days, NBC Sports (via NBC, Peacock, and USA Network) will provide over 45 hours of US Open golf coverage from The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. Also, in a surprise move, the USGA announced last week that players who participated in London’s LIV Golf event can also tee off in the US Open, despite the PGA’s hellfire condemnations of the rival league. So much D-R-A-M-A on the green.
What to watch on Netflix this week
God’s Favorite Idiot | Netflix | Comedy
Series premiere, Wednesday, June 15: A tech-support employee (Ben Falcone) is suddenly appointed by God to rally his office co-workers to help save humankind—being The Almighty, he didn’t even have to submit a ticket. The eight-episode God’s Favorite Idiot, co-created by Falcone and his wife Melissa McCarthy (who also co-stars), is a whimsical mashup of Office Space and Miracle Workers and features the inspired casting of Leslie Bibb (Jupiter’s Legacy) as Satan.
Spiderhead | Netflix | Action, sci-fi
Movie premiere, Friday, June 17: While some of us think Chris Hemsworth’s best post-Thor role was a dumb, uncredited bit part in Netflix’s equally dumb Interceptor, he’s gone (mostly) dystopian serious in Spiderhead. Here, he plays a near-future prison overseer conducting emotion-bending chemical experiments on inmates, two of which (Miles Teller and Jurnee Smollett) want the hell out—cue the escape-from-Spiderhead-island action.
What to watch on Hulu this week
Love, Victor | Hulu | Comedy, drama
Season 3 premiere, Wednesday, June 15: Critical and audience favorite Love, Victor, a sorta-sequel to the film, Love, Simon, follows high schooler Victor (Michael Cimino) as he navigates a new city, new friends, and new questions about his sexual identity. The third and final season of the teen dramedy promises a more adult take on Victor’s coming out than the previous two—but, since this is streaming on Disney+ as well as Hulu, don’t expect Euphoria.
The Old Man | FX, Hulu | Action, drama
Series premiere, Thursday, June 16: Ex-CIA operative Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges, in his first regular TV role since 1960’s Sea Hunt) has lived in seclusion off the grid for years—until an assassination attempt sends him on the run from grizzled FBI agent Harold Harper (John Lithgow) and his young protégé (Alia Shawkat). The Old Man doesn’t always make it clear who’s the hero and who’s the antihero but, with heavyweights Bridges and Lithgow together, who cares?
What to watch on Paramount+ this week
Jerry & Marge Go Large | Paramount+ | Comedy
Movie premiere, Friday, June 17: Michigan retiree couple Jerry (Bryan Cranston) and Marge (Annette Bening) stumble across a mathematical loophole in the lottery and win millions, which they use to help revive their struggling hometown. Anna Camp, Larry Wilmore, Michael McKean, and Rainn Wilson also star in Jerry & Marge Go Large, which is based on a true story of Jerry and Marge Selbee.
Players | Paramount+ | Comedy
Series premiere, Thursday, June 16: A perennially losing League of Legends esports team finally has a shot at winning a championship—if only veteran leader Creamcheese (Misha Brooks) and teen upstart Organizm (Da’Jour Jones) can learn to work together. Players is created and produced by the brains behind American Vandal, which should make for the best esports mockumentary ever (also probably the only esports mockumentary ever).
W2W wildcards of the week
Birdgirl | Adult Swim, HBO Max | Animation, comedy
Season 2 premiere, Sunday, June 19: It was a tall order to follow up early 2000s Adult Swim hit Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, but spinoff Birdgirl nailed it when it premiered in 2021. The series follows Judy Ken Sebben (voiced by Paget Brewster), CEO of the Sebben & Sebben Worldwide law firm by day and crimefighter Birdgirl by later day. Birdgirl captures the chaotic energy of classic Adult Swim perfectly—check it out, insomniac millennials and Gen-Xers.
Flatbush Misdemeanors | SHOWTIME | Comedy
Season 2 premiere, Sunday, June 19: Buds Kevin and Dan (series creators Kevin Iso and Dan Perlman) continue their comic journey as residents of Flatbush, Brooklyn. Flatbush Misdemeanors mixes dry-as-a-bone humor with real-talk commentary on topics like gentrification and drug abuse without being heavy-handed or preachy. The first episode of season 2 will be available June 17 through the SHOWTIME app live and on demand.
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