New on TV this week
This week’s “What To Watch” picks include the third season of “Conan O’Brien Must Go” (HBO Max), a (not actually) live singing vampire (AMC+), the fifth and final season of “Outer Banks” (Netflix), and the second season of “Average Joe” (now on Paramount+).
What else should you be watching this week? Let’s go with the 18th season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (FX, FXX, and Hulu) and “Happy Hour,” the new comedy special from Kelsey Cook (Netflix). Let’s hit the couch!
Night owl? Peep what’s on late-night TV this week.
New on FX, FXX, Hulu this week
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” | FX, FXX, Hulu | Comedy
Season 18 premiere, Monday, Aug. 17, 9 p.m. (ET): Back when “Sunny” premiered, I thought it’d get canceled because it was so good—and so batshit crazy. But here we are in 2026, when things are batshit crazy, and the shameless, sociopathic Paddy’s Pub gang is back for an 18th season. What kind of trouble are they gonna get into now? Expect new antics surrounding Renaissance fairies, virtual reality, and—counterintutively for bar owners—a war on alcohol.
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New on Netflix this week
“Kelsey Cook: Happy Hour” | Netflix | Stand-up comedy
Special, Tuesday, Aug. 18: With her latest stand-up special, Kelsey Cook shakes up (or stirs, if you prefer) a cocktail of relatable cringe, covering such topics as modern “hangxiety,” meltdown-worthy plane bathroom nightmares, going to a chain restaurant in your PJs, and the perils of dating a guy who is literally named Chad. Equally self-deprecating and sharp-tongued, Cook delivers top-shelf observational comedy with no chaser, turning personal embarrassment into comedy gold.
Click on your favorite streaming service below to see new releases and classic recommendations from our TV critics.
New on Paramount+ this week
“Average Joe” | Paramount+ | Action, comedy
Season 2 premiere, Wednesday, August 19: The accidental-crime-lord saga scales up big-time in Season 2, swapping suburban plumbing problems and Russian mobsters for ruthless international assassins and a powerful local crime lord in the bustling streets of Cape Town, South Africa. After barely surviving Season 1, Joe Washington (Deon Cole) and his ride-or-die crew are forced overseas when a mysterious threat targets his family. While dodging his new antagonists, Joe learns the hard way that running away from his dad’s deadly legacy only deepens his problems.
New on Netflix this week
“Outer Banks” | Netflix | Drama
Season 5 premiere, Thursday, Aug. 20: In the fifth and final season of Netflix’s ultimate treasure-hunting thriller, “Outer Banks” picks up right after the (SPOILER) heartbreaking tragedy in Morocco. John B, Sarah, Pope, Kiara, and Cleo are stranded, broke, and mourning JJ. To avenge their fallen friend and secure the elusive Blue Crown, the Pogues crew is forced into a tense, desperate alliance with former nemesis Rafe Cameron—with dangerous Corsairs closing in.
Want more new TV shows?
New on HBO Max this week
“Conan O’Brien Must Go” | HBO Max | Reality, comedy
Season 3 premiere, Friday, Aug. 21: Late-night television’s lanky, likeable, ginger weirdo returns for a third season of chaotic global fan visits under the rallying cry, “One Man. Four countries. Zero shame.” The logline provides more clarity: “In this riotously funny travel series, Conan O’Brien experiences local cultures and connects with fans he previously met on his podcast.” That sounds like great TV to me— Well, I’ve already seen the other seasons, so consider it confirmed.
Looking for your next binge-watch?
New on AMC+ this week
“The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only LIVE” | AMC+ | Music
Special, Sunday, Aug. 23: For the third season of the AMC adaptation, the coolest Anne Rice vampire novel got an original soundtrack of infectious, theatrical rock tracks courtesy of composer Daniel Hart — which Lestat himself (Sam Reid) performed last June before a standing-room-only crowd at New York City’s storied Beacon Theater. If you weren’t lucky enough to be there, you can now stream the full performance on AMC+ (or find this version YouTube if you don’t have a subscription).
New movie releases available to rent/buy on VOD this week
- “Blood Shine” (August 18) | Horror | Watch Trailer
- “The Last Assassins” (August 18) | Action, adventure, science fiction | Watch Trailer
- “Romería” (August 18) | Drama | Watch Trailer
- “Rose of Nevada” (August 18) | Drama, fantasy, horror, science fiction | Watch Trailer
- “This Is Our City” (August 18) | Crime drama | Watch Trailer
- “Bouchra” (August 21) | Animation, drama, comedy | Watch Trailer
- “Bury the Devil” (August 21) | Horror, thriller | Watch Trailer
- “Peter Asher: Everywhere Man” (August 21) | Documentary, music | Watch Trailer
What To Watch This Week: Stream Our Top 6 TV and Movie Picks (Aug. 10–16)
Relax this week with top TV picks for AMC+, HBO Max, Netflix, Paramount+, and more! Discover what to watch this week!
Read More >
What To Watch This Week: Stream Our Top 6 TV and Movie Picks (Aug. 10–16)
Relax this week with top TV picks for Apple TV, Netflix, HBO Max, Netflix, Prime Video, and more! Discover what to watch this week!
Read More >
TV Shows Like “Ted Lasso”: “Welcome to Wrexham,” “Shoresy,” and More
Ted Lasso ended its three-season run in 2023 (or did it?), and it’s still one of the most popular shows on Apple TV. But, there are only so many times you can rewatch Ted’s lush mustache, Roy’s profane rants, and Trent Crimm’s inexhaustible T-shirt collection.
Read More >The best TV plans for watching our recommendations
You guys wanna see a real-deal fake vampire front a glam-rock band? “The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only LIVE” is streaming only on AMC+ ($7.99–$10.99/mo.). But you can find alternate recordings of the gig on YouTube.
You’ll need an HBO Max subscription ($10.99–$22.99/mo.) to catch the third season of “Conan O’Brien Must Go.”
To watch Kelsey Cook’s “Happy Hour” special or the final season of “Outer Banks,” you’ll need a Netflix subscription ($8.99–$26.99/mo.).
Now that BET+ is gone, you can find Season 2 of “Average Joe” on Paramount+ ($8.99–$13.99/mo.).
A YouTube TV subscription ($82.99/mo.) includes FX so you can watch Season 18 of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” live.
