The summer TV season ordinarily brings a batch of easy-to-watch shows, whether they’re viewer favorites back for another season, or new series offering fresh entertainment. But as the country begins to emerge from a lockdown meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the TV schedule feels as uncertain as everything else.
The production shutdown that began in March has already re-shaped how established shows look and feel, such as “American Idol” and “The Voice” being forced to pivot to remote filming, with competitors, judges and hosts appearing from different locations. Late-night talk shows are being taped from the homes of such hosts as Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Trevor Noah, James Corden, Samantha Bee, Bill Maher, John Oliver, and Conan O’Brien. And news programs are packed with interview subjects sharing their thoughts via video conference technology, instead of sitting in a network studio.
Nobody seems to know how TV will look when series are able to gear up, and return to filming. But with so many people still working from home, summer TV viewership is likely to remain strong, even as the schedule looks a bit different in some spots. To help you navigate, here’s a guide to some of the most promising shows coming up this summer.
JUNE 2
“Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story”: The first season was based on the true-crime story memorably told in the podcast about a California businesswoman and the deceptive man she fell for. Now, “Dirty John” is an anthology, and in this second season (which moves from Bravo to USA), a true-crime tale from the 1980s unfolds. Amanda Peet stars as Betty Broderick, who – to understate what happened – is definitely not happy about what’s going on with her marriage to malpractice attorney Dan Broderick (Christian Slater). The first season was melodramatically entertaining, and this one sounds juicy. (9 p.m. USA Network)
JUNE 7
“30 for 30: Be Water”: After the success of “The Last Dance” docuseries, ESPN has been programming a series of films made under the company’s “30 for 30” documentary banner. Bao Nguyen’s “Be Water” explores the life and career of Bruce Lee, the martial artist and actor who became a star despite facing prejudice because of Hollywood’s reluctance to embrace Asians as leading men. (6 p.m. PT ESPN; streaming the next day on ESPN+)
JUNE 19
“Sherman’s Showcase: Black History Month Spectacular”: In its first (and so far only) season, Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin’s “Sherman’s Showcase” was a hilarious send-up of “Soul Train”/”Solid Gold”-style musical variety shows. Now, the duo returns for a special devoted to, as the show description says, “honoring historic African-American icons both past and present, alongside superheroes, period dramas, vampires, and a very special re-imagining of the cult film ‘The Last Dragon.’ Guest stars include Phonte Coleman, Michael Ealy, Jemele Hill, Lil Rel Howery, John Legend, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Mario Van Peebles, and more. (10 p.m. AMC/11 p.m. IFC)
JUNE 19
Padma Lakshmi, of "Top Chef" fame, hosts a new culinary culture show, "Taste the Nation." (Photo: Hulu)
“Taste the Nation”: Padma Lakshmi, cookbook author and host of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” taps into her culinary expertise for a new show that takes Lakshmi across the country, as she explores the food and culture of immigrants to America. (Hulu)
JUNE 21
“Perry Mason”: Take your memories of the old TV show starring Raymond Burr and leave them at the door. Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”) stars in a new series, playing a young Mason, who’s trying to piece together a living working as a private investigator in 1930s Los Angeles. The cast includes Tatiana Maslany (“Orphan Black”), John Lithgow, Shea Whigham, Nate Corddry, Jefferson Mays, Lili Taylor, and more. (9 p.m. HBO)
JUNE 25
“The Twilight Zone”: Season 1 of Jordan Peele’s revival of Rod Serling’s classic science fiction/suspense series had its ups and downs, but it was largely a solid reboot, blending creepy scares and social commentary. Season 2 sounds worth getting excited about, even though details are scarce, because the guest stars are an impressive bunch. Billy Porter, Morena Baccarin, Tony Hale, Jenna Elfman, Joel McHale, Jimmi Simpson, Gillian Jacobs, Damon Wayans Jr., and more are among the talents, and Peele will again take on Serling’s duties as the wry narrator. (CBS All Access)
JUNE 25
“Search Party”: The first two seasons of the dark comedy blended satire and murder, which sounds like a combination that shouldn’t have worked. But, thanks to clever writing and terrific performances by a cast led by Alia Shawkat, as Dory, “Search Party” was outstanding. In Season 3, which moves from TBS to the new streaming service, HBO Max, we find Dory and her self-absorbed friends dealing with the consequences of their actions, and those consequences don’t sound like they’re at all good. But then, neither were their actions (you know, murder, conspiracy to cover it up, that sort of thing). (HBO Max)
JUNE 28
“I’ll Be Gone in the Dark”: The six-part documentary series is based on the late writer Michelle McNamara’s book of the same name, which investigated the crimes of a serial predator she called “The Golden State Killer.” The documentary chronicles how the case became an obsession for McNamara, who was married to comedian Patton Oswalt. Liz Garbus (“Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper”) directs. (Time TBA HBO)
JULY 3
“Hamilton”: The musical theater phenom was originally intended to make its screen debut in movie theaters. Instead, it’s making an early arrival on home screens. The original Broadway cast, led by Lin-Manuel Miranda, stars in the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning smash. (Disney+)
JULY 10
“Little Voice”: Sara Bareilles provides original music for a series about Bess (Brittany O’Grady), a young woman in New York who is, according to the show description, trying to find her true voice, along with the courage to use it. The show is produced by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions. (Apple TV+)
JULY 15
“Brave New World”: Aldous Huxley’s classic novel serves as the source for a new adaptation, starring Harry Lloyd (“Game of Thrones”), Jessica Brown Findlay (“Downton Abbey”), Alden Ehrenreich (“Solo”) and Demi Moore, in a story about what happens when a supposed utopia is thrown into turmoil. (Peacock)
“Intelligence”: Another original from the NBCUniversal Peacock streaming service, this brings “Friends” veteran David Schwimmer back to series TV in a comedy that takes place in the U.K.’s “Government Communications Headquarters,” which isn’t quite as dramatic a workplace as MI5 or MI6. Nick Mohammed costars. (Peacock)
“Psych 2: Lassie Come Home”: The irreverent title should clue us in on what to expect from the second TV movie featuring characters from the popular “Psych” series. James Roday and Dule Hill are back in action, coming to the aid of Santa Barbara Police Chief Carlton Lassiter. (Peacock)
JULY 26
“The Alienist: Angel of Darkness”: In a follow-up to the underrated “The Alienist,” we’re back with Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning) as she tries to find a missing child in 1897 New York. Also returning are John Moore (Luke Evans), who’s now a reporter for The New York Times, and forensic psychologist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Brühl). (9 p.m. TNT)
AUGUST 14
“Ted Lasso”: Jason Sudeikis stars in a new comedy as a college football coach from Kansas who’s hired to coach a U.K. pro soccer team. Does he have any experience coaching soccer? No, and therein lies the comedy, we’re guessing. Sudeikis is an executive producer, along with comedy veteran Bill Lawrence (“Scrubs”). (Apple TV+)
AUGUST 19
Joshua Caleb Johnson as Onion and Ethan Hawke as John Brown in "The Good Lord Bird." (Photo: William Gray/Showtime)
“The Good Lord Bird”: Ethan Hawke cowrote and stars in a limited series adapted from James McBride’s novel about the fiery abolitionist John Brown and his followers. Judging from an early look, the tone is outrageous, not ponderous, and the storytelling is flamboyant. The talented Joshua Caleb Johnson costars. (10 p.m. Showtime)
COMING IN AUGUST
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”: A new series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan in their movie roles as the Falcon and the Winter Solider – hence the title, right? Filming was affected by production shutdowns, but at this point, the series is scheduled to launch in August. (Disney+)
“Lovecraft Country”: Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams are among the executive producers of a horror series based on Matt Ruff’s novel. Jonathan Majors stars as Atticus Freeman, a veteran of the Korean War, who heads out on a road trip in the 1950s to look for his father. Along with his traveling companions, Atticus encounters supernatural menace and the real-life racial bigotry, a theme that sounds all too timely. (HBO)
-- Kristi Turnquist
kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist
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Summer TV 2020: ‘Perry Mason,’ ‘Hamilton,’ and 16 more shows worth staying indoors for - OregonLive
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