TAGGED AS: Comedy, Drama, streaming, television, TV
Hulu whodunnit Only Murders in the Building, groundbreaking comedy Reservation Dogs, Showtime drama Billions, long-running animated hit Archer, and more, here are the TV and streaming shows you should catch up on before they return in August.
83%
Physical
(Apple TV+)
What it is: Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne) is a quietly tormented housewife in 1980s San Diego; behind closed doors, she battles extreme personal demons and a vicious inner voice, but things change when she discovers aerobics, sparking a journey toward empowerment and success. Season 3 premieres Wednesday, August 2.
Why you should watch it: Embedded in the neon-colored, big-haired, fitness-obsessed ’80s, Physical dials the clock back to explore topics like body autonomy and female empowerment in a decade when neither were spoken about out loud. Rose Byrne is at the top of her game, here. And with the third and final season around the corner, something tells us, she’ll only get better.
Where to watch: Apple TV+ (subscription, seasons 1-2)
Commitment: Approx. 10 hours (for seasons 1-2)
99%
Reservation Dogs
(FX on Hulu)
What it is: Following the exploits of four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma who steal, rob, and save in order to get to the exotic, mysterious, and faraway land of California. To succeed, they will have to save enough money, outmaneuver the methheads at the junkyard on the edge of town and survive a turf war against a much tougher rival gang. This first-of-its-kind creative team tells a story that resonates with them and their lived experiences — and invites audiences into a surprisingly familiar and funny world. Season 3 premieres Wednesday, August 2.
Why you should watch it: First off, Reservation Dogs is hilarious, which is reason alone to check it out. With its indie feel and eclectic collection of talent (both in front of and behind the camera), the series is a delightful representation of the Native experience. Plus, through all the laughter, you may learn a thing or two.
Where to watch: Hulu (subscription, seasons 1-2)
Commitment: Approx. 7 hours (for seasons 1-2)
83%
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
(Max)
What it is: A fast-break drama series that goes back in time to chronicle the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties. Based on Jeff Pearlman’s book, Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers, the show takes a look at a team that defined its era, both on and off the court. Season 2 premieres Sunday, August 6.
Why you should watch it: Thanks to the talented ensemble cast — which includes the likes of John C. Reilly, Sally Field, Quincy Isaiah, Adrien Brody, Jason Segel, Jason Clarke, and Wood Harris — and producing guidance of Adam McKay, this series is a flashy, fun trip back to 1980s Los Angeles and the history-making formation of the basketball dynasty that changed professional sports forever.
Where to watch: Max (subscription, season 1); buy at Vudu, Prime Video, and Apple TV.
Commitment: Approx. 9 hours (for season 1)
97%
Only Murders in the Building
(Hulu)
What it is: When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, three strangers who share on obsession with true crime suspect murder. They employ their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth and discover that even more explosive are the lies they tell one another. Soon, the endangered trio comes to realize a killer might be living among them as they race to decipher the mounting clues before it’s too late. Season 3 premieres Tuesday, August 8.
Why you should watch it: Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez have developed a wonderful rapport together as the show’s lead comedy trifecta. Poking fun at the enduring podcast obsession with true crime, Only Murders in the Building is a twisty whodunit throwback with a modern flair.
Where to watch: Hulu (subscription, seasons 1-2)
Commitment: Approx. 10 hours (for seasons 1-2)
87%
Billions
(Showtime)
What it is: Wealth, influence, and corruption collide in this drama set in New York. Shrewd U.S. attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) is embroiled in a high-stakes game of predator vs. prey with Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis), an ambitious hedge-fund king. Both men use their intelligence, power, and influence to outmaneuver the other in this battle over billions. Season 7 premieres Friday, August 11 on Showtime’s digital channels and Sunday, August 13 on Showtime’s linear channel.
Why you should watch it: This feds vs. funds series is a smartly written drama that’s elevated by engaging performances by Giamatti, Lewis, Maggie Siff, and Corey Stoll, among other top-notch supporting players. If you imagine that a series about financial law would be stiff, Billions is anything but.
Where to watch: Paramount+ and Prime Video (Subscription, seasons 1-6); buy at Vudu, Prime Video, and Apple TV.
Commitment: Approx. 70 hours (for seasons 1-6)
98%
Solar Opposites
(Hulu)
What it is: A family of aliens from a better world must take refuge in middle America and disagree about whether Earth is awful or awesome. Season 4 premieres Monday, August 14.
Why you should watch it: Justin Roiland’s family sitcom satire is the fish-out-of-water tale you never knew you needed in your life. The laughable violence and raunchy humor can be described as South Park–adjacent. Solar Opposites stands out as a far cry from Rick and Morty — in a good way.
Where to watch: Hulu (subscription, seasons 1-3); buy season 1 at Vudu, Prime Video, and Apple TV.
Commitment: Approx. 11 hours (for seasons 1-3)
91%
Archer
(FX on Hulu)
What it is: The suave, confident, and devastatingly handsome Sterling Archer may be the world’s greatest spy, but he still has issues with his friends and colleagues who live to undermine and betray one another. Whether set in 1940s Los Angeles, the jungles of South America or the dangerous islands of the South Pacific, Archer is an animated comedy that spans time and place to navigate Sterling, Lana, Cheryl/Carol/Charlotte, Cyril, Pam, Ray, and Krieger’s misguided misadventures that range from attempting to save the world from nuclear disaster to selling illegal narcotics to Colombian cartels. Season 14 premieres Wednesday, August 30.
Why you should watch it: The series’ quick-fire wit, smart writing, creator Adam Reed’s love for the spy stories (there are genre homages aplenty here), and the comedic dynamic of H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Jessica Walter, Judy Greer, Chris Parnell, and Amber Nash have proven to be a winning formula.
Where to watch: Hulu (subscription, seasons 1-13); buy seasons 1-13 at Vudu, Prime Video, and Apple TV.
Commitment: Approx. 49 hours (for seasons 1-13)
Thumbnail image by Hulu.
