#SetTheVCR: August 17-23, 2026

Monday, August 17

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 18 (Anytime / Hulu & Disney+ Canada)

Charlie, Mac, Dennis, Dee and Frank are more out of control than ever, taking on inheritances, automation, conspiracy theories, sobriety’s cultural swing and chaos at Paddy’s. With outrageous moments, star cameos, and Philly nods, The Gang proves age hasn’t brought wisdom.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: DEEP WATER (ANYTIME / MGM+)

A flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai goes down in the middle of the Pacific. After surviving the crash, the survivors soon discover they’re not alone and they must survive the shark infested waters.
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Deep Water directed by 90s classic blow-em up dude, Renny Harlin is now streaming. So at home you can fin-esse the savage shark movie starring Aaron Eckhart and Ben Kingsley into your life. It’s a water-ful life for shore. Can I make a Deep Water suggestion that’ll maybe put me in deep hot water? Deep Water is firmly a freshtastic B-Movie. For true there’s some decent ‘90s action movie moments (i.e. the epic airplane crash!). And 3 shark kills that are Top Shelf. So good. However, it’s a lot of fun to watch with an audience. It makes the corny cool. So gather your friends and host a Deep Water watch party. Sharks are still a whole genre. I haven’t watched Under Paris (a giant shark appears in the Seine), No Way Up, Devil’s Mouth, or Dangerous Animals and much more. This is Jaws’ legacy. It’s so personal. Programming Note: Deep Water streams on Paramount+ Canada on August 21.

Tuesday, August 18

Lorne (Anytime / Prime Video-Canada)

Lorne is a 2026 documentary about Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, featuring behind-the-scenes footage and candid interviews.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: ARE WE GOOD? (ANYTIME / THE CRITERION CHANNEL)

Comic and podcast pioneer Marc Maron reflects on loss and growth after the death of his partner, Lynn Shelton. As he processes grief and crafts comedy, he revisits his career, family struggles, and the evolving comedy world at 60.
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From WTF to Are We Good? A comedian confronts loss, age, fame and his own demons (who are just really onery cats.). The next chapter of Marc Maron’s story is an overlooked documentary, especially if you are a podcaster. If you’re a comic though? The doc is a struggle: “The greatest indication that it’s fucking over is Chappelle spending an hour and 10 minutes shitting on trans people. I mean, with everything going on, that’s the choice? But whatever.” That’s about 1 hour into the doc. Marc Maron is an ideal comic for the social media era because he talks (and even jokes) like Twitter. He’s simply decided these are dark times or harrowing times…and it’s really not. These aren’t the end days. We’re not living through WWII. I find his anxiety tedious and even obnoxious. So Are We Good? Yeah, mostly. Programming Note: WTF Is A Podcast with Marc Maron a graphic novel by Brian “Box” Brown comes out on November 3, 2026.

Wednesday, August 19

Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing (Anytime / Netflix)

Following the highly publicized death of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett, in Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing, filmmaker Rory Kennedy and her producing partner Mark Bailey continue their urgent investigation into the once-iconic aviation giant, uncovering startling new revelations and capturing voices from the inside. The upcoming documentary feature is Kennedy’s timely follow up to Downfall: The Case Against Boeing, released in 2022.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: RAMY: COMPLETE SERIES (ANYTIME / CBC GEM)

In New Jersey, Ramy, son of Egyptian immigrants, begins a spiritual journey, divided between his Muslim community, God, and his friends who see endless possibilities.
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There’s this janky movement in Canada to defund the CBC for “left wing propaganda paid for by our tax dollars” or some other numbnut political nonsense. (As if CBC is the only “waste” of taxpayers’ money.) If defunding impacts the British TV shows and docs CBC Gem picks up, then no, this entire movement is so not worth it. Some of that quality programming doesn’t end up on Hoopla or Crave so I’m counting on CBC Gem to deliver. And yeah, so be it. The CBC probably doesn’t provide $1 billion in value. It’s true most of the original programming is lackluster. However, most but not all. CBC funded some of Kid Koala’s Space Cadet, some of the Lilith Fair doc…that’s the good stuff I want from ‘em. Long as they keep co-producing work like that…we good. Culture is more valuable than politics. No exceptions. And speaking of culture: all 3 Ramy seasons are streaming on CBC Gem. When it was broadcast on Hulu, I described Ramy: Season 1 as Atlanta but like set in New Jersey and with Muslims. The official description is: “Ramy Hassan is a first-generation Egyptian-American who is on a spiritual journey in his politically divided New Jersey neighborhood. He becomes caught between a Muslim community that thinks life is a moral test and a millennial generation that believes life has no consequences.” Oh, that’s much better. It is not easy navigating two cultures and that friction naturally generates comedy. (Technically: 3 cultures. I’m Canadian and I’m Egyptian, but also I’m steeped in pop “culture” which has its own rituals and street codes and semiotics. If you ever see a tired minority that’s why—juggling cultures is not easy.) Be sure to look out for Dave Merheje over the 3 seasons…dude’s fresh!

Thursday, August 20

Outer Banks: Season 5 (Anytime / Netflix)

Season 5 finds the Pogues at their absolute breaking point following the tragic loss of JJ in Morocco. Stranded far from home and mourning the heart of their crew, they’ve lost the Blue Crown and continue to face a gauntlet of familiar threats. With Chandler Groff still at large, Dalia and the Corsairs closing in, and the Kooks ensuring the Pogues have no home to return to, John B, Sarah, Kiara, Pope, and Cleo must rely on their scrappy instincts – and an uneasy alliance with Rafe – to keep from falling apart for good.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE NFB LIBRARY COLLECTION (ANYTIME / CRAVE)

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is pleased to announce that 44 of its most beloved animated and documentary films are now streaming on Crave as part of a dedicated NFB collection, giving subscribers easy access to a rich selection of homegrown stories from Canada’s world-renowned public producer. Featured prominently on the platform as a curated shelf, the NFB offering brings together a mix of audience favourites and enduring classics spanning decades of great Canadian storytelling.
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TBA: Stay Tuned.

Friday, August 21

Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter (Anytime / Prime Video)

Novak Djokovic’s story is not yet fully written, but his legacy already stands unmatched in tennis. With 24 Grand Slam titles – the most in men’s history – over 1,100 career singles match wins, an Olympic gold medal, a record 428 weeks at world No. 1, and more Grand Slam appearances than any player in the Open Era, Djokovic has rewritten the record books and redefined what excellence looks like in professional sports. By virtually every statistical measure, he is the greatest to ever hold a racket. And yet, for all he has accomplished, Djokovic remains one of the most complex and polarizing figures in modern athletics – a champion whose greatness is undeniable, but whose story has never been fully understood.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE DYNASTY: UCONN HUSKIES (ANYTIME / APPLE TV)

Featuring exclusive interviews with the 2025 National Championship team alongside voices from across generations of UConn basketball, the series offers a rare, inside look at the players carrying the program forward while reflecting on the legacy that built it.
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In 1985, the UConn women’s basketball program had just one winning season. What followed was a transformation led by Gino Auriemma and defined by an iconic lineage of players – from Rebecca Lobo and Swin Cash to Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart – establishing the Huskies as the gold standard of college basketball. In total, UConn has won 12 national championships, more than any other team, men or women, in the history of NCAA Division I basketball.

Saturday, August 22

Tragically Hip: A National Celebration (7:00 p.m. /CBC TV & CBC Gem)

CBC will rebroadcast The Tragically Hip’s final Kingston concert commercial-free on August 22, marking 10 years since A National Celebration brought roughly one-third of Canada together for the band’s farewell. Relive the night Canada stood still for the live broadcast of The Tragically Hip’s 2016 Man Machine Poem concert from Kingston, Ont., re-broadcasting and streaming commercial-free on Saturday, August 22 on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio and CBC Music’s YouTube page.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: CONAN O’BRIEN MUST GO SEASON 3 (ANYTIME / HBO MAX & CRAVE)

In this riotously funny travel series, Conan O’Brien experiences local cultures and connects with fans he previously met on his podcast.
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It’s Conan O’Brien on TV. I dunno what else you need. Push play and laugh at the zany.

Sunday, August 23

Passenger (Anytime / Paramount+)

After a young couple witnesses a gruesome highway accident, they soon realize they did not leave the crash scene alone, as a demonic presence called the Passenger that won’t stop until it claims them both turns their van life adventure into a nightmare.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: PREDATOR: BADLANDS (ANYTIME / CRAVE & HULU)

In the future on a remote planet, a young Predator outcast from his clan finds an unlikely ally in Thia and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
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Fools. After the first one with Arnold the entire Predator franchise has literally been “Bad Lands.” Obviously, I didn’t bother with Predator: Prey. Why would I? Outside of the first Arnold movie this entire franchise is frowzy and lousy. There’s absolutely no reason to expect good things or have hope for a Predator sequel; ditto for Terminator, RoboCop, Alien sequels etc. There’s zero return on investment for viewers. Like Star Wars, like Aliens etc. Predator Badlands is a weak attempt to CPR save valuable IP. Speaking of IP: The solo Predator comics are mostly weak game. The Marvel Comics Predator comics that should be hunted are the ones vs Marvel characters. (Predator vs Wolverine, Predator Kills Marvel etc.) Those are trophies.

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Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.