You maybe Summering but with this #SetTheVCR post is All Up In The Biz of TV recommendations. Only Murders In The Building returns so we should kick off this TV week with a Clue.
Monday, August 07
Happiness for Beginners (Anytime / Netflix)
At a crossroads after her divorce, a schoolteacher ventures toward a fresh start in life — and love — when she signs up for a grueling group hiking trip.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: WHO DONE IT: THE CLUE DOCUMENTARY (ANYTIME / SCREAMBOX)
This is the story of how a film based on a board game died at the box office only to reappear years later as one of the most beloved comedies of the 1980’s.
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Just in case you’re Clueless Screambox is now streaming Who Done It: The Clue Documentary. Yes a documentary, partly focusing on the board game but mostly about the movie. “This is the story of how a film based on a board game died at the box office only to reappear years later as one of the most beloved comedies of the 1980’s.” I thought Clue movie was just…okay. I don’t remember which ending I saw either. How many endings are there?! (Google tells me there are 3 endings.) Anyways I know I have Clue nerds in my life (and Clueless fans as well; I roam with a strange herd…) so a #SetTheVCR recommendation for all those folks so you’re all Clued-In. (Screambox docs are solid! I’ve watched Pennywise: The Story of IT and Living With Chucky. I dig this horror/IP movie trend. I’ve yet to check out Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story.)
Tuesday, August 08
Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the New York Jets (10:00 p.m. / HBO Max)
The 18th edition of the popular NFL pre-season TV show embeds camera crews at the Jets’ training camp in Florham Park, N.J. to chronicle third-year head coach Robert Saleh preparing his team of young emerging stars and prominent veterans — most notably Aaron Rodgers. So the hype begins.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING: SEASON 3 (ANYTIME / HULU & DISNEY+ CANADA)
Season three finds Charles, Oliver & Mabel (played by Steve Martin, Martin Short & Selena Gomez) investigating a murder behind the scenes of a Broadway show.
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Scooby-Doo with sarcasm returns for a third fun season! This time they added Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep to the cast, which is pitch perfect. Season 1 investigated the murder of Arconian resident Tim Kono as well as launching their podcast. Season 2 the gang is publicly implicated in Arconia Board President Bunny Folger’s homicide and still recording their podcast. Now…Season 3 they’re investigating a murder behind the scenes of a Broadway show. And still recording their podcast. For old dudes who only wanted to…you know solve Only Murders in the Building their investigative radius is slowly increasing. Good thing too, you know old people need to stay active. Programming Note: Streams today with the first two episodes.
Wednesday, August 09
Untold: Johnny Football (Anytime / Netflix)
This documentary traces the meteoric rise and precipitous fall of football star Johnny Manziel via interviews with friends, coaches and Manziel himself. Untold: Johnny Football is the second installment of four weeks of Untold on Netflix.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: DESTINATION NBA: A G LEAGUE ODYSSEY (ANYTIME / PRIME VIDEO)
A character-driven documentary that follows some of the most intriguing prospects in the NBA’s developmental league, the NBA G League, as they compete to earn the ultimate reward of an NBA roster spot.
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Hoop Dreams in the NBA’s G League. Focusing on promising prospects in the NBA’s developmental league as they compete and earn a spot on an NBA roster. Think Gary Payton II’s success with the Warriors. Can that be repeated with any of these characters in this ensemble cast? While there’s a number of NBA docs, this is one of the first (only?) G League doc. So it’d be fascinating to see those basketball machinations be revealed. Something to chew on while we wait for the 78th season of the National Basketball Association to tip off.
Thursday, August 10
Twisted Metal: Season 1 (Anytime / Paramount+ Canada)
A motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The Peacock TV show comes to Canada.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: PAINKILLER: LIMITED SERIES (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)
The origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis…again!
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Let’s talk about this odd and silly double-dipping TV trend. On Valentine’s Day 2017 (good marketing!) Netflix streamed Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies, and Cyber Attacks. Then on July 7, 2023 Hulu offered a three-part docuseries The Ashley Madison Affair. Sure…it’s longer than the Netflix doc but…we did this already. Here’s another one. A four-part docuseries Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed premiered on Discovery+ on March 24. Then The Secrets of Hillsong, a four-part FX documentary series started streaming on Hulu on May 19. Again? We did this already. There’s that much compelling footage and story for 8 episodes of TV? How do you know which one is better? Dopesick dropped on October 13, 2021 on Hulu; 8 episodes. The series takes “viewers to the epicenter of America’s struggle with opioid addiction, from the boardrooms of Big Pharma, to a distressed Virginia mining community, to the hallways of the DEA.” Got it. The limited series is based on Beth Macy’s book of the same name. Okay. Yet here we are with a new limited series from Netflix that (wait for it!) “explores some of the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America.” Though 6 episodes. Huh? We did this already. This limited series is based on the book Pain Killer by Barry Meier and the New Yorker Magazine article The Family That Built the Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe. So how exactly is this different than Dopesick?? I don’t understand the value of the double-dip. There’s no new stories to tell? What if both of the limited series suck? I don’t appreciate this double-dipping trend. We’re rehashing the same stories, over and over again. It slides into cheap sensationalism, not that there is any other kind. I agree with Timmy on Seinfeld who yelled at George Costanza for double dipping: “Look, when you take a chip, just take one dip and END IT!” Exactly. This double-dipping trend is…painful.
Friday, August 11
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop (Anytime / Netflix)
This 4-part docuseries explores the role the women of hip hop played throughout the revolutionary genre’s 50 years. Another #HipHop50 doc.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: ALL UP IN THE BIZ (ANYTIME / PARAMOUNT+)
The documentary feature, which premiered at Tribeca Festival last month, is the definitive story of late, great rapper Biz Markie, who is best known for his mega hit Just a Friend.
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As #HipHop50 celebrations roll on across New York City it’s fitting to have a moment of silence for Biz Markie. Biz passed away on July 16, 2021. Like…look who is in this doc: Nick Cannon, Tracy Morgan, Big Daddy Kane, Fat Joe, Daryl McDaniels (DMC!), Doug E Fresh, Dapper Dan, Prince Paul, Rakim, Marley Marl and more! And check out this line from the description…there’s one word…a key phrase that stands out; see it? “Director Sacha Jenkins weaves together a collage of dynamic celebrity interviews, rare archival footage, reenactments with puppets, and playful animation to share the personal and professional story of Biz Markie and the mark he left on hip-hop history and the music industry around the world.” Yup! Reenactments with puppets. When was the last time you saw a documentary that featured reenactments with puppets? Or is the better question to ask why aren’t there more puppet laced docs? If you know Biz Markie you know reenactments with puppets is the best way to go. Programming Note: Check out Mixtape also streaming on Paramount+ as of August 1st.
Saturday, August 12
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Anytime / Prime Video-Canada)
The movie tells the story of two Brooklyn plumbers who are brothers and best friends: Mario (Chris Pratt), the brave one with the “let’s-a go” attitude, and the perpetually anxious Luigi (Charlie Day), who would prefer to go nowhere.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: HEART OF STONE (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)
Rachel Stone is an intelligence operative, the only woman who stands between her powerful, global, peace-keeping organization and the loss of its most valuable – and dangerous – asset.
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It’s a short list of action women who consistently drop bodies: Linda Hamilton and Angelina Jolie. (With respect to Pam Grier.) That’s the female Expendables list. I ain’t prepared to sign off or even invest in Gal Gadot with guns. I’m not convinced. Chick’s gotta work hard and earn it. I got a Heart of Stone but I’m good with it. It protects me from cheeze. So what sells this latest Netflix movie? It’s written and produced by Greg Rucka, a popular comic book writer. Press play for Greg, stay for the ruckus.
Sunday, August 13
Zombieverse (Anytime / Netflix)
In Seoul, where a zombie virus outbreak has run amok, who will outwit the undead in the face of challenging quests and come out alive? Yup…Korean zombies.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: SUMMERING (ANYTIME / CRAVE)
During their last days of summer and childhood — the weekend before middle school begins — four girls struggle with the harsh truths of growing up and embark on a mysterious adventure.
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Stand by Me with girls! Yes there’s even a dead body. Can the girls identify the body? And because of their age can they successfully go all Nancy Drew without getting in trouble from their moms? One last adventure, one final peaceful Summer before they start attending separate schools in the Fall. This Summer daydream is co-written by Benjamin Percy, a super fun comic book scribe. Return to the carefree childhood of sweet Summer days…staying up late, riding bikes, finding dead bodies. Slightly more fun than jumping through a hazy sprinkler to cool off.
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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.
