#SetTheVCR: July 06-12, 2026

Monday, July 06

True North: Canadian Myths and Black Power (10:00 p.m. / PBS)

Through rare archival footage and firsthand accounts, True North revisits 1968 Montreal, where Black liberation movements converged at the Congress of Black Writers. As student protests ignited the Sir George Williams Affair, Black youth faced violent repression, unfolding a powerful chapter of the global Black Power era.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: PROTECTOR (ANYTIME / MGM+ & PARAMOUNT+ CANADA)

Nikki (Milla Jovovich), a veteran war hero, thought she’d left her violent past behind for a peaceful life with her daughter, Chloe – until Chloe is kidnapped by a human trafficking ring that forces Nikki into the city’s criminal underworld on a relentless pursuit. As she tears through a ruthless crime syndicate using her military training, Nikki draws the attention of both the police and the military, shooting her to the top of the most wanted list. In this high-stakes race against time, Nikki must use the violent skills she thought she left behind to save her daughter.
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Another Don’t Mess With Mom! movie. Good Gravy: this genre sucks. Sarah Connor is the rare effective “John Wick” mom. Maybe Ripley and Panic Room Jodie Foster count as notable contributions? Generally the “body-count-mom-don’t-mess-with-my-kid” genre is lousy, like an unenthusiastic school lunch. If you watch this, know I was your TV Protector and I warned you.

Tuesday, July 07

7/7: The London Bombings (Anytime / Britbox)

In July 2005, four bombs explode in London. Detectives, survivors and victims’ families relive the disaster. But who was responsible for this tragedy? All 4 parts are now streaming.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY (ANYTIME / HBO MAX & CRAVE)

The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace—eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.
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You know how Joker was not a DC Comics movie but…was still sorta a DC Comics movie? Well, The Mummy is not part of the Universal Monsters franchise, but it does have classic Mummy concepts. This movie is centered around a fictional ancient Egyptian demon called Nasmaranian. So yeah… about that. I’m Egyptian. So, let’s switch from DC Comics to the MCU. That whole “the first Egyptian superhero in the MCU” is utter Representation Matters junk. My people, my family, and my culture do just fine without it: Quality Matters More Than Representation. And that applies to the Mummy in all incarnations. If you’re ignorant about my wonderful culture, that’s a choice you’ve made when Google is free. (Same applies to me: Google is free for everyone.) I’m not gonna blame clumsy horror movies like this one for flawed representation. No matter what happens at the movies…trust me: my people, my culture and my family are all fine. (Ironic considering Nasmaranian, an ancient demon destroys families and communities, hah!) We good. The bigger question is…is this movie good? That’s what this pop culture conversation should be wrapped up in… quality. Quality is your Daddy.

Wednesday, July 08

Afterburn (Anytime / Prime Video-Canada & MGM+)

After a massive solar flare destroys the Earth’s eastern hemisphere, an emboldened treasure hunter for hire adventures to Europe to uncover the coveted Mona Lisa, only to learn the world needs a hero more than it needs a painting.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: FINDING AMERICA IN SONG (ANYTIME / THE PBS APP)

Marking the opening of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music, Springsteen reflects on more than five decades of work, the artists who influenced him, the themes that drive his creativity and what he hopes future generations will take from his music. The conversation comes as the United States marks 250 years, offering a reflection on the role art plays in telling the American story.
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“The story of America can be told through its music. And few artists have told it better than Bruce Springsteen. As the nation marks its 250th anniversary…a conversation about music, memory, and the American experience. I’m Geoff Bennett and this is Bruce Springsteen: Finding America in Song.” That’s how this PBS special opens. There’s so much to be thankful for during America’s 250th celebrations. The 4th of July BBQ may be over but gratitude isn’t limited to a weekend capped by fireworks. And Point Blank…Bruce Springsteen and his music are a notable Born in the U.S.A, highlight. And totally worth celebrating, especially on PBS, long after the 4th of July.

Thursday, July 09

The Five Star Weekend: Season 1 (Anytime / Peacock & 9 p.m. / W Network)

Centered on Hollis Shaw, a famed cook and best-selling author known for her delicious recipes, impeccable taste, and warm demeanor, who suffers a devastating loss. Unable to move forward, the death starts to expose the cracks in Hollis’s picture-perfect life – her strained marriage, her complicated relationship with her daughter, and her growing pursuit of validation from her fans. In an effort to overcome grief and find herself again, Hollis gets the idea to host a weekend away at her house on Nantucket with three friends from different stages in her life: her childhood, her twenties, thirties, and one surprise fifth star. Set against a luxurious and coastal backdrop, the stars will mature in ways they could never imagine as boundaries are pushed and secrets are exposed.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: PRISONER: SEASON 1 (9 P.M. / SHOWCASE)

A principled young prison transport officer is tasked with escorting a trained killer and high-value inmate to court to testify against his elite crime syndicate. When their convoy is brutally ambushed, the pair are left handcuffed together and forced to go on the run, with the officer having to place her life in the hands of the dangerous prisoner she was supposed to be guarding.
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Izuka Hoyle plays a prison transport officer who gets stuck handcuffs-to-handcuffs with Tahar Rahim—playing a terrifyingly smooth contract killer with 47 confirmed hits to his name. The mission? Get the killer to London’s Old Bailey court to bring down a massive criminal syndicate called Pegasus. The reality? A chaotic, shoot em up gauntlet featuring intense chases through ice hockey rinks and rooftops while a shadowy mole inside the law enforcement ranks pulls the strings. Developed by Matt Charman, this 6-episode Sky Atlantic ride plays out like a hyper-kinetic, British mashup of Midnight Run and Line of Duty. Original released on April 30, 2026 the take-no-prisoners series has crossed the pond and come to Canada. Over in the UK back in May 2026, the show is still doing time; it was renewed for a second series. So do your best to keep up, new fish…eh?

Friday, July 10

Little House on the Prairie: Season 1 (Anytime / Netflix)

The close-knit Ingalls family builds a new life on the Western frontier, where the joys of nature and the struggle for survival are deeply intertwined. There’s no reason for this to exist. There’s no benefits for grown adults to write this, cast this, produce this and offer this to Netflix viewers. None. Little House on the Prairie is not viable IP, it’s just Pee. Even this teaser is worthless.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: EVEL: AMERICA’S DAREDEVIL (ANYTIME / FOX ONE)

When a chance encounter with her rockstar crush leads 16 year old Rylee to discover that he’s a dysfunctional drug addict, she takes it upon herself to help him, ultimately forcing her teenage fantasies into reality.
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Lawd Have Mercy: Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert lives up to its name. It deftly restores Elvis as an American superhero along with Harry Houdini, Evel Knievel and Muhammad Ali. Elvis was/is magic. Equally can this Fox Nation documentary restore Evel’s valid recognition? I accept there’s a large quality gap between Baz Luhrmann and Fox Nation, but this all unfolding during America’s 250th celebrations. Just like Elvis, Evel Knievel is timeless. America is the only country that can produce an eternally cool character like Evel Knievel, who creates a popular culture entirely centered on danger. Nobody coming up is gonna be this fresh, not for a long…long time. Respect The Ruckus. With mad respect to Matt Murdock, Robert Craig Knievel is my favourite Daredevil. I can only hope this Fox Nation documentary successfully makes the giant leap towards excellence.

Saturday, July 11

The Ghost in the Shell: Season 1 (Anytime / Prime Video)

This series is a ground-up reboot. You do not need to watch the famous 1995 movie or the older TV shows to understand what is happening. It is a direct, faithful adaptation of the very first 1989 manga comic book. It establishes Section 9 from the ground up and tracks their very first major case involving the Puppet Maste.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE MAN WILL BURN (ANYTIME / HBO MAX)

Since its beginning in 1986, Burning Man has grown from its anarchic counterculture roots in San Francisco to a globally recognized spectacle. Each year, 80,000 self-styled “Burners” congregate in the Nevada desert to create music, art, and connection, raise temples, join a spiritual movement centered on community, and take part in a modern American cultural experiment. Following the organization through several years of unprecedented turmoil, The Man Will Burn follows a movement pushed to its limits as it strives to stay operational while staying true to its core values.
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I recently spoke to actor David Alpay, who plays Jade on MGM+’s From. Laughing, David admitted that yes Jade has entered his Burning Man era in Season 4’s mushroom vision quest episode. It’s cool that Burning Man has become a cultural shorthand. David and I can drop it during an interview and everyone instantly gets it. But now…that means I have Burning questions…how did that happen? How did this quirky festival continue to grow and avoid the standard crash and Burn? Or did the founders experience a Burn out? I have a Burning desire to check out this 4-part HBO Documentary from Jehane Noujaim and Vikram Gandhi.

Sunday, July 12

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore (Anytime / TVO Docs on YouTube)

In 1987, Marlee Matlin became the first Deaf actor to win an Academy Award, thrusting her into the spotlight at just 21 years old. Reflecting on her life in her primary language of American Sign Language, Marlee explores the complexities of what it means to be a trailblazer. Broadcast info: Saturday, July 11 at 9 p.m. Digital Release on the TVO Docs YouTube Channel: Friday, July 10 at 9 a.m.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE WESTIES: SEASON 1 (ANYTIME / MGM+ & PARAMOUNT+ CANADA)

The Westies is a gritty and kinetic crime drama centering on New York City’s infamously violent Irish gang of the same name. The series is set in the early 1980s when the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center on the Westies’ home turf in Hell’s Kitchen promises a financial windfall. Despite being outnumbered fifty-to-one by the Five Families of the Italian Mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente. But internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI’s ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia.
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Welcome to 1980s New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen. Where there’s no Daredevil, but there is an Irish Kingpin—Eamonn Sweeney, played by a ruthless J.K. Simmons. (He’s joined by Titus Welliver as mustached Glenn Keenan.) As for the gritty crime drama The Westies think Goodfellas meets The Wire. Meaning…this isn’t gonna end well. Not to sound like a wise guy. But brutality to create leverage is only effective for so long, you know? If you Google the popular dog breed, a Westies personality is described as smart, independent and notoriously stubborn terriers that require firm, patient training. And weirdly, that’s the exact setup of this show’s generational warfare. An internal conflict between old-school leadership and (of course!) a brash, younger generation of Irish mobsters threatens fragile peace. And that’s with taking on the Italian Mafia’s Five Families. Meanwhile, The Wire elements naturally surface as the gang’s increasingly reckless actions (lots and lots of violence!) attract em to an ever-deepening FBI investigation into organized crime. This ain’t your classic “Kiss Me, I enjoy U2” Irish. This is police and paddy wagon, Gangs of New York Irish. And I have a feeling as The Westies unfolds it’s all gonna go Southies.

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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.