The Foundation of the NBA and the NFL with the terror of killer robots and killer humans. Oh way more than The Summer I Turned Pretty; this is #SetTheVCR.
Monday, July 10
Miracle Workers: End Times (10 p.m. / TBS)
Daniel Radcliffe, Steve Buscemi, Geraldine Viswanathan, Karan Soni and Jon Bass return in the fourth installment of the series as all-new characters in a dystopian future full of radioactive mutants, killer robots and a tyrannical homeowner’s association with outrageous annual fees.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: UNKNOWN: KILLER ROBOTS (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)
Deep in the heart of the military-industrial complex, a new kind of soldier is being developed.
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We’re all doomed. If it’s not Skynet and A.I. it’ll be killer robots. This is not a sci-fi movie, rather a documentary. It follows a group of soldiers and scientists who’re developing revolutionary technologies that could be used to transform modern warfare. Such as a dangerous army of AI-powered killer robots. Yup. You read that correctly. I mentioned this is real life and not Tony Stark sci-fi? Programming Note: A bonus double feature is Dark Marvels: Season 1 10 p.m., tonight on History. Dark Marvels “explores the history and engineering behind the world’s most diabolical inventions. From devious torture and death devices, to terrifying weapons of war, sinister spy tools, and games that kill, the series delves into the origin stories of dark innovations that emerged from some of the most wicked minds.” Killer robots qualifies does it not?
Tuesday, July 11
Brandi Carlile: in the Canyon Haze – Live from Laurel Canyon (Anytime / HBO Max)
Taped in 2022 and directed by Sam Wrench featuring songs from Brandi’s album In These Silent Days.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: MYTH OF THE ZODIAC KILLER (ANYTIME / PEACOCK)
The identity of the serial killer known as The Zodiac has been confounding investigators for nearly fifty years, but an unlikely and unconventional theorist may have finally shed light to America’s most famous cold case.
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Speaking at Tribeca last month David Fincher revealed this about his fantastic Zodiac movie: “There was so much flak after Zodiac came out about people saying, ‘Why didn’t you go down this rabbit hole? Why did you only go down the Graysmith rabbit hole?’ That’s the book that we bought. We didn’t buy everyone’s book about the Zodiac. … You have a responsibility to make sure that you are saying what you want to say because chances are they can deck you in an airport. So you want to be conscious and be smart about it. Making movies about things that are ripped from headlines is a slippery slope. I think it’s important to be responsible, and by the same token, you also have to entertain an audience.” He’s right, like duh. This two-part docuseries proposes what if the reason the Zodiac has never been caught…is because he never existed in the first place? Talk about going down a rabbit hole. As a genre true crime is killing it lately.
Wednesday, July 12
To End All War: Oppenheimer & The Atomic Bomb (Anytime / Peacock)
The feature documentary examines physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and the weapon that changed the world — and how it changed him too.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: UFOS: INVESTIGATING THE UNKNOWN (ANYTIME / DISNEY+ US)
At long last, it looks like the truth about UFOs may finally be revealed.
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A 5-hour UFO docuseries with Mark O’Connell whose book is outstanding: The Close Encounters Man: How One Man Made the World Believe in UFOs. Yes a compelling biography of J. Allen Hynek who attempted to debunk or dismiss UFOs. How…did we get there? The US Government’s recent revelations about their UFO/UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon) program is currently challenging our beliefs. Something…is out there. And this is why I’m recommending this docuseries. Rather than focusing on the difficult to explain experience of an individual; this is an exploration of the American Government’s role in our UFO lore. What they’ve made public is just as fascinating as what they’ve kept hidden; there’s a push for transparency (in all aspects of government really) and a frustrating mystery that even with their resources and experts cannot neatly solve. Something…is out there. But what? But who? And can we trust the American Government to tell us what is out there? You can hear the X-Files errie theme in your head as you read this huh?
Thursday, July 13
Full Circle: Limited Series (Anytime / HBO Max & Crave)
An investigation into a botched kidnapping uncovers long-held secrets connecting multiple characters and cultures in present day New York City. The six-episode limited series is from director Steven Soderbergh and writer Ed Solomon debuts with 2 episodes today. Then two episodes weekly until the finale on Thursday, July 27.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: QUARTERBACK (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)
Patrick Mahomes is joined by Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota, the starting quarterbacks of the Minnesota Vikings, and Atlanta Falcons, through the 2022 NFL Season, which culminated in Mahomes winning his second Superbowl.
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From executive producer Peyton Manning comes Quarterback an 8 episode docuseries that kicks off Netflix’s partnership with the NFL. The docuseries follows the inspiring and thought-provoking journey of Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota from the beginning of the 2022 season to its conclusion. For the first time ever, the NFL allowed quarterbacks to be mic’d up for every single game of a season. I know docs sell you on “unprecedented access” but this really is…unprecedented access. Through high stakes huddles and compelling game footage, this docuseries dives deep into the lives of these athletes, giving an in-depth look into their personal and professional struggles. With the NFL 2023 season scheduled to begin in September, this Netflix docuseries will give fans something to watch in the meantime. Programming Note: Untold Volume 3 starts streaming on August 1. This is Netflix’s version of 30 for 30s. There are some NFL stories like Johnny Football streaming on August 8.
Friday, July 14
Bird Box Barcelona (Anytime / Netflix)
As a mysterious force decimates humanity, a sinister new threat grows in this Barcelona-set film that expands the story of the 2018 post-apocalyptic movie Bird Box.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY: SEASON 2 (ANYTIME / PRIME VIDEO)
A love triangle between one girl and two brothers: a story about first love, first heartbreak, and the magic of that one perfect summer.
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Jenny Han, who wrote the pilot, is the author of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series. I never read the books…or The Summer I Turned Pretty series still I’m a sucker for a solid teen movie. Season 1 was a like a long teen movie: 7 episodes. And with enough unresolved drama so it’s back for more horny hijinks: 8 episodes. The Summer I Turned Pretty is an emotional rollercoaster that’ll have you laughing, crying, and swooning all at once. This romantic YA drama follows the story of three teenage friends – Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah – as they explore their lives and each other while navigating (often badly) the highs and lows of young love. Through their star-crossed ups and downs, each of em discovers how to balance love, friendship, family, and ambition. Just because school’s out doesn’t mean the learning stops. So…are you Team Conrad? Or Team Jeremiah…like me? Watch it all Summer long…or whenever you feel pretty.
Saturday, July 15
Foundation: Season 2 (Anytime / Apple TV+)
As the Cleons unravel, a vengeful queen plots to destroy Empire from within. Hari, Gaal and Salvor discover a colony of Mentalics with psionic abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. The Foundation has entered its religious phase, promulgating the Church of Seldon throughout the Outer Reach and inciting the Second Crisis: war with Empire.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: EASTER SUNDAY (ANYTIME / CRAVE)
Set around a family gathering to celebrate Easter Sunday, the comedy is based on Jo Koy’s life experiences and stand-up comedy.
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If you know his comedy you know Jo Koy is all about family. Easter Sunday is a heartwarming comedy that tells the story of an estranged family reuniting for a special holiday celebration. Jo Koy stars as Joe Valencia, an LA-based stand-up comic, whose Hollywood dreams of fame and fortune conflict with reconnecting with his family. Any visible minority know how that anti-cultural hustle is both heartbreaking and inspiring. And so funny! While we wait for his next comedy special, why not celebrate Easter Sunday…in July.
Sunday, July 16
Champions (Anytime / Prime Video-Canada)
A former minor-league basketball coach is ordered by the court to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities. He soon realizes that despite his doubts, together, this team can go further than they ever imagined.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: GOLIATH (10 P.M. / SHOWTIME)
Brash and confident, Wilt Chamberlain changed the way the game is played, broke records and racial barriers and challenged the unwritten rules for all athletes
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Power, money, race, sex, politics and celebrity…add basketball to that enticing cocktail and you get Wilt Chamberlain. And it’s produced by Gotham Chopra’s Religion of Sports in association with Kevin Garnett’s Content Cartel and Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions. That’s the Hustle right there. Speaking of the hustle…how do you make a 2023 doc when the subject died on October 12, 1999? By “utilizing groundbreaking artificial intelligence to recreate Chamberlain’s voice to narrate his own words and archival footage provided by the Wilt Chamberlain.” Interesting. (Sadly as of this writing there is no video footage of Wilt’s 100 point game.) Wilt Chamberlain’s Last Dance is a 3-part docuseries featuring talking from Jerry West, Pat Riley, Rick Barry, Jackie MacMullan and Kevin Garnett. Programming Note: This’ll be streaming on Paramount+ as of Friday, July 14.
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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.
