You Never Change and neither do I. These Project Hail Mary TV Recommendations can only be #SetTheVCR.
Monday, June 15
The Moment with Katy Tur (2:00 p.m. / MSNBC)
Katy Tur cuts through the noise with sharp political analysis, breaking news, and impactful interviews on the stories driving the national conversation. Really? Well let’s find out which Katy Tur viewers will get.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: DOCTOR WHO: 2005-2022 (ANYTIME / AMC+ US)
AMC+ invites fans to relive their favorite moments of the award-winning, fan-favorite series Doctor Who (2005 – 2022), the longest-running British science fiction television series, now available to binge today on its new U.S. streaming home to 13 seasons and 175 episodes (including specials). The series, which premiered 20 years ago this year in the U.S., follows the stories of a regenerating Time Lord who travels on adventures through all of time and space.
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Doctor Who is a famous time traveler, so he has the ability to exist simultaneously in the past and the future. While his future is currently in jeopardy (it’s always in jeopardy, let’s be honest!), in America, his past is secure.This Doctor Who collection streams exclusively on AMC+ starting June 11, 2026. It includes 176 episodes covering the 9th through 13th Doctors (Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi and ugh…Jodie Whittaker). New streamers, Who dis? The Doctor is leaving Disney+ in the US. While the original legacy seasons featuring the 1st through 8th Doctors remain, those seasons continue to stream on dedicated services like BritBox or on free ad-supported platforms like Pluto TV and Tubi. I highly recommend David Tennant and Matt Smith if wanna know Who my go-to is.
Tuesday, June 16
They Will Kill You (Anytime / HBO Max & Crave)
A woman answers a help wanted ad to be a housekeeper in a mysterious high-rise in New York City, not realizing she is entering a community that has seen a number of disappearances over the years and may be under the grip of a Satanic cult.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THIS WAS SPORTSCENTER: STORIES FROM THE SET (ANYTIME / DISNEY+ & YOUTUBE)
In this new podcast, Rich Eisen takes fans behind the scenes of ESPN’s iconic SportsCenter set and newsroom during the late 1990s and early 2000s, featuring firsthand stories and memories from many of the personalities who helped define the show’s impact by revisiting the moments, stories and personalities that helped transform SportsCenter from a news and highlights franchise into a genre-defining cultural phenomenon.
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Long before your phone buzzed with score alerts every twelve seconds or Twitter offered rumours presented as insider access from unaccomplished losers, there was ESPN’s SportsCenter. It wasn’t just a television show; it was a nightly ritual no different than Letterman or Conan. Rich Eisen’s compelling podcast series, This Was SportsCenter: Stories From The Set, traces ESPN’s golden era with the hosts that truly mattered. ESPN is just like SNL—established institutions which broadcast generations of talent to generations of viewers. And yeah unfortunately, some generations flat out suck. (Kids today…you have no idea how dope 90s SNL truly was.) And like SNL, ESPN used to be great. Both have been struggling for a while now. (Stephen A. really? And Pat McAfee doesn’t even wear sleeves.) If you’re a Gen Xer this isn’t just a booby-trapped trip down memory lane—I find nostalgia terrifying. Rather it’s a subtle reminder of when television was an event. You stayed up late for the West Coast feed. At school you traded the catchphrases like cool currency. Honestly, those deft and dapper anchors taught us more about concise, punchy storytelling in a two-minute clip than most networks do in a full season with a writer’s room. It’s a perfect time capsule of another special TV era. (We’ve just been actively celebrating SNL’s 50 with all kinds of specials and docs. It’s ESPN’s turn, now.) It kicked off with an outstanding episode with Dan Patrick followed by Chris Berman and Mike Greenberg, Future episodes will feature Linda Cohn and Craig Kilborn. (It’s disappointing Stuart Scott is no longer with us.) These distinct personality hosts stopped just reading stats. Instead, they transformed sports highlights into actual pop culture—exactly what Inside The NBA does so well. This Was SportsCenter is a phenomenal throwback to a time when the scores mattered, but the distinct personalities mattered way more.
Wednesday, June 17
Your Fault: London (Anytime / Prime Video)
After the explosive events of My Fault: London, Nick and Noah return – stronger, closer, and more in love than ever. But as life begins to pull them in different directions, their relationship faces its toughest challenge yet. Noah heads to Oxford to pursue her studies, while Nick finds himself consumed by the growing demands of work. When new people enter their lives, stirring unexpected emotions and lingering jealousy, cracks begin to form. Trust is tested, passions flare, and the bond they once thought unbreakable starts to strain. Now standing at a crossroads, Noah and Nick must decide: fight for the love that brought them together… or risk losing it forever. It Is What It Is.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: NEVER CHANGE! (ANYTIME / HULU & DISNEY+ CANADA)
In 2008, the graduating class of North Meadows High School had their senior year cut short by a devastating tornado. Now in their mid-30s, they are being forced to return home and finish high school once and for all. Old flames, second chances, this is what nightmares are made of.
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Adult-Teen Movie! This is like the Kevin Hart goes to Night School movie. These movies are fine for streaming. Hopefully they resoundingly mock all obnoxious political correctness.
Thursday, June 18
The Capture: Season 3 (Anytime / Peacock)
How do you protect the truth, in a world where lies are daily currency? And with the proliferation of deepfakes, how can we trust what we see? It’s been twelve months since Rachel Carey (Holliday Grainger) broadcast a live deepfake of a government minister to the nation, exposing the UK intelligence service’s clandestine video manipulation program known as Correction. Amidst an inquiry into the unlawful use of deepfakes, Carey has become acting head of SO15, determined to regain the public’s trust in surveillance technology through the new Operation Veritas camera system. And then it happens: a brutal and exceptionally well-coordinated act of terror aimed right at the heart of the British establishment that leaves behind just one witness. The more Carey investigates, the deeper she is drawn into an unfolding geopolitical crisis that infects the British political establishment, the security services, and the media.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: PROJECT HAIL MARY (ANYTIME / MGM+)
Astronaut Ryland Grace awakens on a spacecraft with no memory of himself or his mission. He slowly deduces he is the sole survivor of a crew sent to the Tau Ceti solar system in search of a solution to a catastrophic event on Earth. In his search for answers, Grace must rely on his vast array of scientific knowledge, sheer ingenuity, and human will – but he may not have to search alone.
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Oh boy…Ryan Gosling, here we go again. In a word? Overrated. I’m completely dismissive of his appalling status as a top-tier Hollywood leading man. The critics adore him and many box office numbers look great, especially for a popular movie like Project Hail Mary. Which really should be the name of his documentary considering his consistent subpar acting. From dull sci-fi blockbusters like Blade Runner 2044 to newer flawed hits like Barbie, Ryan Gosling’s vapid performances are routinely lousy. The Fall Guy for his weird success is driven by disposable nostalgia rather than any genuine merit. The audience is in La La Land with this dude. Gosling isn’t saving cinema—he’s just consistently falling short of the hype. I envy the Alzheimery character in the Notebook.
Friday, June 19
The Clash of Nations: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling (8:00 p.m. / History Channel)
This documentary explores the parallel lives of boxers Joe Louis and Max Schmeling, highlighting their journey toward two iconic, politically charged fights amidst the backdrop of 1930s racial segregation and rising European fascism.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: SUGAR: SEASON 2 (ANYTIME / APPLE TV)
Season 2 ushers in the return of Los Angeles’ iconic private detective and film connoisseur John Sugar, played by Colin Farrell, who takes on a new missing persons case – searching for the older brother of an up-and-coming local boxer – all while continuing the search for his beloved missing sister. As the investigation expands into a citywide conspiracy with sinister intentions, Sugar must reckon with himself to answer the question – how far will he go to do what’s right?
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Remember Dream On? 6 seasons on HBO from 1990-1996. The show distinctively interjected clips from older B&W TV shows and movies to reflect the main character’s feelings. My first impression of Sugar is Dream On meets Lincoln Lawyer. Well, not as clever as Dream On and absent Lincoln’s urgency. Colin Farrell’s private investigator smoothly moves through a case-driven noir LA while the show occasionally fractures into stylized visual detours that externalize his inner state. (Sugar’s visual detours include clips from The Maltese Falcon or In a Lonely Place.) At first, it’s an fascinating television offering: part mystery, part mood piece and part homage to Hollywood history. Oddly…it doesn’t unleash the propulsive urgency you’d expect from a modern noir thriller. Because it’s not. Sugar isn’t really about solving The Case. Aiming for something more reflective than procedural, it’s about the emotional debris this investigation leaves in its wake. Ultimately, Season 1 was an eight-episode Trojan horse designed to sneak viewers into the real story. Which now begins with Season 2. This season Sugar boldly shifts from one classic genre to another: leaving dark LA noir behind to explore LA X-Files science fiction. Clearly, like the best witnesses I’m hiding something and I’m hesitant to say more. Still…you gotta know this Sugar is sweet.
Saturday, June 20
The Simpsons: Extreme Makeover: Homer Edition (Anytime / Disney+)
Homer and Marge’s fun couples’ date night goes off the rails when Marge learns Homer left the kids unsupervised with only the doorbell camera as a babysitter. Frustrated with her imperfect husband, a tipsy Marge stirs up a trilogy of fantasies of a different Homer. The special guest stars Betty Gilpin, with musical guests Laufey and Tegan and Sara.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: VOICEMAILS FOR ISABELLE (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)
Jill copes with her sister’s death by leaving her voicemails chronicling her chaotic life in San Francisco. When the number is unknowingly reassigned, an elusive Austin real estate agent begins receiving the hilariously confessional messages.
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It Is What It Is.
Sunday, June 21
House of the Dragon: Season 3 (Anytime / HBO Max & Crave)
The third season covers the absolute height of the Targaryen civil war, known as the “Dance of the Dragons”. Following the tense build-up of the second season, Team Black—armed with Rhaenyra’s newly recruited “dragonseed” commoners—and Team Green are locked in a war of total attrition. The season highlights the breakdown of familial ties and the horrifying escalation of dragon warfare, kicking off with the highly anticipated, blood-soaked Battle of the Gullet.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE AGENCY: SEASON 2 (ANYTIME / PARAMOUNT+)
The Agency follows Martian (Michael Fassbender), a CIA agent living undercover in his own life. Samia, his lover, is a political prisoner in Sudan, and he will do anything to try to save her, even past the point of treachery. The only way out is deeper in. A knife-edge Martian must walk if he is to save love, life, and his mission.
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“The all-new political thriller follows Martian (Michael Fassbender), a covert CIA agent, ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity, and his mission are pitted against his heart, hurling them both into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage.” So…less James Bond and a man must choose between The Mission and his heart? Well, that’s not exactly James Bond but it’s his Agency, I suppose. That was my #SetTheVCR impression for Season 1. Which I did not watch. My Agency is to wait for 2 or 3 seasons for certain shows. I’ll Black Bag this series now.
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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.