#SetTheVCR: June 30 – July 6, 2025

Monday, June 30

Squid Game: Season 3 (Anytime / Netflix)

Picking up where the second season left off, Season 3 explores the choices Gi-hun will make amidst overwhelming despair. As the Front Man plots his next move, the surviving players find their decisions leading to increasingly dire consequences with each round of the deadly games.
~~

SAMMY SUGGESTION: 30 FOR 30: EMPIRE SKATE (9:00 P.M. / ESPN)

Empire Skate chronicles the colorful rise and enduring influence of New York skateboarding culture–through the global phenomenon of Supreme–while highlighting intimate portraits of the characters who breathed life into that world. From the highs of breakout film success and the creation of a brand and movement, to the lows of fractured families and the loss of close friends, it is a style-and-substance trip through a unique moment when multiple trends converged on one city to create something timeless.
~~~

This fresh 30 for 30 is an ESPN outlier. It combines skateboarding with fashion and it’s all set in the 1990s. Told mostly through videocam footage shot on the mean streets of New York City,  skateboarding and hip-hop culture are converging. And the product it would produce would be called Supreme. To quote the ESPN press release: “Empire Skate the latest installment of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 documentary series, tells the story of a crew that went against the grain and created a movement that changed sports and fashion forever.” So making a tea for this one. Programming Note: Following its linear premiere, Empire Skate will be available to stream on ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu.

Tuesday, July 01

Hate to Love: Nickelback (Anytime / Netflix)

Canadian rockers Nickelback discuss their rural roots in Alberta and their rise to fame in the 2000s, the online negativity they’ve faced, and their return after a five-year break.
~~

SAMMY SUGGESTION: BLUE RODEO: LOST TOGETHER (ANYTIME / CBC GEM)

An intimate portrait of the Canadian stadium rockers roller coaster career. From their rural roots in Alberta to becoming one of the most successful, yet divisive acts in music history.
~~~

For over 40 years Blue Rodeo’s music has been the soundtrack to our lives. And with Dale Heslip’s documentary Blue Rodeo: Lost Together we travel with the band through their inconceivable story. At its core Blue Rodeo was sparked when Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor met in high school. As someone who has worked creatively with high school friends…that intense connection and that formative bond creates an extraordinary dynamic. As you’ll see in this documentary it’s a friendship and a partnership with Jim and Greg as well as the rest of the guys in the band. After 40 years…after all the struggles and setbacks…after all the success and the songs…the boys enjoy each other’s company and making each other laugh. You treasure that because that alchemy is so rare. Towards the end of this My Summer Lair chapter I quote Tegan & Sara from the documentary. They talk about “re-falling in love with Blue Rodeo” which neatly sums up the sentimental space the band occupies. Re-falling in love with Blue Rodeo is a wonderful sentiment that accurately expresses the emotional and often Canadian connection they’ve canonized for over 40 years. As you’ll hear Dale enthusiastically agrees with me as well as Tegan & Sara. Prepare now to re-fall in love with Blue Rodeo.

Wednesday, July 02

Alien Corridors (Anytime / Super Channel On Demand)

A fresh UFO Day Special: Whether it’s an inexplicable flash or something strange hovering amidst the stars, every sighting makes us believe we’ve spotted them… But what if we’ve got it wrong? What if they’ve been watching us all along?
~~

SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE OLD GUARD 2 (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)

Andy and her team of immortal warriors return to protect humanity from a formidable new enemy who threatens their existence.
~~~

The Old Guard is literally living up to its name: this comic book movie came out on July 10, 2020. I gotta admit the Netflix adaptation is slightly (I said slightly!) better than the original comics. The movie flows better. And 2 wrapped up in October 2022. The characters maybe immortal but the cast…is not. At least Greg Rucka is the writer, that helps. #SetTheVCR 5 years later. At this pace I can only hope we’re not getting a third movie. As annoying as it was to get to this point, we’re all here so let’s do this. I’ll let my Guard down for this follow up adventure now with Uma Thurman.

Thursday, July 03

Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel (Anytime / Netflix)

American Apparel rises as a major fashion brand in the 2000s, but its success under CEO Dov Charney masks workplace issues. As financial troubles grow and harassment claims emerge, employees face the reality of a toxic environment. Featuring tell-all interviews with insiders and former staff, this exposé traces American Apparel’s journey from fashion phenomenon to financial flop.
~~

SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE SANDMAN: SEASON 2 – VOLUME 1 (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)

A reunion of the Endless thrusts Lord Morpheus onto a perilous path, where a fateful choice makes him the target of a relentless quest for vengeance.
~~~

How exciting: the Elseworlds culling continues. Enter Sandman for the first of 6 Netflix dreams this month. Season 2 continues “the lore-dense story of Dream (Tom Sturridge) who continues to be busy writing the wrongs his years of absence caused across a number of worlds and realities.” On August 30, 2024 we said Smell Ya Later to Dead Boy Detectives. That was partly my fault…I didn’t watch Season 1. Sorry, British Fonzie. (Admittedly, I’ve yet to watch Sandman as well. But this stylish series didn’t need me or my attention. It’s popular enough.) Still, the James Gunn era eviction continues. Now it’s Smell Ya Later Sandman. Season 2 adapts storylines from many of the most beloved Sandman collections…including Season of Mists, Brief Lives, The Kindly Ones, and The Sandman: Overture. Coupled with single-issue comics such as Tales in the Sand (issue #9), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (issue #19), The Song of Orpheus (Sandman Special), Thermidor (issue #29) and The Tempest (issue #75)…among others. And yo. If you still wanna read Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman comics and/or even his novels: go for it. Don’t let loud strangers dictate any of your pop culture choices. Be Free. Consume whatever you want. Have fun. There’s no morality (none!) in pop culture. Programming Note: Volume 2 premieres today with 5 episodes. A Bonus Episode streams on July 31st (1 episode). So #SetTheVCR for that.

Friday, July 04

The Luckiest Man in America (Anytime / AMC+ & Sundance Now)

1984: Michael Larson, an unemployed ice-cream truck driver from Ohio, steps onto the game show Press Your Luck harboring a secret: the key to endless amounts of money. But his winning streak gets threatened when the executives in the control room start to uncover his real motivations. Figured this would screen well on Independence Day.
~~

SAMMY SUGGESTION: INDEPENDENCE DAY (TODAY! / CHECK YOUR FAV STREAMER)

The aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy Earth. Fighting superior technology, mankind’s best weapon is the Will (Smith) to survive.
~~~

Happy Independence Day! America’s Independence Day has brought us all these wonderful freedoms where Will Smith a sitcom actor can make a massive blockbuster where we all gleefully witness famous landmarks get utterly trashed by aliens. (By the way for a ‘96 movie the FX hold up so good.) Independence Day on Independence Day is a #SetTheVCR tradition. (Honestly? It was either this or a Purge movie. Let’s stick with a classic TV tradition.) So gather around the TV with your apple pie. We have much to be grateful today and everyday.

Saturday, July 05

Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League (Anytime / HBO Max)

Saturday Morning Cartoons: A sequel to the 2018 anime movie Batman Ninja. Following his return to present-day Gotham City, in Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League, Batman returns to feudal-era Japan to face off against a mysterious new threat – the Yakuza League – formed from the warped remnants of his greatest allies. He arrives to find a world where the Yakuza war with each other, and brutality reigns without honor or humanity. Fans can expect high-octane action, bold visuals, and fresh twists on beloved DC heroes and villains in this wholly original tale.
~~

SAMMY SUGGESTION: SMOKE: LIMITED SERIES (ANYTIME / APPLE TV+)

An arson investigator begrudgingly teams up with a police detective as their race to stop two arsonists ignites a twisted game of secrets and suspicions.
~~~

And now a hot TV recommendation. Inspired by the true-crime podcast Firebug (a podcast about the crimes of arsonist John Leonard Orr. The podcast to TV show trend is still happening.) Smoke is a police procedural starring Taron Egerton as Dave Gudsen, a firefighter-turned-arson investigator still haunted by a past blaze. He’s reluctantly paired with Jurnee Smollett as Detective Michelle Calderon: still smoldering from a childhood inferno set by her mom. Together, they Justice League team up to chase two serial firebugs lighting up the Pacific Northwest — the Divide & Conquer arsonist and the Milk Jug arsonist. Cue Greg Kinnear as an impatient boss and the urgent situation is combustible in this vague Pacific Northwest setting. Arson may be the crime, but the real heat is in the trauma. It’s hard to see love when Smoke gets in your eyes.

Sunday, July 06

Attack on London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers (Anytime / Netflix)

Insider accounts and never-seen-before footage tell the story of the 7/7 bombings on London’s transport network in 2005 and its explosive aftermath. Oh yes, 7/7 hasn’t been nearly as profitable as 9/11. 9/11 is like a casino it prints money. Terrorism is gonna be so profitable for streamers. It’s a reliable cottage industry as the studios figure out what works for viewers in fiction. It’s the be$t True Crime; it’s so big.
~~

SAMMY SUGGESTION: SINNERS (ANYTIME / HBO MAX & CRAVE)

In the 1930s, identical twin vampires return to their Southern hometown to leave their troubled lives behind and start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
~~~

Sinners is O Brother, Where Art Thou? meets I Am Legend all set in FX’s Atlanta. Like the infamous music evolution scene is fine…anybody who has watched Atlanta is not phased by it. Pretty standard. However, it was when the vampire goes full on Rriverdance that Sinners started to lose the thread. Michael Flatley is not scary. We doing a horror movie here or just wanna be pretentious for no good reason? Just as the Matrix LEGOed obvious sci-fi staples Sinners harvests many vampire canonical elements. If you know, you know. Even the post-credit scene can be neatly summed up as Dracula: Dead and Loving It.

-28-

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