Succession (Sunday, HBO 9:00pm) — Well, well, well. Jeremy Strong’s Kendall lit this seriously screwed-up family on fire during the last season finale. As a result, Brian Cox’s Logan Roy is ready to go “full f*cking beast,” and that means a lot of things, but one important one: it’s time for everyone to f*ck off. Alexander Skarsgård and Adrien Brody join the club this season, and maybe the Pope (or a pope) is somehow involved, but one thing remains clear throughout this show: alliances are made to be broken. In other words, the familiar civil war is on. No other show besides Deadwood has been able to wield profanity with such adept rhythm, and it’s time to get Shakespearean again up in this motherf*cker while I keep on rooting for Shiv Roy to (finally) dominate all.
Fear The Walking Dead (Sunday, CBS 9:00pm) — This show didn’t shy away from speculation that a possible time jump was in store for this spinoff to tie some of The Walking Dead universe threads together. Yet a teaser showed that things don’t look too time-jumpy ahead of premiere day. Morgan and Grace awaken in the bunker, and she heads out into the outside world while wearing a protective suit and gazing out into the immediate wasteland before walking past an incapacitated walker on the ground. All of this would lead one to believe that, nope, there’s no leap into the future here, but the good news is that this spinoff found fresh legs last year.
These streaming picks make great appetizers:
Halloween Kills (Universal movie on Peacock) — A horror blockbuster is here to spook you in your living rooms, y’all. Michael Myers survives that damn fire, which leads to a fully-had-it-up-to-here mindset of Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode, who’s mad as hell at firefighters and vowing that Michael Myers is going down. If it was a matter of wills and badassery, she could make it happen, but that’s not how things usually roll out in this franchise. Laurie may believe that she can (once again) presumably kill her brother and tormenter, but the bloodbath is only getting started. David Gordon Green directs again here, and he’ll be back for Halloween Ends, so good luck, Laurie.
You: Season 3 (Netflix series) — Nothing says (twisted) family bonding like two parents digging a grave for their murder victims while an infant sits in his car seat and does his best to amuse himself. Yikes. Fortunately for all of us, however, the show about Stalker Joe manages to sustain its gimmick and volley the nutso-factor into the stratosphere. It’s a lot like Mr. & Mrs. Smith but with serial killers. Joe (or “Will”) can’t give up his ways (including his roaming eyes), Love refuses to give up hers, and their sleepy little suburb is about to get rocked into oblivion.
Here’s some regularly scheduled programming:
SNL (Saturday, HBO 11:29pm) — Rami Malek hosts with musical guest Young Thug.
The Equalizer (Sunday, CBS 8:00pm) — Queen Latifah’s McCall ends up in a foreign government’s crosshairs when a friend (and daughter of a diplomat) enlists her help for a job. Meanwhile, Dante is under suspicion from the same detective who’s after the Equalizer vigilante under DA’s orders.
Hightown (Sunday, Starz 9:00pm) — Renee causes Ray to leave the force while Frankie hangs with his cousin, and Jackie’s hell-bent upon avenging Junior’s death.
Buried (Sunday, Showtime 9:00pm) — This limited true-crime series details the story of Eileen Franklin, who suddenly experiences a decades-old memory of witnessing her childhood best friend get raped and murdered. This realization leads to the case of Susan Nason being reopened after stumping police for almost 20 years.
The Walking Dead: The World Beyond (Sunday, AMC 10:00pm) — Season 2 begins with an episode called “Koneskans,” which translates to “Consequences” in Haitian Creole. This week, some grifters end up in unanticipated danger while Huck attempts to fend off an ultimatum.
American Rust (Sunday, Showtime 10:00) — Jeff Daniels can swing between being comedic and dramatic, and in his new Showtime series, American Rust, he’s decidedly the latter and latest star to take on a complicated cop role after Kate Winslet’s turn in Mare of Easttown. And notably, Bridges’ new role is also set in Pennsylvania.
Last Week Tonight (Sunday, HBO 11:00) — John Oliver, baby.
Here’s some more streaming goodness for the weekend.
Dopesick: Season 1 (Hulu series) — Michael Keaton (who is still the greatest Batman in history, so don’t mess with him in any role) finally comes to TV beyond cameo mode. Here, he takes on Big Pharma as a physician whose patients are dying off amid an opioid epidemic, and Rosario Dawson portrays one of the heroes who want to take the makers of Oxycontin down. The title of the source material (Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America, the book by Beth Macy) tells you a lot, and the cast includes Michael Stuhlbarg and Kaitlyn Dever, who’s all over TV now and making Justified‘s Loretta proud here.
Guilty Party: Season 1 (Paramount+ series) — Kate Beckinsale stars in this charming-looking dramedy series about a disgraced (and opportunistic) journalist who works to redeem herself by digging for the real story on a young mother who was convicted of murdering her husband, a crime that the mother insists that she did not commit. Expect (strangely enough) some whimsy amid this seemingly serious premise, including some adversaries that are a real pain in the butt.
The Velvet Underground (Apple TV+ film) — Acclaimed filmmaker Todd Haynes directs this documentary, which is no ordinary rock ‘n’ roll movie. Instead, this reintroduces fans to the game-changing qualities of this band that made them an enduring cultural touchstone, including all of their inherent contradictions, which will be put on display in never-before-seen lie performance moments and plenty of recordings, interviews, and experimental art. Expect a fully immersive experience (not to mention iconic tunes).
I Know What You Did Last Summer: Season 1 (Amazon Prime series) — Sure, you remember the 1997 film and perhaps you’re aware that that was based upon the 1973 novel by Lois Duncan, but this Amazon Studios collaboration with Sony Pictures Television wants you to relive the nightmare once more. Obviously, this version doesn’t have Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, or Freddie Prinze, but these teens seem more twisted by nature than the O.G. bunch, so perhaps that will add some shading to justify reviving their shared dark secret as they aim to survive.
Just Beyond: Season 1 (Disney+ series) — This horror-comedy anthology bases itself on R.L. Stine’s BOOM! Studios comic book series of the same name. Expect plenty of supernatural journeys (with a personally affecting touch) through alternate dimensions with witches, aliens, and ghosts onboard.
Muppets Haunted Mansion (Disney+ special) — After several Muppets-themed Christmas offerings, it’s about time that we’ve received a spooky installment, and let’s face it, more Miss Piggy is always a good thing. Gonzo takes center stage here while attempting to survive the evening in (according to the synopsis) “in the most grim grinning place on Earth.” The special’s actually inspired by all four of the Disney Haunted Mansion attractions that are scattered around the globe, and three original songs (“Rest In Peace,” “Life Hereafter” and “Tie The Knot Tango”) will surface, along with plenty of celebrity cameos along with the all-star Muppets cast.
Doom Patrol: Season 3 (HBO Max series) — DC’s struggling misfit superheroes are back for another round. Brendan Fraser has received plenty of raves for his fury-filled Cliff Steele/Robotman, but don’t count out the rest of the crew. There’s Matt Bomer as the bandage-wrapped Negative Man and Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, which is actually a role that requires Diane to play dozens of incarnations, including a very timely take on a Karen. This season, the sh*t hits the fan with a time machine.