From Kelly Clarkson’s series of primetime specials to a new animated comedy from the creator of Bojack Horseman, we round up our top 10 shows to watch this week
1. Such Brave Girls – Sunday, August 17, Crave1 | Season Premiere
This dark British comedy returns for a second season, continuing the saga of sisters Josie and Billie (series creators and real-life siblings Kat Sadler and Lizzie Davidson), who careen from one bad decision to another while navigating a wildly dysfunctional relationship with their single mother (Louise Brealey), a self-absorbed, unstable con artist who’s pretending to be widowed in order to sink her claws into a wealthy widower she sees as a meal ticket. Click here to watch trailer.
2. Women Wearing Shoulder Pads – Sunday, August 17, Adult Swim | Series Premiere
A new foray into the not-quite-lost-yet art of stop-motion animation transports viewers to Quito — the bustling capital city of Ecuador, circa the go-go ’80s.
Here, a wealthy Spanish woman appropriately named Marioneta moves to Ecuador with a bold plan to monetize the South American country’s booming population of cuys (a.k.a. guinea pigs). Except in this eccentric reality, the li’l critters are so large, they star in public spectacles not unlike bull-fighting. While seeking her fortune, Marioneta meets “a diverse group of eccentric and ambitious women navigating the complicated worlds of love, family . . . and cuys.”
It’s a vague synopsis — but then, Women Wearing Shoulder Pads is a tough one to sum up. At France’s annual Annecy animation festival, creator Gonzalo Cordova (formerly a writer on Tuca & Bertie) compared it to the works of Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar, whose films — The Skin I Live In, Pain and Glory, etc. — are known for an indelible mix of melodrama, dark humour and striking visuals. Reporting from Annecy, Variety described some early footage from the offbeat series, including: “a woman being told to adopt a duck in her meat business — and in response, imagining herself dancing and romancing one of the waterfowl. Others featured a character explaining being bribed with a slideshow and a woman finding the priest’s side of a confession booth occupied by a pigeon.”
It’s a complicated tonal balance, no doubt. As Cordova himself said at the fest: “If you’re doing camp intentionally, you have to forget you’re doing camp, and you have to be really sincere . . . You have to think that you’re going to make the audience cry, even though the scene is about a f***ing duck!”
3. The Real Housewives of London – Monday, August 18, Hayu | Series Premiere
The Housewives series is, in many ways, a distinctly American creation. But that hasn’t stopped its trashy antics from invading other countries — be it Canada, Australia, the UAE or, of course, merry old England. The latter has already been annexed via a couple Housewives spinoffs . . . and now, the franchise is coming for the nation’s capital.
The very first original series produced by reality TV-centric streamer Hayu, The Real Housewives of London plunges us into the glamorous yet chaotic lives of six extravagantly successful women who must find some way to balance “ambition, family and fierce friendships — all while living life at full volume.”
They include: stylist, tastemaker and former Ladies of London cast member Juliet Angus, who was born in Chicago before skipping across the pond to raise her kids and build her empire; Amanda Cronin, an ex-model who parlayed her time on the catwalk into a bustling career as a skincare and wellness entrepreneur; Karen Loderick-Peace, a Jamaica-born mover and shaker who immigrated to the U.K. in her 20s, and previously appeared on The Real Housewives of Jersey; Australia-born Juliet Mayhew, a former Miss Galaxy Universe pageant winner and current in-demand event planner; Nessie Welschinger, the erstwhile global head of equity at investment firm Schroders, now the boss of Royal Family confection supplier Chelsea Cake Company; and, finally, Iran-born party-scene queen Panthea Parker. Sporting “big personalities” and “deep histories,” these ladies are seldom less than enthralling.
All told, per Hayu, “whether hosting lavish dinners, escaping to a Scottish castle or rebuilding bonds over bottles of champagne, they’re navigating life, legacy and loyalty in a city where wealth whispers and grudges roar . . .” Click here to watch trailer.
4. Kelly Clarkson: Songs & Stories – Tuesday, August 19, City & NBC | Series Premiere
This four-part series of specials shines the spotlight on Kelly Clarkson to highlight her dual role as Grammy-winning singer and top-rated talk show host. Expanding from The Kelly Clarkson Show’s popular “Songs & Stories” segment, each of the four specials features Clarkson joined by a different guest to engage in both musical performances and engaging conversations. This week’s debut features the Jonas Brothers, while the second (airing on August 26) welcomes Gloria Estefan. Next up is Teddy Swims for the September 2 edition, concluding with Lizzo on September 9. “Every song’s got a story, and this special gives us a chance to hear what’s behind the music straight from the artists who lived it,” says Clarkson of her latest endeavour. “Getting to share the stage with them and hear about the moments that shaped their paths — and where they’re headed next — is pretty special,” she adds.
5. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox – Tuesday, August 19, Disney+ | Series Premiere
In 2007, a young American exchange student named Amanda Knox saw her dream semester in Italy turn to a nightmare when she was accused and ultimately convicted of killing her roommate, Meredith Kercher.
She spent four years in prison before an appeals court overturned the verdict, but the Italian justice system wasn’t done with her just yet. The path to full exoneration would take over 16 years, and the damage to her life would never truly be undone.
In a new series from This Is Us writer K.J. Steinberg, Grace Van Patten (Nine Perfect Strangers) stars as Amanda, bringing fresh insight and empathy to a misunderstood story, while Bad Sisters’ Sharon Horgan plays her devoted mother, Edda Mellas. The real Amanda Knox serves as an exec producer. Click here to watch trailer.
6. Hostage – Thursday, August 21, Netflix | Series Premiere
The fate of a nation and the fate of a family collide in this new political thriller from Matt Charman, the Oscar-nominated writer behind Bridge of Spies.
Abigail Dalton (Doctor Foster’s Suranne Jones) is a U.K. prime minister facing a national healthcare crisis. Vivienne Toussaint (the Before trilogy’s Julie Delpy) is the first female president in France’s history, currently seeking re-election and forced to consider some controversial policies if she hopes to stick around in office. Both leaders hope that a high-profile summit can cure what ails their careers. But when the PM plays host to the president in Britain, the stakes are raised beyond mere polling numbers, as Dalton’s husband is kidnapped and Toussaint herself is blackmailed in a coordinated attack that pits the two against each other and effectively holds two countries hostage.
Forced into a slew of “unimaginable choices,” the only chance these rival leaders have is to find some way to work together, uncover the conspiracy that threatens to unravel both of their lives, and turn the tables on a most mysterious common enemy.
Speaking with Tudum, Jones enthused: “I’m thrilled to be on Netflix, in something I’m really proud of. It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. We’d talked about projects previously, but for me, it was about finding the right thing. Hostage was perfect — me and Matt together, backed up by this brilliant, supportive team. I loved it.”
Meanwhile, aforementioned series creator Matt Charman sang the praises of his star: “I’ve been dying to find the right story to tell with Suranne and I honestly believe what she’s done with this character is going to blow the Netflix audience away. An embattled British PM in the middle of a fight for her country and her family — she’s fierce, ruthless and you can’t take your eyes off of her.”
7. Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field – Friday, August 22, Super Channel Fuse
As costume designer for Sex and the City and its successor, And Just Like That . . . , Patricia Field is responsible for keeping Carrie Bradshaw looking fabulous. This feature-length doc tells the amazing story of the legendary fashion icon.
8. The Truth About Jussie Smollett? – Friday, August 22, Netflix
In January 2019, Empire star Jussie Smollett filed a report with the Chicago Police Department, claiming he’d been the victim of a hate crime. The actor alleged he was attacked by masked men hurling racial slurs, who dumped a chemical powder on him and placed a noose around his neck.
Those who followed the saga encountered a seemingly endless series of twists and turns that only became stranger the deeper they plunged down the rabbit hole, The story unravelled even further after two Nigerian brothers came forward to reveal the whole thing was a hoax, that Smollett had paid them a few thousand bucks to fake an attack. Smollett was tried and convicted of five felony charges, but the verdict was subsequently overturned on a technicality.
A new Netflix documentary takes another look at Smollett’s scandal, by interviewing police, lawyers, journalists and even the actor himself, with bombshell claims of “new evidence about the case.”
According to the logline, the film tells the “shocking true story of an allegedly fake story that some now say might just be a true story,” presenting fresh evidence and inviting viewers to draw their own conclusions.
“This story is a thrilling ride, and we were lucky enough to have access to the key players,” said director Gagan Rehill in a statement. “I wanted this documentary to balance their competing narratives and to also use their compelling, colourful testimonies to thread the light and shade of the story through the film. But much more than that, I wanted this film to speak to the particular moment of rapid cultural change when this takes place in 2019; when, as a society, we were becoming more combative, more polarized, more divergent over our shared reality — when we began to lack a common singular truth.”
9. Eenie Meanie – Friday, August 22, Disney+
Samara Weaving has been charting an admirably eclectic career for herself — defined by cultishly adored, critically acclaimed genre projects like The Babysitter and Ready or Not. Those particular films were in the horror space. This one is more of a wacky thriller — yet still exudes that pulpy, grindhousey spirit that the young Australian actress’ fans have come to love and expect.
Produced by Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick — and giving off serious Baby Driver vibes — Eenie Meanie casts Weaving as Edie, a former getaway driver who’s gotten out of the biz . . . until her no-good ex (Karl Glusman) ticks off a mob boss (Andy Garcia) — who blackmails Edie into a high-octane, madcap heist that will force our heroine back behind the wheel, in order to save a charming scoundrel she just can’t seem to leave in the dust
10. Long Story Short – Friday, August 22, Netflix | Series Premiere
In January 2020, BoJack Horseman ended its run after six seasons. It was a hoof to the head for fans of a cartoon that, while trafficking in outrageous antics and deft Hollywood satire, also plumbed the depths of the human condition with empathy and complexity.
But creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg is now back in the saddle at Netflix.
Per the streamer’s official synopsis, Long Story Short is “an animated comedy about one family, over time. Jumping through the years, we follow the Schwooper siblings from childhood to adulthood and back again, chronicling their triumphs, disappointments, joys and compromises.”
Voicing Bob-Waksberg’s ridiculous yet heartfelt words is an impressive cast that includes: Superstore’s Ben Feldman, House alum Lisa Edelstein, Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson, Nailed It!’s Nicole Byer, New Girl’s Max Greenfield and Mad About You’s Paul Reiser — plus, big-time guest-stars galore!
“It’s so easy to just write off your terrible parents, your terrible childhood, like we did in BoJack,” the creator mused at the aforementioned Annecy festival (via The Hollywood Reporter). “I think there are more nuanced, interesting stories to tell when your parents are maybe not quite what you need them to be in one moment, but you can’t write them off completely.”