From controversial podcaster Joe Rogan’s live-streamed comedy special to a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, we round up our top 10 shows to watch this week
1. Joe Rogan: Burn the Boats – Saturday, August 3, Netflix
It’s been a nothing-if-not-eclectic career for Mr. Joe Rogan — from network sitcom star on the beloved NewsRadio to reality competition host on Fear Factor to fight commentator for the UFC. But his latest and most successful venture in the world of entertainment has been getting in on the ground floor of the podcast boom by launching The Joe Rogan Experience in 2009. Now sporting over 14 million followers, with episode clips that rake in hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, it’s one of the Internet’s most popular casts. It’s also among the most controversial, with critics accusing the host of espousing misinformation to his sizable audience on topics like global warming and the pandemic, and of giving a platform to guests like conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. But for better or worse, Rogan has never been one to shy away from stirring the pot — and his latest project will no doubt continue the trend.
You see, throughout all the various phases of his career, the man has also been a frequent presence on the standup stage, to which he now returns for the first time in six years.
Burn the Boats, his third Netflix special, will, unlike most of the streamer’s comedy offerings, air live on Saturday at 7 p.m. (available to watch on-demand thereafter). Given that it is live, we don’t know what Mr. Rogan intends to quip about, but a brief teaser trailer features a few choice snippets from past performances — not jokes, mind you, but Joe’s brazen response to what we can only assume were gasps from his audiences. “Don’t get mad at me. You knew why you came here,” he says, followed by: “Whoo, feel that? That’s some ride-home arguments in the air!” And, finally: “Jokes, folks. Just jokes.”
As with Ricky Gervais and Dave Chappelle, it’s an example of Netflix not shying away from a comic who elicits both chuckles and protests.
2. Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes – Saturday, August 3, HBO Canada
The story of screen legend Elizabeth Taylor is not an unfamiliar one, but this doc serves up an unprecedented exploration into the life of an actress still regarded as Hollywood’s quintessential star. With extraordinary access to Taylor’s personal archives and 40 hours of newly unearthed, intimate audio interviews with journalist Richard Meryman, viewers are invited to rediscover her legacy — not just as one of the biggest stars of Hollywood’s “golden age,” but a complex woman who navigated lifelong fame, personal identity and public scrutiny on a global stage from early childhood.
These candid conversations peel back the layers on one of cinema’s most enduring icons, revealing a person at odds with her image, yearning for respect and agency. With Taylor’s own voice telling her story, the film follows the life of a star who defied the era’s expectations by portraying strong-willed women onscreen, offering a nuanced portrait of the intersection between vulnerability and strength.
Those revealing conversations are accompanied by personal photos, home movies and clips from her most iconic films, mirroring Taylor’s real-life challenges and triumphs while revealing the complex inner life and vulnerability of the Hollywood legend, and of a life lived in the spotlight. To watch the trailer, click here.
3. Troppo – Sunday, August 4, Super Channel Fuse | Series Premiere
The Expanse’s Thomas Jane plays another grizzled detective sleuthing his way toward redemption. Except here, instead of the outer reaches of the galaxy, he’s in the wilds of northern Australia. Based on the novel Crimson Lake by Aussie writer Candice Fox, Troppo casts Mr. Jane as Ted Conkaffey, an American ex-cop who wants nothing more than to disappear after he was accused of a crime he didn’t commit. That plan doesn’t go so well thanks to volatile young private eye Amanda Pharrell (Nicole Chamoun), who drags him kicking and screaming into her latest case: the vanishing of a tech pioneer. As the unlikely partners dig into this mystery, they uncover dark secrets about the rural town of Crimson Lake, while being forced to confront their own traumatic pasts.
Also in the mix: ER and Revolution alum David Lyons as Inspector Lou Damford, a local cop who doesn’t think too highly of either Ted or Amanda to begin with — but especially after their renegade tactics start interfering with official police business.
If you like what you see in these eight episodes, good news: a second season has already been shot!
4. The Influencer – Tuesday, August 6, Netflix | Series Premiere
The pop-cultural landscape has evolved considerably during the past decade — largely thanks to the Internet. Streaming services like Netflix have exponentially expanded the number of films and TV series available for consumption, while social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok have given not only celebrities, but average folks the chance to become tastemakers — or, more accurately, “influencers.”
This new South Korean competition represents an intersection of those two trends, as 77 of that country’s top Internet personalities are pitted against one another. Boasting a combined following of 120 million people across various platforms, these influencers will engage in a slew of fiendishly clever challenges designed to prove who has the strongest online presence, reach and ability to go viral.
Some of the more prominent competitors include, per a Netflix press release:
–RISABAE, a K-beauty YouTuber with 2.25 million followers.
–PaniBottle, one of Korea’s most popular travel YouTubers with
1.97 million followers.
–Shim Euddeum, a famed workout YouTuber, as well as a familiar face from Netflix fitness competition Physical: 100.
–Jang Keun-suk, a globally famous actor (best known for You’re Beautiful), who is also a rookie YouTuber.
–Sia_jiwoo & KEJIMIN, two internationally famous TikTokers.
As creator Lee Jae-seok teases: “I thought it would be interesting to gather influencers, divided by algorithms, in one place. You’ll see the top influencers in Korea and experience unique entertainment through the large scale and visuals that only Netflix can deliver, along with never-before-seen social survival missions.”
5. The Mallorca Files – Thursday, August 8, Prime Video | Season Premiere
Welsh detective Miranda Blake (Elen Rhys) and German detective Max Winter (Julian Looman) continue their odd-couple sleuthing on the titular Spanish isle. In season three, they tackle “treasure hunts, arson, kidnappings and murders,” all while their long-simmering personal tensions threaten to boil over.
6. Dying for Revenge – Thursday, August 8, BritBox | Series Premiere
Debuting all eight episodes this Thursday, a new U.K. docuseries profiles true stories of resentment and betrayal that ultimately led to grisly murder. From romances gone wrong to jealous co-workers to elaborate revenge plots inspired by the movies, each instalment features a mix of dramatic re-enactments and expert analysis, as well as interviews with family, friends and, of course, the detectives who brought the killers to justice.
7. One Fast Move – Thursday, August 8, Prime Video
A few months after his Riverdale co-star Camila Mendes (a.k.a. Veronica Lodge) brought her talents to Prime Video in the hit rom-com Upgraded, Archie himself K.J. Apa follows suit — except with a rip-roaring action pic.
He plays Wes, a 20-something convict, fresh out of prison, who decides to track down his estranged father Dean, played by Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy, Euphoria). Dad, you see, is a veteran motorcycle racer, and Wes has inherited his need for speed. Now, the boy wants to go pro. Together, father and son forge a new bond at 220 mph, leaving their emotional baggage in the dust. Mayans M.C. alum Edward James Olmos co-stars as Abel, a veteran gearhead who serves as another mentor to young Wes.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, writer-director Kelly Blatz said he was inspired by Rocky and Ford v. Ferrari, before teasing that: “With One Fast Move, my team and I dedicated ourselves to creating an authentic film that captures the excitement and danger of motorcycle racing, while also delivering a compelling, character-driven drama, to watch the trailer, click here.
8. Yo Gabba Gabbaland! – Friday, August 9, Apple TV+
From 2007 to 2015, a Nickelodeon series called Yo Gabba Gabba! invited kids into a vibrant wonderland populated by five stuffed toys magically come to life. Singing, dancing, valuable life lessons and all-round silliness ensued. The show earned three Television Critics Association Awards and two BAFTAs during its run, and has left a lasting cultural impression ever since, as evidenced by its 1.2 billion views on YouTube.
Now, Apple TV+ is putting the proverbial band back together, as Muno, Foofa, Plex, Brobee and Toodee return in the spinoff Yo Gabba Gabbaland! This time, however, they’ve got a new human frontwoman. Thirteen-year-old Kamryn Smith (best known for her stint on reality competition Come Dance With Me) plays Kammy Kam the magician — tapping in for Lance Robertson’s DJ Lance Rock from the original.
9. Blue Ribbon Baking Championship – Friday, August 9, Netflix | Series Premiere
The TV world isn’t short on bake-offs, so if a new one is looking to make some noise, it helps to have a fresh premise. Such is the case for Blue Ribbon Baking Championship, which focuses on the guilty-pleasure treats at state fairs.
Over eight episodes, 10 blue ribbon-winning “pastry masters” from across the U.S. compete for $100,000. Judging them will be artisan baker Bryan Ford, former White House pastry chef Bill Yosses and celeb chef Sandra Lee. Lee is also the co-creator, plus the co-host alongside actor Jason Biggs — erstwhile star of Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black. He may seem like an odd choice as emcee for this sort of thing, until you remember his role in a certain seminal comedy called American Pie.
Stopping by his sister-in-law Samantha Mollen’s Don’t Worry About It podcast, Biggs offered a taste of the sweet and savoury challenges to come. “An example would be, ‘Pick a state fair food that’s very popular and make your dessert version of it,’” he said. “Or, one challenge was, ‘What was your favourite winning entry that you’ve ever done? Reinterpret it by changing an ingredient.’”
Funnily enough, this slice of Americana was actually shot in Canada. “It was in this beautiful old barn about an hour outside Toronto that they made 10 kitchens in,” Biggs explained. “And outside, they built a state fair — brought in rides, a Ferris wheel, a whole carnival . . .
10. Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Friday, August 9, Paramount+ | Series Premiere
From the cult-fave comic book first released in 1984 to its endless big- and small-screen adaptations, pop culture’s resident “heroes in a half-shell” have never been far from the zeitgeist over these past four decades.
The most recent incarnation came with 2023 big-screen cartoon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, co-written by and co-starring B.C.’s own Seth Rogen. That particular reboot did well enough to spawn a sequel, which is on the way in 2026. But first comes a 12-episode series, dropping in its entirety on Paramount+ this Friday.
Having bested Superfly and his gang, Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael are now adjusting to a life juggling superheroics and teen angst on the streets of NYC. But it’s not long before a new foe emerges, in the form of Agent Bishop (voiced by Ted’s Alanna Ubach), who has a plan to wipe out all mutants. As the boys are separated for the first time ever, they’ll have to fight their way back to each other if they hope to save the day. Nicolas Cantu, Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown, Jr. and Brady Noon return to voice the Turtles, along with The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri as their trusty reporter pal April O’Neil, and a dazzling guest cast that includes Rose Byrne, Pete Davidson and Timothy Olyphant. To watch the trailer, click here.