From a Melissa Etheridge documentary to a TV spinoff of Seth Rogen’s animated hit Sausage Party, we round up our top 10 shows to watch this week
1. High Country – Sunday, July 7, Crave1 | Series Premiere
Wentworth alum Leah Purcell returns in another Aussie thriller. She plays Det. Andie Whitford, who is transferred to the mountainous, treacherous Victorian High Country, where five people have just vanished in the wilderness amidst a web of “murder, deceit and revenge.”
2. Sam Morril: You’ve Changed – Tuesday, July 9, Prime Video
The rising young comic takes to the stage at Boston’s Wilbur Theatre for a new special that riffs on the struggles of aging, the perils of social media, the current state of cable news and the absolute worst person Mr. Morril ever had the displeasure of dating.
3. Melissa Etheridge: I’m Not Broken – Tuesday, July 9, Paramount+
This two-part docuseries follows rocker Melissa Etheridge as she ventures deep into the heart of America’s prison-industrial complex, taking viewers on an inspiring journey of healing and transcendence through the power of music.
The story began when five female inmates serving time at the Topeka Correctional Facility, a women’s prison in Kansas, wrote letters to Etheridge, discussing how their issues with substance abuse and various other factors sent them into a downward spiral that led to their incarceration. Those letters touched Etheridge on a deeply personal level, and she used the women’s words as inspiration to create and perform an original song for them, an anthem of hope which she titled “Burning Women.”
4. Receiver – Wednesday, July 10, Netflix | Series Premiere
Last year, Netflix debuted the groundbreaking docuseries Quarterback, with filmmakers given unprecedented access to follow three NFL quarterbacks, both on and off the field, throughout the 2022-’23 season. Similarly, Receiver follows NFL receivers Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders, the Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel (both of the San Francisco 49ers), and Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions. “We believe the extraordinary skills, dedication, and passion of the NFL’s great wide receivers — and one tight end — will make a perfect follow-up,” said NFL Films supervising producer Joe Zucco.
5. Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black – Thursday, July 11, Prime Video
With his latest film, Madea writer-director Tyler Perry switches gears once again from broad comedy to earnest drama, casting Meagan Good as a woman who sees her marriage crumble amidst the devastating revelation that her husband kept her from a life with her “true soulmate.”
6. Descendants: The Rise of Red – Friday, July 12, Disney+
The latest flick in this franchise about the kids of classic Disney villains finds Red, rebellious daughter of the Queen of Hearts, partnering with Chloe, perfectionist daughter of Cinderella, to go back in time and stop her decapitation-happy mum from becoming a villain in the first place.
7. Me – Friday, July 12, Apple TV+ | Series Premiere
Described as an “elevated cinematic coming-of-age story,” Me follows 12-year-old kid Ben Vasani (Lucian-River Chauhan), who is in the throes of middle school, complete with bullies, crushes and school dances. Not only is he adjusting to his newly blended family, he’s suddenly discovered that he now has super powers, the ability to shift his appearance to become anyone. Throughout the 10-episode season, Ben embarks on a journey of self-discovery that teaches him what possessing superhuman abilities truly means, and all the responsibilities that entails. Thankfully, Ben discovers he has an ally in his new stepsister, Max (Abigail Pniowsky), who helps him learn how to harness his newfound abilities. Meanwhile, he meets some other young people who also have powers, who realize they have no choice but to band together when they must face off against a powerful dark entity that’s targeted them. “Whether you like it or not,” Ben is told, “someone is coming for you.”
8. Sausage Party: Foodtopia – Friday, July 12, Prime Video
In this TV spinoff of the animated comedy about anthropomorphic groceries who discover the truth about their place in the food chain, Frank (Seth Rogen) and his pals have established a safe haven dubbed “Foodtopia,” until a massive flood forces them to partner with humans.
9. Exploding Kittens – Friday, July 12, Netflix | Series Premiere
Based on the popular card game, the story for this bonkers animated comedy begins in Heaven, where the Almighty (voiced, ironically, by Lucifer star Tom Ellis) accidentally burns down a big chunk of the celestial city when he passed out after one margarita too many while a DiGiorno frozen pizza caught fire in the oven. He’s then sent down to Earth to reconnect with humanity — in the form of a chunky house cat.
The deity now known as Godcat isn’t thrilled with this development, and is further perturbed to discover the cat next door is the Antichrist (SNL alum Sasheer Zamata).
10. Made for TV with Boman Martinez-Reid – Friday, July 12, Crave | Series Premiere
As we mused about back on the Hot Comedies spread, the modern entertainment landscape is such that the average artist is empowered to create their own material via social media — and then use that material and its digital buzz to break into television and film.
It’s a brave new world, no doubt. But that doesn’t mean making the jump from Instagram to ABC is easy. Just ask 25-year-old Torontonian Boman Martinez-Reid, who rose to fame during the pandemic with TikTok comedy videos that cast himself and his own friends and family in parodies of shows like Real Housewives.
Having now built up enough cred online to score a TV gig, Boman, alas, isn’t quite sure where he fits — so our hero is embarking on a roving internship. Across six episodes, the burgeoning star will test out an array of television genres, from reality dating to cooking competition, newscasting to sportscasting, Drag Racing to, of course, a Real Housewives-style “slice of life” series. Along the way, he’ll be mentored by such experts-in-their-field as celeb chef Lynn Crawford, Raptors commentator Jack Armstrong, Canada’s Drag Race alums Priyanka and Lemon, and a genuine Real Housewife of Potomac, Ashley Darby.