Yes, chef! This week's TV lineup is serving up a veritable buffet of new shows premiering on Netflix, HBO Max and more of the best streaming services.
At the center of the week’s lineup is the final season of "The Bear," still all hot stoves and frayed nerves as the restaurant becomes a pressure cooker in the wake of Carmy's departure. "Avatar: The Last Airbender" season 2 returns with bigger stakes and more elemental chaos.
Plus, two very different takes on U.S. history debut in time for the country's 250th anniversary. The Obamas and Tom Hanks team up with the docuseries "The American Experiment," while Larry David's sketch series "Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness" comes with a heavy dose of sarcasm. Here's our guide to what's new on TV this week.
‘The American Experiment’ (Netflix)
The vibes: Your high school civics class but much juicier.
The plot: Just in time for the country’s 250th birthday, this five-part series revisits the messy, improbable creation of the United States. Expect plenty of historians, politicians and other Very Serious People weighing in on the revolution, the Constitution, and the contradictions baked into the nation from the start. The real question hanging over it all: Is the experiment still working?
Premiere date: All 5 episodes on Wednesday, June 24 at 3 a.m. ET
Where to watch: Netflix
‘A Woman of Substance’ (BritBox)
The vibes: A rags-to-riches with enough melodrama to put “Dynasty” to shame.
The plot: Jessica Reynolds stars as Emma Harte, a Yorkshire maid who refuses to stay in the station life assigned her. After betrayal and heartbreak, Emma spends decades building an empire that stretches from the moors to Manhattan. By the time Brenda Blethyn takes over as the older Emma, she's conquered the business world, but family drama may prove tougher than any business foe.
Premiere date: Episodes 1-2 on Wednesday, June 24 at 3 a.m. ET
Where to watch: BritBox
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ season 2 (Netflix)
The vibes: A teen destiny crisis with even bigger feelings.
The plot: After a bittersweet win in the North,Aang (Gordon Cormier), Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley) head to Ba Sing Se to try to recruit the Earth King against their fight against Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim). The road there is less “hero’s journey” and more “everything is kind of off,” especially once Aang starts training earthbending with Toph (Miyako).
Premiere date: All 7 episodes on Thursday, June 25 at 3 a.m. ET
Where to watch: Netflix
‘The Bear’ season 5 (Hulu)
The vibes: Carmy, pack up your knives and go.
The plot: The final season picks up the morning after Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) walks away from the restaurant, leaving Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Natalie (Abby Elliott) to run it. With a looming sale, an empty bank account and a storm closing in, the team scrambles to pull off one last service and decide what “perfect” means. Maybe it’s not the food, but the friends they made along the way.
Premiere date: All 8 episodes on Thursday, June 25 at 9 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Hulu
‘Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness’ (HBO)
The vibes: History, Larry David style.
The plot: In honor of the country’s semiquincentennial, this HBO sketch series from producers Barack and Michelle Obama turns U.S. history into an improv half-hour where Larry re-enacts American milestones with escalating irritation. Each episode will feature roughly four sketches, a parade of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” alums and all of the absurdity and awkwardness you’d expect from Larry.
Premiere date: Episode 1 on Friday, June 26 at 9 p.m. ET
Where to watch: HBO and HBO Max
