Returning shows
For those eagerly anticipating the return of HBO’s series about gay men living in San Francisco, this will be a bittersweet experience: it’s an 84-minute movie wrapping up the series after it was cancelled early last year. This finale finds Patrick (Jonathan Groff) returning to the Bay Area for a wedding and catching up with friends Dom (Murray Bartlett) and Agustin (Frankie J Alvarez). After a tremendous amount of dithering, Patrick broke up with his boss-turned-lover Kevin at the end of the second season. Nonetheless, Russell Tovey and his ears make a reappearance here. However, Patrick’s beau from the first season Richie (Raúl Castillo) better show up or this isn’t the send off we need. HBO, Sunday 23 July at 10pm ET.
A surprise hit for Lifetime when it launched earlier this year, this reality show created by Jermaine Dupri and Queen Latifah features seven up-and-coming rap stars getting schooled by veterans like Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, Timbaland, Nelly, Bow Wow, Monica, Da Brat and Flo Rida. Of course there is a competition aspect to the show, with the winner getting a contract with Dupri’s record label, but this show is about uplifting the next generation of stars and empowering them to do great things. You may not be into hip-hop, but if you’re into young people reaching for their dreams, you’ll still enjoy it. Lifetime Friday 22 July at 10pm ET.
New to streaming
Like cilantro or caftans, BoJack Horseman is a love it or hate it kind of thing. This animated show isn’t the sort of trippy absurdist romp you usually see in cartoons for adults, but instead is a brooding look at alcoholism, depression and Hollywood as seen through the eyes of a formerly successful actor or the title (Will Arnett) as he tries to find his way back to the top. A meta critique of the entertainment industry as well as a great character study about the affects it has on people’s brains, BoJack has become a hit with critics. This is the show’s third season and fans are sure to gobble it all up, though binging something this dark might seem counterintuitive in the middle of the summer. Netflix, Friday 22 July.
Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it. Vikings is never really that deep, but it’s always fun, well made and offers unfettered masculine fantasy fulfillment with attractive people and amazing costumes. It’s essentially Outlander for dudes. The first three seasons of History’s hit are on Hulu now and the fourth, which features protagonist Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) returning from his sack of Paris and the female Vikings plotting returns to power, will be added in full. Hulu, Friday 22 July.
Around the web
Streaming Comic-Con
For those who can’t afford a plane ticket to San Diego and a hotel for the biggest geek fest of the year (or those that just don’t want to stand in line with tons of cosplayers to get the first glimpse of a trailer for a new sci-fi movie), Comic-Con is finally coming to you starting Thursday 12 July. This is the first year that Comic-Con will be streaming the panels that happen in the infamous Hall H, the biggest venue of the Con, featuring the most popular panels about things like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC Comic’s Suicide Squad, and even everyone’s new favorite app Pokémon Go.
To catch all the action, subscribe to the ComicConHQ app. The caveats are that the panels aren’t streamed live, but will be up shortly after they happen in San Diego, and some streams won’t contain the exclusive footage that is shown live in the Hall (but some of them will). For those with a cable subscription already, SyFy is hosting Live from Comic Con each night from 21-23 July at 8pm ET. Will Arnett is hosting and interviewing some of the biggest celebs that will be at the Con.
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