Premiere
While Game of Thrones is one of the biggest shows in any kingdom, HBO hasn’t been able to launch a successful drama since the dragon-filled saga hit the air in 2011. The network is trying to change all that with some more genre fare. Based on the 1973 movie written and directed by Michael Crichton, Westworld is an amusement park where robots play characters, in a simulation of the wild wild west and have an increasingly fraught relationship with their creators as they become more and more like humans. With a bunch of buzzy reviews and a cast that includes Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Thandie Newton, Evan Rachel Wood and James Marsden, hopefully this will be the next great show while we wait for that seventh season of Game of Thrones. HBO, Sunday 2 October at 9pm EST
New on streaming
You know from the first word of this show’s title exactly what to expect. Following Daredevil and Jessica Jones, this is the third in the series of Defenders TV programs that Netflix is making with the comic book giant. Introduced in Jessica Jones, Luke Cage (Mike Colter) is a man whom the government experimented on, giving him super strength and unbreakable skin. He returns to his roots in Harlem to defend the people of the neighborhood where he grew up. If it’s anything like the other two series, look for unstoppable action, great action sequences, and a much grittier hero than the sunny ones we see on the big screen in Marvel’s Avengers. Netflix, Friday 30 September.
Given the erratic nature of his more recent work, Woody Allen’s first foray into TV could either be a Midnight in Paris-sized success or a Scoop-esque bomb. However, the signs look promising. The series stars Allen (natch) as a novelist trying his hand at writing a television show during the turbulent 60s. Expect protests, middle-class anxiety, Miley Cyrus in a blond wig, and, of course Allen’s signature nebbish comedy. Amazon Prime, Friday 30 September
The first show to debut solely on CBS All Access, the network’s streaming service, seems like a natural fit. The summer reality hit has a dedicated base of superfans who spend days glued to the internet watching the live feed of people trapped in a house. This should transition easily to the internet, where there will be one episode each Wednesday with the week’s highlights followed by a live eviction and a competition.
For those who can’t get enough Big Brother, there will be a daily highlights show each night at 10pm EST. And for total fiends, you’ll be able to watch the live feeds. There will be fewer houseguests and a smaller prize than the summer addition, but the added benefit is that the fans get to vote on the winner from the final two. Just like everything in life, this has now boiled down to a popularity contest. CBS All Access, Wednesday 28 September at 10pm EST
What to catch up on
Aside from the obvious, one of the saddest things about Garry Shandling’s death earlier this year was that his two era-defining sitcoms, It’s Garry Shandling’s Show and The Larry Sanders Show weren’t available to stream during our mourning period. HBO has finally corrected that and released all six seasons of his timeless comedy about a self-involved talkshow host and the nitwits in his orbit. Filmed from 1992 to 1998, the clothes and hairstyles make it look like a product of its time, but the style of the comedy still feels fresh. That is a testament to Shandling’s legacy: so many comedies are now ripping off the style that he perfected on this meta comedy. HBO Go and HBO Now
Around the web
The boffo ratings for FX’s Atlanta prove that audiences are thirsty for great comedies. This show by The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl creator Issa Rae and former Comedy Central host Larry Wilmore adds another essential voice to the vast array of comedy that is now available on television. Rae stars as a woman also named Issa but who doesn’t have the ambition or success of her namesake as she tries to navigate difficult friendships and a loveless relationship in LA. If you haven’t figured it out yet, she’s incredibly insecure. The first episode of the series, which debuts 9 October, is now available to stream. HBO Go, HBO Now, and on demand
American Male
These days people are always being told to check their privilege. MTV decided to do something about it and called for young film- ;makers to make short videos on the topic. The winner of the Look Different short film competition is Michael Rohrbaugh, who takes six minutes to look at how the masculinity of the stereotypical white frat boy might be misconstrued by so many around them. It’s your privilege to watch this video for free. YouTube
TV news
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