Premieres
Tyler Perry’s Too Close to Home
You might not know that this is a Tyler Perry production, but it is indeed. It’s right there in the title. This is not only TLC’s first scripted series, it’s also Tyler Perry’s first production with a predominantly white cast. It tells the story of a woman who works on Capitol Hill, who is embroiled in a sex scandal and goes back home to Alabama to live with her family. Heather Locklear is a guest star, so that’s good, but TLC isn’t making early episodes available for review so this is probably stinkier than the inside of Medea’s wig after a long day on set. TLC, Monday 22 August at 9pm ET.
Better Late than Never
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if a bunch of middle-aged, second-tier stars went on a trip to Asia and just wandered around with nothing to do for a few weeks and the whole thing was filmed for a reality show? Well, wonder no longer! William Shatner, Henry Winkler, Terry Bradshaw and George Foreman are the stars with no itinerary and no help finding their way home except for advice from comedian Jeff Dye, who is purposefully misleading them. NBC, Tuesday 23 August at 10pm ET.
Since all of your smart friends who watch a lot of television have told you to watch this drama about the tech industry in the 80s, maybe it’s time you listen to them. This critical darling boots up its third season with tech startup Mutiny moving to San Francisco and getting its first round of venture capital. More dramatic than Silicon Valley but just as relevant to the excesses and ridiculousness of the tech world today, this is definitely the best show that you aren’t watching. AMC, Tuesday 23 August at 9pm ET.
Finally Americans are getting a chance to see this 2012 series that was the most popular program ever on Italian television. Yes, that means it has subtitles, but it’s totally worth a little bit of reading for this engaging show about the inner workings of an Italian crime syndicate in Naples. It’s always being compared to The Wire, if that gives you any indication of the content and quality of the drama, so don’t let a little bit of foreign language keep you from a real gem. SundanceTV, Wednesday 24 August at 10pm ET.
What to catch up on
Everyone was clamoring about how amazing The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story was when it aired that not enough people crowed about this documentary series that aired on ESPN in its aftermath. While the FX show only looked at Simpson’s “trial of the century” this documentary takes into account his whole life, including his upbringing in San Francisco, college and professional football careers, and his years before being thrown into prison for a botched robbery scheme. That other OJ project is going to sweep up at the Emmys next month, so drink in and relish this underappreciated tour de force that is really about America’s preoccupations with race, celebrity, justice and, of course, professional sports. Hulu.
Around the web
TweenFest
If the amazing real-time reality show The Runner didn’t get you to download the go90 app, which provides video content on mobile devices, then maybe this spot-on YouTube parody series will. Everything goes horribly awry when a father throws a Coachella-esque festival for the best and brightest social media stars and tween influencers, so that his daughter can have a bigger platform for her pimple popping videos. But the plot here is second fiddle to all of the takedowns of the VidCon set. After the second episode, you never look at the Try Guys again in the same way. Produced by Funny or Die, TweenFest isn’t essential viewing, but it’s a great lark on a cool new platform. Go90app
TV news
Comedy Central cancels Larry Wilmore
Don’t freak out, Inside Amy Schumer isn’t cancelled
