Summer in Berthoud
2018
Berthoud Weekly Surveyor Page 17
There is plenty to be excited about this summer ... on TV
By Aaron Reynolds The Surveyor In the past, summer has not necessarily been regarded as “prime time” for new shows on cable, as networks generally take May through August off in order to not compete with the movie theaters, as well as family vacations and other activities in the sun that generally dominate people’s agenda during this time of the year. However, the industry has changed with the emergence of Netflix and Amazon Prime, as suddenly traditional networks, cable channels and premium subscription services such as HBO and Showtime felt pressure to perform year round. It is a blessing in disguise for those who may want to catch some rays outside yet are destined for the couch at night to cool off and down with a new show. If that is the case, I have put together a list of some of the hottest new shows coming out between late May and early August. Some are new seasons of TV favorites, while others are brand new shows. Some will require you to have subscriptions with the likes of HBO, Netflix and Hulu, while others will be on basic network TV. “Fahrenheit 451” (HBO, May 19) — Yes, HBO subscriptions are the most costly of the bunch, but I am still adamant that HBO is HBO. I firmly believe there wouldn’t be groundbreaking new shows produced on Netflix and Amazon if it wasn’t for HBO. There wouldn’t even have been shows like “Breaking Bad” and “Walking Dead” on cable television if HBO wasn’t the first to pioneer gritty, extraordinarily raw character-driven stories like “The Wire” and “The Sopranos.”
They set the precedent for what a fantastic TV series could represent and their latest, “Fahrenheit 451,” looks like another epic. The series is based on the Ray Bradbury novel of the same name that was shocking published in 1953, yet appears to forecast a lot of what a potentially not-so-distant dystopian society could resemble. The TV series takes us to a society where “media is an opiate, facts and history are rewritten, and firemen burn books.” Creepy? Yes, but it’s got me hooked. “Fahrenheit 451” stars Michael B. Jordan, who is riding a recent wave of success following “Black Panther.” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix, May 30) — I was shocked the show is entering its fourth season, as it feels like just yesterday Ellie Kemper played the lovable yet gullible Erin Hannon on the latter seasons of “The Office,” which remains to this date one of my all-time favorite TV shows (even if the last few seasons were not so, uh, memorable). The show is created by Tina Fey, so if you like “30 Rock” or “Master of None,” then you likely will dig this witty comedy series, and if you are new to the show you can even catch up on previous seasons before you get to season four. “Humans” (AMC, June 5) — “Humans” returns for its third season and presents some intriguing questions along the way. Of course the thought of artificial intelligence (especially explored through Hollywood) is nothing new, but “Humans” is one of the better shows to do it of late. The show examines how the world might handle the moment when technology develops its own consciousness as it becomes alarming more and more sophisticated by the day, if not minute. It may take a little time to catch up if you are new to the franchise, but it’s worth it if you have basic cable and no other subscriptions. “Goliath” (Amazon, June 15) — Billy Bob Thornton is one of the bigger names to headline a new TV series coming out this summer as, perhaps surprisingly, the movie star has actually become more well known for his work in TV (think “Fargo”) than on the big screen of late. “Goliath” is in its second season and follows the down-and-out (Thornton), a lawyer seeking redemption in an increasingly challenging world of criminal justice where justice is not always served fairly. “Marvel’s Luke Cage” (Netflix, June 22) — Netflix has got so big with its original content they are producing superhero series, which is pretty awesome. “Marvel’s Luke Cage” returns for a second season in June, starring Mike Colter and Rosario Dawson. Now that Luke Cage is out of jail he must face several new challenges as the comic book world of Marvel never rests between good and evil. “Trial & Error: Lady, Killer” (NBC, July 19) — The vast majority of new releases for the summer may be relegated to streaming services, but “Trial & Error: Lady, Killer” is the exception to the rule, as it runs on network TV. The NBC true-crime spoof is the latest in a recent emergence of the genre (“American Vandal”, etc.), and presents a new case for season two, so you don’t need to catch up on old episodes in order to follow the plot. The series stars Josh Segal and Kristin Chenoweth. “Castle Rock” (Hulu, July 25) — Hulu has definitely found a partnership with author Stephen King, as the streaming company produced “11/22/63,” starring James Franco, and returns with another King adaptation in “Castle Rock.” Details about the new series have been limited, but I think we can all pretty much agree King knows how to put together a decent psychological horror story, and “Castle Rock” will be aplenty with them. “Jack Ryan” (Amazon, Aug. 31) — John Krasinski is another actor riding high off the unexpected success of “A Quiet Place,” but he’ll take a break from the big screen to return to a much smaller one in August with “Jack Ryan.” The Tom Clancyinspired series should be an exciting new thriller featuring one of the bigger names in Hollywood. Watch out.