Summer 2018 TV Preview

Looking ahead to the sunny season's new offerings and old favourites

Looking ahead to the sunny season’s new offerings and old favourites

C.B. Strike – Friday, June 1, HBO Canada

Based on novels written by J.K. Rowling (under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith), this crime series follows soldier turned private detective Cormoran Strike (Tom Burke) as he solves complex cases that, thus far, have eluded the London police.

Younger – Tuesday, June 5, CTV

Fellow Tony-winner Laura Benanti joins Sutton Foster for the fifth season of the sitcom about 40-something Liza pretending to be a millennial to keep a job in the competitive world of publishing.

The Four – Thursday, June 7, Fox

After music exec Charlie Walk was fired amid sexual harassment allegations, The Four resumes “the Hunger Games of singing competitions” with three judges: Sean “Diddy” Combs, DJ Khaled and Meghan Trainor, along with host Fergie. May the odds ever be in their favour.

Celebrity Family Feud – Sunday, June 10, ABC

The Kardashians are set to compete against themselves (well, against the Jenners, anyway) on a very special episode of the Feud. Rumour has it, it’s the brightest Kanye West has ever smiled.

The Last Defense – Tuesday, June 12, ABC

Award-winning actress Viola Davis and her husband Julius Tennon are the producers of this seven-episode documentary series that looks at the flaws in the American justice system through multiple death row cases.

Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell & Back – Wednesday, June 13, Fox

Chef Ramsay returns with a fresh spin?on his old Kitchen Nightmares franchise, aiming to keep struggling restaurants afloat, except this time he’s got a mobile kitchen dubbed “Hell on Wheels” and only 24 hours to complete each makeover.

Marlon – Thursday, June 14, NBC

Based on comedian Marlon Wayans’ own life, this sophomore sitcom continues to follow the day-to-day shenanigans of Marlon and his ex-wife Ashley as they attempt to amicably navigate divorce for the sake of their two kids.

Goliath – Friday, June 15, Amazon Prime Video

David E. Kelley’s acclaimed legal thriller returns for season two to find attorney Billy McBride (Billy Bob Thornton) taking on a fresh case involving a conspiracy of “drugs, real estate and politics,” which could doom his friend’s son for a murder he didn’t commit.

The Affair – Sunday, June 17, TMN1

Years after their marriages were destroyed and their lives shattered, Noah (Dominic West), Helen (Maura Tierney), Alison (Ruth Wilson) and Cole (Joshua Jackson) are still struggling with love and loss. This season, a missing-person case threatens their already-shaky foundation.

Shades of Blue – Sunday, June 17, NBC

Harlee Santos’ (Jennifer Lopez) journey will come to an end after the third season of the cop drama about a sharp detective who compromises her integrity working for her law-bending boss Lt. Matt Wozniak (Ray Liotta).

Drunk History – Tuesday, June 19, Much

The liquored-up, wildly inaccurate narration of American history returns for a sixth season acted out by celebrity talent including Seth Rogen, Vanessa Hudgens and Jack Black, among others.

Luke Cage – Friday, June 22, Netflix

Season two of the Marvel comic book series delves deeper into the lives of indestructible Luke Cage (Mike Colter), nefarious Mariah Dillard (Alfre Woodard) and a now-robot-armed Misty Knight (Simone Missick). A new recruit for this season: Luke’s old Defenders frenemy Iron Fist (Finn Jones).

Preacher – Sunday, June 24, AMC

This season, the quest of Jesse (Dominic Cooper), Tulip (Ruth Negga) and Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) will lead to a Louisiana plantation called Angelville, the place where Jesse was raised (and forever scarred) by his mother’s ruthless family, who are still very interested in tormenting our antihero.

Penn & Teller: Fool Us – Monday, June 25, The CW

Penn & Teller continue to challenge aspiring magicians to perform their best tricks for the duo. If Penn & Teller can’t figure out the secret to the contestant’s act, they earn the right to take the stage alongside the world-famous magicians in their Las Vegas show.

Glow – Friday, June 29, Netflix

Here we GLOW again. The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling are back, with more adventures for Ruth (Alison Brie) and the gang, this time with the help of Annabella Sciorra as Scab’s mother, Dear White People‘s Wyatt Nash as a hunky new camera guy and East Los High‘s Shakira Barrera as an out-and-proud dancer/stripper.

Follow This – Monday, July 9, Netflix

Netflix and BuzzFeed join forces for?a series of short-form documentaries illustrating how BuzzFeed’s reporters sniff out a story. The first episode, of 20, features writer Scaachi Koul investigating autonomous sensory meridian response. 

The Outpost – Tuesday, July 10, The CW

Ash vs Evil Dead‘s Jessica Green stars ?in Stargate SG-1 producer Jonathan Glassner’s new fantasy drama about Talon, last surviving member of a race known as the Blackbloods, who is tracking down the killers of her family. Luckily, she’s equipped with some supernatural gifts, which she must use to protect herself and others from a fanatical dictator.

Trial & Error: Lady Killer – Thursday, July 19, NBC

Broadway powerhouse Kristin Chenoweth steps in for John Lithgow to head up the second season of the anthology crime comedy. She plays East Peck heiress Lavinia Peck-Foster, accused of murdering her husband and stuffing him in a suitcase.

Making It – Tuesday, July 31, NBC

Parks and Recreation co-stars Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman co-host this lighthearted competition series where contestants tackle a variety of arts-and-crafts projects involving fabric, wood, metal and—of course—glitter. Ready, steady, pick up your glue gun!

The Innocents – Friday, August 24, Netflix

Teens Harry and June run away to be together. But secrets kept from them by their families threaten to crush their romance, as do the extraordinary gifts they possess—like Romeo and Juliet with superpowers.

Jack Ryan – Friday, August 31, Amazon Prime Video

John Krasinski is the fifth actor to portray Tom Clancy’s brainy action hero, as the CIA analyst stumbles on a suspicious series of bank transfers that catapults him from his desk job to a deadly chase through Europe and the Middle East.

Premiere dates subject to change. Check weekly listings.