Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Friday, August 14, and Saturday, August 15.
Top picks
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+, Friday, 3:01 a.m., series premiere, first three episodes): “Ted Lasso first appeared in a pair of videos for NBC Sports, as a stereotypical American football coach blustering his way through a new job in the sport that the rest of the world calls just plain football, marveling at everything he doesn’t know about soccer. The Ted Lasso of these bits resembles the enthusiastically clueless sportscaster Pete Twinkle that he played opposite Will Forte in the endless series of ‘ESPN Classic’ SNL sketches. Transformed into a full-fledged Apple TV+ series, Ted Lasso drops the cluelessness but keeps the enthusiasm—and in doing so, reveals and deepens the Jason Sudeikis comfort zone. It turns out that the trait that unites many of his best characters is, in fact, enthusiasm... What makes Ted Lasso both so warm and so funny is that Lasso is a ceaseless cheerleader who so steadfastly avoids negativity (beyond his newfound hatred for English tea) that he appears blithely unfazed by his team’s lack of wins.” Read the rest of Jesse Hassenger’s pre-air review.
Teenage Bounty Hunters (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m., complete first season): Netflix’s new Teenage Bounty Hunters series debuts today, created by American Princess writer Kathleen Jordan, with Orange Is The New Black’s Jenji Kohan as an executive producer. Look for Gwen Ihnat’s review of the series whose charming cast (Maddie Phillips, Anjelica Bette Fellini, and Dwayne Wayne himself, Kadeem Hardison) helps flesh out the show’s, admittedly, occasionally thin premise.
Regular coverage
Wild cards
Boys State (Apple TV+, Friday, 3:01 a.m, premiere): Keep an eye out for Erik Adams’ review of this buzzy—and timely—documentary about teenagers in Texas running a mock government.
The One And Only Ivan (Disney+, Friday, 3:01 a.m, premiere): This adaptation of Katherine Applegate’s Newbery-winning book counts among its cast Helen Mirren, Danny DeVito, Brooklynn Prince, Chaka Khan, Phillipa Soo, Ron Funches, and Bryan Cranston.
Magic Camp (Disney+, Friday, 3:01 a.m, premiere): Adam Devine and Gillian Jacobs play rival magicians who act as counselors at a camp that teaches youths to escape from straightjackets.