Welcome to What’s On, our weekly picks of must-watch shows. Here’s what you need to watch from Sunday, June 19 to Thursday, June 23. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekend edition of What’s On drops on Fridays.]
The biggies
Flatbush Misdemeanors (Sunday, Showtime, 11 p.m., season two premiere)
In this excellent, irreverent comedy, rising comedians Dan Perlman and Kevin Iso play fictionalized versions of themselves, neighborhood best friends who are hilariously climbing the ladder to nowhere. In season two, Dan tries to get reinstated as a teacher while Kevin mostly ignores his calls, only to eventually return home.
The Umbrella Academy (Wednesday, Netflix, 3:01 a.m.)
Created by Steve Blackman, this time-travel superhero comedy follows the adventures of the Hargreeves family, who reunite to solve the mystery of their adoptive father’s death and battle a potential apocalypse. In season three, the Umbrella and Sparrow academies must work together to stop something called a “kugelblitz” from happening, but only if they ever figure out how to work together as a team. The cast includes Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Aidan Gallagher, Robert Sheehan, and David Castañeda. In her review, Jenna Scherer writes:
The Umbrella Academy, vitally, reserves the greatest care for the story of Vanya, played by Oscar nominee Elliot Page. The writers map the actor’s real-life transition onto his character, as the queer awakening he experienced back in the 1960s leads Vanya to becoming Viktor.
Hidden gems
The Bear (Thursday, FX on Hulu, 12:01 a.m.)
This heartfelt comedy centers on Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), a young chef from the fine-dining world. When he returns home to Chicago to run his family’s Italian Beef joint, Carmy struggles with the soul-crushing realities of overseeing a small business. The cast also boasts Ayo Edebiri, Abby Elliott, and Ebon-Moss Bachrach. Look for The A.V. Club’s review of the show later this week.
Birdgirl (Sunday, Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m., season two premiere)
In this Adult Swim animated comedy, Judy Ken Sebben, a.k.a. Birdgirl (voiced by Paget Brewster), is a vigilante who fights crime with help from her friend Meredith the Mind Taker. The voice cast also includes Kether Donahue, Rob Delaney, Tony Hale, and Sonia Denis.
Joel Kim Booster: Psychosexual (Tuesday, Netflix, 3:01 a.m.)
It really feels like it’s Joel Kim Booster’s world, and we’re just living in it. The actor and comedian, who recently starred in Hulu’s Fire Island and will next be seen in Apple TV+’s Loot, is also dropping a standup special on Netflix, in which he discusses the cultural nuances of being Asian, his fascination with human sexuality, and much more.
More good stuff
Animal Kingdom (Sunday, TNT, 9 p.m., season six premiere)
This TNT crime drama comes to an end with its sixth and final season. The series follows Joshua “J” Cody (Finn Cole) who, after the death of his mother, moves in with his estranged relatives. Turns out, they’re actually a criminal family enterprise.
Motherland: Fort Salem (Tuesday, Freeform, 10 p.m., season three premiere)
This supernatural drama chronicles three witches who are conscripted into the U.S. Army, training in combat magic and using their vocal cords to create powerful spells. The show takes place in a women-dominated world—Abbott Elementary’s Sheryl Lee Ralph plays the U.S. president—in which the country ended the persecution of witches 300 years ago during the Salem witch trials.
Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes (Wednesday, HBO, 9 p.m.)
It’s the Chernobyl follow-up you’ve been waiting for. Directed and produced by James Jones, this documentary features newly uncovered archival footage and recorded interviews with those who were present when Chernobyl’s nuclear reactor exploded in the Soviet Union. The film promises gripping portraits of the disaster and the lengths to which the Soviet government went to cover it up.
Cant-miss recaps
RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars (Paramount+, Friday, 3:01 a.m.)
For All Mankind (Apple TV+, Friday, 12:01 a.m.)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m., season one finale)
Ms. Marvel (Disney+, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Ending soon
I Love That For You (Showtime, Sunday, 8:30 p.m., season one finale)
The Time Traveler’s Wife (HBO, Sunday, 9 p.m., season one finale)
Walker (The CW, Thursday, 8 p.m., season two finale)
Ipcress Files (AMC+, Thursday, 3:01 a.m., season one finale)