Summer TV Guide: 30 shows to watch from ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ to ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Force is strong with the summer television season.
Disney+ kicks things off with the premiere of its highly anticipated “Obi-Wan Kenobi” on Friday. The series takes viewers back to that galaxy far, far away to check in on the Jedi Master and his nemesis Darth Vader in the period between “Revenge of the Sith” and the original “Star Wars” film.
Not to be undone, Netflix’s “Stranger Things” returns on the same day after a, gulp, three-year hiatus. Can Eleven regain her powers in time to save her friends from a new monster? More importantly, can they still pass as kids?
The summer must-watch list also includes two new series from Marvel, Chris Pratt’s return to television and the second season of the highly acclaimed and totally bingeable “Only Murders in the Building.”
But all of it is just an appetizer to the two most epic — and expensive — projects to arrive on the small screen in a long time in prequels to “Game of Thrones” and “The Lord of the Rings.”
Here’s a look at 30 of the most noteworthy shows premiering from now till Labor Day weekend.
Release dates are subject to change.
“Stranger Things”
Where, when: Netflix, May 27
The penultimate season begins six months after the events of season three with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and Will (Noah Schnapp) in a new town and high school far away from their pals in Hawkins. But when a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, it could be the opportunity they’ve all been waiting for to finally put the horrors of the Upside Down behind them.
“Obi-Wan Kenobi”
Where, when: Disney+, May 27
Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen return to their iconic roles from the “Star Wars” prequels as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and the evil Sith Lord Darth Vader. The series picks up 10 years since we last saw them with the Empire hunting the last surviving Jedi while Obi-Wan watches over a young Luke Skywalker from afar, much to the dismay of the boy’s Uncle Owen (Joel Edgerton).
“Pistol”
Where, when: Hulu, May 31
From director Danny Boyle (”Trainspotting”) comes this six-episode limited series from FX that tells the story of the punk rock movement of the 1970s as told by the Sex Pistols and their charismatic leader Steve Jones, played by Toby Wallace.
“The Real Housewives of Dubai”
Where, when: Bravo, June 1
Bravo’s unstoppable franchise travels to one of the world’s wealthiest cities for its first international edition. Expect glitz, glamour and, of course, plenty of manufactured, yet totally compelling drama. The show’s diverse cast includes a supermodel, fashion designer, doctor, real estate broker, entrepreneur and even an ex-cast member of another Bravo series.
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“Physical”
Where, when: Apple TV+, June 3
Season two of this dark comedy finds Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne) in a new place in her life after the successful launch of her first aerobics video. Torn between her husband Danny (Rory Scovel) and an attraction to someone else, she must also deal with new competitors who could spoil her dream of building a fitness empire.
“Ms. Marvel”
Where, when: Disney+, June 8
Marvel introduces its first Muslim superhero in this original series with teen comedy vibes. Iman Vellani plays a Jersey City high school student who’s into video games and superheroes, particularly Captain Marvel. She feels like an outsider at school and at home until a cosmic event gives her superpowers of her own.
“Peaky Blinders”
Where, when: Netflix, June 10
Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and Birmingham’s most notorious gang return for a sixth and final season and another go-round with fascist leader Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin), who survived an assassination attempt in the previous season.
“For All Mankind”
Where, where: Apple TV+, June 10
This sci-fi drama jumps ahead another decade for its third season to 1995 when a private aerospace company joins the United States and the Soviet Union in an intense three-way race to Mars.
“Evil”
Where, where: Paramount+, June 12
This supernatural-horror drama picks up after that shocking twist in the season two finale as psychologist Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers), priest-in-training David Acosta (Mike Colter) and tech expert Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi) continue to investigate the church’s backlog of unexplained mysteries.
“God’s Favorite Idiot”
Where, when: Netflix, June 15
A mid-level tech support employee named Clark (Ben Falcone) is struck by lightning and unwittingly becomes the messenger of God, which puts a wrinkle in his new relationship with co-worker Amy (Melissa McCarthy). Also complicating things: the sudden appearances of Satan (Leslie Bibb) and the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.
Michael Cimino stars in the third and final season of “Love, Victor.” (Photo by: Gilles Mingasson/Hulu) HULU
“Love, Victor”
Where, where: Hulu and Disney+, June 15
Is it Benji or Rahim? Victor (Michael Cimino) finally decides who he wants to be with during the third and final season of this teen dramedy. But the season is also about Victor figuring out the kind of person he wants to be as he and his friends are faced with a new set of problems as their high school days wind down.
“The Old Man”
Where, where: FX, June 16
Based on the novel by Thomas Perry, this thriller stars Jeff Bridges stars as a former CIA agent who has done and seen way too much. But after decades of living off the grid, he is drawn out of the shadows and becomes the target of an intense manhunt led by an FBI director (John Lithgow) with whom he shares a complicated past.
Jana Schmieding as Reagan Wells, Ed Helms as Nathan Rutherford in a season two episode of “Rutherford Falls.” (Photo by: Ron Batzdorff/Peacock)Ron Batzdorff/Peacock
“Rutherford Falls”
Where, where: Peacock, June 16
This charming and heartwarming comedy about the citizens of a small town and the Native American reservation it borders returns for a second season. This time around, Nathan (Ed Helms) and Reagan (Jana Schmieding) help each other navigate work, romance and Terry (Michael Greyeyes), operator of the Running Thunder Casino.
“The Summer I Turned Pretty”
Where, when: Amazon Prime Video, June 17
Based on the New York Times bestselling book, this coming-of-age story centers on Belly (Lola Tung), whose annual summer trips to her family friend’s beach house take on a new meaning once she turns sixteen. As she comes into her own, she experiences her first love — and her first heartbreak.
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The Umbrella Academy. (L to R) Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022COURTESY OF NETFLIX
“The Umbrella Academy”
Where, when: Netflix, June 22
In season three, the time-traveling members of the Umbrella Academy return to the present thinking they’ve restored the pre-apocalyptic timeline only to find a new team of superpowered siblings in their place called the Sparrow Academy. Can they work together to defeat an unidentified and destructive entity and make things right again?
Joel Kim Booster, Maya Rudolph and Ron Funches star in “Loot” on Apple TV+.Courtesy of Apple
“Loot”
Where, when: Apple TV+, June 24
Maya Rudolph plays a billionaire’s wife whose life is upended when her husband betrays her, causing her to spiral and become the subject of tabloid fodder. But then a charity foundation she unknowingly is in charge of helps her reconnect with the real world.
“Only Murders in the Building”
Where, when: Hulu, June 28
Season two picks up with Charles, Oliver and Mabel (Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez) implicated in the murder of Arconia board president Bunny Folger. The trio must now deal with a competing podcast and their suspicious neighbors as they try to clear their names and find the real killer.
Read More: Summer TV Guide: 30 shows to watch from ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ to ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel