As my editor put it to me in an email, “as society collapses, entertainment media marches on.” Have truer words ever been spoken?
Because, yes there is something so comforting about the fact that, despite everything that is happening, TV continues to abound this month with new and returning series. We’ll be covering the conclusion of the fourth season of Netflix’s Stranger Things (July 1), the back half of the final season of AMC’s Better Call Saul (July 11) and the fourth season of FX’s beloved What We Do in the Shadows (July 12). New series this month including Freeform’s Everything’s Trash, HBO Max’s Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin (July 28) and Peacock’s The Resort (July 28).
But as always, with so much TV on so many different platforms, it would be easy to miss some under-the-radar gems. Here are the four new shows you can’t miss this month.
1. America the Beautiful
Stars: Michael B. Jordan
Premiere Date: All six episodes stream July 4 on Disney+
If there was ever a time to be reminded of the inherent beauty of our country, now may be it. We need to take a moment and see all the good that is out there. From Vanessa Berlowitz and Mark Linfield, the team behind Frozen Planet and Planet Earth, the six episode series travels the country from Alaskan mountains to the Grand Canyon to the Mojave Desert and more. Narrated by Michael B. Jordan, the series used cinema-grade cameras on fighter jets to capture our sprawling nation, America the Beautiful brings viewers up close to our majestic landscape and the animals that inhabit the land. The final episode “Brave New World” features members of indigenous tribes and documents their heroic efforts to conserve and preserve the animals and our natural resources
2. Maggie
Stars: Rebecca Rittenhouse, David Del Rio, Nichole Sakura, Leonardo Nam, Angelique Cabral, Ray Ford, Chloe Bridges, Kerri Kenney and Chris Elliott
Premiere Date: All 13 episodes premiere July 6 on Hulu
Originally slated for ABC, all 13 episodes of the show’s first season will now debut on Hulu. Rebecca Rittenhouse stars as the title character, a woman who has been able to see the future ever since she was a child. Knowing what’s going to happen to those around her makes it more difficult for Maggie to make connections with people. She thinks she’s figured out a great system until she sees her own future with Ben (David Del Rio), a man she meets at a party. Things get every more complicated when Ben moves into the apartment building she manages with her parents (Chris Elliott and Kerri Kenney). Keep an eye out for Ray Ford as Maggie’s confidant/fellow psychic who helps her navigate all the challenges that her gift provides.
3. The Challenge: USA
Stars: T.J. Lavin
Premiere Date: July 6 at 9:30 on CBS
Twenty-eight contestants from Big Brother, The Amazing Race, Survivor and Love Island compete in this MTV staple which moves to CBS for this inaugural all-star edition. Each week the contestants are paired with a random player for the competition. Not knowing who they will be competing with makes it harder to form (and keep!) strategic alliances. The grand prize is $500,000 plus, perhaps even more important, bragging rights. Personally I’m rooting for Cayla Platt who along with her friend Raquel Moore came in second place in the most recent edition of The Amazing Race. The series will also be available to stream on Paramount+. Let the trash talking begin!
4. Trigger Point
Stars: Vicky McClure, Adrian Lester, Mark Stanley, Warren Brown, Kerry Godliman, Cal MacAninch
Premiere Date: All six episodes premiere July 8 on Peacock
Lana Washington (Vicky McClure) and Joel Nutkins (Adrian Lester) head up London’s Metropolitan Police Bomb Disposal Squad, or “Expo” as they are known. In the premiere, the team investigates a bomb factory and discover a terrorist threat. It’s a race to figure out the bombers next target. The series premiered on ITV in England in January and has already been picked up for a second season. So go ahead and get attached to the show with all its over-the-top plot twists. It’s a fun ride!
5. Claim to Fame
Stars: Kevin Jonas and Frankie Jonas
Premiere Date: July 11 at 10 p.m. on ABC
Twelve relatives of celebrities live in a Los Angeles mansion. Their goal? To never have anyone guess who they are related to so they can win the $100,000 grand prize. Grandchildren, siblings, children abound—some look a lot like their famous family member but others will leave you guessing as they compete in challenges and form alliances. Hosted by Kevin and Frankie Jonas, who may know a thing or two about having a famous last name, this is the low-stakes, highly entertaining summer show we need.
Amy Amatangelo, the TV Gal®, is a Boston-based freelance writer and a member of the Television Critics Association. She wasn’t allowed to watch much TV as a child and now her parents have to live with this as her career. You can follow her on Twitter (@AmyTVGal).
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