You know how some songs just stick with you? When I was in high school, I was in a production of Carousel (I know, I know—a problematic musical at best), but the song “June is Bustin’ Out All Over” is one that has just stuck with me.
And I started singing the song out loud when I looked at all the TV coming our way in June. TV really is bustin’ out all over. Just scratching the surface of what’s headed your way, I can tell you Disney+ has its latest Marvel series Ms. Marvel premiering June 6 and Jeff Bridges headlines FX’s The Old Man premiering June 16. Fan favorite series returning this month include Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building (June 28), HBO’s Westworld (June 26), Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy (June 22), Paramount+’s Evil (June 12), Prime Video’s The Boys (June 3), and AppleTV+ For All Mankind (June 12).
Once again it would be far too easy for some great shows to fall under your radar. But, as always, we are here to help. Here are the five new shows you can’t miss this June.
1. Queer as Folk
Stars: Devin Way, Fin Argus, Jesse James Keitel, CG, Johnny Sibilly and Ryan O’Connell
Premiere Date: June 9 on Peacock
It’s hard to believe but Queer as Folk (both the British original and the American remake) premiered 23 years ago way back in 1999. “In queer years, that was a millennium ago!” says Russell T. Davies who created the British series. This new eight-episode version, from creator, writer, executive producer and director Stephen Dunn, is set in New Orleans and follows a group of friends: lost soul Brodie (Devin Way), his brother Julian (Ryan O’Connell), high school teacher Ruthie (Jesse James Keitel), her partner Shar (CG), lawyer Noah (Johnny Sibilly), and high school student Mingus (Fin Argus). When tragedy strikes in the premiere of the series, the friends are forced to make some difficult life choices and reassess their relationships. Keep an eye out for Kim Catrall (who we get to see everywhere but And Just Like That) as Brodie and Julian’s mother, and Juliette Lewis as Mingus’ mom.
2. God’s Favorite Idiot
Stars: Ben Falcone, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Bibb, Kevin Dunn, Usman Ally, Steve Mallory, Chris Sandiford, Ana Scotney and Yanic Truesdale
Premiere Date: June 15 on Netflix
Real life couple Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy are collaborating once again to produce and star in this eight-episode series about Clark (Falcone), an unassuming man who spends his days working at a boring tech support job and hanging out with his dad (Kevin Dunn). One day he starts to glow, and Clark soon realizes God thinks he may be capable of more. He then enlists his co-worker Amily (McCarthy) and a ragtag group of friends to defeat Satan (Leslie Bibb, naturally). Fans of Gilmore Girls will be delighted to see McCarthy’s former Stars Hollow co-star Yanic Truesdale as archangel Chamuel.
3. Chloe
Stars: Erin Doherty, Poppy Gilbert, Billy Howle, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Jack Farthing, and Brandon Micheal Hall
Premiere Date: June 24 on Prime Video
This six-episode BBC drama premiered in England in February and now makes its way stateside. Becky (Erin Doherty) is obsessed with her childhood friend Chloe’s (Poppy Gilbert) seemingly perfect life—or at least a life that looks perfect according to Chloe’s social media accounts. But when Chloe dies, Becky soon realizes that perhaps things weren’t as perfect as Instagram made them seem. Becky takes on the persona of Sasha to try to discover what really was going on in Chloe’s life and how she ended up dead. What could possibly go wrong with that plan?
4. The Great American Recipe
Stars: Alejandra Ramos, Leah Cohen, Tiffany Derry, and Graham Elliot
Premiere Date: June 24 on PBS
This eight-episode series brings together ten cooks from across the country to make dishes they’ve invented. Each week will bring a different theme. First up: “If I were a recipe,” where contestants cook a dish that captures the essence of who they are. Contestants, who represent Italian, Syrian, Korean, and Puerto Rican cultures among others, put forth dishes ranging from fried calamari to baklava. Cooking under a time constraint in an unfamiliar kitchen is stressful. “I can feel sweat in places there should not be sweat,” one contestant exclaims. Judges Tiffany Derry, Graham Elliot, and Lean Cohen are supportive but also honest, and don’t mince words when contestants have missed the mark. The winner will see their recipe featured on the cover of The Great American Recipe Cookbook.
5. Baymax!
Stars: Scott Adsit, Ryan Potter, Maya Rudolph, Emily Kuroda, Lilimar, Zeno Robinson and Jaboukie Young-White.
Premiere Date: June 29 on Disney+
Don Hall, who directed 2014’s Big Hero 6, created this six-episode series about the loveable healthcare companion robot Baymax (once again voiced by Scott Adsit). All Baymax wants to do is help people. Is that so wrong? Of course it’s not. The problem is that people (and animals!) of San Fransokyo don’t always want or need Baymax’s help. Remember Baymax isn’t the best at picking up social cues. Ryan Potter also returns as the voice of Baymax’s owner Hiro. This is one of several spin-offs of beloved Disney properties. Keep an eye out for series based on Moana, Zootopia and Cars.
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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