The 5 New and Under-the-Radar Shows You Can’t Miss in August
The lazy, hazy days of summer are coming to a close. But TV stops for no one.
More than 15 years after its series finale, King of the Hill returns for a 14th season on August 4 on Hulu. Bobby (still voiced by Pamela Adlon) is now 21 (they grow up so fast) and owns a restaurant. After a nearly three-year absence, Wednesday returns for a third season on Netflix on August 6. Noah Hawley (Fargo) has his brand new series Alien: Earth premiering August 12 on FX on Hulu. Milo Callaghan is the newest Rudy Baylor when John Grisham’s The Rainmaker gets the TV series treatment beginning August 15 on USA. Success is the sincerest form of flattery. August will see not one but two series inspired by the success of Welcome to Wrexham. Tom Brady tries to help a struggling team in Built In Birmingham: Brady & the Blues (August 1 on Prime Video), and Eva Longoria (along with Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac) help out a Mexican soccer team in Necaxa (August 7 on FXX).
Oh, and get ready for more historical sexy fun times when Outlander: Blood of My Blood premieres August 8 on Starz.
Even with all of that, there are still five new shows we don’t want you to miss this month.
1. Chief of War
Stars: Jason Momoa, Luciane Buchanan, Temuera Morrison, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Cliff Curtis, newcomer Kaina Makua, Moses Goods, Siua Ikale‘o, Brandon Finn, James Udom, Mainei Kinimaka, Te Kohe Tuhaka and Benjamin Hoetjes.
Premiere Date: The first two episodes premiere August 1 on AppleTV+. A new episode will air every Friday until the finale on September 19.
Jason Momoa wrote, executive produced, and stars in this historical drama, which follows Momoa’s Ka‘iana as he works to unite the Hawaiian islands in the face of Western explorers wishing to colonize them. The story, told from the perspective of the Hawaiian indigenous people, is extremely personal for Momoa. He and series creator Thomas Pa‘a Sibbett are both natives of Hawaii and direct descendants of characters in this nine-episode series. If you’ll indulge me on being just a little bit shallow for a moment, Momoa also looks very, very good in this series.
2. Irish Blood
Stars: Alicia Silverstone, Jason O’Mara, Wendy Crewson, Dearbhla Molloy, Simone Kirby, Ruth Codd and Leonardo Taiwo
Premiere Date: The first two episodes premiere August 11 on AcornTV, followed by a new episode every Monday until the finale on September 8.
As if! Fresh on the heels of the 30th anniversary of Clueless, Alicia Silverstone stars as Fiona in this six-part crime drama. Now a successful divorce lawyer, Fiona does not have fond memories of her father Declan (Jason O’Mara), who she believes abandoned her and her mother when she was just 10 years old. “Trust no one. Don’t be fooled by charming narcissists,” she says at the beginning of the series. But then her dad sends her a picture with a phone number, and the person who answers the phone tells her her dad left her the following message: “Blackbeard holds the key to the treasure.” Suddenly, Fiona’s on a plane to Ireland and is drawn into her dad’s dangerous world.
3. Butterfly
Stars: Daniel Dae Kim, Reina Hardesty, Piper Perabo, and Louis Landau
Premiere Date: All six episodes premiere August 13 on Prime Video
Daniel Dae Kim headlines this series as David Jung, a former US intelligence operative who faked his own death nine years ago. When he finds out Rebecca (Reina Hardesty), the daughter he left behind, is now working as an assassin for a nefarious organization known as Caddis, David is forced to come out of hiding. The series is based on the BOOM! Studios graphic novel series of the same name, created by Arash Amel, who also serves as an executive producer on the series. Keep an eye out for Piper Perabo as Caddis’ ruthless leader. As my kids might say, this action-packed series is giving serious Alias vibes, and I am here for it.
4. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox
Stars: Grace Van Patten, Sharon Horgan, John Hoogenakker, Francesco Acquaroli, Giuseppe De Domenico and Roberta Mattei
Premiere Date: The first two episodes premiere August 20 on Hulu, followed by a new episode every Wednesday until the finale on October 1.
In 2007, 20-year-old Amanda Knox (Grace Van Patten) was convicted of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher, in Perugia, Italy. The case made headlines and reduced Knox, a real-life college student studying abroad, to a caricature.
“Does truth actually exist if no one believes it?” Knox asks in the first episode. It’s a question explored deeply during this eight-episode series. While Knox’s story has been told many times over the years (in a 2016 Netflix documentary among others), what truly sets this series apart is the fact that Knox — along with Monica Lewinsky, who knows a thing or two about being unfairly judged — are both executive producers on this eight-episode series.
5. Long Story Short
Stars: Lisa Edelstein, Paul Reiser, Ben Feldman, Abbi Jacobson, Max Greenfield, Angelique Cabral, Nicole Byer, Dave Franco and Michaela Dietz
Premiere Date: All ten episodes premiere August 22 on Netflix
Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the creator of BoJack Horseman, is back with a brand new series. This time, he follows one family as they bounce back and forth through time. We see the parents Naomi Schwartz (Lisa Edelstein) and Elliott Cooper (Paul Reiser) and their three children Avi Schwooper (Ben Feldman), Shira Schwooper (Abbi Jacobson) and Yoshi Schwooper (Max Greenfield) in the years 1991, 1996, 2004, 2014 and 2022. In the premiere, Avi brings his girlfriend Jen (Angelique Cabral) home for his brother Yoshi’s bar mitzvah. In a moment that sums up the series, Avis also listens to the song “Obvious Child” by Paul Simon, which reflects on how fast time moves in retrospect. The show has already been picked up for a second season.
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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