Watch With Us: June 2013

The regular television season has come and gone and spring has sprung. Which means you should be outside enjoying the weather, but who has time for that when there’s so much good television coming down the pike?!

Take a look at what you can expect from us bitches in June just after the jump …

For spring & summer fare, June is the month for programming. We’ve got a few holdovers to finish up, as well as several high profile summer returnees. They are:

Arrested Development S4

As we mentioned earlier this week, Arrested Development is back! The critical (and cult) favourite has been off the air since February 2006 (!!!) when it was cancelled by FOX. Since then the cast has spread far and wide (indeed several of them have become very famous), but the show’s demise has always been a sore spot.

Enter Netflix with their bright and shiny new production model. Thanks to the interwebs giant (and possibly divine intervention) the show has been resurrected with 15 new episodes. For more details on how to watch the show, be sure to check out show creator Mitch Hurwitz’s advice here (he doesn’t recommend binge-watching, so we’ll be following his advice).

Our question: can the insane comedic quality of the series continue so many years later or will those first three seasons prove that the show was lightning in a bottle?

Returned: All 15 episodes were available Sunday, May 26 on Netflix (Weekly reviews will be posted every Thursday)

 

Teen Wolf S3

Teen Wolf has proven to be one of the biggest surprises of the past few years: a remake of a beloved (albeit campy) Michael J. Fox film, given an MTV make-over (aka a hot, nubile cast and decent production values). If the first season proved to be an out of the box hit, the second season demonstrated that it was no fluke: the show is a genuine delight.

Last season upped the ante, but between seasons the show has been dealt a (potentially fatal) blow when it lost core cast member Colton Haynes (he jumped ship to The CW’s Arrow). Filling his place is a bevvy of newbies as an Alpha pack descends on Beacon Hills to square off against Scott (Tyler Posey) and Derek (Tyler Hoechlin). Will everyone make it out of this supersized, 24 episode season alive?

Our question: Will Haynes’ departure affect the dynamic of the show and can it handle the requirements of producing more than double its traditional season order?

Returns: Monday, June 3 at 10pm EST on MTV

Revolution S1 Finale

Once considered NBC’s most promising scripted show, Revolution took a complete nosedive in the ratings following a three month sabbatical and the absence of lead-in The Voice when it returned in March. As the first season wraps, the show continues to struggle to define itself – making some positive growth (the decision to kill off Danny and focus more on the adults), as well as errors (making every single character completely idiotic).

These final episodes are clearly setting up a dramatic conflict as everyone converges on the Tower to take control of the power. Whether viewers decide to tag along, however, is another question.

Our question: Will the showrunners do the audience a favour and put Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) out of our misery?

Finale airs: Monday, June 3 at 10pm EST on NBC

Continuum S2

Continuum is a Canadian science-fiction import (much like Showcase’s other original drama, Lost Girl). The first season proved to be an entertaining blend of speculative fiction about a capitalist future (2077), but grounded the action in present day Vancouver as a single police officer battled a terrorist organization called Liber8.

Although some of the individual cases proved to be duds, overall the series had some intriguing ideas. It’s true distinguishing characteristic was revealed over the course of its 10 episode season as the show became increasingly politically and morally murky. Season two continues this trend as Kiera (Rachel Nichols) recovers from the aftermath of the S1 finale in which she failed to prevent a major attack.

Our question: can the show build on the momentum from the S1 finale and continue to explore dramatically meaty topics with the same intelligence?

Returns: Friday, June 7 at 10pm EST on Syfy (Already airing in Canada)

Game Of Thrones S3 Finale

Traditionally it’s the ninth episode of the season that delivers the goods for Game Of Thrones fans, so anticipation is riding high for the June 2 episode, ‘The Rains Of Castamere’. The finale airs a week later and – if it follows suit from year’s past – it will wrap up S3 storylines in anticipation of S4 (which will cover the second half of the third novel, A Storm Of Swords). Whatever happens in the remaining episodes, we have faith in showrunners Benisoff and Weiss, who have been delivering one hell of a thrill ride in the show’s latest season.

Our question: How many deaths can we expect in these two remaining episodes and how much will they hurt?

Finale airs: Sunday, June 9 at 9pm EST on HBO

True Blood S6

True Blood has definitely become an acquired taste as it’s grown longer in the tooth. Never one for subtlety, the series has legions of fans – and nearly as many detractors. Last season seemed like a step in the right direction with an examination of vampire politics and religion. And in certain respects it was a great success (more Pam! Tara doesn’t suck!). In true True Blood fashion, though, it was abysmal in just as many other areas (the aforementioned politics and religion, and nearly anything fairy-related).

It remains to be seen how S6 will play out with Stephen Moyer’s Bill – or his new alter-ego, Billith – taking on the role of villain, but we’ll be there to cover it in all of its gong-show craziness.

Our question: Now that series creator Alan Ball has moved on, can the show recover its senses and return to its former glory or will it continue on as a pale shadow?

Returns: Sunday, June 16 at 9pm EST on HBO

Hannibal S1 Finale

One of the most visually stunning new series of the year, Hannibal hasn’t been quite the ratings powerhouse that NBC was hoping for. The prequel to Red Dragon featuring Emmy-worthy performances by Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen has yet to be renewed (or cancelled) so at press time it’s uncertain whether its thirteenth episode is the beginning of the end for Will Graham and Lecter, or the end end. Either way, with a title like ‘Savoureux’ we know that we’ll be savouring every episode up until the end.

Our question: will the finale find Will battling Lecter in anticipation of the events of Red Dragon or will the good doctor still be pulling strings on the sidelines?

Finale airs: Thursday, June 20 at 10pm EST on NBC

The Borgias S3 Finale

In its three seasons, The Borgias has proven a more than worthy successor to The Tudors. As it stands, the original crime family has been kicking all kinds of ass and taking all kinds of names throughout the first half of the season. Unfortunately Showtime has decided the end is here for Pope Borgia (Jeremy Irons) and his incestuous children; the current season will be The Borgias‘ last. Creator Neil Jordan has already confirmed that he’d like to wrap up the show with a film, although whether or not this comes to pass is uncertain.

Our question: Who – if any – of the characters will survive to see the end of the show (no historical spoilers!)

Finale airs:  Sunday, June 23 at 10pm EST on Showtime

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That’s it for us! What do you plan on following? Are there other shows that we’re not covering that you plan to watch? If so, feel free to message us or post on our Facebook group (we may actually be watching and simply not reviewing – we’re only human after all!)

Looking forward to spending the summer with you!