With the dregs of the traditional TV season in the rearview mirror, it’s officially time to settle in for the summer schedule.
Will you watch with us?
Before we can deal with an outbreak in Bon Temps, a new villain in Beacon Hills and head back to our favourite women’s prison, let’s discuss our regular coverage. June is heavy on the adieus, so we’ve only got the one continuing series:
- 24: Live Another Day: Airs Mondays at 9pm EST on FOX / Posts every Tuesday morning
Then there are the favourites finishing up for the year (organized chronologically by finale date):
- In The Flesh S2: Saturdays at 10pm EST on BBC America (Finale: June 14)
- Game of Thrones S4: Sundays at 9pm EST on HBO (Finale: June 15)
- Orphan Black S2: Saturdays at 9pm EST on BBC America (Finale: June 21)
- Continuum S3: Fridays at 10pm EST on Syfy (Finale: June 27)
- Penny Dreadful S1: Sundays at 10pm EST on Showtime (Finale: June 29)
We’ll also have some season finale quick take reviews of shows we’ve been watching, but haven’t been covering regularly:
- The 100 S1: Wednesday, June 11 at 9pm EST on The CW
- Fargo S1: Tuesday, June 17 at 10pm EST on FX
And now let’s get to the new stuff (organized in chronological order by air date):
Orange Is The New Black S2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e99SkdcB2UU
- Where did we leave off? S1 ended with a melodramatic cliffhanger. Healy (Michael Harney) sicced Pennsatucky (Taryn Manning) on Piper (Taylor Schilling), but our heroine got a little stab happy and promptly shivved the religious whacko. This year we’ll get backstories for fan favourites (including scene-stealer Crazy Eyes) and a new inmate Vee (Lorraine Touissaint) stirs up all kinds of trouble.
- Why should you care? Orange Is The New Black was last summer’s biggest surprise and huge success with both audiences and critics. The unique combination of compelling (LGBT friendly) storytelling, (ethnically) diverse cast of memorable characters and time-jumping format (how did everyone end up in prison?) made the first thirteen episodes compulsively binge-worthy. Expectations were non-existent for the first season, but you can bet all eyes will be on the show for S2. Can OITNB maintain its stellar quality now that it’s in the limelight?
- Who’s covering it? In an effort to accommodate Netflix’s all-at-once model, we’ll offer two types of review:
- TVAngie will dish up a two-part season review for binge-watchers (~six episodes each Friday).
- cinephilactic will offer a two episode-per-week review each Wednesday.
- Returns: All 13 episodes drop Friday, June 6 on Netflix
Rectify S2
- Where did we leave off? We can’t actually tell you as we’re currently marathoning the six episode first season in time for the premiere. We can tell you that the series follows a man, Daniel Holden (Aden Young), who is exonerated after spending 20 years in prison for the murder of his high school girlfriend and has to adjust to life on the outside, including a hostile community, many of whom still believe he is guilty.
- Why should you care? Rectify was one of several original dramas that helped to put Sundance on the map last year. The show isn’t for everyone (the pacing is a little languid), but the acting is stellar and the subject matter is surprisingly affective and rich. If audiences can get past the unconventional format, Rectify is a drama to invest in.
- Who’s covering it? cinephilactic
- Returns: Thursday, June 19 at 9pm EST on Sundance
True Blood S7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu3Tw4-pKg4
- Where did we leave off? We jumped ahead six months to find Sookie (Anna Paquin) dating Alcide (Joe Manganiello), Sam (Sam Trammell) is Mayor and humans are matched up with vamps for food and protection in the wake of a Hep V outbreak that is about to descend on Bon Temps.
- Why should you care? Love it or hate it, True Blood has been a summer staple for more than half a decade and it’s about to bow out with a final season of cable-friendly nudity, bloody deaths and Sookie’s stupid precious fairy vagina.
Don’t you want to know which magical creature Sookie ends up with?Scratch that. Don’t you want to know if the writers finally give Tara (Rutina Wesley) and Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) something to do? - Who’s covering it? cinephilactic
- Returns: Sunday, June 22 at 9pm EST on HBO
Teen Wolf S4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU9YsraVTLc
- Where did we leave off? SPOILERS Allison (Crystal Reed) croaked and Isaac (Daniel Sharman) left between seasons, which means we’ve got a brand new pack that now includes Malia (Shelley Hennig). Oh yeah, and crazy Kate Argent (Jill Wagner) is back from the dead, and she’s all blue and wolf-y.
- Why should you care? Although season 3A was a bit of a dud, the second half of the season – featuring a possessed Stiles (Dylan O’Brien) – was shockingly good and went a long way to restore our faith in the show. Plus: more lacrosse (everyone likes that, right? Right?)
- Who’s covering it? cinephilactic
- Returns: Monday, June 23 at 10pm EST on MTV
That’s it for us. Depending on how masochistic he feels, cinephilactic may do a few snarky quick takes of Under The Dome (Returns: Monday, June 30 at 10pm EST on CBS). If you’re interested, let us know in the comments.
Will you watch with us? And what else are you looking forward to? Post your June TV schedule below.