The most anticipated TV-shows of this summer

The upcoming summer is not only a time to take vacations and travel but also to keep an eye on the Ukrainian counter-offensive. Undoubtedly, the most anticipated TV-shows of the season is centered around this. Competitors in the battle for viewers' attention will have a tough time, but they are trying...

Idol

Premieres on June 4th

How do you get people to eagerly watch a particular series? You need to make them discuss it long before the premiere. For example, you can cast the grown child of some celebrities in the lead female role, like Lily-Rose, the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis. And it would be great to pair her with a well-known singer, let's say The Weeknd. Even better, let him write the script himself. Then people will debate whether a musician can be a playwright or if he should stick to releasing new songs. 

Next, the plot twist should be intriguing. Something like this: a rising but insecure pop star falls into the clutches of a nightclub owner. Hmm, something is missing... Let that scoundrel also be the leader of a destructive cult. Now, let's hand over the direction to a trendy female director, so she can present the whole story through a "feminist lens" – Amy Seimetz would be suitable. When she has filmed 80% of the entire season, it's crucial to stir up fresh controversy around the upcoming premiere. Specifically, fire her from the project and dramatically rewrite the script, shifting the focus from the celebrity's daughter to the musician. The icing on the cake would be an exclusive screening of the pilot episode at the Cannes Film Festival, followed by a dozen early reviews from the audience on Rotten Tomatoes, resulting in a freshness rating of 25%... 

Yes, "Idol" is the most scandalous show in June and, at the same time, the series with the lowest critics' rating among all HBO projects. It has already been dubbed "50 Shades of Tesfaye" (the real name of The Weeknd), so there is no choice but to watch it because everyone will be discussing "Idol."

The Crowded Room

Premieres on June 9th

The trend of hipsters self-diagnosing with "bipolar disorder" in 2023 has almost disappeared. However, the trend of rare mental disorders in movies and series is still going strong. If you enjoy exploring other people's messed-up minds, don't miss the new show from Apple. "The Crowded Room" is another variation (remember "Split"?) on the story of Billy Milligan and his 24 personalities. For those who don't know, Billy Milligan was a real American criminal and rapist who was acquitted for the first time in history because his alternative personality committed all of his crimes without his knowledge. The series is based on the documentary novel "The Minds of Billy Milligan" by Daniel Keyes (fans of "Flowers for Algernon," don't pass it by!). Leonardo DiCaprio could have played the lead role, but it was Tom Holland who took the role, which is still pretty good, especially if you were born in the 21st century.

Secret Invasion

Premieres on June 21st

Evil aliens land at a radioactive waste burial site in Russia and try to subjugate everyone around – sounds like every Ukrainian's dream today. However, this is just the premise of the new TV mini-series "Secret Invasion" from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This time, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) decides not to call upon superheroes for help but to try to repel the Skrull invasion on his own. The show also intrigues with its serious "spy thriller" style, with allusions to the golden age of cinema – Carol Reed's noir classic "The Third Man" and John Ford's western "The Searchers". 

The Witcher

Premieres on June 29th

Who's into Polish fantasy? In the third season of "The Witcher," based on the book series by Andrzej Sapkowski, monarchs and mages, monsters and mutants, peoples and races will fiercely battle for the Continent, while Geralt, his beloved Yennefer, and their adopted daughter Ciri find themselves entangled in deadly political intrigues. The captivating world of medieval Eastern Europe, presented through the prism of fantasy, is what makes "The Witcher" beloved by many. The third season will be the last with the handsome Henry Cavill in the lead role. Bad news for his fans but good news for fans of Liam Hemsworth, who will take on the role of "The Witcher" starting from the fourth season.

Black Mirror

Premieres on June 30th

Incredibly, it has been four years since the last season of "Black Mirror" was released – just think about it: that was before the pandemic and the war in Ukraine... This agonizing delay for all fans of the satire on the digital world was not due to a lack of ideas from the screenwriters. The culprit was the legal disputes between Netflix and the rights holders of "Black Mirror," Endemol Shine Group (later acquired by Banijay). Thankfully, they managed to come to an agreement and finally set the sixth season into production. Not much is known about it yet, but showrunner Charlie Brooker promises fans "lots of surprises." There is a strong hint that the series will partially deviate from its trademark dystopian portrayal of a future world dominated by a "digital GULAG" and explore new themes. And if you choose what to watch solely based on the faces on the screen, we have news for you: among the actors in the new "Mirror," Salma Hayek, Josh Hartnett, and Aaron Paul have already made appearances.

Lessons in Chemistry

This summer

In the 1950s, if a woman spoke about her dream of becoming a scientist, she would be met with disapproving faces, reminding her that the pie in the kitchen was burning. Similarly, the main character of the series "Lessons in Chemistry" couldn't pursue a career as a chemist but instead became the host of a culinary TV show. At her new job, she devised a way to educate a nation of bored housewives about more than just recipes... The TV-series "Lessons in Chemistry" starring Brie Larson in the lead role, based on the bestselling book by Bonnie Garmus, is set to be released around the end of summer or September and will surely appeal not only to feminists but also to everyone.

True Detective: Night Country

This summer?

In reality, it is unknown exactly when the new season of "True Detective" will be released – HBO only states that it will happen before the end of 2023. But how we wish "Night Country" would come out this summer... Firstly, Jodie Foster will star in the leading role. We have seen her as a 14-year-old prostitute in "Taxi Driver", a 30-year-old FBI agent in "The Silence of the Lambs", and a 40-year-old fierce mother in "Panic Room". Now, she has turned 60, and we can't wait to see her as a police officer investigating the mysterious disappearance of six men in Alaska. Secondly, her partner will be played by Kali Reis, the world champion in boxing, who made a striking debut in cinema in 2021 with the leading role in the film "Catch the Fair One". So, we have two strong women – one who wasn't afraid to look Hannibal Lecter in the eye, and the other who wields her fists so skillfully that many men would envy. Whoever kidnapped those six men – no one will envy them.