What To Watch: Summer Edition 2016

Summer will be here before you know it, and with that, a whole new TV binging schedule to adjust to.

As the heroes of prime time wrap up their year with cliffhangers and big reveals galore, the giants of basic cable and streaming services look to nab audiences with promises of fresh hot-baked entertainment over stale reruns a plenty.

Here is a quick peek at the returning players and a few new kids on the block set to occupy space on your DVR during the warmer months:

Difficult People

July 12 • Hulu

Hulu’s second season of the fun-to-watch show of the most hateful people imaginable, Billy and Julie (comic genius Billy Eichner and Julie Kessler) are New Yorkers who believe the world owe’s them. And they are not shy about collecting. From cursing loudly during a matinee of Annie to stealing bagels from the craft services of The Good Wife, their selfish antics make you feel like a better person.

Feed the Beast

June 5 • AMC

Based on the Danish series, David Schwimmer and Jim Sturgess star as best buddies/foodies who attempt to open their own eatery in the hipster-driving Brooklyn. Expect crazed chefs, kitchen drama and neck beards aplenty.

Grace and Frankie

May 6 • Netflix

The female-version of The Odd Couple featuring Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda as wives jilted in their 70s after their husbands find love with each other. Not exactly the acting tour de force you would expect from a cast of heavy-hitters (Sam Waterston and Martin Sheen as the newly-out ex-hubbies), but a fairly solid half-hour you can watch with your mom without fear of a graphic sex scene.

Greenleaf

June 25 • OWN

Oprah and Lionsgate have teamed on this drama, which follows the exploits of the Greenleaf family, a hard praying family of preachers who have set up a megachurch empire in Memphis. Led by veteran character actor Keith David, OWN’s foray into original content looks to be a strong offering for the summer season.

Lady Dynamite

May 20 • Netflix

The brainchild of Arrested Development’s Mitch Hurwitz, comedienne Maria Bamford stars in this half-hour laffer loosely based on the funny lady’s life. Follow the fun as Maria struggles with the challenges of life, including job woes, dating and the occasional bout of mental illness.

But in a funny way, not a Girl, Interrupted way.

Mr. Robot

July 13 • USA

After last season’s cliffhanger featuring world destruction, fans of the show can now breath a sigh of relief as the thriller returns to fix a few things. Hopefully.

The sci-fier returns in a second season after a triumphant debut. Featuring Rami Malek as computer engineer Elliot Alderson — a stiff-shirt cybersecurity expert by day, hacking vigilante by night.

More importantly, thanks to this show, society can now refer to Christian Slater as “Golden Globe Winner Christian Slater”.

Preacher

May 22 • AMC

AMC’s next foray into comic book adaptations takes a spin on the classic Vertigo comic book series created by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. Dominic Cooper stars as the conflicted Texas holy man who is possessed by an entity that helps him battle evil on Earth. Brought to the small screen by scribes Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg, Preacher look to capitalize on the Walking Dead fans who are forced to wait between zombie shows.

UnReal

June 6 • Lifetime

The hit show NOBODY saw coming.

Lifetime’s recent attempt at an original content series hit it out of the park with UnReal, a show with writing so above the bar that it went on to win a Peabody Award.

Yes. Lifetime, the series that proudly brought us the unauthorized Saved by the Bell TV movie, has a series that is winning awards.

The second season continues to follow the exploits of Rachel and Quinn, TV producers who can make nada into drama for the sake of their timeslot.

Wayward Pines

May 25 • Fox

M. Night Shyamalan’s attempt to confused small screen viewers as he has done with those who dared to follow his career on the big screen.

Season two of the sci-fi thriller series continues to follow the denizens of the a mysterious rural small town. The first season starred Matt Dillon as a US Secret Service agent who finds himself trapped in the eerie town after investigating the disappearance of colleagues.

The strange premise and odd pacing is made up for in the hella casting, which includes new lead Jason Patric, Terrence Howard, Shannyn Sossamon, Toby Jones, Carla Gugino, Djimon Hounsou, Melissa Leo and Hope Davis.