If you’re a bit behind on what TV has to offer this month, have no fear because we’ve done the hard work for you.
From edge-of-your-seat thrillers to stand-out sitcoms, these streaming picks will leave you wanting more.
Crack out the popcorn and get comfy, TV WEEK has your ultimate guide to the top seven shows you need to see this month.
ENEMIES: THE PRESIDENT, JUSTICE AND THE FBI
Attorney John Dean has seen many things during his time in The White House.
STAN – 4 EPISODES
Exploring the relationship between the FBI and America’s presidents has never been so on-point.
Amid the political turmoil and scandal that has clouded US President Donald Trump’s (above) administration since his inauguration in 2017 comes this intriguing documentary.
Inspired by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tim Weiner’s book, Enemies: A History Of The FBI, this four-part series takes a deep dive into the often tumultuous relationship between the Federal Bureau Of Investigation and the government.
Examining the abuse of power – on both sides – the series takes examples of current political events and uses them to reflect on the past.
Coupled with interviews from former and current government officials, as well as journalists, it’s a must-watch – irrespective of what you think of President Trump or how interested you are in world politics.
HOMECOMING
Julia Roberts in Homecoming.
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO – SEASON 1, 10 EPISODES
This psychological thriller has attracted an all-star cast.
Watching Sam Esmail’s new series is like pulling on the loose thread of a knit quilt – a slow and addictive unravelling of the truth, row by row, twist by shocking twist.
Based on the fictional and equally star-studded podcast of the same name, Homecoming centres on caseworker Heidi Bergman (Julia Roberts) and the secretive government facility she works at.
The Homecoming Transitional Support Center specialises in acclimatising soldiers to civilian life, but as you’d expect from a psychological drama, not everything is as it seems.
“It’s a thriller where you start in a simple place and things are revealed at every step of the way,” Homecoming’s creator, Sam (Mr Robot), 41, tells TV WEEK Close Up.
“These twists and turns, what you thought was true, continually reframe the world around each character.”
Homecoming sticks to short half-hour episodes, which helps build suspense.
“There’s something intriguing about not being so explicit about where the show is going,” Sam says. “We lean more into the mystery of it.”
An Oscar-winning film actress, Julia agreed to do a television series, Sam says, when she was lured by Homecoming’s gripping story.
“I think she’s just drawn to the material,” he explains. “Julia and I were both fans of the podcast. I think we listened to it around the same time, independently.”
With a brilliant storyline and even brighter performances, Homecoming will have you on the edge of your seat, gripping that quilt tight.
THE KOMINSKY METHOD
Michael Douglas plays acting coach Sandy Kominsky.
NETFLIX – SEASON 1, 8 EPISODES
The sitcom format gets refreshed in this tale of ageing not-so gracefully.
When “King Of Sitcoms” Chuck Lorre – known for The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon and Two And A Half Men – came up with the premise for his latest show, he instantly took the idea to Netflix.
Without the time constraints of free-to-air TV, his new comedy, The Kominsky Method, was given some much-needed breathing room. And it will have you soaking up every extra minute.
The show centres on actor-turned-acting coach Sandy Kominsky (Michael Douglas) and his best friend Norman (Alan Arkin), who doubles as his agent.
The pair faces the realities of growing older and death. They’re subjects not typically mined for comedy, but the actors provide the kind of heartwarming laughs that never feel forced.
NO ACTIVITY (US)
Patrick Brammall and Tim Meadows as the stakeout cops.
STAN – SEASON 2, 8 EPISODES
Watching two men do so little has never been so entertaining.
You’d be forgiven for thinking a major drug cartel bust would be the perfect break for toiling low-level cops in a high-stakes crime thriller. But Detectives Nick Cullen and Judd Tolbeck aren’t those kind of cops, and this isn’t that kind of show.
Based on the original Australian Stan series, the US version of No Activity features Nick (Patrick Brammall) and Judd (Tim Meadows) enduring countless hours together in a car on a stakeout just waiting for something to happen. Turning the mundane into comedic gold is a brilliant feat.
The department faces a corruption scandal this season. Max Greenfield (New Girl), Joe Manganiello (True Blood), Cristin Milioti (Black Mirror) and Jessica Alba (Dark Angel) guest-star.
THE BALLARD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS
Tim Blake Nelson is home and harmonising on the range as singing cowboy Buster Scruggs.
FILM – NETFLIX
The Coen brothers deliver their distinctive style in a Western anthology for the ages.
When Oscar-winning filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen announced their maiden foray into television, the hype was instant.
Now, the much-awaited anthology series, The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, has become a single movie – with distinct chapters – for Netflix.
The Coen brothers had designed their latest venture as an anthology series with six stories about the American West, each episode telling the epic tale of a new character such as Buster Scruggs, a sharpshooting minstrel played by Tim Blake Nelson.
“The stories were written over a period of 25 years,” Ethan, 61, said at the Venice Film Festival, where the movie premiered to critical acclaim.
“We would write these short stories and not really know what to do with them and put them in a drawer. Then we decided to make them all together.”
Known best for their depiction of the American frontier in films such as No Country For Old Men and True Grit, the Coens have delved into the Western genre once again to great effect.
In keeping with their distinctive style, The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs combines tongue-in-cheek humour with classic gunslinging violence, all of which is brilliantly portrayed by a stellar cast including James Franco, Brendan Gleeson, Tyne Daly, Zoe Kazan, Tom Waits and Liam Neeson.
SHARK WEEK
Rhonda Rousey gets shark-ready.
DISCOVERY CHANNEL – FOXTEL ON DEMAND
Sink your teeth into a week of dangerous and deadly docos
Summer is in full swing, which means barbecues, sunshine and – most importantly – beach days.
It also means there’s no better time for Shark Week to hit our screens. And if you weren’t afraid of the deep blue before, you surely will be now.
Discovery Channel’s legendary week of aquatic action will bring a huge line-up of epic documentaries, including Return Of The Mega Shark, Great White Shark Babies, Bloodline: The Spawn Of Jaws and Cuba’s Secret Shark Lair.
This year, we’re hooked on Ronda Rousey Uncaged. The Olympic judo medallist and MMA pro has squared up to some of the world’s best UFC fighters, but none of that compares to being thrown into a feeding frenzy of bull sharks.
SHE-RA AND THE PRINCESSES OF POWER
NETFLIX- SEASON 1, 8 EPISODES
One for your inner-child, She-Ra is the updated femme hero we need.
You don’t need to be a fan of anime to enjoy the revival of iconic heroine She-Ra.
As with many reboots, She-Ra, a princess warrior introduced in the ’80s as the twin sister of He-Man, has had a much-needed modern makeover. The redesign features a stronger – and less sexualised – female form, and a more relatable story for young girls.
The tale begins with Adora. Separated from her family as a baby, she’s raised by the Evil Horde and led to believe they’re on the good side. But when Adora discovers a magic sword that transforms her into the mythical warrior She-Ra, she questions everything she was taught in her sheltered childhood.
It’s not long before Adora joins forces with the rebellion – a group of magical princesses – and realises the pivotal role she’s destined to play in the fight against evil.
