Summer is traditionally a time of frivolous entertainment: no one wants to watch dramas, but they happily devour popcorn on blockbusters. I don't want to sit at home either, but sometimes, to recuperate, I have to lie down on the sofa. Here, serials will come in handy - both new items and the continuation of your favorite shows. We have selected the best ones, which are not a shame to spend part of a summer evening, night or lazy morning.
text: Daria Tatarkova
New series
Leftovers
The leftovers
HBO, June 29
Trailer
The novel "The Remains" by American Tom Perrotta will become a serial this summer, and Perrotta himself will act as one of the screenwriters and producers of the show. The plot revolves around the inexplicable disappearance of 2% of the world's population, or the "Rapture" - a popular idea in America and among Protestants, according to which a part of people will ascend to meet Christ before his Second Coming. True, it is not yet clear whether what is happening in the series has a religious background. The main role in "The Remnants" went to Justin Ther - and this is very good news for fans of David Lynch's work. Here, however, Teru is not at all otherworldly (as in Lynch's films), but exactly the opposite - he plays the police chief, the father of two children, trying to return life to its former course. In addition to Teru, Liv Tyler and 9th Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston appear in the lead roles. The already intriguing plot is further added to the weight by a dramatic trailer, successfully edited to the music of James Blake.
Recently, Justin Theroux has more often come across in the gossip, hand in hand with Jennifer Aniston, than on film or television screens. However, we still love and remember the actor from Lynch's "Mulholland Drive" and "Inland Empire".
Strain
The strain
FX, July 13
Trailer
Five years ago, when Guillermo del Toro was in New Zealand working with Peter Jackson on The Hobbit, he came up with an idea for a vampire series like no other. As conceived by the director, vampires appear as monstrous parasites with a snake lower jaw, the battle with them captures the whole of New York, and a group of employees of the Center for Disease Control is trying to contain the vampire virus. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the channels were not impressed then, and del Toro, together with the writer Chuck Hogan, eventually launched a book series - "The Strain Trilogy". This summer, her TV version will finally appear: from the tiny previews of the show, it is still completely incomprehensible how everything will look, but you can be sure that something very cool awaits us. Well, forget about the vampires of the old generation - handsome Skarsgard and languid Pattinson - deltor vampires will not let you sleep at night for a completely different reason.
We managed to fall in love with the American Corey Stoll for his role in House of Cards. There, the actor played the loser Congressman Peter Russo, whose life and career were only a tool in the hands of the brilliant manipulator Frank Underwood.
The existing
Extant
CBS, July 9
Trailer
Halle Berry will appear on screen this summer as astronaut Molly Woods, returning from a yearlong mission in space. As usual (and here the third "Alien" inevitably comes to mind), the heroine has returned not alone - on earth she finds out that she is pregnant. Moreover, Woods seems to have to save an alien race from extinction: in the show's trailer, a serious boy with visionary drawings helpfully explains that "they put their family on this spaceship to save them from extinction." Berry said that she accepted the role because she liked the strong main character as a woman, as well as the opportunity to spend more time with the children during filming. The plot, the actress, and Steven Spielberg as the executive producer are a mix worthy of an expensive blockbuster. In addition, after the success of "Gravity", viewers are simply obliged to warmly accept the series about a strong woman astronaut.
Halle Berry has not starred in a TV series since the early 90s, so we are waiting for her to appear on TV no less than the fresh part of X-Men.
Stop and burn
Halt and catch fire
AMC, June 1
Trailer
If you haven't determined from the Eurythmics' song “Sweet Dreams” that the series takes place in the 80s, then at least pay attention to the divine haircut of Mackenzie Davis and the space glasses of Scoot McNairy. Halt & Catch Fire is set in Dallas in 1983, where all the young and innovative minds of the computer industry were based at the time. The series tells the story of three outsider heroes who find themselves in the thick of what is happening: visionary Joe Macmillan, engineer Gordon Clarke and software student Cameron Howe. Together they are trying to build their own computer by "redesigning" an IBM computer - Joe Macmillan, who previously worked for IBM, wants to change the current market situation, which is dominated by the products of his former employer. The name of the series in this case perfectly reflects its main idea: "Halt and Catch Fire" is a fictitious machine code instruction that deactivates the processor.
If the actress Mackenzie Davis is a newcomer, and extremely promising, then you probably remember and love Lee Pace from the TV series "Dead on Demand", recently he could be seen in "The Hobbit" - in the image of the white-haired elven king Thranduil.
Tyrant
Tyrant
FX, June 24
trailer
Barri al Fayed returns to his native (fictional, true) country of Baladi for his nephew's wedding. Here, unlike Los Angeles, he is not known as Barry, but as Bassam - the youngest son of the country's dictator. "Tyrant" was invented by Gideon Ruff, the author of the series "Prisoner of War", which later filmed the American "Homeland", whose producer Howard Gordon, by the way, is also involved in the series. In "Tirana" there are many references to various Arab countries and their culture, but there is no deliberate image of any one place. This FX series could potentially turn out to be one of the most intriguing this summer, given the complex and painful topics it touches, as it plunges with the hero into the politics of the Middle East, Islam and Arab traditions. The series was inspired by the events of the Arab Spring and the story of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Upset so far only that the director of the pilot is David Yates, the one who shot the last faceless "Harry Potters".
The main role in "Tyrant" went to the young British actor Adam Rayner, and it is good that he is divinely beautiful. But in the background, you can see Justin Kirk - the touching gouging and humorist Andy from Datura. A couple of years ago, Kirk launched his own sitcom "Animal Practice", but the actor failed to come to the fore - the show failed and was canceled at the very beginning of the first season. In Tyrant, Kirk will play a mysterious American diplomat and hopefully rehabilitate his slightly tarnished reputation.
Nick
The knick
Cinemax, 8 August
trailer
It seems that Stephen Soderbergh changed his mind about leaving the cinema altogether and directed the series for the time being, acting as its director and producer. The plot of "The Knick" is based on the history of the Manhattan Knickerbocker Hospital of the early 20th century - this is a real hospital intended for veterans of the Civil War and existed until 1988. The heroes of the series are doctors and nurses of exceptional skills, performing revolutionary operations in primitive conditions and without antibiotics. So, Granger Hines plays August Robertson, who tries to get the hospital back on its feet, while not refusing to help even the poorest patients. But we are more interested in Dr. John W. Thackery, played by Clive Owen, his professional and personal life will be discussed in "The Knick". Surgically measured scenes, restrained colors and abrupt speech of the narrator - if the whole series is like a teaser, then it seems that we will finally be able to watch the operations without clutching our own heart while shouting "we are losing it!"
Clive Owen will forever remain in our hearts a rude but charming hero from Shoot 'Em Up, a crunchy carrot even in the most tense moments. For the role in "The Knick" the actor decided to keep the mustache, which he acquired in "Hemingway and Gellhorn".
Legends
Legends
TNT, August 20
trailer
The series of film adaptations of the novels on TV will continue this summer. Homeland producer Howard Gordon is currently engaged not only in the aforementioned Tyrant, but also in the spy drama Legends based on the novel by Robert Littell. Series tagline: “Forget the rules. Forget the past. Forget yourself, "- however, according to the trailer, it seems that exactly the opposite will happen, given that the main character heart-rendingly shouts at the end:" Who am I ?! " Sean Bean's character, Martin Odum, will have to remember everything this summer: in the story, he is a born FBI operative working under deep cover, each new assignment of which is a new legend. Odum begins to doubt that his memories of himself and his life are true, and not just another fabricated story. Let's hope Sean Bean doesn't die at the end of the first season this time and the show turns out to be a good one.
Actor Sean Bean returns to the screens after the untimely death of his character in "Game of Thrones" (yes, we know that this is a spoiler, but do not deny yourself - write another offended comment on this) - in general, we sincerely hope that this if he has better luck.
Intruders
BBC America
summer
trailer
The main thing to know about Intruders is that it was written by Glen Morgan, one of the writers of the X-Files, so the expectations are quite high. The series is based on the eponymous novel by Briton Michael Marshall Smith. Starring Mira Sorvin, smiling ominously in the short teaser, as well as the wonderful comedian John Simm, this time playing a dramatic role and staying behind the scenes of the promo video. Little is known about "Intruders" so far, mainly that the plot will develop around a secret community whose existence is aimed at finding immortality by moving into the bodies of other people - Mira Sorvino, respectively, will just have to play two characters in one body.
The actress Sorvino, who first received recognition thanks to Allen's "The Great Aphrodite" (but we certainly remember her thanks to "Romy and Michelle at the alumni meeting") has recently played in the series "Seer", and this year will also appear in the new season of the popular, albeit for the fan of the show "Collapsed Skies".
Welcome to Sweden
Welcome to Sweden
NBC, July 10
trailer
"Welcome to Sweden" has already been successfully shown on Swedish television itself, and the premiere in the States is scheduled for mid-summer. The main character and author of the series, Amy Poehler's younger brother, Greg Poehler, tells the autobiographical story of moving to Sweden, where he went after his wife. The screen version of Greg, Bruce Evans, works as an accountant and keeps track of the stars' finances. The real events that formed the basis of the show happened eight years ago. In an interview, Greg admits that he constantly thought that his life in Stockholm could make a comedy series. Among the heroes of the show, you can see not only Amy Poehler (as the bitchy herself), but also, for example, Aubrey Plaza (also in the role of herself), Gene Simmons from Kiss (without makeup) and even Will Ferrell, who continues to demonstrate his linguistic abilities - here he teaches the hero the Swedish language.
If Amy Poehler's brother Greg possesses at least half of his sister's comic talent, then the success of the show is guaranteed. However, there is no doubt that Aubrey Plaza from Parks and Recreation and one of the main comic actors of recent years, Will Ferrell, will hedge his debut.
Sinners
Vicious
PBS, June 29
trailer
Another premiere for American television, which has already been released in its homeland. The British sitcom featuring Ian McKellen and Derek Jacoby, portraying gay retirees, has already been renewed for a second season. An elderly, sarcastic gay couple seems like the perfect material for a hilarious comedy; it's nice that Sir McKellen's Hollywood success does not stop him from participating in such projects at all. In Britain, however, the show was criticized for its immoderate nostalgia for the sitcoms of the 70s and indulging in stereotypes, however, when watching the series, the feeling does not leave the feeling that these two can do anything. At least the “Vicious” clips on YouTube look promising - when we can still see McKellen in an almost theatrical setting, on a velvet couch, in a silk robe and a cup of tea making caustic jokes.
Let's put it briefly: if you don't know who Sir Ian McKellen is, then finally watch the main films of the past decade.
Returns
Orange is the new black
Orange is the new black
Netflix Season 2 July 6
trailer
"Orange is the hit of the season" based on the autobiography of American Piper Kerman, who blew up the Internet last summer, is back with a new season. Showrunner of the series Jenji Cohen promises that the latest episodes will be much darker than the previous ones, and this seems to be true. In the second chapter of the show, the main character Piper finds herself in an isolation ward, and it seems that this is not in vain. As is customary with Netflix, all new episodes will be released on the same day, so you can immediately delete from life the next weekend after the premiere.
Real blood
True blood
HBO Season 7 June 22
trailer
Less than a month is left before the final season of the main vampire saga of recent years - "True Blood". In the story, the old world is threatened by infected vampires, forcing the healthy to hunt their fellows. In the new season of the show, it seems, there will be an unprecedented amount of blood, who will survive and who will die is not yet clear, but most importantly, we will finally find out the answer to a really important question: what happened to Eric?
Sex Masters
Masters of sex
Showtime season 2 july 13
trailer
A series based on the biography of Thomas Mayer about sexologists William Masters and Virginia Johnson, who worked in the second half of the last century. The first season ended with William telling Virginia that he can't live without her, so the second will definitely break our hearts more than once. The only comfort is that we know that everything will end well.
The mistakes of the past
Rectify
SundanceTV Season 2 June 19
trailer
The first season of the heady psychological drama Rectify last year made a huge impression on critics and viewers alike. The main character of the series, Daniel Holden, is released after 19 years on death row when evidence of his innocence is suddenly discovered. Returning to your old life is no longer possible, but building a new one surrounded by those who are not ready to accept it is also difficult. The second season of "Rectify" will be shown in June, and we will not twist our hearts if we say that we are waiting for it more than most new releases.
Murder
The killing
Netflix season 4 August 1
trailer
The American version of the cult Danish TV series will finally get its final 4th season: “You can't kill Murder!”, Joke on the Internet. All episodes will hit Netflix at once. The plot of the final part will unfold around the murders in a military school for boys. It remains to be seen whether the American show will have a Danish-like finale.
Force majeure
Suits
USA Network Season 4 June 11
trailer
"34 million fans can't be wrong" - probably the creators of the series are right after all. The drama about a lawyer relying on his eidetic memory is back for 16 episodes this summer, and hopefully we'll see more of Donna this season, among other things. The creator of the series, Aaron Korsh, has already thrown spoilers on Twitter - apparently, to wait for the premiere was completely unbearable.
