'Wednesday,' 'The Bear' and all the TV shows you don't want to miss this summer
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Need a show to binge? These are the must watch shows this summer
USA TODAY's TV critic Kelly Lawler breaks down the best TV shows you don't to want to miss this summer
Need something to cool you down this summer? How about an ice-cold shot of Wednesday Addams' death glare?
The warmest months of the year are typically a time of outdoor fun and frothy beach reads, but spare an eye and an ear for TV this summer, considering all the major series debuting between June and August.
This crop of new and returning TV series has everything to help you beat the heat, including sci-fi, Marvel and Lena Dunham cringe for a new generation. You could travel to the frigid vacuum of space via the "Alien" franchise or "Star Trek." You could break out into a cold sweat (instead of a hot one) at the sight of the harrowing final chapter of Netflix's "Squid Game." You'll shiver with embarrassment at Lena Dunham's new comedy "Too Much" or shiver with fear at the horrors of Nevermore Academy in Netflix's "Wednesday." No matter which of these shows you choose to enjoy on your comfy couch with the sweet relief of air-conditioning, you'll be entertained and removed from the risk of sunburn. What more could you ask for on a hot summer's day?
Here are seven TV shows worth watching this summer:
'Ironheart'
Disney+, (June 24; streaming Tuesdays)
Teen genius Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) was first introduced to Marvel fans in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and now gets her own show as a new kind of Iron Man for a younger crowd. "Ironheart" takes place in Chicago after the events of the film, where Riri's research for her iron suit brings her together with the oh-so-charming Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos, "In the Heights"), who may have more nefarious intentions and powers than he initially admits. Produced by "Wakanda" director Ryan Coogler, the series also stars Lyric Ross and Alden Ehrenreich ("Solo: A Star Wars Story").
'The Bear'
Hulu (June 25)
In a different part of Chicago, we find our motley kitchen crew of everyone's favorite beef-sandwich-joint-turned-gourmet-dining-establishment in Season 4 of FX's "The Bear." Season 3 had more than its fair share of road bumps, both for its characters and its critical reception, but producer Christopher Storer and the extremely talented cast have the opportunity to turn it all around again. The staff of the restaurant, including Jeremy Allen White's Carmy and Ayo Edebiri's Sydney, have only a limited amount of time to turn around the business before their money runs out. We might suggest a more peaceful working environment, but then how much fun would the show be without the chaos?
'Squid Game'
Netflix (June 27)
Did you finish the second season of Netflix's monster South Korean horror hit "Squid Game" last December with a strong sense that the story just stopped in the middle? The series broke records on the streaming platform when it debuted in 2021, and last year's second season was just as bloody and tragic as the first. It ended on a devastating cliffhanger in which (spoiler alert!) Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) led a rebellion that was instantly quashed, and the evil Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) captured him just in time to kill his best friend Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan). And then the credits rolled. Fans are expecting resolution of that moment, the return of the wealthy "VIP" spectators of the violent games and answers to the many questions about the whole dystopian setup.
'Too Much'
Netflix (July 10)
Lena Dunham's latest comedy is, as the kids would say, high "cringe," but in the best way possible. Starring "Hacks" breakout Megan Stalter as a timid and messy TV producer on assignment in London, the comedy uses the best of Dunham's sardonic writing and Stalter's emotional comedic persona in a happy marriage of form and function. With appearances from comedic greats like Rita Wilson, Rhea Perlman and Dunham herself, the series has a cozy, familiar feeling even though it's set in a foreign country.
'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'
Paramount+, (July 17; streaming Thursdays)
The best and most fun of Paramount+'s "Star Trek" series is back for a rollicking third season that somehow has to top a second that included a musical episode. But we trust the crew of the USS Enterprise in this prequel featuring young versions of "Trek" favorites Spock (Ethan Peck), Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), Chapel (Jess Bush) and Kirk (Paul Wesley). Season 3 sees the intrepid explorers donning retro costumes, grappling with the Gorn and even solving a murder mystery. Be on the lookout for more "Trek" Easter eggs and characters, including more of Scotty (Martin Quinn), first seen in the Season 2 finale. And get excited for more than just Season 3: "Strange" has already been renewed for a fourth installment.
'Wednesday'
Netflix (in two parts: Aug. 6 and Sept. 3)
Without a smile in sight, Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) is all set to return to Nevermore Academy for another year of deadpan wit and solving supernatural mysteries. The blockbuster series, still the most popular English-language show of all time on the streamer, promises more of everything you loved about the first season, with bigger expectations, hype and a Lady Gaga cameo. What more could an Addams girl want?
'Alien: Earth'
FX and Hulu (Aug. 12; streaming Tuesdays 8 ET/PT)
It's alive, and it's on Earth this time. "Fargo" producer Noah Hawley takes his talents to the "Alien" universe in this creepy series, set on our own planet in the year 2120, in which mega-corporations have invented hybrid humanoid robots with human consciousness amid a race to discover a path to immortality. A group of these hybrids, led by Wendy (Sydney Chandler) makes a distinctly otherworldly discovery after crash landing in Earth's Prodigy City. The sleek and long-gestating series also stars the great Timothy Olyphant and counts original "Alien" director Ridley Scott among its producers.
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