In the mood for something new? Here’s your guide to all of the new TV shows and movies this week, spread across all networks, streamers, and a few nationwide theatrical releases. As always, this week kicks off with my personal top 5. Whatever you choose to watch, I hope you have a great week!
The Hill (Briarcliff Entertainment), Star Wars: Ahsoka (Lucasfilm), Vacation Friends 2 (20th Century Studios), Gran Turismo (Sony), You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (Netflix)
Top 5 of the Week
- Star Wars: Ahsoka
- When: Tuesday, August 22nd, at 9/8c on Disney+ (6:00 pm PT)
- What: The newest live-action Star Wars series finds Rosario Dawson in the lead role after debuting as the live-action version of this fan-favorite character on The Mandalorian.
- Vacation Friends 2
- When: Friday, August 25th streaming on Hulu
- What: A sequel to 20th Century Studios’ adult comedy that adds Steve Buschemi to a cast that includes returning stars John Cena, Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji, and Meredith Hagner.
- You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
- When: Friday, August 25th streaming on Netflix
- What: From Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions, this comedy film stars Sandler’s real-life daughters and Idina Menzel in a story about two best friends who have a feud as their bat mitzvah’s approach.
- Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story
- When: Friday, August 25th Exclusively in Theaters
- What: Inspired by the PlayStation racing game, this film is based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, an avide player whose love of the game helped him become a real race car driver.
- The Hill
- When: Friday August 25th Exclusively in Theaters
- What: Dennis Quaid and Colin Ford star in this inspirational drama based on Rickey Hill’s unlikely road to becoming a Major League Baseball player.
Sunday, August 20th
New TV Shows
- 761st Tank Battalion: The Original Black Panthers – Special – 8/7c on History – Documentary – TV-PG
- Executive Produced by Academy Award®-winning actor Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary’s production company, Revelations Entertainment, in association with GroupM Motion Entertainment, the powerful documentary will tell the true story of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first Black tank unit to serve in combat during WWII, and explore in-depth the major battles they faced both overseas while in combat and back home in the United States. The 761st Tank Battalion, better known as the first Black Panthers, was the only Black tank unit to see combat in World War II. Formed in the spring of 1942, these units of soldiers played a significant role in military operations during the war against Nazi Germany. However, while the majority Black battalion was fighting one battle overseas, they were simultaneously fighting another in their home country – against racism, segregation, and inequality. Despite facing unprecedented adversity, these brave men lived up to their tenacious motto “Come Out Fighting” and became one of the most accomplished tank battalions is U.S. military history. A deeply personal story for Freeman, “761st Tank Battalion: The Original Black Panthers” will feature an interview with one of the last surviving members of the 761st Battalion, as well as the current and first Black Secretary of Defense, Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, alongside new and archival interviews, period footage, still photographs and new commentary and stories from family and relatives of the Black Panther soldiers. The documentary will also feature insights and opinions of prominent historians on WWII and experts on race and inequality in America.
- San Francisco Sounds: A Place in Time – Series Premiere – 10/9c on MGM+ – Documentary – NR
- From Jigsaw Productions, The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Amblin Television, and Jeff Pollack—the team behind the three-time Emmy-nominated documentary Laurel Canyon: A Place in Time—the series tracks the history of the San Francisco music scene from 1965 to 1975. During this time period, there was a creative explosion in San Francisco that catalyzed and solidified a national movement for a whole generation. Incredible music, brilliant poster art, the birth of the FM radio DJ, the new journalism of Rolling Stone magazine, the emergence of growing-breaking live music impresario, Bill Graham, and seminal festivals—Monterey Pop, Altamont, and Woodstock—propelled Bay Area musicians onto a national scene and into the ears of millions. Some of the greatest artists of the ‘60s came out of that scene such as the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Sly and the Family Stone, Janis Joplin, Big Brother & the Holding Company, Steve Miller, Santana, Moby Grape and so many more.
- Sister Wives – Season 18 Premiere – 10/9c on TLC – Reality – TV-PG
- SISTER WIVES, which explores the lives of the Brown family as they navigate the challenges and rewards of polygamy, has captivated audiences since its debut. In the upcoming season, Kody is still grappling with the fallout from his divorce with Christine, and he is struggling in many of his other relationships. Christine, however, is learning to love who she is on her own by planning trips and celebrations along the way. Robyn is the only wife secure in her marriage yet devastated that her original dream of a big, happy polygamist family is falling apart. Meri is steadily coming to realize that Kody isn't going to have the change of heart she has been waiting for and makes a life-changing decision. Lastly, Kody has been spending less and less time at Janelle's house, and, after an explosive fight, she kicks him out. Through their transparency and vulnerability, the Browns shed light on the hardships their family is struggling to overcome.
- The Winter King – Series Premiere – 9/8c on MGM+ – Fantasy – NR
- The Winter King is set in the fifth century, long before Britain was united, in a brutal land of warring factions and tribes, where lives were often fleeting. The series follows Arthur Pendragon as he evolves from outcast to legendary warrior and leader.
New Movies
- The Serial Killer Seduced Me – 8/7c on Lifetime – NR
- When Chloe, an aspiring artist, accidentally takes credit for a mysterious painting of a murdered woman, she is forced to uncover the truth of its origin before the killer sets their sights on her next. What she finds is a history of murdered models all leading back to the unknown painter, a serial killer with a grudge against the young artist who stole their work, whether intentionally or not. With no one to trust, Chloe must avoid the nefarious interests of the high stakes art world and discover the truth before the killer decides to Picture Her Dead. Starring Tess Cline, Ali Zahiri, and Allen Williamson.
Monday, August 21st
New TV Shows
- Secrets of Prince Andrew – Special – 8/7c on A&E – Documentary – TV-14
- Secrets of Prince Andrew tells the inside story of Andrew’s scandal-plagued life, including the disastrous BBC Newsnight interview in November 2019 that shook the monarchy to its core. This definitive Prince Andrew biography features the twists and turns of Palace intrigue, secret conversations, and looks at the Queen’s involvement in the repercussions following the BBC Newsnight revelations. With exclusive interviews and unprecedented access, the program provides a unique perspective on the Prince’s life, offering an in-depth look at the chain of events that led to his downfall.
Tuesday, August 22nd
New TV Shows
- Bobby's Triple Threat – Season 2 Premiere – 9/8c on Food – Competition – TV-G
- In each episode, one top-notch chef enters Bobby’s secret kitchen armed with extraordinary culinary skills and determination to take on Bobby’s three titans Tiffany Derry, Michael Voltaggio and Brooke Williamson, one round each. In the first two rounds, Bobby selects the main ingredients and the visiting competitor picks which titan to go up against. The last round features the competitor picking the ingredients to incorporate, while going against the last remaining titan. All the while, one discerning guest judge blind tastes and scores each dish. If the competitor can out-cook the titans and earn more points than their cumulative score, they take home bragging rights and a $25,000 cash prize. In addition to Michael Symon, Jose Garces and Scott Conant, this season’s competitors include Kelsey Bernard Clark, Esther Choi, Kelvin Fernandez, Byron Gomez, Rashida Holmes, Mei Lin and Shota Nakajima.
- Lighthouse – U.S. Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Talk Show – TV-14
- Chart-topping musician Gen Hoshino and popular comedian Masayasu Wakabayashi meet up for uplifting chats on work, family, and hopes for the future. LIGHTHOUSE is produced by Nobuyuki Sakuma ("Last One Standing").
- Star Wars: Ahsoka – Series Premiere – 9/8c on Disney+ – Sci-Fi – TV-14
- Set after the fall of the Empire, “Star Wars: Ahsoka” follows the former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy.
Wednesday, August 23rd
New TV Shows
- Destined With You – U.S. Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Romance – TV-MA
- A lawyer bound by a centuries-old curse becomes entangled with a civil servant who holds the key to his freedom — igniting an unexpected romance.
- Invasion – Season 2 Premiere – Streaming on Apple TV+ – Sci-Fi – TV-MA
- From Academy Award-nominated and two-time Emmy Award-nominated producer Simon Kinberg and David Weil, “Invasion” is a sweeping, character-driven science fiction drama series that follows an alien invasion through different perspectives around the world. Set across multiple continents, “Invasion” stars Shamier Anderson, Golshifteh Farahani, Sam Neill, Firas Nassar and Shioli Kutsuna.
- The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On – Season 2 Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Reality – TV-MA
- Get hitched or call it quits? Couples put their love to the test — while shacking up with other potential matches — in a provocative reality series.
New Movies
- BS High – 9/8c on HBO – NR
- On August 29, 2021, a nationally televised high school football game between top-ranked IMG Academy and unknown Bishop Sycamore High School ended with multiple injuries on the field and a 58-0 blowout win for IMG Academy. The fiasco ignited a media circus as fans and audiences questioned the legitimacy of the Bishop Sycamore program and its head coach, Roy Johnson. Revealing one of the most intriguing sagas in the world of high school sports in years, BS HIGH explores the lucrative and cut-throat world of football prep programs, where careers and reputations can be made, and the dreams and well-being of young athletes hang in the balance. With unparalleled access to Johnson, BS HIGH tracks the origins of a fabricated high school that grew from the determined imagination of a self-described “honest liar,” a man with an inimitable storytelling style but with a lack of academic credentials and seemingly no football coaching experience. At turns charmingly avuncular and menacingly unrepentant, Johnson’s pursuit of the spotlight stands in contrast to the stories of the many lives he impacted, as he dashed the hopes of his teenage wards, left their reputations in ruins, and swindled their families. BS HIGH shines a light on the intense competition for football glory, the lack of accountability for wide scale fraud, and the devastation that one man’s pathology can leave in its wake.
- Squared Love Everlasting – Streaming on Netflix – TV-14
- In this third "Squared Love" film, Monika and Enzo's whirlwind romance heads toward a fairy-tale ending until a bombshell revelation changes everything.
- Trap Jazz – Streaming on Hulu – TV-MA
- Atlanta musicians behind some of the biggest names in music embark on an uncertain journey into the spotlight with a new genre of music that fuses trap music with jazz.
Thursday, August 24th
New TV Shows
- Baki Hanma – Season 2, Part 2 U.S. Release – Streaming on Netflix – Anime – TV-MA
- The story begins when the caveman Pickle, who has slumbered deep inside the Earth since the age of the dinosaurs, is suddenly revived in modern times. Because he killed dinosaurs many times larger than his own size with his bare bands and used them as food, Pickle is a fighter who possesses out-of-the-world combat abilities. Can Baki win against Pickle and finally reach the conclusive battle against his father, Yujiro Hanma?!
- Explorer: Lost in the Arctic – Special – 10/9c on Nat Geo – Documentary – TV-14
- In 1845, Sir John Franklin set off from England with two ships and 129 men in a quest to be the first to navigate the Northwest Passage, a new trade route over the top of the world. Franklin’s ships vanished without a trace. In the decades that have followed, multiple expeditions have been sent out in search of him and his crew. Mark and filmmaker Renan Ozturk are following a lead they hope will help them solve the mystery of what really happened to the Franklin expedition.
- The First 48 Presents Critical Minutes – Season 2 Summer Premiere – 8/7c on A&E – True-Crime – TV-14
- “The First 48 Presents Critical Minutes” looks back at some of the most unforgettable moments in the series’ history. Hosted by former “First 48″ detectives, each episode presents different cases previously featured on the show, all with a common theme such as “The Case That Haunts Me,” “Heat of the Moment,” “Shocking Confessions,” “Rookie Detectives,” “Women of Homicide,” and “Caught on Camera.”
- Mountain Men – Season 12 Premiere – 8/7c on History – Documentary – TV-PG
- The HISTORY Channel’s long-running series “Mountain Men,” shines a spotlight on the enduring spirit of the wilderness and the age-old tradition of the “mountain man.” In the farthest reaches of the North American wilderness, some of the bravest men and women chose to step away from modern conveniences to embrace this rugged lifestyle. The ten-episode series takes viewers on a journey to remote, awe-inspiring regions where few dare to venture. Each 90-minute episode provides an intimate look into the lives of these mountain men and women as they navigate unforgiving landscapes and battle the elements to pursue their independent way of life. Season twelve features a diverse set of pioneers with unique skills, knowledge, and expertise. From trapping and hunting to building shelters and crafting essential tools, these individuals possess an unrivaled connection to nature. Legendary trapper Tom Oar, primitive survivalist Eustace Conway, lion hunter Jake Herak and frontiersmen brothers Kidd and Harry Youren return as they stay true to their life’s calling. Joining the series is Ray Livingston, an African American outdoor survivalist and elite hunter putting down new roots in the mountains of Northeast Washington, Paul Antczak, a hunter and trapper living a remote life in Northwest Montana, and Aron and Jennifer Toland, a couple thriving off-grid with no running water in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia.
- Ragnarok – Season 3 U.S. Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Drama – TV-MA
- Ragnarok is a coming-of-age drama building on and contributing to a new and surprising angle on Norse mythology. The series is set in the small, fictitious town of Edda, situated in the grand, breathtaking Norwegian nature. The story revolves around the inhabitants of Edda, who are perhaps not all who they claim to be. With them, we experience a drastically changing world: melting poles, warm winters, violent downpours. Some might say we’re headed for yet another Ragnarok. Unless someone intervenes in time…
- Toya & Reginae – Series Premiere – 9/8c on WEtv – Reality – NR
- TV personality & entrepreneur Toya Rushing and her daughter, actress Reginae Carter are social media sensations with a picture-perfect life. Offline they reveal what’s behind the glamorous facade, including family drama & romantic complications.
- Who is Erin Carter? – U.S. Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Crime – TV-MA
- A British woman's tranquil life in Barcelona spirals out of control when an armed robbery at a supermarket exposes her secret… and violent past.
- Zatima – Season 2 Premiere – Streaming on BET+ – Comedy – TV-MA
- In this spinoff of Tyler Perry's Sistas, Zac and Fatima take a huge step to strengthen their bond, but new friends and past actions interfere with their blossoming relationship.
New Movies
- The Hustle of @617MikeBiv – Streaming on ALLBLK – NR
- The Hustle of @617MikeBiv explores the life of Michael L. Bivins…a kid from the Roxbury’s Orchard Park Projects who dreamed of playing in the NBA, but due to his popularity as a baller was asked to join the legendary group New Edition. The film details how his destiny to win was driven by his desire to never fail. Through his creativity and determination, his ideas have been transformative with New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe, when it comes to music and fashion. Talent featured in the highly anticipated documentary include: Jay-Z, bandmates Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Johnny Gill, Ronnie DeVoe, and Ralph Tresvant, Snoop Dogg, DMC, Doug E. Fresh, Sean “Puffy” Combs, Quincy Jones, Magic Johnson, Dick Clark, Andre Harrell, Russell Simmons, among others.
Friday, August 25th
New TV Shows
- Inside No. 9 – Series 8 U.S. Premiere – Streaming on BritBox – Anthology – NR
- Steve Pemberton (Psychoville) and Reece Shearsmith (The League of Gentleman)’s award-winning anthology returns with six more deliciously dark tales where the ordinary and mundane rub shoulders with the extraordinary and macabre. Critically-acclaimed Inside No. 9 has won many awards including four BAFTAs, Royal Television Society awards and a Rose d’Or. This eighth collection of films brings together a truly original mixture of comedy, drama, horror and thriller – all designed to delight and confound. From online speed-dating to murderous mind games, from a fear of Fridays to a lakeside love-nest and from East End gangsters to the bones of a dead saint, each episode is as unexpected and enthralling as the next. With a stellar cast of guest stars, every one of these tales will entertain and terrorize in equal measure.
- Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn – Series Premiere – Streaming on Apple TV+ – Documentary – TV-14
- The riveting story of CEO-turned-fugitive Carlos Ghosn, including his reign of power, shocking arrest, and calculated getaway that stunned the world.
- Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity – Series Premiere – Streaming on Prime Video – Documentary – NR
- Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity features interviews with some of Shorter’s best-known collaborators, musical giants, and more including Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Marcus Miller, and Esperanza Spalding. Each section of the film covers a different era of Shorter’s life: the first part explores Shorter’s childhood and rise to prominence from 1933 to 1971, the second contrasts Shorter’s personal struggles with his commercial successes from 1972 to 1999, and the third begins in the year 2000 and focuses on Shorter’s commitment to musical progression and enduring legacy.
New Movies
- Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story – Exclusively in Theaters – PG-13
- Gran Turismo is based on the unbelievable true story of a team of unlikely underdogs – a struggling working-class gamer (Archie Madekwe), a failed former racecar driver (David Harbour), and an idealistic motorsport executive (Orlando Bloom). Together, they risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. Gran Turismo is an inspiring, thrilling, and action-packed story that proves that nothing is impossible when you’re fueled from within.
- Golda – Exclusively in Theaters – PG-13
- Directed by Academy Award winner Guy Nattiv, Golda is a ticking-clock thriller set during the tense 19 days of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir (Academy Award® winner Helen Mirren), faced with the potential of Israel’s complete destruction, must navigate overwhelming odds, a skeptical cabinet, and a complex relationship with US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (Liev Schreiber), with millions of lives in the balance. Her tough leadership and compassion would ultimately decide the fate of her nation and leave her with a controversial legacy around the world. This special event, held two days before its nationwide release (August 25) will feature an exclusive Q&A with Helen Mirren and director Guy Nattiv.
- The Hill – Exclusively in Theaters – PG
- Growing up impoverished in small-town Texas, young Rickey Hill shows an extraordinary ability for hitting a baseball, despite being burdened by leg braces from a degenerative spinal disease. His stern, pastor father (DENNIS QUAID) discourages Rickey from playing baseball to protect him from injury, and to have him follow in his footsteps and become a preacher. As a young man, Rickey (COLIN FORD) becomes a baseball phenomenon. His desire to participate in a try-out for a legendary major league scout divides the family and threatens Rickey’s dream of playing professional baseball.
- Killer Book Club – Streaming on Netflix – TV-MA
- Eight young university students meet every week in a book club to share their passion for horror literature. After being accomplices in a costume prank that ends in a fatal accident and a pact of silence, the group of young people will be threatened by an anonymous writer who wants to reveal their dark secret. Their stalker threatens to publish on social networks a bloody horror novel based on them. With every chapter published, one of them will die. While they distrust each other, the group will start a fight for survival in the middle of a university campus. Any one of them could be the next victim…. or the killer.
- Retribution – Exclusively in Theaters – R
- Liam Neeson stars in Retribution, an immersive ticking clock thriller that straps audiences in for a high-octane ride of redemption and revenge. When a mysterious caller puts a bomb under his car seat, Matt Turner (Neeson) begins a high-speed chase across the city to complete a specific series of tasks. With his kids trapped in the back seat and a bomb that will explode if they get out of the car, a normal commute becomes a twisted game of life or death as Matt follows the stranger's increasingly dangerous instructions in a race against time to save his family.
- Vacation Friends 2 – Streaming on Hulu – R
- Picking up a few months after the end of “Vacation Friends,” this uproarious sequel finds newly married couple Marcus (Howery) and Emily (Orji) inviting their uninhibited besties Ron (Cena) and Kyla (Hagner), who are also newly married and have a baby, to join them for a vacation when Marcus lands an all-expenses-paid trip to a Caribbean resort. His reason for traveling there in the first place is to meet with the owners of the resort to bid on a construction contract for a hotel they own in Chicago. But when Kyla’s incarcerated father Reese (Buscemi) is released from San Quentin and shows up at the resort unannounced at the worst possible moment, things get out of control, upending Marcus’ best laid plans and turning the vacation friends’ perfect trip into total chaos.
- You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah – Streaming on Netflix – PG-13
- Stacy and Lydia are BFFs who've always dreamed about having epic bat mitzvahs. But things start to go comically awry when a popular boy and middle school drama threatens their friendship and their rite of passage.
Saturday, August 26th
New Movies
- Napa Ever After – 8/7c on Hallmark – TV-G
- After inheriting her estranged grandmother’s winery in Napa Valley, Cassandra, a high- powered attorney, takes a sabbatical from her job to renovate the property that was the source of the fractures within her family. With the help of handsome local Alec, she learns more about the grandmother she hardly knew and is able to reconcile the past, while finally opening herself up to a love like she’s never known. Starring Denise Boutté, Colin Lawrence and Tiffany Yvonne Cox.
- Vanished in Yosemite – 8/7c on Lifetime – NR
- While vacationing in Yosemite, sisters Katrina and Jennifer meet the perfect guy: handsome Rick. Smitten, Katrina is certain she has met Mr. Right; however, when Katrina goes missing deep in the Yosemite wilderness, Jennifer suspects kidnapping and sets out to rescue her sister. Skye Coyne, Kelcie Stranahan, Rob LaColla, and Jason Tobias star.
This Week’s New Additions on Disney+
- Friday, August 25
- Cinderella 4K Remaster
- Explorer: Lost in the Arctic
Sign up for Disney+ or the Disney Streaming Bundle (Disney+, ESPN+, and ad-supported Hulu) now
(Please note this article contains affiliate links. Your purchase will support LaughingPlace by providing us a small commission, but will not affect your pricing or user experience. Thank you.)