A Series Of Glorious Failures

It's been a few months since the last TV Jumble Blog and here's a look at some of the things I've been watching over the last while.

Interview With The Vampire: Or as Season 3 was known as The Vampire Lestat. Seven episodes of Sam Reid taking the lead and going all glam rock with Lestat doing a tour with his band. It's a series of mostly good new songs, deep dives into Lestat's past, including his incestrous relationship with his own mother and both him and Louis being on a more even playing field. For the most part, it's a solid season but weaker compared to the first two. Daniel and Armand's arcs are particularly unsatisfying and the Claudia/Regina storyline just seemed like an excuse to bring the actor back. Saying that, the set up for the next arc was good.

Rivals: It was back to 1987 for the second season of this campy series and I had forgotten just how much fun it was to watch. I shouldn't have been shocked that Tony wouldn't be dead and these first six episodes had fun with being alive. Tony took great delight in making Cameron, Declan and Rupert's lives as difficult as possible while he got involved with Declan's wife while his own wife ended up dying. Going the route of so many shows these days, this was a split season with the remaining episodes set to be released in November.

Spider-Noir: I'm not sure if 2026 has been a great year for superhero shows. A few years ago, Nicolas Cage leading a noir themed show as Ben Reilly would've blown up on social media. This year, barely a whimper and that's in spite of having the option to watch it in black and white or colour. The show itself was mostly fine but even I waited over a month to actually watch it. Cage was good in the title role as was Brendan Gleeson as the main antagonist of the piece.

The Bear: Setting the majority of the final season over the course of a night with the restaurant practically collapsing in on itself was certainly a creative choice and all the while everyone finding out that Carmy had quit the business. It made for a stressful time but lead to some really enriching character bits. I can happily say that while the third and fourth seasons had some hit and miss moments, the fifth season was an excellent return to form. The final episode in particular managed to stick the landing.

Widow's Bay: I didn't think this show would be quite the powerhouse for Apple TV as it would turn out to be, but what a pleasant surprise. The first half was a nice set up for the show but the second half ventured into some truly mad places. There was a flashback episode with Hamish Linklater that might be one of the best bits of television this year. Matthew Rhys has had plenty of acclaimed television roles over the last twenty years but this one might be his most definitive yet. It's not hard to see this show has really dominated at the Emmys and why it's got a second season.

• The Baywatch reboot will air on FOX from January 2027. 
• The Beauty will not return for a second season on FX. The actors have been released from their contracts.
• Queen Of The Damned will be the title of the fourth season of Interview With The Vampire.
• Crystal Lake will premiere all eight episodes on Peacock from October 15th.
• Filming has completed on Ryan Coogler's pilot episode for The X-Files, starring Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel. It'll air on Hulu.
• Zosia Mamet has joined the cast of HBO's Industry. The fifth season has gone into production.
• David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, Nicola Coughlan, Sean Teale and Simone Ashley have joined the sixth season of Only Murders In The Building.
• Carrie will also drop all eight episodes on Amazon Prime from October.
• Francois Arnaud recently joined the cast for Count My Lies. It'll air on Hulu in 2027.
• Disney+ have picked up the zombie themed Afterlife With Archie for a Halloween 2027 release.
• Both Sky and AMC will both air upcoming supernatural drama, Yaga from Crave. The show stars Noah Reid, Carrie-Anne Moss and Hudson Williams.
• The upcoming fifth season of Apple TV's The Morning Show will be it's final season.
• Tom Hardy will continue to be a part of the main cast for Paramount+ show, MobLand for its third season.

New York Calling Again

As usual, it's been a while since I've done this but a brief look into some of the shows I've been watching over the last few weeks.

And Just Like That: I often wonder why I keep watching this show because even with certain character exits and guests like Rosie O'Donnell and Patti Lupone, this show has remained a train wreck. Carrie and Aidan haven't progressed as a couple, Charlotte's story with Harry should've been taken more seriously and it's early days with Miranda and Joy. The subplots that other characters have had are a mixed bag but overall, it's been another uneven season so far.

Dexter: Resurrection: It was only a few months ago this franchise was getting back on track with prequel show Dexter: Original Sin. The first two episodes of this sequel series certainly glossed some obstacles from Dexter: New Blood while also setting up a whole new playground for both Dexter and Harrison. There was a lot fan pleasing cameos in the first episode, Angel's now in the same boat that Doakes/LaGuerta once were, Dexter's made a new friend with Blessing and his family, Harrison's developing his own code and Uma Thurman's Charley is involved with other serial killers. It's off to a strong start tbh.

Ironheart: I had such mixed feelings about this show. I didn't particularly care for the title character in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and I did think it was a MCU show that we didn't need. Saying that, it's mostly an okay show that served as a good place to have Riri Williams get her own suit, work through the grief of losing her best friend while also introducing Sacha Baron Cohen's Mephisto in the finale. The stories with both The Hood and Ezekiel Stane were a bit uneven but in general, it's not a bad show.

Poker Face: I have loved this second season and it's done a great job with its guest cast. It's also done a great job in setting up the seemingly sweet and innocent Alex into Charlie's intellectual nemesis. It's only taken the show two seasons to give Charlie her own Moriarty but they did it and perfectly with this particular character. We also got a cliffhanger ending for Alex or did we? Oh we're definitely getting that character if the show returns for a third season.

Sirens: Netflix and Greek mythology themed shows again. Less than a year after the short-lived Kaos, there's this five part series, centred on sisters Simone and Devon and the former's enigmatic boss, Mikaela. It's a show that revelled in it's opulence, was more subtle in the actual sirens part and had some solid performances from Milly Alcock, Meghann Fahy and Julianne Moore. Oh and Kevin Bacon certainly had his moments too. Not the best Netflix series this year but with five episodes, it certainly didn't outstay it's welcome.

The Bear: I watched the fourth season in two days and mostly, I did like it. Not as much as the first two seasons but more than the previous one. The fourth and seventh episodes in particular were highlights. The former focused on Sydney spending time with her cousin and the latter's daughter. The latter episode being a big wedding one with the most amount of guest stars, including Brie Larson as Francine, the much hated rival of Sugar's. Carmy got some interesting scenes with Claire, Donna, Sydney, Richie and Sugar this season but there's a repetitiveness with the restaurant being in trouble that I wish the show would move past.

• Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Richard Madden and Marcia Gay Harden will be regulars for upcoming Netflix series, Trinity.
• Murderbot has been renewed for a second season by AppleTV+
• ABC have commissioned a new series of Scrubs for the Fall schedule. 
• HBO Max have cancelled Duster after one season.
• Stranger Things fifth season will be released on Netflix November 26th, December 25th and 31st respectively.
• HBO Max have ordered to series Stuart Fails To Save The Universe, the latest spin off from The Big Bang Theory.
• Queer Eye will end with it's upcoming tenth season on Netflix.
• Virgin River has been renewed for an eighth season on Netflix.
• Filming for The Boys final season has wrapped. Amazon will release it in 2026.
• Filming for third season of Interview With The Vampire has started. It'll air on AMC in 2026.
• Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy will be released on Peacock from October 16th.
• Slow Horses has been renewed for a seventh season by AppleTV+
• Season 4 of Monster will focus on Lizzie Borden. The Ed Gein season will be released on Netflix later this year.

Burned By Paris

It's been a while since I've done one of these but again, a look at most of the recent things I've watched over the past few weeks.

Bridgerton: I enjoyed the first half of the third season and the second half had a lot to live up to. Did it manage to do so? I'd say it actually did as the remaining four episodes not only had Penelope and Colin go full steam ahead with their nuptials along with the very public reveal of Penelope being Lady Whistledown. I do feel the Whistledown was almost too easily resolved with the Queen but the Polin love story worked overall. Other highlights in the second half included Francesca's continued expansion as a character as well as tapping into Benedict's bisexuality. Bring on the next season.

Interview With The Vampire: I'm not sure if releasing the second season during the summer was a wise idea on AMC's part but on the other hand, how fucking good was this season overall? The big flashback episode with Daniel was amazing as was Claudia's death and the deconstruction of Louis and Armand's relationship. While I do think that Lestat could've been reintroduced into the main action quicker, when he did return, it was a much welcome jolt to this season. Santiago made for such a horrible baddie that his comeuppance was truly satisfying and yes, Daniel became a vampire. Great stuff overall.

The Bear: Yes, I watched the third season in two days. While not as good as the first two seasons (I found the opener very sluggish), there was still a lot to recommend. Specifically episodes such as Napkins and Ice Chips, both of which are likely Emmy contenders next year. The guest stars being utilised pretty, especially the likes of Will Poulter and Olivia Colman in the finale but I do feel that Carmy as a character hasn't progressed and some of his scenes with both Sydney and Richie often felt repetitive this season. Not to mention the neverending threat of the restaurant getting closed down. Other than that, it's still worth watching.

The Boys: Season 4 of this superhero show certainly got more political than ever before and to the point where the type of people who often missed the point of Homelander as a character, realised they were the very people being lampooned. Anyways we got two new supes with Firecracker and Sister Sage being strong additions, A-Train showing character growth with The Deep and Black Noir II doing the exact opposite. Homelander got worse, Ashley freaked out more, Ryan flip flopped as did Victoria Newman. As for the good guys, Butcher hallucinated a former comrade, Frenchie briefly had a boyfriend, Kimiko spoke her first word, MM had massive anxiety, Hughie got traumatised repeatedly and Annie had to deal with rivals wrecking her life and her powers being on the fritz. Oh and characters from Gen V popped up. Certainly wasn't a boring season. 

The Jetty: Ah, Jenna Coleman. It's been a while since we last had her on our screen and this four part BBC detective series served as a reminder of how compelling an actor she can be. Ember Manning turned out to be a complicated character, navigating her relationships between her mother and daughter while also trying to resolve a case from her teenage years. I'll admit the flashbacks were a bit confusing to begin with and the podcaster had some heavy handed dialogue in parts but as a series, I thought it got stronger in the second half with a surprise twist that worked well. Could it come back for a second series? I don't see why not.

• Luke Thompson fans rejoice. Netflix have announced that Benedict and Sophie will be the love story of the fourth season of Bridgerton in 2026.
• The Boys fifth and final season is currently being written and will be released on Amazon in 2026. Season 2 of Gen V will premiere in 2025.
• Interview With The Vampire Season 2 will air on BBC2 from August 1st at 9pm. AMC have renewed the show for a third season.
• The fate of Chucky currently remains in flux. An announcement on its future should be soon.
• Filming for the third season of House Of The Dragon's third season has been rumoured for later this year.
• Welcome To Derry will air on HBO as well being streamed on Max as will Dune: Prophecy.
• Kim Cattrall has confirmed she will not be returning for the third season of And Just Like That. However, Mehcad Brooks, Jonathan Cake and Logan Marshall-Green will recur in the new season.
• Maura Tierney has joined the cast of Law And Order.
• Grey's Anatomy will add a new gay male character for it's upcoming twenty first season.
• Tatiana Maslany and Cory Michael Smith will lead the horror comedy series, Nightbeast for Amazon.
• Julia has been cancelled after two seasons by Max.

Yes Chef Again, School Daze And Mammy Returns

It's been a while since one of these and here's a glimpse of some recent viewings.

Abbott Elementary: The first two seasons have been on Disney+ for a while now but I decided to wait for E4 and having watched the first half of Season 1, I can say I like this show. It doesn't grab you as other workplace sitcoms, at least not instantly but it's an entertaining look into the running of a Philadelphia elementary school. Created by Quinta Brunson who also stars as the goody good Janine, the characters are a funny bunch. From irresponsible principal Ava to teachers such as Jacob, Barbara and Melissa and substitute teacher Gregory, it's a good mix of players.

And Just Like That: While this show still has stuff to sort through, the last four episodes did end it on a decent note. Carrie had a last supper for her apartment, got an adorable kitten named Shoo and her relationship with Aidan came to an end (for now). On the other hand, she did get a holiday with Seema and Samantha literally phoned in a cameo. Other stuff included Miranda getting a new job and potential love interest with Joy, the show won't free us of Che, Lisa and Herbert had a miscarriage, Nia hooked up with a chef and Charlotte briefly met Sam Smith. Oh and this show will be coming back for a third season.

Mrs Brown's Boys: The most hated BBC sitcom decided after ten years of Christmas and New Year's specials to finally do a fourth season and it's surprisingly decent. Unlike the last few specials which have felt horrendously phoned in, there seems to be an effort with the likes of June Rogers and Debra Stephenson being decent additions for the show. Some of the references (such as OnlyFans) are behind the curve but Brendan O'Carroll has seemed to gotten his groove back with the foul mouthed matriarch. 

The Bear: I loved the first season of this show and after leaving it a little, I binged the second season as quickly as I could. The second season saw Carmy and Natalie getting the restaurant up and running, Richie spending time with Olivia Colman's Terri and Marcus doing the same in Copenhagen with Will Poulter's Luca. Carmy also had a love interest with the rather nice Claire while his rapport with Sydney intensified as the season. The highlight of the second season also included one of the chaotic Christmas episodes featuring Jamie Lee Curtis as Carmy and Natalie's mother, Donna. Cannot wait for a third helping.

• Chucky Season 3 will air and stream on USA, SyFy and Peacock from October 4th. It'll be four episodes until the strike is resolved.
• The BBC have acquired the rights to both Love, Victor and Interview With The Vampire.
• House Of The Dragon's second season will conclude filming in October.
• HBO have recently cancelled both The Idol and Winning Time.
• What If has been moved to late December 2023, Echo to January 2024 and Agatha: Darkhold Diaries to Fall 2024, Disney+ wise. Ironheart is currently undated.
• True Detective: Night Country has been moved to early 2024 by HBO.
• The role of Abby for the second season of The Last Of Us was cast prior to the strikes.
• The second season of The Santa Clause will premiere on Disney+ from November 8th.
• Netflix has renewed One Piece for a second season. 
• The final season of Sex Education is currently streaming on Netflix.

They've Been Here All Along

Yeah, it's been a while since I've done one of these. Same as usual, a look into things I've been catching up on.

And Just Like That: After an extremely divisive first season, this Sex And The City sequel series came back for a slightly less divisive second season. For the most part, second helpings does feel like an improvement. In the first seven episodes we've had a deconstruction and break up with Miranda and Che, Carrie recording an audio book for her novel, a temporary romance, losing her podcasting gig and reuniting with Aidan. As for Charlotte, she became a Momager, suffered the effects of a pot brownie and bagged an Italian poet for Anthony. Seema has had some fun one liners and more effort has been made to connect Lisa and Nya with the main group. There's more to be done but it's starting to find it's groove after such a rocky start.

Poker Face: The last four episodes of this first season certainly had their moments. We had race car drama, special effects murders, a creepy cabin adventure with Joseph Gordon Levitt on house arrest and then that finale. The one where Charlie managed to get herself out of one villain's grasp (hello, Ron Perlman) only to land in another's (also hello. Rhea Perlman) while getting a little family time with Charlie's sister and niece. Will I be tuning in for more of these haphazard hijinks? Absolutely.

Secret Invasion: It's disappointing to see the MCU's foray into Disney+ shows go from "must see TV" to "I've seen enough" in less than three years but between too many shows in too little time and some of the creatives choices being made for these shows, it's not surprising. I wanted to like this show but it was largely a mess, fumbled an event that should've been an Avengers movie and despite Samuel L Jackson's best efforts, this ultimately felt like a waste of time with the handling of the Skrulls plot. Not even the talents of Emilia Clarke and Olivia Colman could salvage this.

The Bear: With this show's second season recently released and all the Emmy buzz surrounding it, I finally got around to watching the first season. I can't believe I left it so long. This show is amazing. Jeremy Allen White is a revelation as Carmy and he's back by a fantastic cast playing some genuinely compelling characters. The dynamics between Carmy, Richie. Sydney, Tina, Sugar and Marcus to name a few is brilliant as the show's focus on a struggling restaurant makes for great television. The Review episode alone was some of the tensest twenty minutes I've seen commited to film and the finale was a beautiful way to end the season. I'll be catching up with the second season very quickly.

The Idol: Well, that ended on a weird as hell note. You really telling me that after all this time and everything we'd seen that it was Jocelyn manipulating Tedros? I'm all for a secret twist but that was so poorly done, it reeked of bullshit. I really don't see how this show can justify a second season and I'm hoping that HBO have the sense not to do so but who can tell what they'll do.

• The series finale of Riverdale will air on the CW from August 23rd.
• The third season of Only Murders In The Building premieres on Hulu/Disney+ from August 8th.
• Heartstopper Season 2 is now released on Netflix.
• House Of The Dragon's second season has been able to remain filming in spite of the current strikes. Expect some big book changes.
• American Horror Story: Delicate will likely be moved to 2024, given recent events.
• HBO have renewed The Righteous Gemstones for a fourth season.
• NBC have cancelled Magnum PI. The remaining ten episodes will air later in the year.
• CBS will air the UK version of Ghosts in double bills as part of their autumn line up.
• FX limited series A Murder At The End Of The World will now air from November instead of this month as originally planned.
• AppleTV have cancelled Suspicion after one season.