What to Watch on TV: Only Murders in the Building, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and Painkiller
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, all these shows and movies being mentioned here wouldn’t exist.
Welcome to a new week and another round of What to Watch on TV for the week of August 6th! Our picks this week include some exciting season premieres, a fun romantic comedy, and season finales!
This week we feature Only Murders in the Building, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Painkiller, and more!
Here are our recommendations for what to watch on TV this week:
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty – Sunday, August 6th
HBO’s chronicle of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers continues. This season focuses on 1980-1984 and a rematch between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Season 2 premieres Sunday, August 6th at 9/8c on HBO and Max.
Season Description: Season two continues to explore the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers. This season hones in on the period just after the Finals in 1980 through 1984, culminating in the first professional rematch of the era’s greatest stars: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
Granchester – Sunday, August 6th
Geordie faces pressure at work to resign amidst a new murder case. Will is missing as his wife Bonnie is about to give birth. Granchester‘s two-episode season finale airs Sunday, August 6th at 9/8c on PBS.
Episode 5 Description: Geordie is placed on desk duty as Elliot contrives to force him to resign. The next murder case is handed to Larry, who struggles but wisely enlists the help of Miss Scott.
Episode 6 Description: Will has disappeared, but with Bonnie about to give birth, Geordie must find him and bring him to his senses before it is too late.
King the Land – Sunday, August 6th
The K-drama rom-com about employee Sa Rang and heir Gu Won comes to a close. King the Land‘s finale airs Sunday, August 6th on Netflix.
Series Description: Amid a tense inheritance fight, a charming heir clashes with his hardworking employee who’s known for her irresistible smile — which he cannot stand.
Futurama – Monday, August 7th
The crew of the Planet Express tackles the wild world of cryptocurrency. Futurama premieres Monday, August 7 on Hulu.
Episode Description: Bender and the crew go west to join the bitcoin mining rush.
Only Murders in the Building – Tuesday, August 8th
Charles, Oliver, and Mabel investigate the suspicious death of star Ben Glenroy. They attend his memorial to look for suspects while Oliver tries to save his Broadway show. The first two episodes of Only Murders in the Building Season 3 premiere on Tuesday, August 8th on Hulu.
Episode 1 Description: After Ben Glenroy’s collapse on stage, Charles, Oliver, and Mabel piece together the show’s first days with a suspicious cast and crew to determine if foul play was involved.
Episode 2 Description: Mabel, Oliver and Charles attend Ben’s lavish memorial full of fans and those with more dubious motives. As the actor’s sudden death is mourned, Oliver works to revive his shaky Broadway show.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Wednesday, August 9th
The kids are back at East High preparing for their senior year musical, but their plans are disrupted when Disney announces High School Musical 4: The Reunion will film on location at East High. The final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series premieres with all 8 episodes on Wednesday, August 9th on Disney+.
Season Description: After an epic summer at Camp Shallow Lake, the Wildcats return to East High where they prepare a stage production of High School Musical 3: Senior Year. But plans are disrupted when Principal Gutierrez announces that Disney has decided to make the long-awaited “High School Musical 4: The Reunion” movie on location at their beloved high school.
Strange Planet – Wednesday, August 9th
Blue aliens offer a hilarious look at the absurdity of everyday life in this new animated show based on the popular graphic novel. Strange Planet premieres with three episodes on Wednesday, August 9th on Apple TV+.
Season Description: Based on the New York Times No. 1 bestselling graphic novel and social media phenomenon of the same name, Strange Planet is a hilarious and perceptive look at a distant world not unlike our own. Set in a whimsical world of cotton candy pinks and purples, relatable blue beings explore the absurdity of everyday human traditions.
Nancy Drew – Wednesday, August 9th
Nancy’s life is on the line, and, hopefully, someone will come to her rescue in time. Nancy Drew airs Wednesday, August 9th at 8/7c on The CW.
Episode Description: Ryan (Riley Smith) shows up just in the nick of time to help Nancy (Kennedy McMann). Meanwhile, Nick (Tunji Kasim) is thrown by a statement George (Leah Lewis) makes. Lastly, Bess (Maddison Jaizani) is left feeling concerned after speaking with Ace (Alex Saxon).
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Thursday, August 10th
Already renewed for a third season, fans say goodbye to the U.S.S. Enterprise for now with the Season 2 finale. Lives are in danger as the crew reencounters the Gorn. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ season finale airs Thursday, August 10th on Paramount+.
Season Description: In season two of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, under the command of Captain Christopher Pike, confronts increasingly dangerous stakes, explores uncharted territories and encounters new life and civilizations. The crew will also embark on personal journeys that will continue to test their resolve and redefine their destinies. Facing friends and enemies both new and familiar, their adventures will unfold in surprising ways never seen before on any Star Trek series.
Painkiller – Thursday, August 10th
Netflix tackles the opioid crisis in America in this new fictionalized retelling of real events. The series highlights the stories of those whose lives were forever changed by OxyContin. The full season of Painkiller premieres Thursday, August 10th on Netflix.
Series Description: A fictionalized retelling of events, Painkiller is a scripted limited series that explores some of the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America, highlighting the stories of the perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin. An examination of crime, accountability, and the systems that have repeatedly failed hundreds of thousands of Americans, Painkiller is based on the book Painkiller by Barry Meier and the New Yorker Magazine article ‘The Family That Built an Empire of Pain’ by Patrick Radden Keefe.
Men in Kilts – Friday, August 11th
Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish of Outlander reunite for more travel adventures. This time it’s a trip to New Zealand. Men in Kilts Season 2 premieres August 11th at 9:30/8:30c on Starz.
Episode Description: Sam and Graham’s next road trip takes them to New Zealand; the Scottish duo zips down mountains and comes face to face with a terrifying apex predator.
Red, White & Royal Blue – Friday, August 11th
Alex Claremont-Diaz, son of the President of the United States, and Prince Henry of Britain risk an international relations fiasco thanks to their feud. The two must come together in this new queer rom-com based on a popular book. Red, White & Royal Blue premieres Friday, August 11th on Prime Video.
Film Description: Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the son of the President of the United States (Uma Thurman), and Britain’s Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine) have a lot in common: Stunning good looks, undeniable charisma, international popularity… and a total disdain for each other. Separated by an ocean, their long-running feud hasn’t really been an issue, until a disastrous — and very public — altercation at a royal event becomes tabloid fodder, driving a potential wedge in U.S./British relations at the worst possible time. Going into damage-control mode, their families and handlers force the two rivals into a staged “truce.” But as Alex and Henry’s icy relationship unexpectedly begins to thaw into a tentative friendship, the friction that existed between them sparks something deeper than they ever expected.
Those are our picks for the week! What are you planning to watch? Share in the comments below!
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Breeze Riley
Breeze Riley is a pop culture enthusiast who decided to turn her love of watching too much TV into a hobby writing about it. Although she's a convention-going sci-fi and fantasy nerd, she's just as likely to be watching an off-beat comedy or period drama. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic.