6 things you have to watch on TV this weekend
The Boys are back in town, Hulu debuts a queer rom-com, MTV throws a big party, and more
Welcome to the weekend edition of What’s On. Here are the big things happening on TV from Friday, June 3 to Sunday, June 5. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekly What’s On will publish on Sundays.]
1. The Boys return to wreak havoc
Friday, Prime Video, 12:01 a.m.: It’s a good day to be a fan of superheroes and supervillains, because The Boys kicks off its third round of terror. If you don’t know the show, which was developed by Erik Kripke and is based on Garth Ennis’ comics, it basically asks, “What if The Avengers were all corrupt and violent?”
In the third season, Homelander (Antony Starr) is apparently subdued—as if—after his tryst with fellow menace Stormfront (Aya Cash) ended with the death of Becca Butcher (Shantel VanSanten). Naturally, her husband Billy (Karl Urban) is about to seek revenge in a big way, but for now he’s busy working for the government. The Boys also learn about an Anti-Supe weapon that sends them crashing into the Seven and starts a war.
2. It’s (thankfully) getting hot on Fire Island
Friday, Hulu, 12:01 a.m.: Directed by Andrew Ahn, this unabashedly fun gay rom-com is written by and stars Joel Kim Booster. He plays Noah, who goes with his best friend Howie (Bowen Yang) on a weeklong vacation to Fire Island off the southern shore of Long Island. They’re accompanied by cheap rosé and a small group of eclectic friends. In his review, Jack Smart writes:
Suffice it to say this isn’t your typical rom-com—but then again, how could it be? With all due respect to But I’m A Cheerleader and rather less respect to Love, Simon, queer audiences haven’t seen themselves reflected much in a genre that, at least in its heyday, defined Hollywood’s mainstream and reinforced heteronormative sociocultural standards. Booster and director Andrew Ahn use Austen’s tale of class tension, a romantic comedy urtext, to laugh in the face of such standards, and introduce some new ones.
3. It’s the end of Shining Girls
Friday, Apple TV+, 12:01 a.m.: Elisabeth Moss caps off yet another dark drama as Shining Girls wraps up its run. In the show’s finale, “30,” Kirby Mazrachi (Moss) finally gets revenge against her time-traveling attacker, Harper (Jamie Bell). Keep an eye out for The A.V. Club’s episode post-mortem with some of the cast on Friday.
4. Get ready for a second helping of Physical
Friday, Apple TV+, 12:01 a.m.: The streamer is filling the Shining Girls-shaped void with a far lighter series as Physical returns for its sophomore season. Set in 1980s San Diego, the Rose Byrne-led dark comedy follows Sheila Rubin’s journey of self-discovery via aerobics. This time around, Sheila has launched her first fitness video but is met with big obstacles. She’s torn between loyalty to her husband, Danny (Rory Scovel), and a dangerous attraction to someone else. The White Lotus’ Murray Bartlett joins the ensemble.
5. P-Valley returns
Friday, Starz, 9 p.m.: Katori Hall’s adaptation of her play Pussy Valley is back for a second season. This hidden gem follows the employees of The Pynk, a strip club in the fictional city of Chucalissa, Mississippi. For this batch of episodes, as the casino’s fate hangs in the balance and the local political machine kicks into overdrive, death and danger lurk around every corner.
6. Tune into the MTV Movie & TV Awards
Sunday, MTV, 8 p.m.: Vanessa Hudgens goes from hosting red carpets to the stage of the MTV Movie & TV Awards. The Tick, Tick…Boom! star will emcee the 2022 ceremony from Los Angeles. This year’s top TV nominees include Squid Game, Euphoria, Loki, and Ted Lasso, while Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Batman, Scream, and Dune are among the films up for awards.