5 things you have to watch on TV this weekend
Nathan Fielder is back, a new take on Jane Austen, Kenya's first Netflix series, and more
Welcome to the weekend edition of What’s On. Here are the big things happening on TV from Friday, July 15 to Sunday, July 17. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekly What’s On will publish on Sundays.]
1. It’s Nathan Fielder’s world in The Rehearsal
Friday, HBO, 11 p.m.: Thankfully for us all, Nathan Fielder is bringing his creativity back to the small screen following a four-season run with Nathan For You. His new half-hour comedy, The Rehearsal, explores the lengths Fielder will go to to reduce the uncertainties of everyday life. With the help of a construction crew, a legion of actors, and seemingly unlimited resources, Fielder allows ordinary people to prepare for life’s biggest moments by “rehearsing” them in carefully crafted simulations. The A.V. Club will be recapping the show weekly.
2. Get cozy with the latest Jane Austen adaptation of Persuasion
Friday, Netflix, 3:01 a.m.: Get ready for a heaping dose of modern Jane Austen. Carrie Cracknell directs Persuasion, based on the novel of the same name. Dakota Johnson plays Anne Elliott with a bit of Fleabag flair, in that she breaks the fourth wall often. Cosmo Jarvis, Henry Golding, Richard E. Grant, and Suki Waterhouse also star. Keep an eye out for The A.V. Club’s review today.
3. Blood & Treasure returns
Sunday, Paramount+, 3:01 a.m.: Action-adventure drama Blood And Treasure moves from CBS to Paramount+ for its second season, which premieres with two episodes. The show centers on the unlikely team-up between an antiquities expert and a cunning art thief who work together to catch a ruthless terrorist. As they traverse the globe, they unexpectedly find themselves in the center of a 2,000-year-old battle (because of course they do).
4. In the mood for reality TV? Forever Summer: Hamptons has got you
Friday, Prime Video, 12:01 a.m.: The trailer for Forever Summer: Hamptons promises “sun, surf, and good vibes.” So if you’re in the mood for a bright and possibly trashy reality series, Prime Video has you covered. This one follows a group of college-aged friends from different socio-economic backgrounds as they spend their summer working at a seaside restaurant in the Hamptons. All episodes will premiere on July 15 to fulfill your binge-watching needs.
5. Kenya launches first Netflix original, Country Queen
Friday, Netflix, 3:01 a.m.: Family drama Country Queen is the first Netflix show from Kenya. It follows ordinary citizens fighting a corporate power that threatens to destroy their homes and lives. Akisa’s (Melissa Kiplagat) dark past from her sleepy village returns to haunt her now comfortable, complicated city life. In the process, she sets in motion a string of events with rippling consequences.