What's on TV this week—Black Mirror is back, Full Monty is now a series, and brace for The Walking Dead: Dead City
Plus, a beloved nature doc, the best Star Trek show in years, an Amy Schumer special, and more
Welcome to What’s On, our weekly picks of must-watch shows. Here’s what you need to watch from Sunday, June 11, to Thursday, June 15. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekend edition of What’s On drops on Fridays.]
The biggies
The Full Monty (FX on Hulu, Wednesday, 12:01 a.m.)
The ’90s are back, baby. British film The Full Monty, about a group of unemployed men who became strippers, returns after 25 years in the form of a TV sequel. Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, Steve Huison, and Paul Barber reprise their roles as they reunite to pay tribute to their adventures and friendships. Lesley Sharp and Talitha Wing co-star. Check out The A.V. Club’s interview with Carlyle about the show.
The Walking Dead: Dead City (AMC+, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
No one necessarily asked for this, but it might be entertaining to watch The Walking Dead’s Maggie (Lauren Cohan) team up with her husband’s skull-basher, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), in a new spin-off, right? Over six episodes, both of them head to an apocalyptic New York City to rescue Maggie’s kidnapped son, facing off against city walkers and new cast members like Gaius Charles and Željko Ivanek.
Black Mirror (Netflix, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
As if the world wasn’t in enough decay, a new season of Black Mirror is here to darken the mood even more. Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi anthology returns for five new episodes with a cast that includes Annie Murphy, Salma Hayek, Ben Barnes, Aaron Paul, Zazie Beetz, Myha’la Herrold, Anjana Vasan, Himesh Patel, and Michael Cera. Look for The A.V. Club’s review and additional coverage soon. And until then, revisit our ranking of the previous outings.
Hidden gems
Our Planet II (Netflix, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Any nature documentary narrated by Sir David Attenborough is like a balm for the soul, and Our Planet is no different. The ambitious British docuseries returns for a long overdue second season with eight new episodes featuring captivating, never-before-seen footage of wildlife in their natural habitats. The season addresses conservation issues for the disparate animals it focuses on, and also includes a behind-the-scenes look at how the camera crew tirelessly captured everything.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
Strange New Worlds, a.k.a. the best new Star Trek show in years, returns for a highly anticipated second season. The series follows Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and his crew of the USS Enterprise as they galavant across the galaxy in the decade before Star Trek: The Original Series. Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Melissa Navia, Christina Chong, and Rebecca Romjin co-star. Look for The A.V. Club’s interview with Navia soon.
More good stuff
Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact (Netflix, Tuesday, 12:01 a.m.)
Amy Schumer returns for her third Netflix comedy special, Emergency Contact. In her stand-up act, she talks about her mother-in-law’s passing, discovering her “widow’s hump,” and her longtime relationship.
How Do You Measure A Year? (HBO, Wednesday, 9 p.m.)
Directed by Jay Rosenblatt, How Do You Measure A Year? is a coming-of-age documentary about his daughter, Ella. Filmed over 17 years, he documents her growth and development on each birthday by asking her a range of questions.
The Big D (USA, Wednesday, 10 p.m.)
It’s time to add The Big D to a long list of bizarre reality shows, and it’s not for the reason you think. The titular D refers to divorce in this case, and the dating competition sends a group of formerly married folks to Costa Rica for a new chance at romance with other divorcees—and everyone’s ex is along for the ride. The Bachelorette alumni JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers host.
Can’t miss recaps
The Idol (HBO, Sunday, 9 p.m.)
Arriving now
The Wonder Years (ABC, Wednesday, 9 p.m., season three premiere)
Ending soon
Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens (Comedy Central, Wednesday, 10 p.m., season three finale)