What's on TV this week—Platonic, American Born Chinese, Fubar
Plus, SmartLess hits the road, Gremlins gets a TV makeover, Vanderpump Rules has a reunion, and more
Welcome to What’s On, our weekly picks of must-watch shows. Here’s what you need to watch from Sunday, May 21, to Thursday, May 25. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekend edition of What’s On drops on Fridays.]
The biggies
Platonic (Apple TV+, Wednesday, 12:01 a.m.)
What happens when two former childhood best friends reunite after years apart? According to Platonic, a lot of chaos ensues. In this half-hour comedy, Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen play Sylvia and Will, whose all-consuming bond during a midlife crisis makes life tough for everyone around them, including Sylvia’s husband, Charlie (Luke Macfarlane). Carla Gallo, Guy Branum, and Janet Varney co-star.
American Born Chinese (Disney+, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Based on Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel, American Born Chinese is a sci-fi dramedy steeped in Chinese mythology. In it, teenager Jin Wang (Ben Wang) faces an identity crisis when he befriends a new student, Wei-Chen (Jim Liu), and they both get involved in a battle to save Heaven. Oscar winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan reunite with their Everything Everywhere All At Once co-stars Stephanie Hsu and James Hong for the project, which also boasts appearances by Ronny Chieng, Jimmy Yang, Yeo Yann Yann, and Chin Han. Look out for The A.V. Club’s review of the eight-episode first season on Monday.
Fubar (Netflix, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
He’s back! Arnold Schwarzenegger, a.k.a. the former Terminator and Governor of California, returns to the screen with Fubar in his first TV leading role. He plays veteran CIA agent Luke Brunner who, on the verge of retirement, gets called in for one last mission to save another operative: his daughter Emma (Top Gun: Maverick’s Monica Barbaro). The twist? Neither of them know what their real job is.
Hidden gems
Gremlins: Secrets Of The Mogwai (HBO Max, Tuesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Gremlins: Secrets Of The Mogwai is an animated comedy co-produced by Steven Spielberg, among others. It follows 10-year-old Sam Wing (Izaac Wang), street thief Elle (Gabrielle Nevaeh Green), and the young Mogwai called Gizmo (A. J. Locascio) as they take a perilous journey through the Chinese countryside. A power-hungry industrialist and his army of evil Gremlins pursue them as they hunt for hidden treasures. The voice cast includes Matthew Rhys, Ming-Na Wen, B.D. Wong, James Hong, Sandra Oh, Randall Park, and Bowen Yang.
SmartLess: On The Road (HBO Max, Tuesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Arrested Development’s Jason Bateman and Will Arnett are taking their famous podcast (which they host with Sean Hayes) on the road. SmartLess is a six-part docuseries that will give audiences a look behind their sold-out live tours as they travel nationwide to record episodes about everyone’s shared experiences. Expect celebrity guests like Matt Damon, Conan O’Brien, Will Ferrell, and Jimmy Kimmel.
The Clearing (Hulu, Wednesday, 12:01 a.m.)
Australian psychological thriller The Clearing is an eight-episode drama about a woman who is forced to face her traumatic past with a cult to stop the kidnapping and coercion of innocent children in the future. Teresa Palmer, Miranda Otto, Guy Pearce, and Kate Mulvaney make up the cast.
More good stuff
How To Create A Sex Scandal (HBO Max, Tuesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Directed by Julian P. Hobbs, the chilling three-part docuseries How To Create A Sex Scandal unpacks the 2005 story of a sleepy community in Texas that was rocked by the reveal of a pedophile sex ring at a local swingers club.
Wanda Sykes: I’m An Entertainer (Netflix, Tuesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Filmed in Philadelphia in February, I’m An Entertainer is an hour-long comedy special from Sykes. In her second standup act for Netflix, she tackles topics like raising Gen Z teens and being liberal in a hyper-charged political climate with her trademark candor.
Vanderpump Rules: Reunion (Bravo, Wednesday, 9 p.m.)
The Scandoval that swept the nation a few weeks ago is finally being broken down by the cast of Vanderpump Rules in this reunion special. Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix, and Raquel Leviss face off with the help of Andy Cohen and their castmates. Good luck to everyone watching.
Can’t miss recaps
Succession (HBO, Sunday, 9 p.m.)
Barry (HBO, Sunday, 10 p.m.)
Somebody Somewhere (HBO, Sunday, 10:30 p.m.)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Top Chef (Bravo, Thursday, 9 p.m.)
Yellowjackets (Showtime app, Friday, 3:01 a.m., season two finale)
Arriving now
Prehistoric Planet (Apple TV+, Monday, 12:01 a.m., season two premiere)
Happy Valley (Acorn TV, Monday, 3:01 a.m., season three premiere)
How I Met Your Father (Hulu, Tuesday, 12:01 a.m., season two midseason premiere)
The Kardashians (Hulu, Thursday, 12:01 a.m., season three premiere)
Ending soon
100 Foot Wave (HBO, Sunday, 8 p.m., season two finale)
American Idol (ABC, Sunday, 8 p.m., season 21 finale)
The Equalizer, NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS, Sunday, 8-10 p.m., season finales)
The Simpsons, The Great North, Bob’s Burgers (FOX, Sunday, 8-9:30 p.m., season finales)
Tom Jones (PBS, Sunday, 9 p.m., season one finale)
The Neighborhood, Bob Hearts Abishola, NCIS, NCIS: Hawaii (CBS, Monday, 8-11 p.m., season finales)
FBI, FBI: International, FBI: Most Wanted (CBS, Tuesday, 8-11 p.m., season finales)
The Voice (NBC, Tuesday, 8 p.m., season 23 finale)
The Flash (The CW, Wednesday, 8 p.m., series finale)
Survivor (CBS, Wednesday, 8 p.m., season 44 finale)
Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. (NBC, Wednesday, 8-11 p.m., season finales)
Love And Death (HBO Max, Thursday, 3:01 a.m., series finale)