Turn & Smile TV Guide: Sunday, May 18
Here is what's coming to TV for May 19 to May 25
Welcome back, Sofa Taters! Here’s another Sunday TV Guide with more premieres to fill your week!
Be sure to let us know what you’re looking forward to the most and what you’ve enjoyed so far! Remember to vote in our footer poll this week!
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What We’ve Been Watching
Larissa: Scarlett Johansson hosting the finale of the 50th season of Saturday Night Live! This was ScarJo’s seventh time hosting SNL, which makes her the most frequent female guest of the show ever! I guess being married to Colin Jost comes with some perks.
Mason: Sometimes I like to watch Suits LA the way I’m pretty sure it was meant to be watched: in the background while focusing on other things. That said, I won’t miss it now that it’s been confirmed it won’t return for Season 2.
What We’re Excited To See
Larissa: I really enjoyed Michael Cimino in Love, Victor (Hulu’s sorta-sequel to the highly reviewed film, Love, Simon). I’m interested in seeing him in what looks to be a totally different character, changing out the teen angst over love and sexuality for teen agst over winning street races.
Mason: I wouldn’t exactly call myself “excited” for the return of Big Mouth, which I fell off of a little while ago, but I did always find it entertaining. It might be time to get back into it. After all, it’s not like I’m going to admit I’m interested in the return of Rick and Morty for fear that a bunch of dudes in backwards baseball caps will find me and start complaining about all the women who won’t go home with them or tell them that they’re creeps. If women don’t like you, bro, that’s a skill issue, bro. Get likable, bro.
What We’re Talking About
Mason: Sometimes I think about Entrapta, from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and how autistic-coded she seems. It’s wild to me that she defected from the Princess Rebellion because the Horde embraced her curiosity and let her experiment. I feel like she either wasn’t fully aware of what The Horde was doing, or was just that desperate for acceptance, but I’ve never seen her as a malicious person. Anyway, I’m thinking about She-Ra and the Princesses of Power again because when we reach 100 subscribers, Larissa will finally, though begrudgingly, watch the show with me to review in depth in a subsequent Thursday Prime Time newsletter. Subscribe to help make that happen!
Larissa: Careful what you unleash when you ask me about my theories.
New To Streaming
May 19th to May 25th
Older Hotter Wiser (Peacock)
This is a comedy series about a road trip that a couple takes to California while sorting out things, including jobs, love, and personal growth. This is one of four shows premiering this coming week from the NBC emerging artists program. This show is a project attached to Instagram star and American icon Serena Kerrigan, who rose to fame on the platform for her series Let’s F-ing Date. Check it out this week on Peacock.
The Kouncil (Peacock)
TikToker and American icon Katie Florence, who rose to fame doing comedy skits on the platform, is the second of four programs developed through the NBC emerging artists series. The Kouncil follows Katie as she navigates adulthood while living on her own for the first time with the help of a personified internal council that helps her navigate the chaos of life. Find her selfie with Josh Peck from sometime after Peck’s road incident with Oprah Winfrey on her Instagram account. Find this comedy this week on Peacock.
The Warehouse Phase (Peacock)
The third of four programs from the NBC emerging artist series, The Warehouse Phase, is from rapper and American icon Charlie Curtis-Beard. It follows his character Chi as he’s thrust into online fame after the death of a rapper. You can find Curtis-Beard on Soundcloud, Apple Music, and Spotify and find this show this week on Peacock.
People Like Me (Peacock)
Here we are at the fourth of four shows from the NBC emerging artist series. This one is from American icon and rapper Daren Vongirdner. People Like Me is about Daren’s character, named Daren, as he navigates anxiety and other mental health troubles. See it when it drops on Peacock this week.
White Lies (🇿🇦) (Acorn TV)
Season 1 of this South African series, set in Cape Town, which debuted last year for South Africans, is coming to Acorn TV for the rest of us. The show is about someone investigating their sibling’s murder, as the police come into conflict with them and suspect their niblings of the murder. You can see it early this week on Acorn TV.
Motorheads (Prime Video)
In this new series, a group of outsiders and outcasts in a dilapidated Rust Belt town find each other and bond over their love of cars. You can find it wherever Prime Video shows are found this week.
Sarah Silverman: PostMortem (Netflix)
American comedian Sarah Silverman performs her latest comedy special about the death of her parents. Her mother, who died about ten years ago, her father, who died of kidney-related issues recently, and her stepmother, who died of pancreatic cancer two weeks before her father, will make up the bulk of what the comedian talks about. If your first reaction is that this sounds remarkably dark… well, welcome to Sarah Silverman. She is a card-carrying member of the alt-comedy scene that developed through the 1990s and includes comedians like Brian Posehn and Patton Oswalt. Silverman’s oeuvre of comedy includes a lot of dark comedy and blue comedy, which, without going into too much detail, is very safe to say is not intended for the very easily offended. Not because she earnestly advocates for bigotry and misogyny, but because she makes jokes about sensitive topics. Parts of her comedy can sound like she’s just saying offensive things to a crowd of people, but there is a lot of context surrounding her jokes and bits, which is why it’s important not to look at moments of her career in isolation. If you want to see if you think she makes it work, you can do so this week on Netflix.
FBI True (Paramount+)
Actual FBI agents tell stories and volunteer what seems an awful lot like evidence from real crimes they investigate, including actual interrogation footage with suspects. Returning for Season 7 on Paramount+, you can see all the action this week.
Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu)
Created by American icon David E. Kelley (who is responsible for creating some of the best television shows of the late 80s to 2010s), this show is about a boutique health spa retreat and the wellness guru who helms it. This season, you’ll be able to catch Canadian icon and Schitt’s Creek alum Annie Murphy in the cast when it debuts on Hulu.
Sneaky Links: Dating After Dark (Netflix)
Sneaky Links: Dating After Dark is a reality TV dating show in which a group checks into a motel expecting to find love. However, they discover that their friend with benefits (if you know what we mean) is also staying there. The contestants must choose between strengthening their bond with their FWB and starting to date them or pursuing something new with one of the other women. Netflix will be dropping the show this week.
Nine Puzzles/ Nain Peojeul/ ナインパズル (🇰🇷) (Hulu)
In this new series from South Korea (the best Korea to ever peninsula), a nibling discovers their uncle’s dead body near an unexplained puzzle piece. When they grow up, they become a criminal profiler investigating the serial murderer who is leaving those puzzle pieces. Find it when it drops on Netflix this week.
Newly Rich, Newly Poor/ Nuevo Rico, Nuevo Pobre (🇨🇴) (Netflix)
This Colombian sitcom starts with a nurse switching two babies. Decades later, when the mistake is revealed and rectified, one of the affected children loses their family wealth, and the other gains family wealth, drastically changing their fortunes. You can see it on Netflix when this debuts.
Real Men/ Maschi veri (🇮🇹) (Netflix)
Four middle-aged friends with a misogyny problem between them navigate changing gender dynamics in this Italian comedy while confronting toxic masculinity to try to be better men. If you remember back in January when we announced the Spanish show Alpha Males and that it was going to spawn an international multi-lingual franchise with Dutch, Italian, and French versions. Real Men is the Italian one. You can see it on Netflix when it drops this week.
Shafted/ Super Mâles (🇫🇷) (Netflix)
Technically, this French comedy debuted in January, and we missed it (sorry). We found the little oopsie-doodle when we were looking up the aforementioned multi-lingual comedy franchise about toxic men trying to recover from their toxicity. If you’ve enjoyed the Alpha Males franchise, you can check it out in French now on Netflix.
MasterChef: Dynamic Duos/ MasterChef (Hulu)
Gordon Ramsay was diagnosed with arthritis in 2021 and said that because of the arthritis in his knee, he is going to have to take something of a step back from his businesses, but he’s back hosting Season 15 of MasterChef. This season, teams of two compete for the same prizes and glory as in previous seasons. Find it on Hulu after it debuts on Fox.
Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service (Hulu)
Ramsay gets an informant on the inside of a restaurant to feed him information so he can come in and hold the owners and managers accountable for the mistakes they’re making to help them improve. See it on Fox before it lands on Hulu.
Make It at Market (🇬🇧) (BritBox)
British icon Dominic Chinea hosts this series where he and a team of artisans help people turn their crafting hobby into a for-profit business, which might convince a bunch of people to quit their job and sell custom keychains on Etsy, which is usually a bad idea (sorry). Season 3, which premiered in the UK last March, comes to BritBox this week.
Sirens (Netflix)
This dark comedy, debuting this week, is about a woman’s unhealthy relationship with her boss. Starring Julianne Moore, it has been described as "an incisive, sexy, and darkly funny exploration of women, power and class." Watch for it when it drops on Netflix.
Tyler Perry’s She the People/ She the People (Netflix)
From iconic American producer Tyler Perry, this new sitcom follows the first (fictional) Black lieutenant governor who must manage her family and a boss with outdated views and ideas. See it on Netflix this week.
Not Her First Rodeo (Freeform/ Hulu)
This docuseries follows five women, the Elite Lady Bull Riders, as they battle in and out of the ring for their shot at bull riding glory and the championship belt buckle. You should be able to find it this week on Freeform and Hulu.
Wish You Were Queer (OUTtv)
OUTtv brings us this stand up comedy series following queer icons Michael Henry and Tim Murray as they travel the USA doing stand up comedy. Catch it on the streaming and cable channel OUTtv this week.
Earnhardt (Prime Video)
This docuseries digs into the life and times of Dale Earnhardt Sr, the stock car and NASCAR driver who tragically died in a vehicular collision in 2001. Earnhardt was something of a working class hero while racing and this series promised an intimate look into a very well-liked and well-respected man. You can find it on Prime Video this week.
Missing You/ Harlan Coben’s Missing You (🇬🇧) (Netflix)
This British series is based on the book of the same name by American author Harlan Coben. This show follows a detective who finds their estranged ex on a dating app, which leads to them investigating a murder. To see how these events are related, check it out on Netflix.
90 Minutes (Peacock)
After a scandalous brawl on the field, an amateur soccer (football) team recruits a washed-up has-been to coach them back to greatness. Find it on Peacock this week.
Big Mouth (Netflix)
It’s all coming to a head for the final season of Big Mouth. This comedy series is from American icons Nick Kroll, Jennifer Flackett, and Andrew Goldberg. This show follows a group of pubescent tweens, their hormone monsters, and other manifestations of their emotions. However, it isn’t for the faint of heart. This TV-MA series, though it is about puberty, is quite crass and graphic as it tackles issues like first periods and accidental erections. Find the eighth and final season when it drops this week on Netflix.
Forget You Not/ Wàngle wô jìdé/ 忘了我記得 (🇹🇼) (Netflix)
Coming to us from Taiwan (which I hear is free with the purchase of one mainland China) this dramady series tells the story of someone who is struggling with strained relationships with their spouse and father as they start their stand-up comedy career. The premise sounds oddly familiar to The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, but it will be interesting to see what Taiwan does with it. Find it on Netflix later this week.
Clarkson’s Farm (🇬🇧) (Prime Video) Mary Makes It Easy (🇨🇦) (Discovery+/ Crave)
Given the unfortunate historical moment that the transgender community is having in the United Kingdom, and the inherently political nature of all media, it would feel inappropriate for us to recommend a program starring and produced by a British transphobe who is using their platform and public trust to weaponize their ignorance against a vulnerable community. Which Jeramy Clarkson is doing. So, have you heard of Canadian icon Mary Berg? Berg uses all three seasons of her show to give viewers helpful tips and tricks that you can use in your kitchen! She also has a YouTube channel where she interviews and talks to several well-educated experts called The Good Stuff With Mary Berg. Plus, she has a nicer smile than a decrepit, aging transphobe. You can find three seasons of her show on Discovery+ and Crave, and find her YouTube channel on YouTube.
Our Unwritten Seoul/ 미지의 서울 (🇰🇷) (Netflix)
It feels like it’s been a minute since we’ve had a show from the best Korea, right? Well, Our Unwritten Seoul is a South Korean coming-of-age romance that employs a well-worn trope: Twins who switch places. One is a carefree free spirit, the other is a hard-working perfectionist. Why are they switching? Will they make it work? Find out this week on Netflix.
New To Cable
May 19th to May 25th
Lego Masters (Fox)
Canadian-American icon Will Arnett, who you might recognize from The Lego Movie, Lego Batman, and Bojack Horseman, hosts this game show where Lego masters and aficionados compete against each other to build the most impressive constructions. Catch it on Fox this week, and as always, be sure to check your local listings.
The Game Show Show (ABC)
Featuring American icon Drew Carey and Canadian icon Howie Mandel, this docuseries examines the American game show genre and the most enduring, culturally relevant game shows from their dawn to today. It premieres early this week on ABC if you’re interested.
MasterChef: Dynamic Duos/ MasterChef (Fox)
The fifteenth season of MasterChef is coming, and the theme is Dynamic Duos, where chefs compete in teams of two. Gordon Ramsay brings his unique joie de vivre to his long-running competition series that you can see on Fox, followed by its debut on Hulu the next day.
Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service (Fox)
Enlisting the help of a mole on the inside, Gordon Ramsay collects insider information about all the issues affecting a restaurant before coming in to help and confront the owner. See it on Fox and Hulu the next day.
Transplant (🇨🇦) (CTV/ NBC)
This Canadian medical drama debuted in 2020 in the Great White North on CTV, telling the story of an immigrant doctor who moves to Canada and must overcome a series of obstacles to practice emergency medicine again. In Canada, Season 4 debuts this week on CTV, while on NBC, Season 1 debuts.
Wish You Were Queer (OUTtv)
Queer icons Michael Henry and Tim Murray travel the US and perform stand up comedy in this unscripted variety comedy series. You can see it on OUTtv this week.
Pee-Wee as Himself (HBO)
American… icon(?) Paul Reubens, who played Pee-Wee Herman, tragically died in 2023 while battling leukemia and lung cancer several years after being caught in an adult theatre, obviously enjoying his time there. This docuseries is a two-part look into the life, times, and comedic artistry of the late actor and writer. See it this week on HBO.
Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter (AMC)
Coming back for Season 2, this reality TV series asks Hollywood professionals about the issues, methodologies, and behind-the-scenes stories of Hollywood. Find it on AMC later this week.
The Librarians: The Next Chapter (TNT)
The Librarians: The Next Chapter follows a time-travelling librarian from the past who got themselves stuck in the present. Now they have to team up with a team of modern librarians to fix his mistakes and contain the magic he accidentally released. You can see this new show on TNT this week.
Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)
Returning for Season 8 but greenlit up to season 12 so far, Rick and Morty follows the madcap, meta, sci-fi adventures of a 14-year-old boy and his Grandpa Rick, and occasionally their family. If you haven’t gotten into this series yet, we have to warn you about talking about it to certain people because the worst part about the show is the fans who make it their whole personality. After all, it has a toxic element to the fandom that doesn’t understand that they’re not meant to like Rick. Check it out on Adult Swim at the end of the week.
Thank you again to our sofa taters for joining us in exploring what’s to come next week. Be sure to subscribe and do the other internet things below if you like this newsletter and want more. And don’t snooze on the poll, either! Your answers help us a lot!
I'm ready for Nine Perfect Strangers now that I've binged season 1! I'm very intrigued with this second season considering how confused I was with the happy ending in season 1. Also super happy to see Annie Murphy in it.
Personally I think Family Guy is the raunchy animated tv series that can be considered educational; especially considering how each season reflects the world we live in