In a battle of fictional high societies, The Gilded Age is facing off against The Buccaneers. These historical soap operas are back for their third and second seasons, respectively.
Plus, a film about Sally Ride, who became the first American woman to blast off into space, is premiering on Disney+, and there’s a new supernatural horror series on Syfy.
On Prime Video, the British action comedy Deep Cover is sure to make you laugh. In fact, we’re confident because the cast, featuring Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, and Nick Mohammed, is impressive.
The Gilded Age Season 3 (HBO Max)
HBO’s unapologetically lavish period drama is back for its third run, so do polish the silver and tighten your corsets.
Of course, the true Gilded Age in America was a time of materialistic excesses marked by widespread political corruption.
One could say we’re now reliving the era’s second coming: Donald Trump indeed has praised the Gilded Age, inequality is in full bloom, and the wealthy tech barons are holding the nation hostage to their whims of greed.
The show is, of course, an opportunity to explore the original. It’s not gonna explain you the roots of all America’s problems, to be fair, but outstanding performances by Carrie Coon and Christine Baranski will definitely transport you to 1880s New York.
The Buccaneers Season 2 (Apple TV+)
The Gilded Age has garnered quite a bit of acclaim: Season 2 alone picked up six Emmy nominations. But critics say you shouldn’t underrate Apple TV+’s Buccaneers, another period drama from the late 1800s.
The Buccaneers also takes place in the Gilded Age era but has a voice of its own as it sees its American characters travel to London in search of aristocratic titles and land to legitimize their wealth.
The show’s second season is returning to Apple TV+ a few days before The Gilded Age’s third batch of episodes premieres on Sunday, June 22nd. It’ll be interesting to see how both shows will race neck-and-neck throughout the summer season.
Deep Cover (Prime Video)
Prime Video is known for quietly releasing true gems, and Deep Cover, already available on the platform, is another example. Critics are already calling this action comedy the best such thriller in years.
The plot is weird but tempting: improv comics are recruited by the police for undercover operations in the London criminal underground where they have to use their skills to infiltrate a gang.
Starring Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed, and Bryce Dallas Howard, Deep Cover, the film also boasts impressive guest performances from Paddy Considine, Ian McShane, and Sean Bean. Deep Cover is also British, and we all know Brits can be devastatingly funny.
Sally (Disney+)
Sally Ride became the first American woman to blast off into space, but beneath her unflappable composure, she carried a secret. Before succumbing to pancreatic cancer in 2012, she gave her life partner permission to reveal their 27-year romance.
In the documentary film Sally, Ride’s partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, opens up about their long relationship, which both women kept hidden from the public for decades.
“Sally was a true pioneer – a hero who shattered barriers for girls and women and redefined what it means to be a leader,” said director Cristina Costantini.
Revival (Syfy)
In a rural Wisconsin town, the sudden resurrection of the recently deceased becomes known as “Revival Day.” The newly revived maintain their appearance, memories, and personalities from their previous lives.
That’s the premise of this new supernatural horror noir series, available now on Syfy. It’s based on the American comic book series of the same name.
However, it all sounds very similar to Glitch, an Australian TV drama, which premiered in 2015 – that one also plucked individuals out of their graves. Is it a complete rip-off?
Maybe. On the other hand, Glitch also bears remarkable similarity to the 2012 French series Les Revenants, so who knows what’s going on, right? At least the original Revival comic book, published in 2012, predates all of those shows.
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