With the finale of “Mare of Easttown” behind us, it will be curious to see which series becomes the next hotly anticipated and picked apart weekly series. While “Loki” will undoubtedly stir up the Marvel crowd who are looking forward to a new series after the success of “Wandavision” and “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” it’s possible it may not generate as many interesting water-cooler discussions, we’ll see.
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After a few months of a relatively sparse release schedule, June is jam-packed with plenty of potential big-name contenders for conversation starters along with smaller, more intimate storytelling that would do well with some word of mouth praise such as the extraordinary HBO series “Betty” or the return of “Tuca & Bertie” which will now air on Adult Swim. It’s an interesting month, regardless of what type of shows you’re in the mood for, and while it’s too early to see if any of them will spark the same level of weekly interest, there’s plenty of potential in the bunch.
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“Lisey’s Story”
What You Need to Know: There’s seemingly no escape from Stephen King adaptations, all of which run the gamut recently between serviceable, just fine, and forgettable. Up next and with an all-star list of talent behind and in front of the camera is “Lisey’s Story,” starring Julianne Moore and Clive Owen. A gripping thriller, the series follows a woman forced to face memories of her marriage to her late husband that she had blocked out after experiencing a series of unsettling events. Directed by Pablo Larraín (“Ema,” “Jackie”) and executively produced by J.J. Abrams, the series, according to our critic, never fully comes together despite the talent involved. They wrote, “Everyone is grounded in a way that makes certain nightmarish elements all the more bracing, the layering of reality and fantasy creating its own bizarre atmosphere.”
Release Date: The series premieres June 4th on Apple TV+
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“Sweet Tooth”
What You Need to Know: Of all the series premiering in June, it’s Netflix’s upcoming “Sweet Tooth,” which strikes the oddest balance of stones from the start. Based on the limited comic book series by Jeff Lemire and released through DC’s Vertigo, the story follows a boy who’s half-human and half deer in a post-apocalyptic world as he goes on an adventure to find a new beginning. With source material described as a cross between “Mad Max” and “Bambi,” it will be interesting to see how this peculiar series is adapted to screen. Created by Jim Mickle (“Cold in July,” the show stars Christian Convery, Adeel Akhtar, Nonso Anozie, and Will Forte. Our critic wrote, “’Sweet Tooth’ shows that even in a world filled with horrible, hate-filled humans, a deadly virus, and violence, there is still joy to be found in your connections with family and the bonds you develop with those you might least expect.”
Release Date: Season one premieres June 4 on Netflix.
“Loki”
What You Need to Know: After a year with no Marvel releases, the studio is doubling down on making up for lost time – both in theaters and at home. For television series, so far, they’re two for two by way of bad endings, with both the superior “Wandavision” and less so “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” bungling any goodwill they’d built up by the last episodes. With “Loki” starring Tom Hiddleston as the God of Mischief, hopefully, they will have learned how to better pace a series and deliver on the endings. That said, even if some of us are already tired of the studio, there’s no doubt they’ve got a great cast on their hands that includes Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, and the always wonderful Gugu Mbatha-Raw. And while we’ll have to see if the series created by Michael Waldron manages to justify the spinoff on the fan-favorite, at the very least, it already looks like it will be having more fun than the previous two Disney+ entries as it follows Loki as he travels through time and alters human history.
Release Date: Season one premieres June 9 on Disney+.
“Betty”
What You Need to Know: Inspired by her film “Skate Kitchen,” director Crystal Moselle adapted and transported the characters she’d created for television into HBO’s “Betty.” Season one of the series, which focuses on a diverse group of young women in New York City as they navigate the male-dominated world of skateboarding, was a critical success that built on the atmosphere of the film while still allowing each member of its cast more room to breathe and leaning heavier into comedy. Season two returns with the characters trying to empower their community of skateboarders while dealing with the realities of the pandemic. For season one, our critic wrote, “’Betty’ may be imperfect, but it is incredibly refreshing in its girl power politics.”
Release Date: Season two premieres June 11 on HBO Max.
“Love, Victor”
What You Need to Know: Inspired by and set in the same world of the 2018 film “Love, Simon,” season two of Hulu’s “Love, Victor” arrives later this month. Created by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, the series follows Michael Cimino as Victor on his journey to discovering his sexuality and self-acceptance. Season two will find Victor newly out of the closet and entering his junior year at Creekwood High, as he faces new challenges such as family struggling with the news and a heartbroken ex-girlfriend. Our critic praised the first season, writing, “’Love, Victor’ grasps the simple, delicate truths at the heart of a reality most Americans seem content to ignore: Coming out, even in 2020, is not easy.”
Release Date: Season two premieres June 11 on Hulu.