Television

GOSSIP GIRL

• By PAIGE PETRONE

“You know you love me, xoxo” was the famous saying that blogger Gossip Girl used when signing off her scandalous posts … and we all did love her! The original Gossip Girl on The CW was a huge hit for the network, ran for six seasons, and launched the careers of Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Chace Crawford, and Penn Badgley. The show was based on a bunch of over-privileged upper east side high school kids and all the drama surrounding them at their private school, as well as their families. 

HBO Max has taken a shot at reviving this series with a new cast of characters with updated twists and a promise to “shatter reputations.” With the growing ratings wars of streaming services, HBO’s hipper, sexier version of GG should undoubtedly deliver the goods! The series begins with a new generation of Manhattan private schoolers getting introduced to ruthless social media attention — eight years after the original blogger’s site went dark. (Kristen Bell returns as the voice of GG.) The cast will feature more diversity, with nonwhite leads and LGBTQ characters, including Thomas Doherty, Emily Alyn Lind, Jordan Alexander, Evan Mock, Eli Brown, Whitney Peak, Tavi Gevinson, Savannah Lee Smith, Jason Gotay, Johnathan Fernandez, Megan Ferguson, Lyne Renée, and Broadway favorites Donna Murphy and Laura Benanti. The new Gossip Girl will air its first six episodes weekly, with another six episodes slated to air in the fall.

Premiering July 8th on HBO Max. Click here.

Young Royals

• By Kenne Hoffman
• Photo Courtesy of Netflix

Drama, intrigue, and a charming young prince coming of age in Netflix’s new Swedish royal drama Young Royals. Who doesn’t love a good fairy tale happy ending? Prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) has been sent to a prestigious boarding school after getting into a fight and dragging the royal family name through the mud. Wilhelm explores his true self to determine the kind of life he really wants. Suddenly his dreams of freedom and unconditional love far away from the royal obligations are dashed when he unexpectantly becomes next in line for the throne. His dilemma is heightened as he must make a choice between love and duty. 

The series revolves around this teen member of the Royal Family and depicts young Prince Wilhelm in a gay relationship. Director and series creator Lisa Ambjörn is no newcomer to Swedish television having recently worked on Sjukt, White Wall, and Sommaren 85. Young Royals has already been compared to shows like The Crown and Gossip Girl. The difference with Young Royals is it targets a teenage audience. Most of the characters are teens, so we’ll will watch as they work their way through experiences that age group copes with.  The show will be released in both Swedish/English subtitles. Brush up on your Swedish and a happily ever after is assured in any language.

Streaming on Netflix, click here.

EDEN

• By RICH ANDREW
• Photo Courtesy of SPECTRUM

Creator Vanessa Gazy (Highway) whisks us away to the placid oceans of Australia for her latest drama Eden. But things are far from perfect there after a young woman disappears from this seeming paradise. The woman in question is Hedwig, who has just returned to the small town of Eden to see her best friend Scout. They wind up at a party thrown by an A-list celebrity whom Scout is hoping to impress. But Hedwig is the one to catch the host’s eye as she mingles her way through the crowd. When Scout catches Hedwig dealing drugs and keeping other secrets, their bestie fun erupts into an embarrassing blowout and ends with them storming off into the dead of night. By morning, Hedwig is gone, and the police have come to investigate, starting with Scout. As the case develops from missing person to homicide, unearthing the truth will threaten to expose the damning secrets spanning multi-generations that this beach community has kept buried for too long. With compelling performances by an up-and-coming cast featuring Sophie Wilde (You Don’t Know Me), BeBe Bettencourt (The Dry), Keiynan Lonsdale (The Flash), Cody Fern (American Horror Story), Samuel Johnson (Molly), Christopher James Baker (Stargirl), Rachel Blake (Cleverman), Leeanna Walsman (2067), Simon Lyndon (Mystery Road), and Maggie Kirkpatrick (Sando), Eden delivers on the thrills.

“Eden” premieres July 12th.

Kevin can F**K Himself

• By Alex Brown
• Photo Courtesy of AMC

Even if it at first it isn’t immediately clear whether it is a comedy, a drama or a little bit of both, make no mistake that after episode one of AMC’s new series, Kevin Can Go F**k Himself, audiences are sure to be hooked! The show opens in a living room reminiscent of any number of sitcoms from All in the Family to Everybody Loves Raymond, but soon jumps genres and goes considerably “off-set.” When the lead character Allison (Annie Murphy, of Schitt’s Creek fame) reaches her limit with her insufferable husband, she devises a dark plan to change the trajectory of her life. 

Kevin uses format as much as content to move viewers through the plotline and character development. The switch between classic-sitcom staging and the feel of a night time drama is not only a novel experience for viewers, but also speaks to the way we all navigate reality: showing one face to the outside world, and another in private thoughts and conversations.

Also starring in what is sure to be a smash hit for the network is relative newcomer Eric Peterson as Kevin himself (nation tour of Shrek the Musical) and Mary Hollis Inboden (The Real O’Neals). One-part laugh track, one-part dark comedy, Kevin Can Go F**k Himself is like nothing you have seen before. So, tune in to AMC on Sundays at 9PM Eastern to find out what all the hype is about.  .

Airing and streaming on AMC, click here.