Too Much TV: Your Weekend Viewing Guide

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Thursday, August 28th, 2025:

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING THIS WEEKEND
It's mid-August and while this was typically a slow time for broadcast and cable television, it also has been a slower time than normal on streaming as well. But there are some shows and films well worth watching this weekend, and here are a few suggestions:

The Thursday Murder Club (Netflix)
Sometimes a show is just what you expect it to be and that's more than okay. Chris Columbus directed the series about four retirees - Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley) and Joyce (Celia Imrie) - who spend their time solving cold case murders for fun. And of course, a murder turns up on their doorstep, sending their investigations in a new direction. While "older characters solving crimes" is turning into a popular streaming premise, this breezy and fun romp is just what you want to see from this cast of likeable veteran actors. The cast also includes Tom Ellis, Jonathan Pryce, David Tennant, Paul Freeman, Geoff Bell, Richard E. Grant and Ingrid Oliver.

Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story (AMC+)
This ripped from the headlines BBC true crime thriller is based on the abduction of British Page 3 model Chloe Ayling. In 2017, the 20-year-old was drugged and kidnapped when she arrived for a bogus photo-shoot in Milan. After escaping, she faced widespread criticism from the British press, who claimed she had staged the abduction in order to gain publicity for her career. There are a lot of twists and turns to the story and it helps if you're not that familiar with the real-life crime before watching the series.

Two Graves (Netflix)
The story of young women going missing and the desperate search to find them is a common premise. But this Spanish limited series takes a familiar idea and spins it off into an brutal and somewhat unexpected direction. After two teenagers go missing in a small town in Málaga, Spain, the elderly Isabel will stop at nothing to find out what happened to her granddaughter. She teams up with Rafael, a dangerous man who also lost his daughter that same night and the two of them tear their way through the countryside, attempting to discover the fate of their loved ones. The best way to describe this is that it is the type of show that takes the standard Liam Neeson revenge film vibe and amps it up about ten times. 

Twelve (Hulu)
There are times when you watch a show and struggle to decide if its building towards something special or just meandering around in search of a purpose. That has certainly been my reaction with his South Korean series, which is rolling out weekly after dropping a two-episode premiere this week. 

Inspired by the 12 zodiac animals of the East, Twelve tells the story of 12 angels living in the human world in human form to protect the Korean Peninsula. Centuries ago, the angels defeated evil demons and banished them to hell. And as the show opens, the angels are living as humans, running a fairly violent loansharking company that only loans money to criminals. Episode one is interesting enough, but it's not clear where the show is going. It isn't until the end of the episode that the demons make an appearance and even then, the two parts of the story feel disconnected.

The show has a murderers row of well-known Korean actors, including Ma Dong Seok, who American audiences have seen in the film Eternals. And there is a fair amount of interesting backstory in the first two episodes. But I'm still not sure if I really like the series or am just waiting to be surprised with some worthwhile payoff. I wouldn't recommend this show to just anyone (in part because it is subtitled and not dubbed), but if you're an adventurous fan of South Korean TV, it might be worth a try.

READER FEEDBACK
My observations in last night's newsletter about the overall terrible streaming video UI's garnered a lot of comments from readers and here are just some of them:

"I have the hardware Apple TV 4K device, and I really like the Apple TV (not TV+) interface (the leftmost icon on the main interface page). I'm currently streaming old episodes of series like The Avengers, Danger Man, The Saint, etc., across a number of different platforms (Prime, Pluto, etc.), and it remembers which series I'm watching, where I am in each episode I'm currently watching, the platform it's on, and so on. You can also search in it across all of your subscribed services. It's a great front end to all of the various different services/platforms."

"I have YouTube TV and I keep thinking that maybe it irritates me so because I'm just too old school/GEN X/cable-coded. It irks me to no end that I cannot quickly get somewhere (punch in a number to get to a channel), set a reminder (rather than record something and lose it in my extensive list of recordings), or record single or select episode(s) of a show (rather than every episode, and have to figure out the specific season/episode I wanted to watch.)"

"The new Netflix interface is really terrible. Seems to have incorporated all that is bad with others."

"I have the hardware Apple TV 4K device, and I really like the Apple TV (not TV+) interface (the leftmost icon on the main interface page). I'm currently streaming old episodes of series like The Avengers, Danger Man, The Saint, etc., across a number of different platforms (Prime, Pluto, etc.), and it remembers which series I'm watching, where I am in each episode I'm currently watching, the platform it's on, and so on. You can also search in it across all of your subscribed services. It's a great front end to all of the various different services/platforms."

ODDS AND SODS
* The two-part documentary Seen & Heard: The History Of Black Television will premiere Sunday, September 9th on HBO. Here is a first look at the trailer. And here is the official logline:" "Seen & Heard: The History Of Black Television takes audiences on a two-part journey through the history of Black representation on television, showcasing how Black artists and creators both shaped and revolutionized the medium while confronting the systemic challenges that have often undermined their contributions. From early stereotypical portrayals to today’s more authentic and complex narratives, the series highlights how Black television makers have not only survived but thrived, despite the industry’s early reluctance to fully recognize their power and creativity.

Through archival footage and interviews with major figures in the television industry and culture shapers, the documentary spotlights the trailblazers who paved the way, exploring complex narratives around race, identity, and cultural legacy. As each generation of Black television actors, writers, and creators built on the work of those before them, each voice became part of a lineage — responding to, reimagining, and reshaping Black storytelling on screen. Black writers and actors speak to their struggle for creative control, moving from token representation to truer, more complex portrayals and authorship. Black television has been, and continues to be, a ground-breaking force in the media, shaping culture, challenging norms, and redefining representation. The documentary also explores the business of Black television, its changing role in the media landscape, and its complex relationship to broader industry success."

* Season ten of The Real Housewives Of The Potomac will premiere Sunday, October 5th on Bravo. Two new housewives are joining the show: Tia Glover, a British-Nigerian luxury real estate advisor, and Angel Massie, an outdoor experiential curator.

* The BBC has licensed the first three seasons of Apple TV+ show Trying.

* The limited series Wayward will premiere out of the Toronto International Film Festival and will be available on Netflix on Thursday, September 25th. Here is a first look at the trailer and here is the very brief official logline: "Nothing is what it seems in Tall Pines. After an escape attempt from an academy for “troubled teens", two students join forces with a newly local police officer, unearthing the town's dark and deeply rooted secrets."

* The stand-up special Leanne Morgan: Unspeakable Things will premiere Tuesday, November 4th on Netflix.

* The docuseries premieres Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will premieres on Thursday, October 30th on Netflix. Here is a first video look at the docuseries. And here is the official logline: "Juan Gabriel taught us about love and heartbreak—a dreamer determined to succeed. After his passing, he left behind a personal archive that María José Cuevas has transformed into the documentary series Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will."

* ESPN has demoted Doris Burke from its NBA Finals team, replacing her with Tim Legler. Burke was on the finals team for two years an her current contract is set to expire after the upcoming season.

* The 2022 Lifetime movie that dramatized Gabby Petito's life and killing by her boyfriend was added to Netflix on Wednesday, reports What's On Netflix. But hours later, the movie was gone. No reason was given.

* Season three of The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives will premiere Thursday, November 13th on Hulu. The entire ten-episode season will receive a binge release.

* The three-part docuseries Cocaine Quarterback: Signal-Caller for the Cartel will premiere Thursday, September 25th on Prime Video.

* The four-episode comedic sketch series The Hospital premieres Wednesday, September 10th on BET. Here is a first look at the trailer. Here is the official logline: "The Hospital offers a "behind-the-scenes" look at what happens when you mix improv comedy with total medical negligence. This season is set inside the most incompetent medical facility in the country. Mostly improvised, the series is performed by KevOnStage Studios' favorite established and emerging comedic actors, stand-up comedians, and social media stars."

WHAT'S COMING THIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29TH:
* A Beach Red Murder (LMN)
* Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years After The Storm With Robin Roberts (ABC)
* KPopped Series Premiere (Apple TV+)
* Love Untangled (Netflix)
* Shape Island Season Premiere (Apple TV+)
* Two Graves Series Premiere (Netflix)
* Unknown Number: The High School Catfish (Netflix)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30TH:
* Catch Of The Day (Hallmark)
* Crossroad Springs Series Premiere (Great American Family)
* Iyanu: The Age Of Wonders (Cartoon Network)
* Terror In Trigonometry (Investigation Discovery)
* The Stepdaughter (Lifetime)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 31ST:
* Let The Devil In Series Premiere (MGM+)
* The Stepdaughter 2 (Lifetime)
* Timber Titans Season Premiere (Weather Channel)

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST:
* Ms. Rachel (Netflix)
* Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out Season Premiere (VH1)
* POV: Driver (PBS)
* Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin And Influence (Investigation Discovery)
* The Chrisleys: Back to Reality Series Premiere (Lifetime)
* The People Vs. Michael Jackson (A&E)
* The Runarounds Series Premiere (Prime Video)

SEE YOU ON SUNDAY NIGHT!