Journalists do more than write and edit—many of us also watch TV. A lot of it.
Partly, we need to stay on top of pop culture news: Who’s talking about abortion on TV? How many series feature queer protagonists these days? But we’re also just people who deal with a lot of bad news and need to shut off our minds at the end of the day.
So, if you need a brain break this summer, here are Rewire News Group’s picks for your summer viewing pleasure, from cleverly political series to reality TV and easy, late-night binges—including some beloved classics we’re rewatching with nostalgia-tinted glasses.
New(ish) releases
Hacks (HBO)
Not since Broad City and Fleabag has a show tickled me quite like this HBO series about a 70-something standup whose stale routine gets a fresh blast from a Gen Z comedy writer. I’m not alone: With 24 nominations, Hacks got more Emmy nods this year than any comedy show in history. There’s sisterhood, zingers, poignancy, social commentary, and of course Jean Smart’s fabulous sparkling pantsuits. This is Hacks’ fifth and final season, so catch it before it’s gone. -Catesby Holmes, Editorial Director
Not Suitable for Work (Hulu/Disney)
Mindy Kaling is back with a new show that feels like the Gen Z version of Friends, with a Kaling twist. Thankfully, I am far enough away from my first job that this feels like a comedy. The ensemble cast features Sue from Dickinson (Ella Hunt), Jay from Running Point (Jay Ellis), and Constance Wu. Blending the sharp wit from Kaling’s The Sex Lives of College Girls, and the tongue-in-cheek lens at nepotism and wealth from Running Point (also co-created by Kaling), this show is a snappy, relatable drama but that’s ultimately about friendships and finding your way in the world. (I have yet to finish it, so no spoilers!) -Diana Fraser, Head of Operations
Rooster (HBO)
In this comedy-drama, a father-daughter duo figure out how to navigate a new normal in the face of heartbreak. The first season (of hopefully many) premiered earlier this year. It’s a funny, at times tear-jerking, show that touches on universal themes we all have struggled with: unlearning old habits, finding community in unlikely places, and honoring the truest versions of ourselves—even when it’s hard or uncomfortable. -Cameron Oakes, Staff Editor
Widow’s Bay (Apple TV)
This one is a favorite for two of us. We differ on our affinity for the horror genre: Natasha is not a horror fan, but Contessa loves it (especially Southern Gothic). Widow’s Bay is a masterclass in the delicate beauty of the horror-comedy genre that is so unbelievably funny it appeals to both camps. The Apple TV original stars Matthew Rhys as the mayor of a rather dreary New England island called Widow’s Bay. Rhys’ character, Tom Loftis, desperately wants to turn the seemingly cursed island into the next Martha’s Vineyard. The show understands how to build and hold a plot twist. It’s strange, subtly supernatural, awesome, delightful, slightly scary, and fun. It reminds you that good acting still exists and that those character actors you’ve seen in other things deserve a turn in the spotlight. The brand-new show received 19 Emmy nominations this year. -Natasha Roy, Staff Editor, and Contessa Schexnayder, Audience and Marketing Director
The Other Bennet Sister (Britbox)
I was influenced to not only watch this show, but also subscribe to Britbox. I have zero regrets. Mary Bennet is the oft-overlooked middle sister in Pride and Prejudice and screenwriter Sarah Quintrell, who adapted Janice Hadlow’s 2020 novel of the same name, brings her to life as the most delightful and lively oddball. At her aunt’s invitation, Mary is freed from her narcissistic mother’s clutches and joins her aunt and uncle in London, where she finds her people. Mary is strongly autistic-coded, with a penchant for independence, and there’s period-accurate armpit hair to boot. I wish I could watch it for the very first time again—but at least I have a recently-announced, three-part Christmas special to look forward to! -D.F.
The Artful Dodger (Hulu/Disney)
Hulu found a way to cast Thomas Brodie-Sangster into a series I describe as Grey’s Anatomy meets Pirates of the Caribbean. It picks up with Oliver Twist’s “Dodger” 15 or so years later, where he’s now a Navy surgeon in Australia, finally living on the right side of the law. When his old pal Fagin pops up and reinserts hijinks and heists into his life, Dodger has to balance life-saving feats with surreptitious thievery for … good? Medical adventures and mishaps ensue, and a cast of comedic side-characters keep things bright and hilarious. Season 2 dropped this spring and is an utter romp. -D.F.
Classic sit-coms for ‘90s nostalgics
Frasier (Hulu/Disney)
Even though I adored Cheers, I abhorred this spinoff when it came out in the 1990s. Psychologist Frasier Crane and his brother Niles are condescending blowhards, and I found it painful to watch them sip their lattes and fumble their relationships. But adolescent me was missing the joke, as I learned when I recently stumbled into watching this series on a long flight. Of course the main characters are annoying—that’s the point. We’re meant to laugh both at and with the Cranes, and to sympathize with other characters who mock them incessantly. Frasier isn’t prestige TV, but it’s great for a light late-night chuckle. -C.H.
TV for trivia fans
Pop Culture Jeopardy! (Netflix)
My partner is a longtime fan of the original Jeopardy! and converted me through watching the various spinoffs, which all have their own unique pacing and humor. Host Colin Jost joins the famed Johnny Gilbert on a neon-ized Jeopardy! stage now fit for pairs. Contestants are competing for a $300,000 prize. Jost is a funny and capable host, and he leverages his sardonic Saturday Night Live humor in his delivery. “Pop culture” is an extremely broad category, but it also means the viewership stakes are low and there’s usually one fun fact in the clues you’ll enjoy. If you want to crush your local pop culture trivia night or just wind down before bed, this is a great show for you to turn your brain off while still learning something new. -D.F.
Reality TV escapes
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (Bravo/Peacock)
Before your eyes glaze over, hear me out: The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHOSLC) is, perhaps, the greatest television show ever made. I’m a longtime Real Housewives of New York fan, but RHOSLC managed to surpass it as my favorite of the Housewives shows. One of the relatively newer installments of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise, RHOSLC follows the Utah-based “housewives”—most of whom actually do have fairly impressive business ventures and careers, on top of being mothers—as they dismantle their Mormon upbringings, go on lavish vacations together, and argue over who has the most money. It’s a fascinating sociological study, and I’m not embarrassed to say that watching these women fumble in expressing their emotions has made me a better communicator. -N.R.
Jay & Pamela (TLC)
An amazing show that follows a couple with a rare bone disorder, this is such a refreshing reality show that doesn’t incite drama. They’re genuine people living their lives. My partner and I relate to them so much; it’s been such a gem of a show to encounter. -Cage Rivera, Senior Graphic Designer
Honorable mentions
- Dr. Who (AMC+)
- Leverage (Prime Video)
- Psych (Prime Video)
- A Woman of Substance (Prime Video)
- Just Shoot Me! (Hulu)
- The L Word (HBO)
- Couples Therapy (Showtime)
