Superhero adventures, political intrigues, gangland drama and dystopian futures are among the best picks from the platforms to get your summer sizzling
1. Borgen (Netflix)
Fans of one of the leading political dramas of our time can start celebrating, because in just two days, Borgen returns to the small screen after an absence of nine years. The fourth season is presented by Netflix, which partnered with Danish broadcaster DR to make the return of this show possible. As for the plot, Prime Minister Birgitte Nyborg – played by who else but Sidse Babet Knudsen – is back in the upper echelons of power. Her character will continue to seek a balance between the pressure of her position and family stability, in a return expected to be warmly welcomed by audiences.
2. The Boys (Prime Video)
On June 3, The Boys, one of the goriest, wildest and most satirical superhero series ever, will be back for a final run on Prime Video. The past season ended in a way that turns out to have been more complicated than it seemed in regard to Homelander, who is perhaps the show’s most hated character. Meanwhile, someone guaranteed to appear in this re-encounter with these ruthless characters is Supernatural‘s Jensen Ackles in the role of Soldier Boy, the original superhero who fought in World War II and is sort of The Boys’ take on one of that staple of American culture, Captain America. Blood, explosions and a lot of black humor are once again in the mix in this long-awaited new installment.
3. Irma Vep (HBO Max)
On June 7, HBO Max will release the first episodes of a very special series in which French filmmaker Olivier Assayas revisits one of his best movies, the homonymous Irma Vep, in an adaptation made for streaming. His original film, starring Maggie Cheung, which was itself a remake, focused on the making of the classic French serial Les Vampires, by Louis Feuillade. In this second foray, which premiered at the latest edition of the Cannes Film Festival, the director has entrusted Alicia Vikander with the leading role in this 8-episode production that will see her character arrive from the United States to play Irma Vep, Les Vampires’ sinister star.
4. Ms. Marvel (Disney+)
The very next day, the Marvel factory will be back with a bang, this time with teenage viewers as its target. This show follows Ms. Marvel, a young Muslim American by the name of Kamala Khan, who is an avid gamer and total superhero fangirl, especially when it comes to Captain Marvel. Her character seems to embody the kind of kids’ alter ego every viewer has inside, until she discovers she actually has superpowers very similar to the characters she idolizes. Young actress Iman Vellani has the lead role, under the direction of showrunner and comedian Bisha K. Ali.
5. Peaky Blinders (Netflix)
Netflix is to finally reveal the fate of the Shelbys, the most famous mafia family in the United Kingdom and also of television today. The sixth and final season of Peaky Blinders, coming on June 10, will need to resolve plenty of problems revolving around Tommy Shelby, the head of both the family and the gang. Political shenanigans, old alliances and a series of fateful events will intersect to deliver a thrilling and shocking ending, with Cillian Murphy and Anya Taylor-Joy continuing to be two of the main attractions. When they’ve watched the very last episode, viewers will nevertheless still have more to look forward to, with an upcoming film that will act as the saga’s official final chapter.
6. For All Mankind (Apple TV+)
Contemporary science fiction is lifted to a new level with the third season of For All Mankind, which premieres June 10 on Apple TV+. From gangsters in the early twentieth century we move to outer space, because, if anyone needs reminding, this is a series that imagines what might have happened if the space race had never ended. The first two seasons show the rivalry between the Soviet and American space programs, which are wrestling for control of the moon and its resources. This season, however, set in an alternate 1990s, will focus on the planet Mars. The ensemble cast returns in full, including Joel Kinnaman, Shantel VanSanten and Sonya Walger.
7. Paraíso (Movistar+)
On the 16th it will be time to start the farewell to Paraíso, which will wrap up at the end of its second season. As with the first, it will land on Movistar +, in association with The Mediapro Studio. Three years have passed since the events that occurred in the first season, and another group of Undead, the Novavis, appears in Alzamora, with the objective of destroying the town in order to regenerate. However, they will have to contend with Javi and his gang, who will also have to face up to themselves and their secrets. The series will remain faithful to its mix of fantasy, comedy and romance, with Macarena García leading the cast and Fernando González Molina as director.
8. Money Heist: Korea (Netflix)
For those still longing for more after the hugely successful Spanish series Money Heist came to a close, now there’s a remake, onlythis time with a South Korean stamp on it. With hits like Squid Game, the South Korean audiovisual industry has found a major showcase in Netflix, where Money Heist: Korea will be available from the 24th. The storyline is expected to develop along similar lines to its forerunner, with the hatching of a heist involving hostages that subjects the characters to some very complicated challenges. Álex Pina, creator of the original series, participates in this remake as executive producer, with Ryu Yong-jae as screenwriter and Kim Hong-sun as director.
9. Westworld (HBO Max)
Another of the highlights on HBO Max this June is the series Westworld, written by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who are back for this fourth season. Available from June 27, it promises a dizzying pace, the discovery of new worlds and tons of tiny details and plot twists hard to make sense of upon a first viewing. The series, which drew upon Westworld the film, has from the start been known for its complicated storyline and series of parallel plots making viewing fascinatingly confusing. This season sees the return of the trio comprised of Maeve, Dolores and Caleb – played by Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton and Aaron Paul – who are on a quest to understand the implications of the “Sublime” and above all the mystery that continues to surround the Gunslinger, played by Ed Harris.
10. Atlanta (Disney+)
At the end of the month, namely on the 29th, also making its comeback is Atlanta, singer and actor Donald Glover’s hit series. Tackling issues facing African-Americans in post-Trump America, the show is set in an Atlanta town where two characters are trying to break into the world of rap and start to experience the downside of success, fame, with differing views on art versus commerce. A series that is the order of the day but not uninspired, at least that was the case with the first two seasons. Disney+ will release the third season in full, which boasts the same cast and has garnered excellent reviews in the United States.
