New TV releases in June make for a real party mix, from sports comedy and a standup special, to Marvel action and a Korean thriller’s last stand. These are the performances and shows to check out this month.
“Stick”
Series premiere June 4 on Apple TV+
Sure, we’ve seen the “grizzled veteran takes on a troubled phenom” formula in plenty of sports stories. But doesn’t that sound right up Owen Wilson’s alley? In “Stick,” Wilson brings his laconic style to the role of Pryce Cahill, a former pro golfer gone to seed who hitches his golf cart to Santi (Peter Dager, “Insidious: The Red Door”), a troubled teen prodigy. The premise plays to several of Wilson’s strengths: odd-couple chemistry (“Loki”), unlikely mentorship (“Drillbit Taylor”), and heartfelt comedy (any Wes Anderson movie). He and Dager will be joined by always-welcome actors Marc Maron (“GLOW”), Judy Greer (“Archer”), and Timothy Olyphant (“Justified”). Jason Keller, perhaps best known as a co-writer of “Ford v Ferrari,” is the show’s creator.
The 78th Annual Tony Awards
June 8 on CBS/Paramount+
Catch show-stopping performances on Broadway’s biggest night and take notes—or just enjoy all that talent on one stage. Cynthia Erivo, who won a Tony for best leading actress in a musical in 2016 for “The Color Purple,” will host the show live from Radio City Music Hall. This year’s buzziest nominees include Cole Escola (“Oh, Mary!”), Sarah Snook (“The Picture of Dorian Gray”), Audra McDonald (“Gypsy”), and Jonathan Groff (“Just in Time”). Plus, Harvey Fierstein (“Torch Song Trilogy”) will receive a lifetime achievement award.
The 78th Tony Awards: Full List of Nominees“FUBAR”
Season 2 premiere June 12 on Netflix
Critics didn’t exactly love the first season of this action-comedy, which stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Monica Barbaro as father-daughter CIA partners. There are a couple of good reasons to try the sophomore season, though. First: Barbaro is now an Oscar nominee thanks to her turn as folk icon Joan Baez in last year’s “A Complete Unknown,” and her achievement could have a trickle-down effect. Second: Carrie-Anne Moss. Best known as Trinity in “The Matrix” and its sequels, she’s coming aboard as Greta, a spy whom Luke (Schwarzenegger) knows from the old days. Moss will get to flex comedic timing, a German accent, and of course, action expertise. Fortune Feimster (“The Mindy Project”) and Travis Van Winkle (“The Last Ship”) costar. “FUBAR” was created by Nick Santora (“Reacher”).
Atsuko Okatsuka’s “Father”
Premieres June 13 on Hulu
Atsuko Okatsuka, one of Variety’s top 10 comics to watch in 2022, is back with a new hour-long special for Hulu. It’s a followup to the acclaimed “The Intruder,” her 2022 HBO special. Actors whose arsenals include standup comedy can take notes from Okatsuka. One of the most distinct comic voices working today, she effortlessly integrates her own life—including her immigration story and experiences as a Taiwanese American—into idiosyncratic, unpredictable performances. Plus, her colorful fashion game is always on point.
“Echo Valley”
Premieres June 13 on Apple TV+
Oscar winner Julianne Moore and Emmy nominee Sydney Sweeney (“Euphoria”) star in this Apple TV+ original movie directed by Michael Pearce (“Encounter”). Moore plays Kate, the exasperated mother of Sweeney’s Claire, who shows up on her mom’s doorstep frantic and covered in another person’s blood. The masterful Moore knows her way around a thorny mother-child dynamic—see projects like “When You Finish Saving the World,” “Carrie,” and “Mary & George.” Sweeney always has fun with a thriller, most recently in “Immaculate,” and if “Euphoria” proved anything, it’s that she knows how to deliver a memorable freak-out. Domhnall Gleeson (“Ex Machina”) costars.
“The Gilded Age”
Season 3 premiere June 22 on HBO/Max
Having Carrie Coon withdrawals after the finale of “The White Lotus”? Fear not. She’s back, and she’s wearing fabulous gowns. The third season of “The Gilded Age,” created by “Downton Abbey” boss Julian Fellowes, returns Coon to your Sunday night ritual as Bertha Russell, the new-money matron striving to break into New York society at the turn of the 20th century. This season promises shakeups, including domestic tension between haughty Agnes (Christine Baranski) and mousy Ada (Cynthia Nixon), wealthy sisters who couldn’t be more different. With guest stars like Nathan Lane, Andrea Martin, Audra McDonald, Leslie Uggams, and Phylicia Rashad, Season 3 will be a clinic in screen presence.
“Ironheart”
Series premiere June 24 on Disney+
With “Thunderbolts*” storming the box office, a Marvel-ous summer continues next with “Ironheart,” from showrunner Chinaka Hodge (“The Midnight Club”). Dominique Thorne reprises her role from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” as Riri Williams, the heroic engineering genius with an Iron Man–like knack for armor. More of Thorne’s spunky take on Riri is certainly welcome. “Ironheart” also introduces “Hamilton” star Anthony Ramos as villainous adversary the Hood. Usually, charismatic Ramos plays the valiant type, so don’t miss his stab at wickedness. Lyric Ross (“This Is Us”) and Alden Ehrenreich (“Solo: A Star Wars Story”) costar. Ryan Coogler, who’s still riding his “Sinners” box office high, executive produces.
“Smoke”
Series premiere June 27 on Apple TV+
Let’s give Jurnee Smollett her flowers. Since her childhood introduction to audiences on “Full House” and in “Eve’s Bayou,” she’s given consistently great performances across genres. Smollett’s headstrong characters lit up superhero flick “Birds of Prey,” football drama “Friday Night Lights,” and prestige horror “Lovecraft Country,” which earned her an Emmy nod. In crime drama “Smoke,” she stars as Michelle Calderone, a police detective teamed with an enigmatic investigator (Taron Egerton) to catch two serial arsonists. The stacked supporting cast includes Rafe Spall (“Trying”), Anna Chlumsky (“Veep”), Adina Porter (“American Horror Story”), Greg Kinnear (“Shining Vale”), and John Leguizamo (“Waco: The Aftermath”). Egerton also executive produces; Dennis Lehane created the series.
“Squid Game”
Final season premiere June 27 on Netflix
All good things come to an end. The third and final season of smash Korean thriller series “Squid Game” has arrived. Picking up after the second season’s cliffhanger ending, contestant Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) will make a last bid to overthrow sadistic gamemaster the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and end the titular atrocity for good. Netflix promises “deadlier games that test everyone’s resolve” and “increasingly grave consequences.” But we’re not just tuning in for the bloody spectacle: Lee Jung-jae previously won an Emmy and a SAG Award for his performance. Watch him work the game for the last time.
“Nautilus”
Series premiere June 29 on AMC/AMC+
This twist on Jules Verne’s classic novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” centers on infamous Captain Nemo, played here by Shazad Latif (“Star Trek: Discovery”). An Indian prince robbed of everything by colonial forces, Nemo and his band of outlaws steal a magnificent submarine and escape to the depths of the sea. The mission: revenge. Based on the trailer, Latif imbues the iconic role with swagger, cunning, and fury. Look out for guest spots from acting faves like Richard E. Grant (“Death of a Unicorn”) and Anna Torv (“The Last of Us”). The cast also includes Georgia Flood (“Apples Never Fall”), Céline Menville (“Emily in Paris”), and Thierry Frémont (“Liaison”).
