4 New Series Streaming in August You Won’t Want to Miss
August is coming. For those who somehow missed out on the cultural sensation that was Game of Thrones (GOT), that was, in fact, a play on one of its most popular lines. But you won’t have to wait until winter to watch the long-awaited GOT prequel series. House of the Dragon is just one of the new series debuting on streamers in August that you won’t want to miss. Keep reading for the rest of our top picks, which also offer some more light-hearted options to balance out your watchlist, as well as plenty of promising performances to anticipate.
This Fool
Fans of stand-up comic Chris Estrada, take note. The comedian co-created and wrote the upcoming Hulu series that was inspired by his life. Estrada also executive produces — alongside names like Fred Armisen and Jonathan Groff — the half-hour comedy set in South Central Los Angeles. It’s always a treat to see multi-hyphenates starring in their own projects, which oftentimes adds another layer to their performances. You can look forward to watching Estrada’s work in the lead role of Julio Lopez, a 30-year-old living at home who works at a gang rehabilitation non-profit called Hugs Not Thugs. If the name’s not enough of a comedic set-up, you can also anticipate the antics that ensue there as Julio butts heads with his older cousin Luis (Frankie Quinones), an ex-gang member who just moved in with Julio and his family after getting out of prison. Besides taking in the performances from Estrada and Quinones, you can also keep an eye out for Armisen, who makes an appearance in the series’ trailer. Plus, be on the lookout for Michelle Ortiz as Julio’s longtime, on-and-off girlfriend Maggie when This Fool premieres on Hulu comes August 12.
A League of Their Own
It’s going to be hard to top the Geena Davis and Tom Hanks-led classic that told the story of the women who formed the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during World War II when the nation’s stock of athletic young men was depleted. But the official press release from Prime Video promises its new iteration of A League of Their Own “evokes the joyful spirit” of its source material “while widening the lens to tell the story of an entire generation of women who dreamed of playing professional baseball.” You can anticipate watching an ensemble cast — led by Abbi Jacobson and Chanté Adams — tell the story anew, and the series’ trailer shows Nick Offerman in a coaching role that can easily be likened to the character Hanks originated in the 1992 feature. You can see all these performances and more when Prime Video drops A League of Their Own on August 12.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
This one is for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), as well as those just looking for a fun, lighthearted action show to round out their watchlists. You can enjoy Tatiana Maslany’s take on Jennifer Walters, the titular character who has to balance her life as a single, 30-something lawyer with her life as a 6-foot-7-inch superpowered hulk. The series’ trailer also previews some MCU veterans you can anticipate seeing, including Mark Ruffalo as Smart Hulk, Benedict Wong as Wong, and Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky. You can also take in performances from names like Jameela Jamil and Josh Segarra when She-Hulk: Attorney at Law starts streaming on Disney+ come August 17.
House of the Dragon
The wait is almost over for those counting down the days until HBO’s highly-anticipated prequel series arrives. House of the Dragon is based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood and takes place 200 years before the events of GOT. It tells the story of House Targaryen, and co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik shared a succinct summary of its premise with The Hollywood Reporter. “The main characters are two women and two men,” he explained. “There’s the king, his brother, the king’s daughter, and her best friend. Then the best friend becomes the king’s wife and thereby the queen.” To flesh that out a bit, Paddy Considine plays King Viserys Targaryen, Matt Smith portrays his brother Prince Daemon Targaryen, and Emma D’Arcy tackles the role of his daughter Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. Olivia Cooke can be seen as Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra’s best friend who marries her dad and becomes queen. You may expect nothing less than complicated love and family dynamics from a GOT prequel, and Sapochnik also promises a “gigantic battle between two sides” in the upcoming series. Its trailer hints at the latter while also displaying an impressive roster of additional cast members. For those planning to watch House of the Dragon upon its August 21 debut on HBO and HBO Max, be sure to also keep an eye out for names like Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans.
From a new comedy series that features a gang rehabilitation non-profit called Hugs Not Thugs to the upcoming GOT prequel series with all its action and drama, we’ve set you up for success when it comes to having a varied watchlist for the month of August. And between This Fool, A League of Their Own, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and House of the Dragon, you’ll also have plenty of propitious performances to take in.
