The apocalyptic event that is Finals Week is almost upon us, and after a very short and cold spring, summer is right around the corner. That means that summer TV season is here – and with a fresh round of new contenders in the ring alongside a few returning heavyweights, it’s sure to be a good one. Here’s a rundown of what will probably be the best series this season.
1. “Orange is The New Black” (Season 2)
Jenji Kohan’s hit comedy series returns to Netflix on June 6. The trailer teases the arrival of a new cellmate in the form of Vee (Lorraine Toussaint), the return of drug smuggler Alex Vause and main character Piper Chapman’s continued descent into violent insanity. There is no doubt that this will be awesome.
2. “Togetherness”
Cult indie directors Mark and Jay Duplass have always made wild card films, as far as quality is concerned, but with the support of HBO, the brothers responsible for “Cyrus” and “Jeff, Who Lives at Home” will produce one of the most interesting releases of the season. Not much is known about “Togetherness” except that the show will be about a pair of couples living together. Awkward indie hijinks will likely ensue. It’s the X-factor the brothers have that makes this such an anticipated show. Let’s just hope that this is more “Cyrus”-esque than “Jeff”-esque.
3. “Louie” (Season 4)
The last season of Louis C.K.’s cult comedy will begin on May 5. Season three took C.K. from crashing a motorcycle to almost drowning to trash-talking a dead man at his own funeral. These “Seinfeld”-esque antics are sure to escalate in the last few episodes of “Louie,” making it a must-watch for the summer season.
4. “The Leftovers”
On June 29, HBO will engineer the apocalypse — on TV, anyway. On “The Leftovers,” the world will effectively end, and anyone who isn’t presumably beamed up to heaven will be placed in a suburban neighborhood abandoned by the rest of humanity. The show will feature star power in the form of Liv Tyler (“Lord of the Rings”), Amy Brenneman (“Judging Amy”) and Christopher Eccleston (“Doctor Who”), and its fresh new perspective on an old, touchy scenario will make it worth an initial watch.
5. “The Maya Rudolph Show”
As one of the funniest people in the business, it’s astounding that Maya Rudolph hasn’t yet hosted her own show. On May 19, NBC will finally give her a chance to do so. “The Maya Rudolph Show” is currently slated for a single-episode release, but the success of Rudolph’s variety hour will likely mean a full season’s worth of material for Rudolph. Rudolph will be joined on-stage with the likes of Kristen Bell, Fred Armisen, Chris Parnell, Andy Samberg and Janelle Monáe, among others. For fans of SNL, this will be impossible to miss.