1. “The Sandman” Season 1 (available August 5)
Developed by: Neil Gaiman & David S. Goyer & Allan Heinberg
Cast: Tom Sturridge, Boyd Holbrook, Patton Oswalt, Vivienne Acheampong, Gwendoline Christie, Charles Dance, Jenna Coleman, David Thewlis, Stephen Fry, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park
Format: Series
Length: Season 1: 10 hourlong episodes
Best Reason to Watch: Prior to today, Neil Gaiman, the outspoken author behind previous book-to-screen adaptations of “Coraline,” “Stardust,” “American Gods,” and “Good Omens,” has said that his main responsibility to his award-winning 1989 comic book series was “to try and stop bad [adaptations] from happening.” Insofar as this is the first “Sandman” to be seen on screen, he succeeded. And to match his faith in the Netflix series, he’s not just attached as a producer, but a writer and co-developer, as well. Audiences will be able to determine if his devotion and protection pay off when the 10-episode first season debuts this August, and the Master of Dreams (played by Tom Sturridge) makes his debut.
After being held prisoner for a century, the Sandman, who shapes our deepest fears and fantasies while we sleep, returns to the dreaming and waking worlds that have been thrown into chaos. His only recourse is to cross timelines in order to correct the mistakes he’s made and restore what order he can, with the help of old friends and foes alike, both cosmic and human. Patton Oswalt co-stars as Dream’s trusted emissary, Matthew the Raven; Gwendoline Christie plays the ruler of Hell, Lucifer; and Kirby Howell-Baptiste embodies Death — Dream’s wiser, nicer, and much more sensible sister. For those who fell under Gaiman’s spell before, “The Sandman” will have to match the heavy hype surrounding its long-awaited release. But for those unconvinced by “American Gods” and “Good Omens,” the question lingers if the fantasy author’s work makes a good fit for TV, or if it’s best kept on the page.
2. “Untold” Volume 2 (available August 16)
Manti Te’o in “Untold”
Courtesy of Netflix
Developed by: Chapman and Maclain Way
Format: Documentary series
Length: Four films, feature-length (released weekly)
Best Reason to Watch: Volume 1 is great! For the uninitiated, “Untold” is a sports documentary series that digs into highly publicized events to get deeper truths, fresh perspectives, and a better understanding of what really went down. Created by Chapman and Maclain Way (the brothers behind “Wild Wild Country” and “The Battered Bastards of Baseball”), the first batch of feature-length documentary entries focused on ex-NBA star Metta Sandiford-Artest (“Malice at the Palace”), boxer Christy Martin (“Deal with the Devil”), and Olympic athlete Caitlyn Jenner (“Caitlyn Jenner”), among other stories. Now, the team has reassembled for Volume 2, which kicks off with the two-part Manti Te’o doc, “The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist.” “The Rise and Fall of AND1” premieres the following week (August 23), with “Operation Flagrant Foul” (about NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s gambling scandal) and “Race of the Century” (a chronicle of the 1983 America’s Cup) in subsequent weeks.
3. “Never Have I Ever” Season 3 (available August 12)
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Darren Barnet in “Never Have I Ever”
Lara Solanki / Netflix
Creator: Mindy Kaling
Showrunner: Lang Fisher
Cast: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Darren Barnet, Jaren Lewison, Richa Moorjani, John McEnroe
Format: Series
Length: Season 3: 10 half-hour episodes
Best Reason to Watch: Take your pick: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is an ebullient, exciting lead who’s worth watching on her own, but the surrounding show offers a bounty of colorful characters and clever storytelling. “Never Have I Ever” burst onto the TV scene back in 2020, as the half-hour comedy about Devi (Ramakrishnan) and her high school drama earned immediate acclaim and plenty of fans. Now, after an emotional Season 2 finale, the love triangle between Devi, Paxton (Darren Barnet), and Ben (Jaren Lewison) remains as unresolved as ever; Fabiola (Lee Rodriguez) and Eve (Christina Kartchner) are basking in their post-proclamation of love; Kamala’s (Richa Moorjani) future is suddenly up in the air, along with plenty more questions for the strong ensemble. If you haven’t caught up on the whip-smart and fast-paced teen comedy, now’s a good time to jump onboard; Netflix has already renewed “Never Have I Ever” for a fourth and final season, expected next year.
4. “Lost Ollie” (available August 24)
“Lost Ollie”
COURTESY OF NETFLIX
Showrunner: Shannon Tindle
Cast: Jonathan Groff, Mary J. Blige, Tim Blake Nelson, Gina Rodriguez, Jake Johnson
Format: Limited Series
Length: Four hourlong episodes
Best Reason to Watch: A lost toy goes on an epic adventure to reunite with the boy who lost him? No, this isn’t a surprise entry in the “Toy Story” franchise. The four-episode limited series is adapted from William Joyce’s 2015 children’s book “Ollie’s Odyssey,” but the most exciting aspect of the Netflix project isn’t its source material or similar-sounding Pixar projects; it’s Shannon Tindle, who wrote the story and contributed to the character design of Laika Entertainment’s extraordinary 2016 film, “Kubo and the Two Strings.” Tindle serves as creator, writer, and executive producer on “Lost Ollie,” which not only features Jonathan Groff, Mary J. Blige, and Tim Blake Nelson among its voice cast, but also looks to be one of the cutest TV shows of 2022. How can you say no to that face? And with such enticing creative auspices, there may be no reason to.
5. “Mo” (available August 24)
“Mo”
Rebecca Brenneman / Netflix
Creators/EPs: Mohammed “Mo” Amer, Ramy Youssef
Cast: Mo Amer, Teresa Ruiz, Farah Bsieso, Omar Elba, Tobe Nwigwe
Format: Series
Length: Season 1: eight half-hour episodes
Best Reason to Watch: Ramy Youssef may only have one TV show under his belt so far (give him time, he’s only 31), but “Ramy” is the kind of show that makes you sit up and pay attention to whatever comes next. “Mo” is next. Co-created and produced by Youssef, the half-hour comedy is co-created, produced, and stars his “Ramy” co-star Mohammed “Mo” Amer, who plays a Palestinian refugee still waiting to obtain his U.S. citizenship, along with his mother, sister, and older brother. Living in Houston, TX, the family tries to laugh away their pain and fears as they adjust to their new surroundings. Given the creative partnership, structure, format, and tonal balance between drama and comedy, “Mo” very much looks to do for Amer what “Ramy” did for Youssef — and that’s very much worth checking out.
6. “Echoes” (available August 19)
Michelle Monaghan and Matt Bomer in “Echoes”
Jackson Lee Davis / Netflix
Creator/EP: Vanessa Gazy
Cast: Michelle Monaghan, Matt Bomer, Daniel Sunjata, Ali Stroker, Karen Robinson, Jonathan Tucker
Format: Limited Series
Length: Seven hourlong episodes
Best Reason to Watch: Michelle Monaghan (“Gone Baby Gone”) plays twins in a mystery-thriller co-starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Tucker — so that’s at least four reasons to watch right there. Monaghan is a talented lead. Bomer is always fascinating, especially in darker stories (like “The Sinner”). Jonathan Tucker is a top talent who can elevate a supporting role like few others out there. And then you’ve got the undeniable math between the genre and one plot point: mystery-thriller + twins = crazy twists. Even the synopsis — which promises that Monaghan’s two characters, Leni and Gina, “share a dangerous secret” — isn’t hiding just how wild “Echoes” is bound to get. So grab a drink, plant yourself on the couch, and prepare to be entertained.
7. “Delhi Crime” Season 2 (available in August)
“Delhi Crime”
Aditya Kapoor / Netflix
Creator/EP: Richie Mehta
Cast: Shefali Shah
Format: Series
Length: Season 2 episode count and length is TBA
Best Reason to Watch: It’s been three years since “Delhi Crime” premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival (then titled “Delhi Crime Story”), which means creator Richie Mehta has had ample time to craft a worthy follow-up to his intense, absorbing, true crime debut. What little we know about the Indian program, which won an International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series, is contained in the summary provided by Netflix: “When a chain of distinctly grisly murders suggests the return of a feared criminal gang, DCP Vartika heads the case under media and public pressure.” That means Shefali Shah is back as the determined lead investigator, and she’ll have to stomach another gruesome inquest in order to protect the city around her. Fans of the genre should be sure to check this one out, while more casual viewers should be warned: “Delhi Crime” is an unnerving affair. Steel yourself, accordingly.
The Rest of Incoming TV
“Partner Track” (available in August)
“Pawn Stars” Season 13 (available August 1)
“Polly Pocket: Tiny Taste” Season 4, Part 2 (available August 1)
“Top Gear” Seasons 29-30 (available August 1)
“Clusterf**k: Woodstock ’99” (available August 3)
“Good Morning, Verônica” Season 2 (available August 3)
“Lady Tamara” (available August 4)
“Riverdale” Season 6 (available August 7)
“Team Zenko Go” Season 2 (available August 8)
“Indian Matchmaking” Season 2 (available August 10)
“Instant Dream Home” (available August 10)
“Iron Chef Brazil” (available August 10)
“Locke & Key” Season 3 (available August 10)
“School Tales The Series” (available August 10)
“DOTA: Dragon’s Blood” Book 3 (available August 11)
“A Model Family” (available August 12)
“Ancient Aliens” Season 4 (available August 15)
“High Heat” (available August 17)
“Junior Baking Show” Season 6 (available August 17)
“Unsuspicious” (available August 17)
“He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” Season 3 (available August 18)
“The Cuphead Show!” Part 2 (available August 19)
“The Girl in the Mirror (Alma)” (available August 19)
“Glow Up” Season 4 (available August 19)
“Kleo” (available August 19)
“Chad and JT Go Deep” (available August 23)
“Queer Eye: Brazil” (available August 24)
“Selling the OC” (available August 24)
“Under Fire” (available August 24)
“Angry Bird: Summer Madness” Season 3 (available August 25)
“History 101” Season 2 (available August 25)
“Drive Hard: The Maloof Way” (available August 26)
“Ludik” (available August 26)
“Mighty Express” Season 7 (available August 29)
“I Am a Killer” Season 3 (available August 30)
“Family Secrets” (available August 31)
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