My Top Choices for August TV

Can you believe August TV is almost here? This year is moving along so quickly.

Just like the rest of this year so far, there are plenty of TV options to check out and enjoy on the major and cable networks as well as streaming throughout August. Whether it be new dramas set to debut, returning dramas coming back for more or dramas coming to an end for the season as well as more made-for-TV movies, there are a lot of viewing choices.

The following are my top picks for August:

THE START OF A NEW SEASON

These dramas will be back with new seasons throughout the month:

Titans on August 12 on HBO Max
Chesapeake Shores on August 15 at 9 PM on the Hallmark Channel
Coroner on August 19 at 8 PM on The CW

COMING TO AN END

This drama may be coming to an end for its debut season, but it’ll be back in the fall with its sophomore season:

Superman & Lois on August 17 at 9 PM on The CW

HELLO, WE’RE NEW HERE

The following dramas will be debuting in August:

Fantasy Island, the action-fantasy (no pun intended) drama that aired from 1977 to 1983, is getting a reboot on FOX on August 10 at 9 PM. This version will be a modern take on the series, but will still be set at a luxury resort where literally any fantasy requested by guests is fulfilled, although they rarely turn out as expected. Taking over the helm from her predecessor Mr. Roarke is Elena Roarke, who will be played by Roselyn Sanchez from Devious Maids and Grand Hotel).

Stephen Amell of Arrow-fame steps into a new role in the Starz drama Heels, which debuts on August 15 at 9 PM. The series is set in a close-knit Georgia community, following a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals – Jack Spade (Amell) and Ace Spade (Alexander Ludwig from Vikings) war over their late father’s legacy.

Also, there is a cool animated series called What If…? that will debut on Disney+ on August 11. This 10-episode series will turn the Marvel Universe on its head as it explores what would happen if major moments from the Marvel Cinematic Universe occurred differently, featuring a voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their roles along with Jeffrey Wright, who will narrate.

MOVIES, MOVIES, MOVIES

There are almost a dozen different movies set to air either on cable networks or via streaming services throughout August; some are family friendly, some are not; and one is a sequel (of sorts) to an almost turn-of-the-century “classic” teen flick.

Let me rundown the family friendly movies first, starting with the Hallmark Channel, UPtv and Apple TV+:

HALLMARK MOVIES

The 27-Hour Day on August 7 at 9 PM, starring Autumn Reeser and Andrew Walker
Sealed With a Kiss: Wedding March 6 on August 14 at 9 PM, starring Jack Wagner and Josie Bissett
A Little Daytime Drama on August 21 at 9 PM, starring Jen Lilley and Ryan Paevey
Sweet Pecan Summer on August 28 at 9 PM, starring Wes Brown and Christine Ko

UPtv MOVIES

Love Stories in Sunflower Valley on August 15 at 7 PM, starring Erin Cahill and Marcus Rosner
Love Upstream on August 22 at 7 PM, starring Kimberly-Sue Murray and Steve Lund
Love’s Match on August 29 at 7 PM, starring Megan Hutchings and Robin Dunne

The not so family-friendly movie, Sweet Girl, will debut on Netflix on August 20, starring Jason Momoa (Aquaman himself) as a devastated husband, who vows to bring justice to the people responsible for his wife’s death while protecting the only family he has left, his daughter (Isabela Merced from Dora and the Lost City of Gold). The ensemble cast includes Raza Jaffrey, Lex Scott Davis, Michael Raymond-James, Amy Brenneman, Adria Arjona, Justin Bartha, Regiie Lee and Marisa Tomei.

OTHER MOVIES

The movie Coda will debut on August 13 on Apple TV+. Set in Gloucester, Massachusetts, a culturally Deaf family runs a fishing business. Ruby (Emilia Jones from Locke & Key) is 17 years old and the only hearing family member; she helps her deaf parents (Troy Kotsur from The Number 23 and Oscar-winner Marlee Matlin) and brother Leo (Daniel Durant from Switched at Birth) with the business. In high school, she joins the choir club, where she is attracted to her duet partner and finds a passion for singing. Her choirmaster (Eugenio Derbez from Dora and the Lost City of Gold) encourages her to consider music school, and she has to decide between helping her family and pursuing her goal.

As for that “sort of” sequel teen flick, that would be the Netflix feature film He’s All That, which is set to debut on August 27. And, if you need a refresher, She’s All That came out in 1999, and while this movie isn’t based on any of the characters in that film, the overall tagline is similar but with a slight twist:  Padgett Sawyer (TikTok influencer Addison Rae) accepts a challenge to turn the school’s least popular boy, Cameron Kweller (Tanner Buchanan from Cobra Kai and Designated Survivor), into prom king, attempting to avenge herself following a humiliating fallout with her boyfriend. Th

NOTE: Rachael Leigh Cook, who was the lead in the original movie, will play Padgett’s mom.

Lastly, another teen-themed flick – The Kissing Booth 3 – the third and final movie in the Netflix franchise – will debut on August 11. This movie finds Elle Evans (Joey King), as she spends the summer after her high-school graduation at a beach house with her boyfriend, Noah (Jacob Elordi), and her best friend, Lee (Joel Courtney), who each want to go to college with her (at Harvard and Berkeley, respectively). Elle must choose one at the risk of alienating the other. 1980’s star Molly Ringwald returns as Lee’s mom.

Make sure to check out our full August TV calendar, focusing on dramas and movies, when it goes live tomorrow.