The best summer TV: what to watch from The Bear to Emily in Paris

Summer, what summer? The warm months have thus far been a bit of a washout, but don’t despair: draw the curtains and reach for the remote instead.

Fortunately, it is a great season for TV. Not only are beloved shows returning – from The Bear to Emily in Paris – but there are some standout new titles to get excited about. From documentaries to fantastical escapism, here’s our pick of the best.

The Boys season 4

The delightfully irreverent, funny and extremely bloody series is back for more gory hijinks. With vicious senator Victoria Neuman out for power, and evil ‘supe’ Homelander killing people left, right and centre The Boys have a job on their hands to stop them. Funnier, darker and more bloody, strap in for another wild ride.

Prime Video, June 13

House of the Dragon season 2

Return to the world of Westeros in the second highly anticipated season of the Game of Thrones spinoff. After a first season stuffed with simmering tension, the battle for the Iron Throne is heating up. Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) are at each others’ throats, and when your weapon of choice is a 50-tonne dragon, things are bound to get fiery. Strap in.

Sky Atlantic and NOW, June 17

The Bear season 3

Yes Chef! The Bear blew audiences away last year (and the year before) with its frantic pace, complex characters and routine freakouts. Now, it’s back and things are getting even more stressful. Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) had just about managed to transform his dead brother’s sandwich shop into a high-end restaurant – now he’s got to keep it going. Can the team cut it as Michelin chefs – and do they even want to?

Disney+, June 27

Federer: Twelve Final Days

Everybody’s favourite headbanded former tennis player gets his Prime Video documentary. Shot during the last 12 days of his career, and featuring interviews with the man himself (as well as his nearest and dearest) it promises to be a must-watch for all fans fo the sport. Especially with Wimbledon just around the corner.

Prime Video, June 20

My Lady Jane

Likely the most bonkers thing to hit the small screen all year. Based on the beloved YA fantasy book, My Lady Jane reimagines the story of unlucky Lady Jane Grey, who reigned as queen for just nine days before being deposed by her cousin Queen Mary I. In this version of events, Jane lives in a world torn between two warring factions: those who can turn into animals and those who can’t. Let’s see if they can pull it off.

Prime Video, June 27

Supacell

What if five people from Peckham became superheroes? That’s the basic premise of this new Netflix series. Created by the multi-talented Rapman (who is, among other things, a rapper, music producer, scriptwriter and director) this is a very London-based story about Michael (Tosin Cole), who gains the ability to travel into the future. The only problem? He discovers that his girlfriend is going to die and to prevent it he needs to assemble a squad of supes. It’s odd, but gosh is it fun.

Netflix, June 27

Douglas is Cancelled

Fresh from winning the nation’s hearts in Paddington and Paddington 2, Hugh Bonneville now takes on the role of Douglas Bellowes, a news anchor who makes an ill-advised joke at a wedding and faces the dread prospect of cancellation. Karen Gillan plays his co-presenter, Alex Kingston his wife Sheila – and it’s written by Doctor Who and Sherlock’s Steven Moffat.

ITV, June 27

The Jetty

The BBC’s big summer release sees Jenna Coleman take on the role of the excellently named Ember Manning. She’s a rookie detective who has to figure out who’s to blame for a destructive fire in a scenic Lancashire lake town – but quickly discovers a case stretching back years, to an illicit and toxic love triangle between a man in his 20s and two underage girls.

BBC, July

Ibiza Narcos

The third instalment of the popular Narcos documentary series (not the Netflix drama) heads to the party island of Ibiza to uncover the grimy underbelly. That means examining its coming of age as a hotspot for teenage hedonism, and digging into the dangerous and lucrative drugs trade that, in turn, has made it a magnet for criminals.

Sky Documentaries, July

Mr Bigstuff

Danny Dyer? In a comedy? Sign us right up! The veteran geezer plays Lee, one of two estranged brothers (opposite Ryan Sampson’s Glen) who find themselves reconnecting when Lee rocks up after years apart. The series promises to examine fragile masculinity, manhood and carpet sales.

Sky Max, July

Lady in the Lake

Natalie Portman takes the lead in this new Apple TV+ show. She plays a Jewish housewife in 1960s Baltimore, who rebrands as a investigative journalist. Bright and breezy Mrs Maisel this isn’t; she quickly becomes sucked into a grimy murder case that puts everybody she knows in danger.

Apple TV+, July 19

Those About to Die

Calling all the Gladiator-heads: not content with watching Ridley Scott’s epic long-awaited sequel on the big screen this summer? Well, good news! Prime Video has sallied forth with a historical mega-epic series all about life as a gladiator in Ancient Rome. Set amid blatant corruption, chariot races, life and death battles and the building of the Colosseum, it promises spectacle galore. Even better, it stars Anthony Hopkins as Emperor Vespasian.

Prime Video, July 19

The Decameron

The Decameron, as in the 14th century book by Boccaccio? Indeed, but as it turns out, the themes of this ancient comedy are surprisingly modern. The premise: as the Black Death ravages Florence, a group of nobles escape to the country to wait it out with wine and orgies, before things take a predictably dark turn. It’s basically a lockdown thriller. Netflix have taken on the mammoth task of adapting this one for the small screen, so expect it to look lavish.

Netflix, July 25

Love is Blind UK

First, there was Buying London. Now, get ready for Love is Blind to make its UK debut, with couple Emma and Matt Willis hosting. The premise is the same: a group of lovelorn singletons must connect with each other via a series of dates… the only catch: they can’t see each other. Do they want to commit to a life together without ever having seen the other person’s face? The answer, usually, is hell no – but it’s still fun watching them try.

Netflix, August

Emily In Paris season 4, Part 1

She’s back, and hasn’t it been a while. Emily (Lily Collins) continues her frankly insane Parisian lifestyle in the latest series of the hit Netflix show, which of course means office politics, outfits that wouldn’t look out of place at the Oscars and love triangles galore. Given the drama of last season’s finale (Gabriel leaving his bride at the altar, Lucien breaking up with Emily) will she be able to find her happily ever after?

Netflix, August 15

Pachinko season 2

When it came out in 2022, Pachinko was acclaimed for its gorgeous cinematography and stunning performances; now, it’s back for another season. The first delved into the lives of the Korean Kim family, who move to Japan in search of a better life; expect to see their journey continue here from where it left off in 1923. Worth keeping the hankies handy for this one.

Apple TV+, August 23

Rings of Power season 2

It’s the summer of big-budget fantasy adaptations! Join Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and co as they set out to battle the dark lord Sauron once more. But really, aren’t we just here for the beauty of the whole thing? The Rings of Power series one was the most expensive ever made, so no wonder it looks gorgeous: think slow-mo shots over New Zealand, cute little proto-Hobbit villages and people with pointy ears looking very serious indeed.

Prime Video, August 29