Hey all – Steve here. More and more stuff is coming to Apple TV+ so it’s time for us to cover it! We will try to get to this weekly!
Luck – New Apple Original Film
From Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation, “Luck” centers around the story of Sam Greenfield (voiced by Eva Noblezada), the unluckiest person in the world. When she discovers the never-before-seen Land of Luck, Sam must unite with the magical creatures there to turn her luck around. When she ages out of foster care, Sam discovers the Land of Luck and embarks on a quest that could change her luck forever. Simon Pegg (“Mission: Impossible,” “Ice Age,” “Star Trek Beyond”) provides the voice for Bob, a lucky black cat from the Land of Luck, where the Captain, voiced by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner Whoopi Goldberg, stands guard as the head of security. Bob becomes Sam’s partner in the quest to find a lucky penny in hopes of preserving his lucky life.
Also starring is Flula Borg (“Suicide Squad 2,” “Pitch Perfect,” “Trolls World Tour”), who provides the voice for Jeff the Unicorn, a larger-than-life facilities engineer who maintains the magical machine that distributes good and bad luck to the human world and who dreams of one day being reunited with his one true love, the CEO of Good Luck, the Dragon, voiced by two-time Academy Award winner Jane Fonda. Lil Rel Howery (“Free Guy,” “Vacation Friends,” “Judas and the Black Messiah”) provides the voice for Marv, the owner of the Flowers & More store where Sam gets her first job, who is upbeat, sharply-dressed, and always ready with an encouraging word for unlucky Sam.
The magical and adventurous animated film is helmed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Peggy Holmes (“The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning”), from an original screenplay written by Kiel Murray (“Raya and the Last Dragon,” “Cars 3,” “Cars”), Jon Aibel and Glenn Berger (“Kung Fu Panda 2,” “Trolls”). John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and David Eisenmann are producing for Skydance Animation.
“Luck” makes its global debut this Friday, August 5 on Apple TV+.
Black Bird – Series finale
Starring Taron Egerton as ‘Jimmy Keene,’ Paul Walter Hauser as ‘Larry Hall,’ Greg Kinnear as ‘Brian Miller,’ Sepideh Moafi as ‘Lauren McCauley,’ and Ray Liotta as Jimmy Keene’s father, ‘Big Jim Keene,’ “Black Bird” is a six-episode psychological thriller inspired by actual events. When high school football hero and decorated policeman’s son, Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison, he is given the choice of a lifetime – enter a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), or stay where he is and serve his full sentence with no possibility of parole. Keene quickly realizes his only way out is to elicit a confession and find out where the bodies of several young girls are buried before Hall’s appeal goes through. But is this suspected killer telling the truth? Or is it just another tale from a serial liar? This dramatic and captivating story subverts the crime genre by enlisting the help of the very people put behind bars to solve its mysteries.
Developed and executive produced by Dennis Lehane, “Black Bird” is adapted from the true crime memoir “In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption” by James Keene and Hillel Levin.
In the highly anticipated series finale, “You Promised,” Jimmy reaches his breaking point. Larry becomes suspicious. McCauley and Miller talk to an important person in Larry’s life.
The sixth and final episode of “Black Bird” premieres this Friday.
Physical – season two finale
From creator, writer and executive producer Annie Weisman, season two of “Physical” finds our hero Sheila Rubin (Byrne) having successfully launched her first fitness video only to encounter some new and bigger obstacles on her path. She is torn between loyalty to her husband (Scovel) and the values he represents, and a dangerous attraction to someone else. And since she’s no longer the only game in town, she finds herself having to outrun some fierce new competitors on the road to building a full-fledged fitness empire.
In addition to Byrne, “Physical” stars Rory Scovel, Dierdre Friel, Della Saba, Lou Taylor Pucci and Paul Sparks. Joining the all-star ensemble cast for season two is Critics Choice Award-winner Murray Bartlett (“The White Lotus”) in the new role of “Vincent ‘Vinnie’ Green,” a charismatic fitness instructor, weight-loss guru, and pioneer of the late-night infomercial. apple.co/_Physical
In the season two finale, “Don’t You Say It’s Over,” with Sheila and Greta embarking on a new endeavor, Danny wants what he thinks he deserves.
The “Physical” season two finale premieres this Friday on Apple TV+.
Set in high-end San Francisco, “Surface,” stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw (“The Morning Show”) as Sophie, a woman who has suffered a traumatic head injury that has left her with extreme memory loss, believed to be a result of a suicide attempt. As Sophie embarks on a quest to put the pieces of her life back together with the help of her husband and friends, she begins to question whether or not the truth she is told is in fact the truth she has lived. Through twists and turns and a shocking love triangle, this sexy, elevated thriller asks: What if you woke up one day and didn’t know your own secrets? “Surface” is a story of self- discovery which contemplates if we are pre-programmed to become who we are, or if we choose our own identity.
The ensemble cast also includes Oliver Jackson-Cohen (“The Haunting of Hill House”), Stephan James (“If Beale Street Could Talk”), Ari Graynor (“I’m Dying Up Here”), Academy Award nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Secrets & Lies”), François Arnaud (“I Killed My Mother”) and Millie Brady (“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”).
In this week’s new episode, “Psychogenic,” Sophie pushes the boundaries of her recovery, hoping to excavate the secrets buried deep in her mind.
The fourth episode of “Surface” premieres this Friday, August 5 on Apple TV+.
Trying – New episode
After a dramatic end to season two, the eight-episode third season picks up with Nikki (BAFTA nominee Esther Smith) and Jason (SAG Award nominee Rafe Spall) waking up as new parents to two children they are still getting to know. Now they just have to keep hold of them, which proves to be trickier than they initially thought. Thrown straight into the parental deep end, Nikki and Jason’s relationships with each other and with their nearest and dearest are tested as they desperately try to navigate the ups and downs of parenting — while hanging onto their kids, and their sanity.
In addition to Smith and Spall, the season three cast includes Eden Togwell (as Princess), Mickey McAnulty (as Tyler), Oliver Chris (as Freddy), Sian Brooke (as Karen), Darren Boyd (as Scott) and Robyn Cara (as Jen). apple.co/_Trying
In this week’s new episode of “Trying” season three, “Little Steps,” planning Tyler’s birthday party proves tricker than Nikki and Jason expected— especially when Karen shares some difficult news.
Episode four of “Trying” season three premieres this on Apple TV+.
Loot – New episode
Recently renewed for a second season, “Loot” is a hit Apple original comedy series from creators Alan Yang (“Little America,” “Master of None”) and Matt Hubbard (“30 Rock,” “Forever”) that follows Molly (played by Maya Rudolph), a woman whose seemingly perfect life is upended after her husband leaves her with nothing but 87 billion dollars. In addition to Rudolph, the series stars an ensemble cast, including Michaela Jaé (Mj) Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Ron Funches, Nat Faxon and more.
Created, written and executive produced by Yang and Hubbard, “Loot” is also executive produced by Rudolph through her production company, Animal Pictures, with Natasha Lyonne and Danielle Renfrew Behrens also executive producing. Dave Becky of 3 Arts executive produces. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, serves as the studio.
In this week’s new episode, “Cahoga Lake,” The Wells Foundation team received exciting news from both Molly and Sofia. Nicholas gets a new opportunity.
The ninth episode of “Loot” premieres this on Friday on Apple TV+.
For All Mankind – new episode
Recently renewed for a fourth season, the third season of the alternate-reality series takes viewers to a new decade, moving into the early ‘90s with a high-octane race to a new planetary frontier: MARS. The Red Planet becomes the new front in the Space Race not only for the U.S. and the Soviet Union, but also an unexpected new entrant with a lot to prove and even more at stake. Our characters find themselves going head-to-head as their ambitions for Mars come into conflict and their loyalties are tested, creating a pressure cooker that builds to a climactic conclusion.
The ensemble cast returning for season three includes Joel Kinnaman, Shantel VanSanten, Jodi Balfour, Sonya Walger, Krys Marshall, Cynthy Wu, Casey Johnson, Coral Peña and Wrenn Schmidt, along with new series regular Edi Gathegi who will play ‘Dev Ayesa,’ a charismatic visionary with his sights set on the stars.
In this week’s new episode, “Coming Home,” plans to leave Mars are complicated by an unforeseen issue.
The ninth episode of “For All Mankind” season three premieres this Friday, August 5 on Apple TV+.