Between streaming and cable, viewers have a seemingly endless variety of things to watch. Here is a selection of TV shows and specials that are airing or streaming this week, Oct. 20-26. Details and times are subject to change.
An interfaith romantic comedy.
When the first season of “Nobody Wants This,” the series staring Kristen Bell as a frazzled but lovable podcast host and Adam Brody as a hot rabbi (think the same vibes as the hot priest from “Fleabag”) first aired, it was basically an overnight hit. It jumped to become one of Netflix’s most-watched programs and shortly thereafter was greenlit for Season 2 — which is coming out this week. Where the first season followed Noah (Brody) and Joanne (Bell) as they met, crushed on each other and navigated their different faiths and general approaches to life, the second season will continue to track their relationship and flesh out the lives of the supporting characters, including Morgan (Justine Lupe) and Sasha (Timothy Simons). And Brody’s real-life spouse, Leighton Meester, will guest star. Streaming Thursday on Netflix.
The criminal and the supernatural.
Most of the notorious serial killers we hear about seem to have been from the United States, and fictionalized accounts of their crimes are well represented on television. But that doesn’t mean these types of crimes weren’t happening abroad. The new four-part series “The Monster of Florence” provides a fictionalized retelling of the real investigation into seven double murders that were committed between 1974 and 1985 in Florence, Italy, targeting couples who were on lovers lanes or in secluded countryside areas. The perpetrator, and motive, remains unknown. Streaming Wednesday on Netflix.
The inner workings of organized crime groups are never calm, per se, but in Philadelphia, tensions really escalated in the 1990s after the arrest of the mob leader Nicky Scarfo, which led to a power void. From there, John Stanfa, who was chosen by New York’s Five Families to take over, found himself at odds with Joey Merlino, who was rising to power. The three-part documentary “Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia” explains the whole saga with the help of journalists and law enforcement officials who were around as everything played out. Streaming Wednesday on Netflix.
At this point, considering the success of the movies “It” and “It: Chapter 2” (the first film became the highest-grossing horror movie in the States), the image of Pennywise the child-eating clown is pretty much inescapable, whether we like it or not. Now, the villain will be coming to the small screen in the new series “It: Welcome to Derry.” Also based on the 1986 Stephen King book, this show acts as a prequel and tells the story of a couple who move to Derry, Maine, right when a young boy goes missing and things … probably don’t end well. New episodes will be dropping weekly. Streaming Sunday on HBO Max.
“Mayor of Kingstown,” the series that follows the McLusky family in Kingstown, Mich., where the only profitable industry is incarceration, is back for a fourth season this week. Season 3 ended with the eradication of the Russian mafia, so now new issues will be addressed — including an ensuing gang war and a new unruly prison warden that Mike (Jeremy Renner) has to contend with. Streaming Sunday on Paramount+.
Swapping wives and keeping up.
A documentary about Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) earlier this year told his side of the story when it comes to his involvement with the Kardashian family and his relationship with Kim Kardashian. Now the new (and seventh) season of “The Kardashians” is allowing the family to have its own say on the relationship. Additionally, the season will touch on the trial in Paris following the 2016 incident in which Kim was robbed at gunpoint; the television return of the family’s only brother, Robert Kardashian; and Kim finding out that someone close to her has “put a hit out” on her life. Streaming Thursday on Hulu.
In 2004, ABC premiered a show called “Wife Swap,” where two women temporarily traded homes and families — the first week, they followed instructions left by their counterpart on how to manage the house and parent the children, and the second week, they handled things how they wanted. (In one viral moment, a child who dubbed himself King Curtis had a world-class meltdown when he wasn’t allowed to have chicken nuggets for dinner.) Now, Bravo is putting its own spin on it with “Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition.” It’s pretty much what it sounds like: women who are famous from the network’s “Real Housewives” franchise trade places with non-famous moms and wives. The airing of the show was delayed one week and an episode featuring Wendy Osefo of “The Real Housewives of Potomac” was cut after she was booked this month on 16 criminal charges (seven of them felonies) on accusations of making false insurance claims. The remaining episodes feature Angie Katsanevas, Emily Simpson and Melissa Gorga will air. Tuesday at 9 p.m. on Bravo.
Shivani Gonzalez is a news assistant at The Times who writes a weekly TV column and contributes to a variety of sections.
The post ‘Nobody Wants This,’ Plus 6 Things to Watch on TV this Week appeared first on New York Times.
