Welcome back to Friday! By the way, these trailer roundups not only serve as a way to catch all the trailers that were released this week, it’s also a great way to remember what day it is during self-isolation. You’re welcome.
This week was pretty packed with new content—we’ve already highlighted Michelle Obama’s documentary and Tyler Perry’s male companion to Sistas, but wait, there’s more! Let’s get to it.
I May Destroy You (HBO; Release Date: June 2020 [exact date currently unknown])
First Impressions: First off, I’ve been thoroughly excited for Michaela Coel’s career since I first saw her in Chewing Gum. Coel is fearless in her comedic performances and channeling smart conversations about sexual agency. In this series, it looks like Coel will be exploring the topic of sexual consent and will, per the press release, navigate the differences between “liberation and exploitation.”
Basketball County: In the Water (Showtime; Release Date: May 15, 2020)
First Impressions: Following the success of professional basketball players Kevin Durant (who serves as an executive producer of this doc), Victor Oladipo, Michael Beasley, Markelle Fultz, Marissa Coleman, Jeff Green and Quinn Cook, Prince George’s (PG) County, Md. has come to be known as “the mecca of basketball” as its natives have “provided buckets for America.” As a fan of documentaries, I’m always intrigued to explore the roots of what makes a star...a star. What about their upbringing influenced their tenacity and strength? This doc seems to explore just that.
Homecoming (Amazon Prime Video; Season 2 Release Date: May 22, 2020)
First Impressions: Let’s get this out of the way—No, this is not affiliated with Beyoncé’s Homecoming. In fact, while the Netflix documentary brings pure joy, this series is shrouded in mystery, uneasiness and intrigue. Janelle Monáe is joining the sophomore season and is immediately thrust into some drama—her character (whose name we’re not aware of yet) wakes up in a rowboat with absolutely no memory of who she is and how she got there. Oh, shit.
The Last Laugh: A Celebration of Black Sitcoms (WalkGood Productions YouTube Page; Release Date: Available Now)
First Impressions: In 2015, Etienne Maurice filmed a documentary short as part of his senior thesis at Drexel University. Featuring interviews with black excellence such as Jackée Harry, Blair Underwood, Marla Gibbs, Sheryl Lee Ralph (who is Etienne’s mother!) and more, The Last Laugh will take us on a trip down memory lane during the golden age of the black sitcom renaissance. “I made this film at time when black comedies seemed to have faded away. Although progress has been made since I filmed this documentary, I still believe there are many more and varied stories to be told,” Etienne posted on his Instagram, hoping to provide some content to watch while we’re stuck under the stay-at-home order. I’ll be watching!
To Catch a Beautician (VH1; Release Date: May 25, 2020)
First Impressions: I remember the days of live-tweeting episodes of To Catch a Predator and this show’s title is clearly a riff off of that. Tamar Braxton and celebrity hair guru Johnny Wright have a mission to help folks with botched hairstyles confront the stylists who did their edges wrong. The failed beautician will then go through a hair boot camp as a method of redemption. Will Chris Hansen make a cameo? I guess we’ll see.
‘Til next week! Stay safe, wash your hands and let me know what you’re binging this weekend in the comments. In that order.
Update: Friday, 5/8/2020, at 10:59 p.m. ET: We’ve just received word from HBO via press release that Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You now has an official release date—June 7 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. Mark your calendars!