The 15 TV shows we’re excited about this summer

If gas prices have you second-guessing a road trip this summer, this season’s crop of television series can transport you to distant lands, real and imagined, for a much lower price. Visit the American frontier, 1930s New York and the mountains of Europe. And get a glimpse of dragons, superheroes, airbenders and pro athletes while you’re at it. Either way, you’ll have an escape this summer, and that’s something we could all use these days.

‘Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed’ (May 20, Apple TV)

Tatiana Maslany in Apple TV’s “Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.”

(Zach Dilgard / Apple)

The title of Apple TV’s upcoming series may literally refer to the kind of webcam site that has become the hottest narrative device going (see also “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”) but spiritually, it’s the inevitable promise of anything starring Tatiana Maslany. Here the “Orphan Black” and ”She-Hulk” star plays Paula, a soccer mom and magazine fact-checker (talk about a throwback!) who, in the midst of an acrimonious divorce from Karl (Jake Johnson), finds comfort from a laptop Lothario. After she witnesses a vicious attack on him mid-session, Paula embarks on an investigation to find him and the perpetrator. Needless to say, it all becomes far more complicated than she initially fears, and before you can say “girl, what are you even doing?” she is dodging both criminals and the NYPD (mostly in the form of a scene-stealing Dolly De Leon as Det. Sofia Gonzalez) on a modern-day hero’s journey. Paula may be a bit of a mess (and no one does mess better than Maslany), but as a darkly funny and emotionally authentic thriller, “Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed” appears quite prepared to deliver on its titular promise. — Mary McNamara

‘Spider-Noir’ (May 25, MGM+; May 27, Prime Video)

Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly in Prime Video’s “Spider-Noir.”

(Prime)

Why is it that series adaptations of comic books feel so much more satisfying than their film counterparts? I like to think it’s because we get to immerse ourselves for hours in the worlds of these characters, who often have grounded stories that make a superhero more like an everyman. In “Spider-Noir,” based on the Marvel comic “Spider-Man Noir,” we’re transported to an alternate universe set in 1930s New York. Our everyman is Ben Reilly — played by the incomparable Nicolas Cage, making his live-action television debut — a private investigator who moonlights as the city’s only superhero, the Spider. After a tragedy, he hangs up his mask, but circumstances change and he has to become the Spider once more. The series is replete with talent, including Lamorne Morris (“Fargo,” “New Girl”), Brendan Gleeson (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), Li Jun Li (“Sinners”) and Karen Rodriguez (“The Hunting Wives”). To further immerse you in the noir setting, the series is being released in both black and white and color. You’re going to want to watch it both ways. — Maira Garcia

‘The Four Seasons’ Season 2 (May 28, Netflix)

Tina Fey as Kate and Colman Domingo as Danny in Season 2 of Netflix’s “The Four Seasons.”

(Emily V. Aragones / Netflix)

Navigating the loss of a friend can be a long and winding journey. But this group of friends is hiking through their grief — at least temporarily. The comedy that reimagines Alan Alda’s ’80s film of the same name returns for its second season and its tight-knit group of friends — portrayed by Tina Fey (Kate), Will Forte (Jack), Kerri Kenney-Silver (Anne), Colman Domingo (Danny) and Marco Calvani (Claude) — are mourning their longtime pal Nick (Steve Carell). His death came at a transitional moment, as he had recently split from his wife, Anne, and was expecting a baby with his girlfriend Ginny (Erika Henningsen). The stress and emotional aftermath they’re each facing is a tightrope walk … with an incline. Things pick up in the spring with Jack, whose coping mechanism takes the form of a health and fitness kick, trying to rally the uneager group through a series of hikes as they look for the perfect spot to scatter Nick’s ashes. It sets them on a path of miscommunication, tension and hilarity as their relationships shift each time they reconnect. Fey, who co-created the series with fellow writer-producers Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield, also directs this season, as does Domingo. — Yvonne Villarreal

‘Cape Fear’ (June 5, Apple TV)

Javier Bardem as Max Cady in Apple TV’s limited series “Cape Fear.”

(Apple)

Comparing the chill factor of the two film versions of “Cape Fear” — the 1962 movie starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum, or the 1991 remake starring Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte — could spark a lively debate. Both depict the story of an attorney and family being stalked by a violent psychopath. Now, a new version on Apple TV will take on the story in a limited series featuring Amy Adams, Patrick Wilson and Javier Bardem as the revenge-obsessed criminal Max Cady. Bardem already proved with his Oscar-winning portrayal of the stun-gun-toting maniac in “No Country for Old Men” that he has a mesmerizing power in playing sinister characters. Another plus is the involvement of two executive producers — Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese, who directed the 1991 film. Be afraid. Be very afraid. — Greg Braxton

‘I Will Find You’ (June 18, Netflix)

Britt Lower and Sam Worthington in Netflix’s “I Will Find You.”

(Netflix)

Britt Lower portraying a former journalist? Show me the way. This is yet another Harlan Coben adaptation keeping the streamer’s shelves stocked — joining “Caught,” “Fool Me Once,” “Gone for Good,” “Just One Look,” “The Innocent,” “Missing You,” “Run Away,” “Safe,” “The Stranger” and “The Woods” (go ahead, take a mental breath). The thriller stars Sam Worthington as David Burroughs, an imprisoned father wrongfully convicted of murdering his son. But a life sentence won’t stop a desperate father. When his ex-sister-in-law Rachel Mills (Lower), a recovering reporter in search of a comeback, discovers bombshell proof that the child might still be alive, it sets off a harrowing prison break in search of the truth. But can he evade capture long enough to succeed? And will he subscribe to a news outlet to keep investigative work like Rachel’s alive and well? Let’s hope. The series also stars Milo Ventimiglia, Logan Browning, Chi McBride, Erin Richards and Jonathan Tucker. — Y.V.

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 (June 21, HBO)

Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy in Season 3 of HBO’s “House of the Dragon.”

(Theo Whiteman / HBO)

It’s been nearly two years since the Season 2 finale of “House of the Dragon,” so no one will blame you if you can’t quite remember where things left off (time to dust off those recaps). What I can recall is that Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Daemon (Matt Smith) are finally on the same page, with the latter having sworn fealty to the queen after a visit to a weirwood tree that shows him the future (including the future dragon queen Daenerys). We also see Rhaenyra reject Alicent’s (Olivia Cooke) surrender in exchange for the safety of her family, which can only mean one thing: war is coming. And after glimpsing the Season 3 trailer released late last month, you can bet your dragon it’s going to be a series of epic, bloody battles. — M.G.

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Season 2 (June 25, Netflix)

Kiawentiio Tarbell, Ian Ousley, Gordan Cormier and Miya Cech in Season 2 of Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”

(Katie Yu / Netflix)

Long ago — more than two years, when the first season of the live-action “Avatar: The Last Airbender” premiered, that is — a young Air Nomad named Aang (Gordon Cormier) awoke from an inadvertent hibernation to discover his world had massively changed in the 100 years he was frozen in ice. He then embarked on a journey with new friends Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley) in order to master the rest of the elements and save the world. An adaptation of an acclaimed animated series, “ATLA” Season 2 will see Team Avatar seeking out an earthbending teacher for Aang now that he’s added waterbending to his repertoire. Those familiar with the original show know this teacher will be Toph Beifong (Miya Cech). A brash and confident young earthbending prodigy, Toph moonlights as a champion fighter called the Blind Bandit, unbeknownst to her overprotective upper-class parents who think their little girl is helpless. On top of adding Toph to their ranks, Aang and his gang will also be working to enlist more allies in the war being waged by the Fire Nation. The series has already been renewed for a third season. — Tracy Brown

‘Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness’ (June 26, HBO)

Larry David in HBO’s “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness.”

(John Johnson / HBO)

Subtitled “An Almost History of America” and arriving on the eve of the nation’s semiquincentennial, this seven-episode sketch comedy comes from Larry David, television’s great luckless crank, and Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions. (“I’ve sat across the table from some of the world’s most difficult leaders and wrestled with some of our most intractable problems,” said the former president, whose comedy game is strong and who is slated to appear, in a statement. “Nothing has prepared me for working with Larry David.”) Actors dressing up in period clothes and personae include Bill Hader and Kathryn Hahn as Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, Jon Hamm and Sean Hayes as the Wright brothers, and David reuniting with Jerry Seinfeld as explorers Lewis and Clark, with Jeff Garlin, J.B. Smoove and Susie Essman in from “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” (The only clip available as of this writing has David, in wig and mustache, as a citizen attacked as a Nazi and pervert after he kisses a nurse in a Times Square celebration on V-J Day — very Larry.) Given the tenor of the times, this may be the most appropriate way to mark this national anniversary. — Robert Lloyd

‘Little House on the Prairie’ (July 9, Netflix)

Alice Halsey as Laura Ingalls, left, Crosby Fitzgerald as Caroline Ingalls and Skywalker Hughes as Mary Ingalls in Netflix’s “Little House on the Prairie.”

(Eric Zachanowich / Netflix)

Fans of the “Little House on the Prairie” books may find lots of nits to pick with the new Netflix series of the same name — Jack is not a brindle bulldog, Mary (Skywalker Hughes) is not blond and Mr. Edwards (Warren Christie) is far more troubled. But where most of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books were seen through the eyes of a child, and written for children, this series, run by executive producer Rebecca Sonnenshine, offers a more adult understanding of the late-19th century American West. Laura (Alice Halsey) remains the central character, but the adults are given more complex personalities and backstories, including damage done by the recently ended Civil War and tensions between white settlers, drawn by the government’s promise of “free land,” and the Native Americans who have lived there for generations. Though far from gritty, and gorgeously shot, this “Little House on the Prairie” may better contextualize the Ingalls’ lives than did the original 1974 hit, but it revolves around a similar celebration of family, community and the importance of hope. Charles “Pa” Ingalls (Luke Bracey) remains as a fiddle-playing hero, while Caroline “Ma” Ingalls (Crosby Fitzgerald) comes into her own as a more feisty and powerful character than even the books allowed. That alone makes it worth watching. — M.M.

‘Lucky’ (July 15, Apple TV)

Anya Taylor-Joy in Apple TV’s “Lucky.”

(Michael Becker / Apple)

Any project that stars Anya Taylor-Joy is worth checking out. In the last several years, the actor has brought her unique intensity and fierceness to numerous TV and film projects ranging from “The Queen’s Gambit” and “The Menu” to “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “The Gorge.” She is the star and an executive producer of “Lucky,” playing a con artist targeted by both the FBI and a ruthless crime boss when a multimillion-dollar heist goes wrong. The cast includes Timothy Olyphant and Annette Bening. — G.B.

‘Ride or Die’ (July 15, Prime Video)

Hannah Waddingham, Octavia Spencer and Ed Skrein in Prime Video’s “Ride or Die.”

(Prime)

Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer in a European-set, action-packed buddy series? Sign me up! The pair play best friends Judith (Waddingham) and Debbie (Spencer), but Judith has been hiding an important fact from her bestie — she’s a deadly assassin. High jinks ensue. It’s nice to see them paired onscreen — Waddingham is pulling double duty this summer with “Ted Lasso” also returning — and the recent burst of shows featuring middle-aged women with lively onscreen lives has been a real highlight this year. The actors are executive producers on the series, created by Tessa Coates with Matt Miller (“Lethal Weapon”) showrunning. Bill Nighy also stars. — M.G.

‘The Hawk’ (Summer 2026, Netflix)

Will Ferrell in Netflix’s “The Hawk.”

(Colleen E. Hayes / Netflix)

Comedy elder statesman (and sometime serious actor) Will Ferrell, who got famous on television and then became a movie star, returns to the medium that made him and a genre that has served him well in the past: the sports comedy. (See: “Semi-Pro,” “Blades of Glory,” “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” “Kicking & Screaming” and, at a stretch, “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.”) The self-created series features Ferrell as Lonnie “The Hawk” Hawkins, a championship golfer — a sport a 60-year-old actor can plausibly wrap around himself — looking for a comeback after a 20-year descent from the top, and aiming high: the PGA tour. “Saturday Night Live” castmates Molly Shannon and Chris Parnell are on board as Hawkins’ estranged wife and a PGA board member, respectively. The stacked cast also includes Luke Wilson (whose brother Owen starred in last year’s golf comedy, “Stick”), Fortune Feimster as Hawkins’ caddie and Jimmy Tatro as his successful golfer son. — R.L.

‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 (Aug. 5, Apple TV)

Tanya Reynolds and Jason Sudeikis in Season 4 of Apple TV’s “Ted Lasso.”

(Colin Hutton / Apple)

Who would have imagined that TV’s most polarizing series would be a gentle comedy about created family set against a low-performing British soccer team and its imported American coach, its merits and demerits hotly debated episode by episode across a three-season arc? Having neatly completed its arc three years ago, with Jason Sudeikis’ Ted having gone home to Kansas, a fourth season (to be followed by a fifth and sixth) hardly seemed necessary, or even wise — but, as a fan, I’ll be there for it. The new arc brings the title character back to Richmond to coach “a second division women’s football team” — I don’t know what that means exactly, but I know it isn’t first division — which does present new thematic possibilities and opportunities for growth. Returning with Sudeikis are Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt and Jeremy Swift, in whatever new roles their characters might now occupy. (Sadly, there is no sign of Nick Mohammed or Phil Dunster, though you can certainly catch them elsewhere.) Let the arguments begin again. — R.L.

‘Lanterns’ (Aug. 16, HBO Max)

Aaron Pierre, left, and Kyle Chandler in HBO Max’s “Lanterns.”

(John Johnson / HBO Max)

A superhero crime drama set in the DC Universe, “Lanterns” will follow a pair of intergalactic cops as they investigate a murder somewhere in the Midwest. The show stars Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, a new recruit to the Green Lantern Corps, and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, a Green Lantern legend who is nearing retirement. “True Detective” and “Slow Horses” have been mentioned as inspirations for the series, which boasts both prestige TV and comic book bona fides in creators Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King. In the comics, Green Lanterns are known for wielding power rings, which allow their wearers to create anything they can imagine out of their energy. These signature rings are only as powerful as the will of the wearer and periodically need to be recharged. But don’t worry, it’s unlikely that any prior knowledge of comic book lore or the wider DCU will be required to dive into the show. “Lanterns” also features Kelly Macdonald as a local no-nonsense sheriff with ties to the community, as well as Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, a Green Lantern introduced in “Superman.” — T.B.

‘Monsters of God’ (Summer 2026, HBO)

A snake seen in HBO’s documentary series “Monsters of God,” from “Chimp Crazy” director Eric Goode.

(HBO)

Like a python tightening its coils on its prey, documentary filmmaker Eric Goode (“Tiger King,” “Chimp Crazy”) is back to strengthen the grip on our fascination with the shocking, chaotic and dangerous underbelly of the exotic animal world and the curious people who are obsessed with them. The four-part docuseries focuses on reptiles — Goode’s first love, according to a synopsis of the series — and the collectors and smugglers going to great lengths to get their hands on rarer and deadlier species in what has become a billion-dollar criminal enterprise that spans six continents. It’ll introduce us to two shadowy figures in the industry: Hank Molt and Tommy Crutchfield, whose rivalry over supplying rare species to U.S. zoos changed the reptile world. It’s sure to be another captivating, completely irksome and bleak look into animal welfare exploitation that will, hopefully, prompt action. (The popularity of “Tiger King” accelerated the passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act, while “Chimp Crazy” resulted in a 46-month prison sentence for the main subject of its series.) Mental health tip: Consider having a trove of cute dog and cat videos at the ready to chase down the feelings of anger or helplessness. — Y.V.