What’s on TV: Suits, UnReal, Anh’s Brush With Fame and more

WHEN this drama came on the scene three years ago, it was the must-watch show, but four seasons, its end came suddenly and disappointingly.

DAMN. It’s really cold at the moment.

Is there’s anything better than going to bed at 8pm, pulling that thermal quit up to your chin, propped up against four pillows and close out your day with some glorious TV?

Or is that just me?

UNREAL S4

(Stan — from Tuesday, July 17)

The final season — yes, it’s the end — of UnReal drops today with more of a whimper than a bang. Aussie fans were told about a week ago that the fourth season of the drama about the behind-the-scenes escapades of a dating show was out unexpectedly early this week — season three only wrapped up in May. But that’s more than the Americans had, who were surprised to find all eight episodes dropped overnight on Hulu with no warning.

Maybe that’s because this last chapter is a bit of melodramatic mess, and it was best to not draw that much attention to it? UnReal was so lauded in its first year for its daring, thrilling and darkly funny portrayal of its baller female leads in a ridiculous reality TV universe. But it quickly fell apart during its sophomore year before recovering in season three. But if the first episode of this season is anything to go by, it is pulling out every trick in the bag to be shocking with its Bachelor in Paradise-type format. The result? A whole lot of no thanks.

If you’re a completist and have watched every other episode so far, you’re probably not going to pull out with eight to go. And if there’s one reason to see it through, it’s for Quinn (Constance Zimmer), who continues to be one of the most watchable characters on TV. Shame the show itself can’t say the same thing anymore.

Constance Zimmer is here for it.

TOUR DE PHARMACY
(The Comedy Channel on Foxtel — Sunday, July 22 at 8.30pm)

If you love satire (and, really, who doesn’t?) but is sick of political satire — then you won’t want to miss Tour De Pharmacy, the funniest 39 minutes you’ll spend this week. Produced by HBO last year, the cycling mockumentary follows a fictional 1982 Tour de France where almost every one of the 170 riders were on some form of drugs and disqualified after the first stage, leaving just five riders to fight it out for the yellow jersey.

Starring Andy Samberg, Jeff Goldblum, Freddie Highmore, Orlando Bloom and Danny Glover, the laughs will come hard and fast in the short(ish) film by Funny Or Die director Jake Szymanski. It also features narration by Jon Hamm and Edgar Wright and a not-so-secret cameo from Lance Armstrong as an anonymous cyclist commentating on doping in the sport. Riiiiight …

Tour de Pharmacy is a spiritual sequel to 2015’s 7 Days in Hell, a similarly themed special based on a marathon Wimbledon final and starring Kit Harrington and Samberg.

Unmissable laughs.

ANH’S BRUSH WITH FAME S3

(ABC — Wednesday, July 18 at 8pm)

Comedian, writer and surprising artist Anh Do returns with a third season of his series Anh’s Brush With Fame and if we learnt anything from the last two years it’s that there will be tears. A twist on a traditional celebrity interview, Do makes his subjects sit down for a portrait while having a chinwag. The connection between artist and subject must such a personal bond because Do had some emotional experiences in previous seasons.

Plus Do knows his way around a canvas — his portrait of Jack Charles won the Archibald Prize’s People’s Choice award in 2017. This year, he’ll sit down with Terri Irwin as the Crocodile Hunter’s wife talks about maintaining her husband’s legacy, Adam Goodes, Carrie Bickmore, Sigrid Thornton, John Williamson and more.

Anh Do and Terri Irwin

SUITS S8

(Universal on Foxtel and Fetch — Thursday, July 19 at 8.30pm)

It’s a new Meghan Markle-less era on Suits, which after eight years on air has had its biggest ever cast shake-up, necessitated by one of its leads going off to be part of some famous family. Only Harvey (Gabriel Macht), Donna (Sarah Rafferty) and Louis (Rick Litt) remain of the original ensemble after Patrick J. Adams left the series at the same time as his onscreen love interest and Gina Torres decamped to the Jessica Pearson Suits spin-off Second City.

In their places, Dule Hill (The West Wing, Psych) and Amanda Schull (Centre Stage) have been promoted to regular cast members while Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy) will join as a new character named Samantha Wheeler who’s expected to be an ambitious and fierce new lawyer to serve as Harvey’s foil.

Watch out for the new kids.

WHO IS AMERICA?

(Stan — now)

If you expect Sacha Baron Cohen to be anything other than a battering ram, then you’ve never seen anything he’s been associated with before. Never one to be subtle, Cohen’s return to TV has already generated controversy after his year-long undercover prank has netted many high-profile personalities including Sarah Palin.

In disguise as several outrageous characters, Cohen’s crass approach will garner many cheap laughs but, at least in the first episode, it’s his segment on gun control that’s actually effective in that properly stunning way.

Meet puppy pistol — as deadly as you think.

DEADLOCK

(ABC iView — Friday, July 20)

A series of five 12-minute online episodes, Deadlock seeks to capture the highs and lows, the thrills and sorrow of life as a teenager in the Australian bush. Produced by Deb Cox and Fiona Eagger (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries) alongside writer and director Billie Pleffer, the web series follows a group of five teens after a stunt leads to a car crash during a clandestine “tunnel party” in the NSW hinterlands.

Deadlock stars YouTubers Michael and Danny Philippou, also known as RackaRacka, along with established actors Luca Sardelis and Darcy McGrath, plus newcomers Amit Pala and Thomas Weatherall. Deadlock’s unconventional format signals ABC’s willingness to experiment with different ways to tell Australian stories and engage an audience commercial broadcasters have all but given up on.

Angsty young people — a much loved TV trope.

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