What's on TV this week: Utopia, Power S6, 13 Reasons Why S3 and The Righteous Gemstones

Always good for an uproarious albeit uncomfortable laugh, one of our finest TV shows returns this week after a two-year break.

From the return of a favourite to the return of a controversial teen drama, everyone will have something to talk about.

UTOPIA S4

(ABC/iview — Wednesday, August 21 at 9pm)

Celia Pacquola as one of the few competent people in Utopia

Utopia is back and not a moment too soon. Many, many absurd things have happened in Canberra in the past two years since Working Dog’s satirical comedy has been off air — and no amount of empty promises of “good government” will have us believing it’ll actually come to pass.

Scott Morrison may try to pass on his Six Commandments of Public Service but hands up if you think it’ll have any effect.

Perhaps that’s why Utopia, as hilarious as it is, always feels just a touch too uncomfortably close to the truth. Bureaucracy will always rear its doofus head.

The official goings-on inside the Nation Building Authority points to ambitious infrastructure projects but the reality is novelty cheques and sloganeering which amount to not bloody much.

The first episode sees Tony and his team struggling to deal with tax fraud, a major report and a new receptionist.

The witty writing from Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro and Tom Gleisner makes Utopia a show too funny to ignore.

THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES

(Fox Showcase/Foxtel Now — Tuesday, August 20 at 8.30pm)

Danny McBride created The Righteous Gemstones

Danny McBride’s bawdy sense of humour has carried him through Eastbound and Down and Vice Principals, two HBO shows he previously created and starred in.

Something about them must be working for HBO because now his third, The Righteous Gemstones, is about to premiere this week.

The Gemstones are televangelists and prosperity preachers whose devoted followers donate upwards of $1 million at every Sunday service, seduced by their godly message of material success.

But offstage, it’s a story of excess and greed in a family led by patriarch Eli (John Goodman) whose three bickering adult children Jesse (McBride), Kelvin (Adam DeVine) and Judy (Edi Patterson) desperately clamour for his approval.

For a satire about megachurches, The Righteous Gemstones lacks real bite, which is disappointing given how rich that world is to parody. But McBride fans will find plenty to like.

Read the full review for The Righteous Gemstones here

13 REASONS WHY S3

(Netflix — Friday, August 23 from 5pm AEST)

Everyone is a suspect

13 Reasons Why has been a lightning rod for controversy for the beginning, raising the ire of mental health professionals who baulked at the series’ graphic portrayal of teen suicide.

Recently, after two years of debate, Netflix agreed to remove the season one scene that caused the most consternation.

Now, the show is back for its third instalment, and without its original series lead, Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford). The third season is morphing the show into a murder mystery, specifically, the death of Bryce.

Given Bryce’s villainy, there’s no shortage of suspects who might view Bryce’s three months’ probation for two sexual assaults as not exactly justice served.

If you or anyone you know needs help, visit: https://13reasonswhy.info

POWER S6

(Stan — Sunday, August 25)

It's the final showdown on Power

Power is one of Stan’s most popular shows so there are many fans out there eager for its latest season, dropping this Sunday.

But before the show bows out — season six is the final one — the crime drama created by Courtney A. Kemp and 50 Cent will answer the one question on everyone’s minds: Who will prevail in the showdown between Ghost and Tommy?

Ghost is on the path of vengeance — he wants to succeed, shore up his legacy and climb out of the criminal life, but the Feds are getting closer.

This season, a newcomer will run against Tate in the governor race, and 50 Cent will direct an episode.

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