Entertainment

15 TV shows we're looking forward to watching this summer

Published

11 months ago

May 15, 2025

15 TV shows we're looking forward to watching this summer

If there’s one thing that can be said about the first half of this year, it’s that we had great television. We’re talking memorable, going-down-in history TV. Whether it was the return of “Severance” and “The White Lotus,” or the arrival of new series like “The Pitt” and “Dying for Sex,” it felt like appointment television had returned, and there was something for everyone — and everyone seemed to be watching.

Fortunately, there’s a lot of great television to look forward to this summer as well. In the coming months, we’ll see returning favorites, documentaries about old favorites — prehistoric in one case, new action-packed series and shows that will simply make you laugh. And in these times, we could all use some laughter and a good distraction. So get ready to be transported to old worlds, new worlds and present ones — we’re looking forward to these escapes.

‘Pee-wee as Himself’

(HBO, May 23)

Paul Reubens appears in “Pee-wee as Himself,” a two-part documentary coming to HBO that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

(Dennis Keeley / HBO)

“It turns out that you’re not really supposed to direct your own documentary; you’re not supposed to control your own documentary,” says Paul Reubens, who would have liked to. Nevertheless, he sat for 40 hours of interviews for this properly admiring, though not sanitized, two-part posthumous documentary. Matters of ambition, artistry and anonymity are discussed, along with certain public events and misconceptions, but above all the film reminds you what a gift Pee-wee was to the culture, and, I am ready to say, the mental health of the nation. “Death is so final,” Reubens tells director Matt Wolf, who did not know that the actor had cancer, “that to be able to get your message in at the last minute, or at some point, is incredible.” — Robert Lloyd

‘And Just Like That …’

Season 3 (Max, May 29)

Two women stand in a kitchen in front of a sink, next to a blue fridge.

If you’re one of the many people who can’t help but wonder what a season of “And Just Like That …” will be like without Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez), this is your summer. The revival may lack the charm, energy and cultural impact of “Sex and the City,” but, like Carrie chasing Big, many of us keep coming back for more of its deranged and addictive shenanigans. The third season promises something new and unexpected as we check in with the women during a New York City summer. After years of writing about her sex life and of those in her orbit, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is branching out to pursue fiction. She’s also settling into her three-floor Gramercy Park home, which includes a rat problem and a flirty next-door neighbor, while trying to figure out her complicated relationship with Aidan (John Corbett). Meanwhile, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is hitting the dating scene after her split with Che, and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is contending with her daughter Lily’s (Cathy Ang) new romance. I’m ready and seated like a supportive friend at a vent sesh trying not to judge questionable decisions. — Yvonne Villarreal

‘Walking With Dinosaurs’

(PBS, June 16)

Three people in long-sleeve shirts digging and examining fossilized remains in the earth at a dig site.

I love dinosaurs. It’s a childhood affinity that started with “The Land Before Time” (1988), was solidified with “Jurassic Park” (1993) and had not at all waned by the time the original “Walking With Dinosaurs” series hit U.S. TVs in 2000. The original show gave the prehistoric reptiles the nature documentary treatment, offering glimpses of a world that was ruled by dinosaurs millions of years ago through the magic of CGI and animatronics. I still remember being wowed by a stegosaurus trying to fend off an allosaurus and being sad about a T. rex that died trying to protect her babies. All that is to say, I’m looking forward to more narrated adventures of how dinosaurs lived and died in this new reimagining with updated science and CG animation. Among the dinosaurs that have been teased to get a spotlight are triceratops, spinosaurus, Utahraptors, Albertosaurus, gorgosaurus and a Lusotitan. — Tracy Brown

‘Outrageous’

(Britbox, June 18)

Two couples in formal attire stand holding champagne glasses in a ballroom.

The mixed-up antics of fictional British aristocrats are nothing compared with the real-life adventures and misadventures of England’s famous Mitford sisters — some celebrated, some notorious, some just getting on with things, relatively speaking — docu-dramatized in this six-part series, set between the world wars. Meet novelist Nancy (Bessie Carter, from “Bridgerton”); country girl Pamela (Isobel Jesper Jones); fascists Diana (Joanna Vanderham) and Unity (Shannon Watson), whose middle name was Valkyrie; progressive journalist Jessica (Zoe Brough) and Deborah (Orla Hill), a duchess. Plus clothes! Furniture! Cars! — R.L.

‘The Gilded Age’

Season 3 (HBO, June 22)

Two women in period dress stand in a parlor.

As our modern times continue to become ever so unprecedented, you can find me frothing at the mouth for a star-studded period piece with low stakes and high fashion. Please, whisk me away to the drawing rooms and dining halls of 1880s Manhattan to hang out with railroad tycoons, socially ambitious women and a new generation of rule breakers, especially when they’re played by Morgan Spector, Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Nathan Lane, Audra McDonald and Donna Murphy. And of course, the show — from “Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes — continues its tradition of stacking its cast with brilliant stage actors, this time adding Phylicia Rashad, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Victoria Clark, Bill Camp and Leslie Uggams, to name just a few. My only complaint: Like the second season, the third is only eight episodes. I guess I’ll have to cope by simply restarting the entire series from the very beginning — again. — Ashley Lee

‘Ironheart’

(Disney+, June 24)

A girl with two braids in a hoodie stands looking downward. A big metal suit stands behind her.

It’s been nearly five years since the “Ironheart” series was originally announced and I have been patiently waiting for Riri Williams to get her moment in the MCU spotlight since. In the comics, Riri is an engineering genius known for making her own Iron Man-inspired high tech suit of armor. Audiences got a glimpse of Riri (Dominique Thorne) in action in the 2022 film “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” where she is introduced as the whiz kid MIT student that gets pulled into the events of the film for inventing a vibranium detector and later helps build armored suits for the Wakandans. Her upcoming solo series is set after the events of “Wakanda Forever” and will dive more into Riri’s backstory as she returns to Chicago, her hometown. Within Riri’s orbit is Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos), described as a mysterious yet charming misfit who possesses a magical hood that lets him tap into the dark arts. We’ll just have to wait to see whether science or magic comes out on top. — T.B.

‘The Bear’

Season 4 (FX on Hulu, June 25)

A woman in a white chef's coat and a red bandana on her head stands next to a man sitting on a prep table.

Whether the third season of “The Bear” lost some of its mojo as one of TV’s most compelling series may be up for debate, but it hasn’t diminished our anticipation to catch up with Carmy and company in Season 4. Last season ended with several challenges: The new fine-dining restaurant receives a harsh review, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) considers leaving the restaurant, and the relationship between Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is on the outs. Those events seem to be setting up a season that can delve into the aftermath of how they’ll confront the good and the bad of restaurant life. And after making her directorial debut with last season’s stand-out episode “Napkins,” Edebiri has co-written an episode with co-star Lionel Boyce (Marcus) for Season 4. It’s a promising sign that we’ll be well-fed this summer. — Y.V.

‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’

Season 17 (FXX, July 9)

A group of people standing around a bar looking a piece of machinery.

The gang from Paddy’s Pub is back for another season and this one is special for a couple of reasons: First, it’s the 20th anniversary of the series premiere — it’s the longest-running live-action comedy series — and second, we have another crossover episode on the horizon. Earlier this year, we got to see Sweet Dee (Kaitlin Olson), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Charlie (Charlie Day), Mac (Rob McElhenney) and Frank (Danny DeVito) visit ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” where they put in some volunteer hours, thanks to a court order. Now, the “Abbott Elementary” bunch will be featured in “Sunny,” where we’ll get to see things from the gang’s point of view. But that’s not all. This season’s theme is “The Gang Embraces the Corporate Era,” a fitting one considering the times we’re living in, where money rules everything. I, for one, welcome them as corporate overlords. — Maira Garcia

‘Too Much’

(Netflix, July 10)

A woman in a pink dress sitting on a bed holding a dog that is also in a pink dress.

It’s been 13 years since the premiere of Lena Dunham’s HBO series “Girls,” an era-defining show that followed a group of messy 20-something New Yorkers. And in her latest project for Netflix, Dunham is focused on the next decade of life with “Too Much.” Co-created with her husband Luis Felber, this romantic comedy series aims to show that your 30s can be just as messy but also filled with joy. It stars Megan Stalter as Jessica, a workaholic who leaves New York for London after her life unravels when her boyfriend breaks up with her, and Will Sharpe as Felix, a Londoner who becomes Jessica’s love interest. Stalter has captivated viewers with her turn as Kayla in “Hacks,” the nepo baby assistant turned partner, and this series is likely to keep her star rising. — M.G.

‘Dexter: Resurrection’

(Paramount+ with Showtime, July 11)

A man in a jacket leans a hand against a maroon beam with a sign that reads "York Street" in a subway station.

You just can’t keep a beloved serial killer down. It certainly seemed that Dexter Morgan, the blood-splatter analyst and serial killer who headlined Showtime’s hugely popular “Dexter,” had finally run out of luck after being shot to death by his son Harrison in the 2022 reboot “Dexter: New Blood.” Michael C. Hall, who has portrayed the crafty killer with a code since 2006, clearly indicated in a Los Angeles Times interview that Dexter had met his maker, acknowledging that many fans would mourn his demise: “As upsetting as it might be, I hope audiences will appreciate the resonance of Dexter dying … at the hands of his son.” But it turns out that the end was not the end after all for Dexter, who has somehow survived the shooting by Harrison Morgan (Jack Alcott) and is returning for “Dexter: Resurrection,” a continuation of the “New Blood” sequel. The series finds Dexter awakening from a coma and discovering that Harrison has vanished. The cast includes Uma Thurman and David Zayas, reviving his portrayal of Det. Angel Batista from the original series. Also returning from “Dexter” is James Remar, who played Morgan’s father Harry Morgan. — Greg Braxton

‘Chief of War’

(Apple TV+, Aug. 1)

A group of men crouching in the sand on the beach with one man in a red headdress standing above them.

Films or series about Native Hawaiians and their history have been few and far between, but this new historical drama aims to rectify that. The nine-episode miniseries centers on the story of Ka‘iana, a warrior who tries to unify the Hawaiian islands before colonization in the late 18th century. Jason Momoa leads the largely Polynesian ensemble cast that includes Luciane Buchanan (“The Night Agent”) and Temuera Morrison (“The Mandalorian”). In addition to starring, Momoa co-wrote the series with Thomas Pa’a Sibbett (“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom”) and executive produces. Undoubtedly, there will be comparisons to “Shogun” because of its historical roots and battle sequences, and that’s not a bad thing, given its success. It’s also another step for on-screen representation and more inclusive epics. — M.G.

‘Wednesday’

Season 2, Part 1 (Netflix, Aug. 6)

Five people in dark clothing stand in front of a black vehicle with several suitcases tied to the top.

It’s been three years, but our favorite sleuthing goth teenager Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) is finally back, as is the rest of her clan. In this season — which is split in two parts, the second arriving Sept. 3 — Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), Wednesday’s little brother, is joining Nevermore Academy, and their parents, Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Gomez (Luis Guzmán), will also have a presence on campus. While that development is enough to make any teenager want to die — metaphorically! — at least Wednesday will have Thing to keep her company, along with her sunny, polar opposite roommate Enid (Emma Myers) — they did embrace in the Season 1 finale, after all. Also returning is Fred Armisen as Uncle Fester and killer hyde Tyler, played by Hunter Doohan. We’ll meet some new faces too: Grandmama Hester Frump, played by “Absolutely Fabulous” star Joanna Lumley, and Steve Buscemi as Nevermore’s new principal Barry Dort. That’s plenty to keep me intrigued, and if the soundtrack is as good as last time — who can forget the dance scene with “Goo Goo Muck” — I can die happy. — M.G.

‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’

(Starz, Aug. 8)

A man and a woman in period dress hold hands as they stand in a field.

It’s hard to believe that “Outlander,” the time-traveling series that’s practically a Visit Scotland ad, premiered in 2014. In a world where many fine shows are lucky to make it to a fourth season, that is time travel indeed. Now, in anticipation of the series’ eighth and final season, which will premiere sometime this year or next, “Blood of My Blood” offers a prequel. Following the love stories of previous generations, namely the parents of “Outlander” mains, 20th-century born Claire (Caitriona Balfour) and 18th-century born Jamie (Sam Heughan), “Blood of My Blood” toggles between World War I and the zenith of the Highland culture, making it the ultimate period drama. “Outlander” fans will get to meet younger versions of the show’s supporting characters and, one hopes, gain some insight into how Claire came to be a time-traveler. More important, we all get to go back to Scotland. — Mary McNamara

‘Alien: Earth’

(FX on Hulu, Aug. 12)

A woman with red braids and a headset stands in front of a rockslide. Two men stand behind her.

More than four decades after it first crept onto movie screens, “Alien” remains one of the scariest films ever made, with scenes that continue to horrify and shock even after repeated viewings. With the exception of James Cameron’s “Aliens,” none of the numerous sequels have come close to matching the power of Ridley Scott’s original, though many fans admired 2024’s “Alien: Romulus.” The vicious extraterrestrial is now set to wreck havoc in “Alien: Earth,” which will premiere this summer. In the new series, a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a group of tactical soldiers discover a mysterious vessel that crash-lands on Earth. The drama is created, written and directed by Noah Hawley, who has expanded the story of the 1996 film “Fargo,” transforming it into a popular and inventive anthology series. The cast includes Timothy Olyphant (“Justified”). — G.B.

‘Fixed’

(Netflix, Aug. 13)

An animated grey dog wearing a tag that reads Bull is embraced by the tail of an orange dog.

In this “Lady and the Tramp” for our less innocent times, the great Genndy Tartakovsky (“Dexter’s Laboratory,” “Samurai Jack,” “Primal”) animates an R-rated comedy, written with Jon Vitti (“The Simpsons”), about a dog who learns he’ll be neutered the next morning and sets off to spend the day on an adventure. This streaming film features glorious 2D animation, the best of all cartoon formats, with nods to Tex Avery and Chuck Jones. Adam Devine stars as the voice behind the targeted pup with Kathryn Hahn, Idris Elba, Bobby Moynihan, Fred Armisen, Michelle Buteau and Beck Bennett filling out the back. — R.L.

Entertainment

Eddie Murphy’s son and Martin Lawrence’s daughter welcome first child: ‘That baby gonna be funny!’

Published

2 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Eddie Murphy’s son and Martin Lawrence’s daughter welcome first child: ‘That baby gonna be funny!’

Eddie Murphy is celebrating not just his lifetime achievement award, but also the arrival of his third granddaughter, perhaps the funniest baby alive.

Murphy’s son Eric and Martin Lawrence’s daughter Jasmin have welcomed their first child together, baby Ari Skye.

On Saturday, Murphy was honored with the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award at a gala in Hollywood and told reporters that he had recently celebrated back-to-back milestones.

“I just had my first grandson two months ago, and I had my third granddaughter two weeks ago. And I turned 65 a month ago,” he told “Entertainment Tonight” ahead of the gala. “It’s raining blessings on me.”

The ceremony celebrated his storied career across comedy and film, and featured tributes from fellow funnyman Dave Chappelle and “Shrek” co-star Mike Myers. The special will premiere May 31 on Netflix.

The “Dr. Dolittle” star also gushed about his new grandbaby to E! News, and told the outlet that being honored for his work was “a wonderful thing” but that his legacy wasn’t his work.

“My legacy to me is my children,” he said.

Asked whether he or Lawrence offered their kids any parenting advice as they prepared to welcome Ari Skye, Murphy said he’s more of a lead-by-example kind of dad.

“You don’t give advice like that,” he told the outlet. “Your kids don’t go by your advice. Your kids go by the example you set. They watch you. Stuff you be saying, they don’t even pay that no mind. They watch and see what you do.”

In March, Jasmin and Eric posted photos from their lavish baby shower on social media. The shindig included a three-tiered pink cake, pink cocktails garnished with meringue that looked like clouds and balloons galore. “The most beautiful and special celebration for our baby girl,” the couple captioned the post. “Thank you to our parents and everyone that made this day so magical! Ari Skye Murphy, you are SO loved already!!”

Excitement around Ari Skye’s arrival had been brewing in the media long before the couple even announced they were expecting. Murphy joked about a potential grandbaby when Jasmin and Eric were dating back in 2024, during an interview with Gayle King.

“They’re both beautiful,” he said. “They look amazing together. And it’s funny — everybody’s like, ‘That baby gonna be funny!’ Like our gene pool is just going to make this funny baby.”

Murphy agreed, saying: “If they ever get married and have a child, I’m expecting the child to be funny.”

Movie Reviews

Movie Review: ‘Agon’ is a Somber Meditation on the Athletic Grind

Published

12 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Movie Review: ‘Agon’ is a Somber Meditation on the Athletic Grind

Director: Giulio BertelliWriters: Giulio Bertelli, Pietro Caracciolo, Pietro CaraccioloStars: Yile Vianello, Alice Bellandi, Michela Cescon Synopsis: As the fictional Olympic Games of Ludoj 2024 approaches, Agon shows the stories of three athletes as they prepare and then compete in rifle shooting, fencing and judo. In his contemplative and visually rigorous film Agon, director Giulio Bertelli

Entertainment

Bob Spitz proves the Rolling Stones are rock’s greatest band in magnificent new biography

Published

14 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Bob Spitz proves the Rolling Stones are rock’s greatest band in magnificent new biography

By early 1963, the Station Hotel in London had become an epicenter of the burgeoning British blues scene. On a blustery, snowy night that February, the Rolling Stones’ classic early lineup took the stage for one of the first times, dazzling the audience with ferocious renditions of blues standards like Muddy Waters’ “I Want to Be Loved” and Jimmy Reed’s “Bright Lights, Big City.”

Multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones, the band’s founder and leader, synchronized guitars with Keith Richards, who favored a distinctive slashing and stinging style. Drummer Charlie Watts, the group’s newest member, a jazz aficionado and an accomplished percussionist, propelled the music forward with a rock-solid beat.

Anchoring the rhythm section with him was bassist Bill Wyman, who was recruited more for his spare VOX AC30 amp that the guitarists could plug into than for his musical skills. The stoic bassist proved a strong and innovative player. Together, he and Watts would go on to form one of rock’s most decorated rhythm sections.

Ian Stewart’s energetic boogie-woogie piano style rounded out the sound. Months later, manager Andrew Loog Oldham kicked him out of the band for being “ugly,” although Stewart continued to record, tour and serve as the band’s road manager until his death in 1985.

This April 8, 1964, file photo shows the Rolling Stones during a rehearsal. The members, from left, are Brian Jones, guitar; Bill Wyman, bass; Charlie Watts, drums; Mick Jagger, vocals; and Keith Richards, guitar.

(Associated Press)

Fronting the group was Mick Jagger. Channeling the music like a crazed shaman, Jagger shimmied and sashayed, owning the stage like few lead singers have before or since. By the end of the night, the Stones had the crowd in a frenzy. Although only 30 people had made it to the gig because of the treacherous weather conditions, the hotel’s booker had seen enough: He offered the Stones a regular gig.

“The Rolling Stones had caught fire. The music they were playing and the way they played it struck a chord with a young crowd starved for something different, something their own… It was soul-stirring, loud and uncompromising,” writes Bob Spitz in “The Rolling Stones: The Biography,” his magisterial work that charts the 60-year journey of “the greatest rock and roll band in the world.”

Spitz, the author of strong biographies on the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, as well as Ronald Reagan and Julia Child, captures the drama, trauma and betrayals that have kept the Stones in the public’s consciousness for more than six decades. It’s all here: The Stones’ evolution from a blues cover band to artistic rival of the Beatles; the musical peaks — “Aftermath,” “Let It Bleed” and “Exile on Main Street” as well as misfires like “Dirty Work”; Keith’s descent into a debilitating heroin addiction that nearly destroyed him and the band; the death of the ‘60s at the ill-fated Altamont free concert; Marianne Faithfull, Anita Pallenberg, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall and other lovers, partners and muses; the breakups, makeups and crackups; and perhaps most important, the unbreakable bond between Jagger and Richards at the center of it all.

Although Spitz unearths little new information, he excels at presenting the Stones in glorious Technicolor. Spitz homes in on the telling details and anecdotes that give the band’s story a deep richness and poignancy.

Take “Satisfaction,” the Stones’ 1965 classic and first U.S. chart topper. The oft-told story is that Richards woke up in the middle of the night, grabbed the guitar that was next to his bed, and recorded the iconic riff and the phrase “I can’t get no … satisfaction” on a cassette recorder in his Clearwater, Fla., hotel room before falling back asleep. But as Spitz notes, the song initially went nowhere in the studio. That is until Stewart purchased a fuzz box for Richards a few days later, which gave the tune a raunchier sound that perfectly matched Jagger’s lyrics of frustration and alienation. A classic was born.

Piercing the Stones mythology

Spitz’s deep reporting often pierces the mythology surrounding the band. Contrary to the popular belief of many fans, for instance, Jones bears much of the responsibility for the rift with his bandmates and his tragic demise.

The most musically adventurous member of the group — he plays sitar on “Paint It Black” and dulcimer on “Lady Jane” — Jones wasn’t a songwriter. That stoked his jealousies and insecurities, along with frontman Jagger stealing the spotlight from him. A monster of a man, Jones impregnated multiple teenage girls and physically and emotionally abused several women, including Pallenberg. Perhaps that’s why she left him for Richards. Over time, Jones made fewer contributions in the studio and onstage, becoming a catatonic drug casualty. The Stones fired Jones in June 1969 but would have been justified doing so a couple years earlier. He drowned in his pool less than a month later.

Similarly, Stones lore has long romanticized the making of “Exile on Main Street” in the stifling, dingy basement of Richards’ rented Villa Nellcôte in the South of France, where the Stones had decamped to avoid British taxes. In this telling, Richards, deep in the throes of heroin addiction, somehow managed to come up with one indelible riff after another built around his signature open G tuning — taught to him by Ry Cooder — leading the band to create one of the best albums in rock history. That’s not entirely accurate, according to Spitz.

Yes, Richards came up with the licks for “Rocks Off,” “Happy” and “Tumbling Dice.” But it’s equally true that a strung-out Richards missed myriad recording sessions, invited dealers, hangers-on and other distractions to Nellcôte, and repeatedly failed to turn up to write with Jagger. Far from completing the album in the druggy haze of a French basement, the band spent six months on overdubs at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, where Jagger contributed many of his vocals.

Beatles vs. Stones

One of the more interesting themes Spitz develops is the symbiotic relationship between the Beatles and Stones, with the Fab Four mostly overshadowing them — until they didn’t.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote “I Wanna Be Your Man” and gave it to the Stones, whose 1963 rendition, with Jones on slide guitar, became the group’s first UK Top 20 hit. The Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership inspired Jagger and Richards to begin penning their own songs. In early 1964, the Beatles came to the U.S. for the first time, making television history with their appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and playing Carnegie Hall. A few months later, the Stones kicked off their inaugural American tour at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino. In 1967, the Beatles released “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” a psychedelic masterpiece. The Stones responded with “Their Satanic Majesties Request,” a psychedelic mess.

As the Beatles began to splinter, Spitz writes, the Stones sharpened their focus. The band released “Beggars Banquet” in late 1968 and “Let It Bleed” the following year, albums every bit as innovative and visionary as “The White Album” and “Abbey Road.” For the first time, the two groups stood as equals.

When the Beatles broke up in 1970, the Stones kept rolling. With Jones replaced by virtuoso guitarist Mick Taylor — whose fluid, melodic style served as a tasty foil to Richards — they produced what many consider their finest works, “Sticky Fingers” and “Exile on Main Street.” More impressively, the band, with Taylor’s successor, Ronnie Wood, has continued to dazzle audiences with incendiary live shows, touring as recently as 2024 behind the late-career triumph “Hackney Diamonds.” The Beatles, by contrast, retired from the road in 1966 and devoted their energies to the studio.

Hundreds of books have been written about the Rolling Stones, but few sparkle quite like Spitz’s. For anyone who loves or even likes the Stones, it’s indispensable.

Like most of the band’s biographers, Spitz gives short shrift to the post-“Exile” period after 1972. He curtly dismisses 2005’s strong “A Bigger Bang” and 2016’s “Blue & Lonesome,” a back-to-basics album of blues covers, as “adequate endeavors that signaled a band living on borrowed time.” That critique is both off target and under-developed. Spitz ignores the band’s legendary live album, “Brussels Affair,” recorded in 1973, or why the band waited decades before officially releasing it.

These are small quibbles. Spitz has written a book worthy of its 704-page length; another 50 or so pages covering the later years would have made it even stronger. To quote the Rolling Stones: “I know it’s only rock ‘n roll, but I like it, like it, yes, I do.”

Marc Ballon, a former Times, Forbes and Inc. Magazine reporter, teaches an advanced writing class at USC. He lives in Fullerton.