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)
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“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)
Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Seema (Sarita Choudhury) in Season 3 of “And Just Like That …”
(Craig Blankenhorn / Max)
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)
A team unearthing fossilized bones at a dig site in “Walking With Dinosaurs.”
(Sam Wigfield / BBC)
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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)
Nancy (Bessie Carter), Joss (Will Attenborough), Pamela (Isobel Jesper Jones) and Tom (Toby Regbo) in BritBox’s “Outrageous.”
(Kevin Baker / BritBox)
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.
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‘The Gilded Age’
Season 3 (HBO, June 22)
Dorothy (Audra McDonald) and Peggy (Denée Benton) in Season 3 of HBO’s “The Gilded Age.”
(Karolina Wojtasik / HBO)
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)
Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel’s “Ironheart” on Disney+.
(Jalen Marlowe)
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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)
Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) and Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) in “The Bear.”
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)
The gang from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and the crew from “Abbott Elementary” are crossing over again. From left: Jacob (Chris Perfetti), Janine (Quinta Brunson), Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and Charlie (Charlie Day).
(Steve Swisher / FX)
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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)
Jessica (Megan Stalter) in Netflix’s “Too Much.”
(Ana Blumenkron / Netflix)
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)
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan in “Dexter: Resurrection” on Paramount+ with Showtime.
(Zach Dilgard / Paramount+ with SHOWTIME)
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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)
Jason Momoa stars as the warrior Ka‘iana in Apple TV+’s “Chief of War.”
(Apple)
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.
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‘Wednesday’
Season 2, Part 1 (Netflix, Aug. 6)
The Addams family is back for Season 2 of “Wednesday.” From left: Lurch (Joonas Suotamo), Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), Wednesday (Jenna Ortega), Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), Thing and Gomez (Luis Guzmán).
(Helen Sloan / Netflix)
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)
Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy) and Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) in “Outlander: Blood of My Blood” on Starz.
(Sanne Gault / Starz)
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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)
Alex Lawther as Hermit, left, Diem Camille as Siberian and Moe Bar-El as Rashidi in FX’s “Alien: Earth.”
(Patrick Brown/FX)
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)
Genndy Tartakovsky’s animated streaming film “Fixed” features the voices of Adam Devine and Kathryn Hahn.
(Netflix)
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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.
A family and friends gather for a naming-day ceremony at a Danish seaside hotel, but an unexpected appearance by one uninvited attendee (Trine Dyrholm) ruptures the veil of bland, happy-clappy familial unity in director Mads Mengel’s gutsy, well-wrought debut feature, The Guest.
The most audacious move here may be Mengel and co-screenwriter Christian Bengtson’s choice to write something that will inevitably invite comparisons with Festen (The Celebration), arguably the most notorious Danish-language film of the last 30 years, which similarly revolved around a bougie gathering disrupted by angry revelations. But there’s a savvy 2026 vibe about the way the film refuses to create florid melodrama out of quotidian crisis, and instead observes with generosity as the characters grope awkwardly toward emotional détente and mutual forgiveness.
The Guest
The Bottom Line
When wetting the baby’s head goes too far.
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Venue: Karlovy Vary Film Festival Cast: Simon Bennebjerg, Trine Dyrholm, Josephine Park, Peter Gantzler, Petrine Agger, Mette Klakstein Wiberg, Kristine Kujath Thorp, Buster Lund Luscher Director: Mads Mengel Screenwriter: Christian Bengtson, Mads Mengel
1 hour 40 minutes
Festen-alumnus Dyrholm, having a bit of a career moment with outstanding performances both here and in the recent The Girl With the Needle among others, leads a uniformly excellent cast in a work that deserves celebration on the festival circuit and beyond.
Dyrholm’s Vibeke is technically the first person we meet, although she’s seen only in shadow at first as she smokes and drives while her unattached seatbelt, caught outside by a closed door, clatters on the road. This is the kind of unsafe driving her son Karl (Simon Bennebjerg) so deplores, a point of contention later on in the story when he will steal her car keys in interest of her own safety and that of others.
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But well before we get to that flashpoint, the film introduces Karl, effectively the film’s protagonist, as he arrives at the swanky resort with his wife Emilie (Mette Klakstein Wiberg) and their infant son Elliot (Buster Lund Luscher). The young family, who’ve chosen this new, secular tradition instead of a christening to welcome their child to the world, are there a day before the ceremony to meet up with core family members.
As this advance party settles down for dinner, a table that includes Karl’s sister Rikke (Josephine Park) and Emilie’s parents Frank (Peter Gantzler) and Kirsten (Petrine Agger), there’s a surprise: Vibeke is coming, courtesy of Rikke’s invitation. Karl is quietly furious and seems determined to turn her away, even when she shows up minutes later. Poor Frank and Kirsten look on confused, determinedly polite in their insistence that all family members should be welcome.
Bengtson and Mengel’s economical script carefully dripfeeds backstory as the film unfolds to explain that Karl hasn’t spoken to his mother in years, that Rikke has taken over all the daily mom management and that she’s very worn out by it. Even so, she insists Vibeke is regularly taking her medication and isn’t a problem these days, although to Karl every weird anecdote and moment of emotional intensity is an augur of impending chaos. Rikke counters that their mother is just “big, that’s her personality not her condition.”
Interestingly, that specific condition is never named throughout, although armchair diagnosticians might spot many of the signs of bipolar disorder. But the film’s emotional focus on the person and her actions rather than the label is also very contemporary, reflecting a more holistic, inclusive mindset and approach to dealing with mental health issues.
Which is all fine and dandy, until Vibeke duly does skip a dosage and starts getting manic. One of the first signs of chemical imbalance arrives during the ceremony on the beach, when Vibeke carries little Elliot much further away from the shore than anyone wants, creating a panic. From there it just gets worse as Vibeke picks up on the censorious feeling emerging from the other party guests, who had found her so charming the night before when she’d led everyone to the casino to play roulette and diverted a bunch of partying teenagers from the room next to Karl and Emilie so they could get some sleep. When the toasts at the formal dinner begin, Vibeke’s mood darkens much further, and if we’ve all learned one thing from Festen, it’s be very afraid when a Dane gets up to make a toast.
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Cinematographer David Bauer’s nimble-footed lensing and use of natural light does indeed hark back considerably to the look of those Dogme 95 movies back in the day, as does the naturalistic editing style deployed by Louis Emil Ramm Seeberg. But there are plenty of sins against the rules of cinematic chastity that marked that movement, such as the ample space made for Lasse Aagaard’s affecting, low-key score that amps up the anxiety as Vibeke starts to spiral.
That said, Mengel keeps things simple in sonic terms when it really counts, letting the musicality of Dyrholm’s deep, sonorous voice ring out on its own in the big monologue scenes. She is, as ever, utterly mesmerizing but the performance is made even more powerful by the muted, expressive reactions of the rest of the cast as they look on, frozen like deer in the headlights of the car crash of pseudo-christening. Moments of levity puncture the gloom, but the final feeling is one of numbed sorrow and pity for all these kind, fallible people, just trying to do their best.
Rhea Seehorn was nervous about whether “Pluribus” would be recognized by Emmy voters Wednesday when nominations were announced. So she was jubilant when she and the surreal sci-series on Apple TV scored 18 nominations, the most for a first-year drama.
“I’m just so grateful,” the actor said in a phone interview. “People were like, ‘Why were you nervous?’ Honestly, you never actually know. I’m just so thrilled for the show, my co-stars, the production design, the editing, the writing, the music, the sound. I haven’t moved from my couch since they first announced everything because I’m still trying to call everybody on the show.”
Seehorn received a nomination for lead actress in a drama series for her portrayal of cynical Carol Sturka, a fantasy romance author who finds herself in a mystifying situation after a virus seems to have wiped out most of Earth’s population. The series was created by Vince Gilligan, who created the acclaimed series “Breaking Bad” and co-created its spinoff “Better Call Saul,” which also featured Seehorn.
The actor compared her experience of being nominated for “Pluribus” to “Better Call Saul,” which earned her two supporting actress nominations: “ ‘Better Call Saul’ was such a family that supported and cheered each other on, and I’m so grateful I have that environment again. People could not be happier for each other, and we get to celebrate the show together.”
She added, “The only part that feels different is that it’s my first nomination as a lead. It’s the process of Vince writing this for me and seeing the mountain which he wanted me to climb and going through that process. The whole thing has been its own journey, so ending up with awards and nominations, and being so well received by critics and fans is not lost on me.”
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The series has been applauded for its mix of drama, comedy and strangeness in its portrait of a woman coming to terms to what seems like an impossible dilemma.
“I love the storytelling, how much Vince and I would drill down on making this as authentic as we could in terms of an everyman who has to deal with an insane situation,” Seehorn said. “Most of us are just not heroic or leaping off the couch to go save the world. And Carol is dealing with immense grief and confusion in an utter dystopian crisis. I love the humor and the drama that comes out of us being as realistic as we can with her amidst an unrealistic event.”
Fans of “Pluribus” have been relentlessly curious since the finale in December about when the second season will launch.
“I don’t know anything about that,” Seehorn said. “I don’t have to keep secrets because I’m not great at keeping them, and I know nothing. I don’t know what I’m doing with an atom bomb in the driveway. I can’t wait to find out. The writers want to have the same quality and reward the intelligence of the fans and never phone a single thing in. So their process is their process.”
In a roundabout way, the fact that I don’t have a strong attachment to The Wizard of Oz as a film (my late mother loved it, so that memory is deeply rooted in me, but the movie itself never did much for me) contributed directly to how amusing I found Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass to be. This comedy spoofs the plot of the classic fantasy movie, though the jokes are largely about Hollywood. The humor is big and broad, with some of the jokes really landing. Others? Not so much. Still, more than enough do to warrant a recommendation.
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass gets a lot of mileage out of sending up show business, even if the observations, while funny, are not particularly new. Besides the deluge of jokes, there’s also a lot of likably broad characters to spend time with, especially our lead. They make the 90 minutes and change spent together with them go down very easy.
Sony Pictures Classics
For Gail Daughtry (Zoey Deutch), her life as a small town hairdresser is perfect. Engaged to her high school sweetheart Tom (Michael Cassidy), she’s the picture of happiness, at least until a trip to a celebrity book signing. There, Tom meets and ends up sleeping with his “celebrity pass,” a term Gail wasn’t even really previously aware of. Feeling betrayed, Gail impulsively joins her co-worker and friend Otto (Miles Gutierrez-Riley) on a trip to Los Angeles. There, a psychic convinces her that the can save her marriage by sleeping with her own celebrity pass: Jon Hamm (Jon Hamm).
Journeying through Tinseltown in a manner that recalls Dorothy’s adventure in Oz, Gail and Otto won’t have to find Hamm alone. Joining forces with talent agency assistant Caleb (Ben Wang), down on his luck paparazzo Vincent (Ken Marino), and actor John Slattery (John Slattery). As they search for Hamm, some for their own purposes, they meet other celebrities, while also being hunted by a group of Italian assassins after a case of mistaken identity. Eventually, they come across Hamm, and the moment of truth is at hand.
Sony Pictures Classics
Zoey Deutch dives headfirst into a broad comedy like this, absolutely relishing the opportunity to get silly again. She’s able to make Gail a babe in the woods but also someone you laugh with, not at. It’s a wildly enjoyable turn. Deutch started out in comedies and was always a talented comedic actress, so it’s a pleasure to watch her back at it. Miles Gutierrez-Riley and Ben Wang get some very funny moments, while Ken Marino is a reliable comic presence. Jon Hamm and John Slattery are delighted to be sending up themselves, with amusing results. Supporting players here, in addition to Michael Cassidy, also include Kerri Kenney, Richard Kind, Thomas Lennon, Joe Lo Truglio, Fred Melamed, and more, plus some cameos.
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Filmmaker David Wain, again co-writing with Ken Marino, continues to make it look easy. Few can make a silly comedy like Marino and Wain, especially as they pack their flicks with extra bits that only subsequent viewings reveal. Is Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass on the same level as Wet Hot American Summer or They Came Together? No, not quite. At the same time, is this, scattershot approach and all, funnier than most other 2026 releases? You bet. Marino and Wain have a hit rate that allows some of the jokes to miss, as you only have seconds to wait before the next one, which probably will hit.
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is very amusing, and occasionally hilarious, even if not as many jokes land as you might expect. Zoey Deutch is great in the lead role, David Wain is in his comfort zone, and the laughs come hot and heavy. If you’re a Wain fan, this new movie should be a must see.
Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics
