Camp takes on a new meaning this month with the premiere of “They/Them,” a slasher set at a remote conversion therapy camp, starring Kevin Bacon and Theo Germaine. While the film — pronounced “they-slash-them” — takes the cake when it comes to clever naming, it’s not the only slasher debuting in early August, with the Gen Z-minded “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies” soon hitting theaters.
For viewers who want to avoid knife-wielding killers, there are a few familiar names coming to streaming this month, including a series adaptation of “A League of Their Own” and a highly anticipated “Game of Thrones” prequel, “House of the Dragon.” For those in need of an inspiring watch, there’s also a new documentary that follows the skateboarder Leo Baker and his decision to risk it all in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics.
‘Industry’After an extended off-air break, the offices of Pierpoint & Co. are back open for season two of “Industry,” HBO’s critically acclaimed series about a fictional London investment bank and its work hard, partier harder employees. Having moved up the ranks from post-graduates to full-fledged junior bankers, the heat is on for the bed-hopping 20-somethings Harper (Myha’la Herrold), Yasmin (Marisa Abela) and Robert (Harry Lawtey). (Gus, the lovelorn Old Etonian played by David Jonsson, is also still around but very much burned out after season one.) The women, in particular, have a lot to prove this time around, with Harper juggling her toxic mentor and a new high-profile client and Yasmin navigating a new relationship with a female client and clashing with colleagues.
“Industry” season two premiered on HBO Max on Aug. 1.
‘Reservation Dogs’
After the massive success of its first season, “Reservation Dogs” and its stars — Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Paulina Alexis and Lane Factor — are back for a second installment of the groundbreaking series about four Indigenous teenagers in Oklahoma. Season two picks up after the group’s plan to move to California, following their friend’s death, is derailed. While Elora (Jacobs) hits the road with their mutual savings, Bear (Woon-A-Tai), Cheese (Factor) and Willie Jack (Alexis) try to find new dreams closer to home. In addition to acting and executive producing, Jacobs, who is from the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, joins the all-Indigenous writers room this season.
“Reservation Dogs” season two premieres on Hulu on Aug. 3.
‘Bodies, Bodies, Bodies’
Somewhere between a satire, a slasher and a romping good time, “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies” is A24’s new horror about a friends’ weekend gone awry. Maria Bakalova stars as Bee, who joins her new girlfriend, Sophie (Amandla Stenberg), at a remote mansion for a weekend of partying and content creation. Things are already strained between down-to-earth Bee and Sophie’s wealthy friends, but, when the group has to settle in and ride out a hurricane, you can cut the tension with a knife — and someone does. During a round of macabre hide-and-seek, the power goes out and one of the players ends up with a champagne saber in their back. The group, wearing glow sticks and head torches, then embarks on a substance-fueled night of whodunit that includes stalking Pete Davidson’s character through the mansion’s dark corridors.
“Bodies, Bodies, Bodies” opens in U.S. theaters Aug. 5.
‘They/Them’
As horror fans know, nothing good happens at summer camp. But at Camp Whistler, the setting of the new slasher “They/Them,” the danger isn’t just what’s lurking in the woods. The remote conversion camp is run by charismatic owner Owen Whistler (Kevin Bacon at peak creepiness), his sadistic therapist wife (Carrie Preston) and a group of suspiciously welcoming counselors, including newcomer Molly (Anna Chlumsky). Despite promises that Whistler is a “safe space,” things quickly take a bloody turn, and the campers — one of whom is played by nonbinary actor Theo Germaine — have to band together to try to survive. But first they’ll have to figure out what’s more terrifying: the plastered-on smiles of their summer captors or a knife-wielding psychopath roaming the camp grounds.
“They/Them” is available on Peacock starting Aug. 5.
‘Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story’
The new documentary from executive producers Drew Barrymore and GLAAD’s Alex Schmider, “Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story,” follows the celebrated skateboarder in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, as he begins the process of living openly as a transgender person. Rather than compete in the women’s category, Baker makes the choice to withdraw from the Games, which were the first to include skateboarding — a decision Baker later spoke about in a 2021 Time magazine feature. The documentary gives unparalleled access into Baker’s journey, as he looks back on years of being marketed as a female skater, begins his transition and finds a new chapter in his career. It also acquaints viewers with the highly gendered world of professional skateboarding, through interviews from Baker’s contemporaries and sports legends, like Tony Hawk and Alexis Sablone.
“Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story” debuts on Netflix on Aug. 11.
‘A League of Their Own’
There may not be crying in baseball, but in “A League of Their Own,” there’s a whole lot of kissing. The new series adaptation of Penny Marshall’s 1992 film — starring Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Rosie O’Donnell and Madonna — is the passion project of “Broad City” co-creator Abbi Jacobson. In addition to creating and executive producing the series, Jacobson stars as Carson, a married housewife from a small farm town who dreams of catching professionally. Like Carson, who is modeled after Davis’ original role, the other characters in the World War II-era drama take inspiration from the original film, but their storylines are punched up for contemporary audiences. It’s no longer just implied that the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League is composed of mostly queer women. And a formerly uncredited character, a Black player who is denied access to the league, is now a central figure in Max, played by breakout star Chanté Adams. D’Arcy Carden, Roberta Colindrez, Melanie Field and others join Jacobson and Adams for this modern take on a ‘90s staple.
“A League of Their Own” premieres on Amazon Prime Video on Aug. 12.
‘The Undeclared War’
Much like the series “Vigil” made submarines erotic, “The Undeclared War” shows the sexy side of cyberwarfare. The joint production from Peacock and Channel 4 stars Hannah Khalique-Brown as Saara, an intern at a U.K. intelligence and security organization akin to the United States’ National Security Agency. When Saara’s internship coincides with an upcoming general election and a series of Russian-launched cyberattacks, she becomes embroiled in a high-stakes standoff between the two world powers — as well as a risky relationship with one of her colleagues, Kathy (played by the queer actor Maisie Richardson-Sellers).
“The Undeclared War” season one premieres on Peacock on Aug. 18.
‘Bad Sisters’
The Irish multi-hyphenate Sharon Horgan (“Pulling,” “Catastrophe”) has brought her deadpan sensibility to yet another female-led series about familial bonds, “Bad Sisters,” an adaptation of the Flemish series “Clan.” The show centers on a close-knit group of five Irish sisters, the Garveys, whose bond is tested when one of the sisters’ husbands dies in a gruesome accident, and the insurers looking into the case discover that all five women had good reason to get rid of him. Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Eve Hewson and Sarah Greene — as a lesbian sporting a mysterious eye patch reminiscent of Daryl Hannah in “Kill Bill” — play the Garveys.
“Bad Sisters” season one premieres on Apple TV+ on Aug. 19.
‘House of the Dragon’
It’s been three years since HBO’s blockbuster hit “Game of Thrones” wrapped its eighth and final season. Now the network is back with a prequel, “House of the Dragon,” set 200 years before the events of the original and focusing on the Seven Kingdoms’ most influential and incestuous family: the Targaryens. The series, which is based on George R.R. Martin’s novel “Fire & Blood,” centers on a multi-generational fight for succession between male and female heirs, including Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, played as an adult by nonbinary actor Emma D’Arcy.
“House of the Dragon” season one premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Aug. 21.
‘Queer Eye: Brazil’
“Queer Eye” is headed to Brazil for the franchise’s second international iteration, following the premiere of “Queer Eye: Germany” earlier this year. The lifestyle experts making up the South American version of the Fab Five are Fred Nicácio (well-being), Rica Benozzati (style), Luca Scarpelli (culture), Yohan Nicolas (grooming) and Guto Requena (design). In the trailer for the new series, the Portuguese-speaking lifestyle experts shed happy tears over being part of the franchise’s affirming legacy, flashing the charismatic smiles and kind eyes that have become a hallmark of its hosts.
“Queer Eye: Brazil” season one premieres on Netflix on Aug. 24.
In case you missed it…
‘Westworld’
The fourth season of HBO’s dystopian series “Westworld” continues the saga of sentients fighting for their survival. This time, the human-robot war takes place on two timelines, one set partly in a 1920s-themed park. Evan Rachel Wood returns as a mysterious new character, Christina, after the series’ protagonist, Dolores Abernathy, was killed in season three. And Tessa Thompson reprises her role as cutthroat businesswoman Charlotte Hale, alongside Thandiwe Newton as everyone’s favorite Host, Maeve. Ariana DeBose also joins this season’s cast in a recurring role as Maya, Christina’s nightmarish roommate.
“Westworld” season four is available on HBO Max.
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