The end of August and the start of September is a pretty light week in terms of TV premieres, but the highest-profile one is really high profile: Prime Video’s mega-budgeted Lord of the Rings series. The Aug. 31-Sept. 6 period also features the return of Rick and Morty and the beginning of the end for Queen Sugar.
Below is The Hollywood Reporter‘s rundown of premieres, returns and specials over the next seven days. All times are ET/PT.
The Big Show
Rarely has this heading been more apt: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a big show in almost every way. It’s perhaps the most expensive series ever made, features a sprawling cast with more than 20 regulars and the task of telling a new story within the fabric of one of the best-known fantasy properties of all time. So, you know, no pressure.
As for the show itself? It’s set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, years and years before the events in J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy. Some characters from the LOTR trilogy, including younger versions of elves Galadriel (played by Morfydd Clark) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo), are present in the new story, which will lead up to the crafting of the titular rings and the rise of Sauron. Originally scheduled to premiere Friday on Prime Video, the debut has moved up a few hours to 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT Thursday.
Also on streaming …
Animated sci-fi series Pantheon, with a voice cast led by Katie Chang, Daniel Dae Kim and Paul Dano, premieres Thursday on AMC+. House of Hammer (Friday, Discovery+) uses the allegations against actor Armie Hammer as a starting point to delve into his wealthy family’s sordid history. Emily Deschanel stars in the limited series Devil in Ohio (Friday, Netflix).
On cable …
Returning: The sixth season of Rick and Morty begins at 11 p.m. Sunday, and by the time it ends, the show still won’t be even halfway through the massive, 70-episode renewal Adult Swim gave the show in 2018. The season picks up where the last one left, with the title characters stranded in space after being double-crossed by Evil Morty. Will they survive? Probably! They have all those episodes left to go, after all.
Also: The critically acclaimed drama Queen Sugar, from Ava DuVernay, begins its seventh and last season on OWN at 8 p.m. Tuesday. American Dad resumes its 18th season at 10 p.m. Monday on TBS.
On broadcast …
Sports: After a handful of games last week, the college football season begins in earnest this weekend. Among the bigger games are a doubleheader Saturday on ABC: Oregon at Georgia (3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT) and Notre Dame at Ohio State (7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT).
Also: The CW’s Stargirl opens its third season at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
