Wondering when your favorite series are coming back and what premieres you can expect during August? As we do every month, we have prepared an audio-visual agenda with the main new shows brought by TV networks and streaming platforms.
Among the most acclaimed releases for the eighth month of the year are the electrifying Star Wars series, Ahsoka Tano on Disney +, the return of the cheeky comedy Only Murders in the Building produced by Hulu, and the highly anticipated debut of One Piece, one of the most promising Netflix live actions of the year.
In addition, we will be able to enjoy Behind your Touch, a light-hearted South Korean miniseries with supernatural overtones. The MGM network, meanwhile, renews the Arthurian myth with the fantasy drama The Winter King.
These are the novelties to keep an eye on in August:
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
Amazon Prime Video | Season 1 | Release date: Friday, August 04
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart is an Australian drama, mystery and suspense miniseries developed by Amazon Studios. The producers of Big Little Lies and Anatomy of a Scandal have been tasked with bringing Holly Ringland’s novel to the small screen.
Ringland’s book, originally published in 2019, follows Alice Hart, whose violent childhood casts a dark shadow over her adult life. According to the official synopsis:
“Based on Holly Ringland’s best-selling debut novel, the seven-part series tells the emotionally compelling story of Alice Hart. When Alice, aged 9, tragically loses her parents in a mysterious fire, she is taken to live with her grandmother June at Thornfield flower farm, where she learns that there are secrets within secrets about her and her family’s past.”
With Alycia Debnam-Carey as Alice Hart and Sigourney Weaver as her grandmother June, the series explores the onset of childhood trauma and the disintegration of a family.
“Set against Australia’s breathtaking natural landscape, and with native wildflowers and plants providing a way to express the inexpressible, this enthralling family drama spans decades. As she grows from her complicated past, Alice’s journey builds to an emotional climax when she finds herself fighting for her life against a man she loves”, adds the synopsis.
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart was shot in Australia, with writer Sarah Lambert (Lamb of Gods) serving as showrunner for the series and Glendyn Ivin (The Cry) in the director’s chair.
The first three episodes will be available on premiere day. Thereafter, one episode per week will air.
Only Murders in the Building
Hulu | Season 3 | Release date: Tuesday, August 08
Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short return for a new season of the irreverent comedy Only Murders in the Building.
With the bold additions of Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep to the cast, fans are eager to see the new adventures of these friends and amateur sleuths, Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short) and Mabel (Selena Gomez).
This season is expected to pick up right where the second installment ended: on the opening night of Oliver’s play, actor Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd) only managed to utter a couple of words before collapsing and dying. As you might expect, the plot will follow in the footsteps of “everyone’s favorite trio” as they delve into Ben’s mysterious murder, which takes place in front of a huge audience.
From that moment on, Charles, Oliver and Mabel decide to investigate and solve the crime. This time, they will have the help of Loretta Durkin (Meryl Streep), and “embark on their toughest case to date.”
This installment of Only Murders in the Building comes after the series was nominated for 11 Emmys on July 12. The third season promises plenty of twists, laughs and a fresh take on the endearing characters.
Behind Your Touch
Netflix | Season 1 | Release date: Saturday, August 12
Directed by talented filmmakers Kim Seok Yoon (Law School) and Lee Nam Gyu (The Light in Your Eyes), this K-drama promises to offer a fascinating blend of mystery, romance and supernatural elements.
Behind Your Touch revolves around the lives of two intriguing characters: Bong Ye-boon, an expert veterinarian, and Moon Jang Kyul, a passionate detective.
Bong Ye Bun possesses a very special psychic (psychometric) power: she can discover truths about objects and people through touch. Everything gets complicated for Bong Ye Bun when detective Moon Jang-Yeol appears in her life and begins to interfere with her routines. Moon Jang-Yeol, meanwhile, has been demoted to his hometown crime bureau and is eager to return to his previous job in the big city.
When Bong Ye Bun and Moon Jang-Yeol come into contact with each other, their lives begin to transform little by little. Both decide to use their respective skills to solve criminal cases in the small town of Mujin, Chungcheong-do. As they get to know each other and work together, they become romantically involved.
Behind Your Touch is made up of 16 episodes of about 60 minutes each. Two episodes will be aired each week, one on Saturdays and one on Sundays.
The Winter King
MGM | Season 1 | Release date: Sunday, August 20
The Winter King is a fantasy drama series that will delve into the Arthurian legends. The 10-episode show is an adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s The Warlord Chronicles book trilogy.
The Winter King is set in the Middle Ages during the 5th century and centers on the fearless Arthur Pendragon (Iain De Caestecker), the illegitimate and exiled son of the powerful King Uther (Eddie Marsan). The fiction features all of the legend’s favorite characters, such as Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, Nimue, and Galahad.
Arthur, an outcast, tries to make his way in the world by becoming a respected and recognized leader. However, he faces significant challenges as Britain is divided into several factions and rivalries are often bloody and deadly.
“The Winter King is a cinematic and imaginative reinterpretation of the Arthurian legend,” said MGM+ executive Michael Wright.
Ahsoka
Disney + | Season 1 | Release date: Wednesday, August 23
Like most of the Star Wars series, particularly The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka will be inspired by the animated projects that preceded it.
As a reminder, Ahsoka made her first appearance in the feature film Star Wars: The Clone Wars. There, she was assigned as Anakin Skywalker’s Jedi padawan; needless to say, Skywalker was not very enthusiastic about the idea. But, over the course of the various battles of the Clone Wars, the two become true friends. Unfortunately, their bond suffers a severe blow when the Jedi Temple is bombed, and Ahsoka is framed.
Fifteen years after the character’s debut, Disney+ is releasing a series centered on Ahsoka Tano in the years following Order 66. The fiction is planned to bring together plots from Star Wars Rebels, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett and other threads from the Star Wars universe after Return of the Jedi.
The official synopsis for the series reads:
“Set after the fall of the Empire, the series will follow former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy.”
Ahsoka stars Rosario Dawson, Hayden Christensen and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. The fiction will consist of a total of eight episodes.
One Piece
Netflix | Season 1 | Release date: Thursday, August 31
The One Piece manga was first published in 1997, consists of more than 1000 chapters, 95 volumes and is currently in its final arc. After more than 20 years of history, it is still giving people a lot to talk about.
Following in the footsteps of the feature film Death Note (2017) and the series Cowboy Bebop (2021), Netflix has turned One Piece into a 10-episode live-action series, one of the highlights of the streaming summer schedule.
One Piece tells the mythical story of Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), a hilarious pirate who lives apotheosis adventures on the high seas. Luffy is a daring explorer who wishes to find an epic treasure called One Piece. The young man has his eyes on this treasure as it would help him become the King of Pirates, but as can be guessed this path will be far from easy. To find the greatest prize of all time, Monkey D. Luffy will have to gather a powerful team to help him overcome the most serious dangers.
The first season is planned to include the East Blue arc of the anime and manga. This is the stage in which the protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, begins his career as a pirate. There is still no confirmation of a second season.
One Piece is an international production between the United States, Japan, South Africa and the United Kingdom.