Weekend Watch: August 18, 2023
Elvis is back in the building, chocolate chips hit the strip, a Latino superhero saves the day, and a nod to sitcom legends...
As we gear up for the weekend, we're back with an incredible lineup of blockbuster movie releases and exciting new series debuts, all featured on this week's TueDo List.
There's so much to unpack here, so let's dive right in!
Here are this week’s picks:
The Upshaws, Part 4 (Netflix): Bennie Upshaw (Mike Epps), the head of a Black working class family in Indianapolis, is a charming, well-intentioned mechanic and lifelong mess just trying his best to step up and care for his family: his wife Regina (Kim Fields), their two young daughters (Khali Spraggins, Journey Christine) and firstborn son (Jermelle Simon), the teenage son (Diamond Lyons) he fathered with another woman (Gabrielle Dennis) — and tolerate his sardonic sister-in-law (Wanda Sykes), all without a blueprint for success.
But the Upshaws are determined to make it work, and make it to the next level, together. In this upcoming part, the Upshaws continue to ride life’s ups and downs, including new jobs, bigger dreams, health struggles and some major life surprises but still hanging on with the love that comes with family.
A nod to sitcom legends: Wanda Sykes, an executive producer, deserves kudos, while guest stars like Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish) and Marsha Warfield (Night Court) add buzz to the upcoming season.
Reinventing Elvis: The ‘68 Comeback (Paramount+): Premiering days before the anniversary of Presley’s death, Reinventing Elvis reveals what really happened behind the scenes of this mesmerizing hour of television. When it aired on the night of December 3, 1968, the special became the most-watched television event of the year, and nearly half of the entire TV-watching audience tuned in to see Elvis Presley, clad in an iconic black leather suit, deliver some of the greatest performances of his life, reinvigorating his career and changing the pop-culture landscape forever.
Bonus: Fans can see scenes that were cut from the original special.
Killing It, Season 2 (Peacock): Craig Foster (played by “The Office” alum, Craig Robinson) is a bank security guard living in Miami and struggling to make ends meet. He and his ex-wife, Camille (Stephanie Nogueras), uneasily co-parent their pre-teen daughter, Vanessa (Jet Miller). Craig has grand plans to become an entrepreneur, but no way of getting his ideas off the ground. But a chance encounter with Jillian (Claudia O’Doherty), a down-on-her-luck driver for a ride-hailing service, introduces him to the wild world of state-sponsored python hunting, he decides to go all in to make his American dream come true.
The second season explores the ethical challenges of running a business, pushing Craig and Jillian to question their moral boundaries and the lengths they'll go to protect their dreams.
Blue Beetle (Theaters): Xolo Maridueña stars in the title role as well as his alter ego, Jaime Reyes. Recent college grad Jaime returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny.
Cool factor: Directed by Angel Manuel Soto, Blue Beetle is DC’s first film to center on a Latino superhero.
Back On The Strip (Theaters): After losing the woman of his dreams, Merlin (Spence Moore II) moves to Las Vegas to pursue work as a magician, only to get hired as the front man in a revival of the notorious Black male stripper crew, The Chocolate Chips. Led by Luther (Wesley Snipes) — now broke and broken — the old, domesticated, out-of-shape Chips put aside former conflicts and reunite to save the hotel they used to perform in while helping Merlin win back his girl. Tiffany Haddish plays Merlin’s tough-as-nails mom, Verna.