TV Trailers of the Week: Task, Rick and Morty: Season 8, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, SHIFTY, All’s Fair, and More
Take a peek at some of the latest trailers for upcoming TV shows.
“Task” Teaser Trailer: Mark Ruffalo Hunts Down a Violent Philly Biker Gang in This New Cat-and-Mouse Crime Series From the Creator of ‘Mare of Easttown’ – Premiering September on HBO
There’s just something about the enduring appeal of cops and robbers stories that makes them fundamentally compelling. It perhaps has something to do with the tension and conflict between law and disorder. But with new contemporary takes on the cat-and-mouse dynamic, it seems the focus has shifted more toward the nuanced relationship between the pursuing police officer and the ingenious criminal mastermind. It’s as if they were two sides of the same coin—the thin dichotomy of someone who has dedicated their life to maintaining law and order and someone who thrives on breaking it.
Brad Ingelsby, the Emmy-nominated creator of HBO’s acclaimed detective miniseries Mare of Easttown, seems to be someone who is deeply interested in exploring this dark duality of human nature, where one path leads to a life of crime and the other leads to the pursuit of justice, yet the line between breaking the law and serving the law might be thinner than one might think.
Ingelsby has reteamed with HBO for a new upcoming limited series that will surely please Mare of Easttown fans as it once again takes place in a small working-class town just outside of Philadelphia. But this time, the police procedural drama will focus on a special task force unit of FBI agents as they track down a dangerous crew of robbers.
In Task, Mark Ruffalo leads the cast as the lead FBI agent, while Tom Pelphrey (Ozark, Outer Range) plays the ringleader of an outlaw biker gang known for a series of violent break-ins.
From the newly released teaser for the upcoming series, we see Ruffalo’s character is newly assigned to a task force unit where he’s put in charge of a group of young FBI recruits as they hunt down a notorious Philly biker gang. We also see Ruffalo’s character might be dealing with his own personal issues of abuse and grief. Meanwhile, Pelphrey’s character, though a loving family man, leads a violent crew of outlaws, blurring the lines between personal loyalty and criminality.
The show promises to delve into the complex dynamics between the agents and the criminals they chase, all while highlighting the emotional and psychological toll such a high-stakes pursuit can take.
Rounding out the cast are Emilia Jones, Jamie McShane, Sam Keeley, Thuso Mbedu, Fabien Frankel, Alison Oliver, Raúl Castillo, Silvia Dionicio, Phoebe Fox, and Martha Plimpton.
Executive producer Brad Ingelsby serves as the showrunner and main writer, while directing duties on the show will be handled by acclaimed filmmaker Jeremiah Zagar (Hustle, We the Animals) and acclaimed TV helmer/actress Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, The Gilded Age).
Task is slated to premiere in September on HBO and to stream on HBO Max, with new episodes every week.
“Rick and Morty: Season 8” New Trailer: A New Chapter Begins as the Multiverse Madness Continues – Premiering Sunday, May 25th on Adult Swim
It’s rare for any TV show nowadays to reach beyond its first season, let alone eight seasons. But for an animated series to reach such a milestone is nothing to sneeze at. That said, Rick and Morty, the incredibly popular sci-fi comedy series about the interdimensional, time-traveling misadventures of an absent-minded mad scientist and his grandson, has seen its fair share of ups and downs through the years. Both of the show’s creators, Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, have faced their own separate scandals and controversies. However, Harmon seemed to have weathered the storm better than Roiland, who was let go from the show after Season 6, including his voice duties. Other actors have since stepped in to replace him for the voices of Rick and Morty, leaving fans to see how the series evolves without its original co-creator’s involvement. But then again, it’s hard for any show to last for nearly a decade without a decline in quality or viewership. It’s the nature of the game.
And it doesn’t seem like the people at Adult Swim have lost faith in Rick and Morty. After all, the network has recently confirmed that they are still committed to fulfilling its original order for more episodes and seasons, which could possibly extend the show to reaching its 12th season. And there have always been talks about a possible feature film and spin-offs.
So, it doesn’t look like Rick and Morty is going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, it could be entering a new phase where the emphasis is on fresh, evolving storylines, ensuring the show remains relevant while continuing to push boundaries. The journey through the multiverse is far from over, from what we can see. The truth question is, will fans continue to embrace the show as it evolves, especially with the changes in its voice cast and behind-the-scenes dynamics? Well, only time will tell if Rick and Morty still has enough surprises to keep viewers hooked for seasons to come.
Nevertheless, Season 8 will be here before you know it as it is set to debut next Sunday, May 25th, on Adult Swim. Watch the new Season 8 trailer above.
“Outlander: Blood of My Blood” Teaser: Discover the Love Stories of Jamie and Claire’s Parents in This New Spin-Off Series Starring Harriet Slater, Jeremy Irvine, Jamie Roy, and Hermione Corfield – Premiering August 8th on STARZ
It’s really incredible how Outlander, a sensually charged time-travel romantic epic about two star-crossed lovers from different eras, not only became a book series sensation by author Diana Gabaldon but also the main flagship show for the STARZ network that is now spawning spin-off shows. Usually, when we think of franchises, we think of zombies, superheroes, and Star Wars—not historical romance with time-traveling twists. Yet, Outlander has carved out its own unique space in the world of TV franchises, captivating audiences with its complex characters, rich storytelling, and, of course, the undeniable chemistry between its leads (Sam Heughan and Caitríona Balfe). It proves that, even in the crowded landscape of popular franchises, there’s a little room for love across ages.
Well, coming this summer is Outlander: Blood of My Blood, a spin-off series that will tell two parallel but separate love stories from different eras. The connection? It’s the parents of Jamie and Claire (the characters played by Heughan and Balfe). Or rather, how Jamie’s Scottish parents, Brian Fraser and Ellen MacKenzie, met and fell in love in 18th century Scotland, while at the same time, the love story of how Claire’s English parents, Henry Beauchamp and Julia Moriston, got together during World War I.
Showrun by Matthew B. Roberts with Outlander showrunner Ronald D. Moore serving as an executive producer, Outlander: Blood of My Blood will star Harriet Slater (Pennyworth) as Ellen MacKenzie, Jamie Fraser’s mother, and Jamie Roy as Brian Fraser, Jamie’s father, while Hermione Corfield (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword) plays Julia Moriston, Claire Fraser’s mother, and Jeremy Irvine (War Horse) stars as Henry Beauchamp, Claire’s father.
Others in the cast include Tony Curran, Peter Mullan, Rory Alexander, Conor MacNeill, and Sara Vickers, among others.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood will run for ten episodes and will debut on August 8th, only on STARZ. Watch the teaser above.
“SHIFTY” Trailer: Experimental Filmmaker Adam Curtis Explores the Rise of Hyper-Individualism in 1980s Britain in New Thought-Provoking Documentary Series – Coming June to BBC and BBC iPlayer
The works of BAFTA Award-winning English documentarian Adam Curtis might have become more popular in the era of YouTube, as numerous clips of his BBC documentaries can be found flowing through the algorithm, popping up here and there. His experimental collage style—mixing archival footage and old newsreels with provocative political and philosophical commentary, all set to a hypnotic music score—has also seemed to inspire many YouTube essayists in how they create their own cultural critique videos.
Curtis’s unique approach to storytelling, where ideas are layered with an atmospheric presentation of thought-provoking material, creates a psychedelic and immersive experience that encourages viewers to lean forward, rather than lean back. This distinctive style is perhaps why he might be in a category all to himself. At the same time, it’s hard to pinpoint what his documentaries are truly about, other than that they serve as a philosophical examination of how our world is connected through political ideology and sociology.
Well, coming in June, Adam Curtis will be launching a new documentary series called SHIFTY, and it looks like a sonic-induced visual journey into how 1980s Margaret Thatcher-era Britain saw the rise of hyper-individualism, shifting the political and societal landscape into a new age of consumerism, big money, and communal fracture. As always, Curtis uses his signature experimental style to explore how these seismic shifts in British society reverberated across the globe, reshaping both culture and politics in profound ways.
So, expect SHIFTY to be as thought-provoking and immersive as Curtis’s previous works. The docuseries will be released sometime in June exclusively on the BBC and BBC iPlayer.
“All’s Fair” Teaser: Ryan Murphy’s Over-the-Top Legal Drama Dives into the Glamorous World of Female Divorce Attorneys, Starring Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close – Premiering This Fall on Hulu/Disney+
Mega producer Ryan Murphy tackles the "Girl Boss" subgenre the only way he knows how... by jacking up the levels of camp, schmaltziness, and over-the-top drama, complete with a stacked cast who are all game to act at the highest levels of theatricality.
True to his signature style, Murphy brings his flair for the extravagant as he imagines a cutthroat world of female divorce attorneys, where they fight for their clients with the same vigor as their personal ambitions. You best believe there are going to be plenty of unexpected twists and unapologetic glamour.
All’s Fair stars Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Matthew Noszka, with Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close. The series, created, written, and directed by Murphy, is a larger-than-life legal drama where Kim Kardashian (remember, her father was one of O.J. Simpson’s famous lawyers) leads a powerhouse practice of all-female divorce attorneys as they navigate high-profile breakups and highly publicized scandals, all while defending only female clients. It’s sure to be a dramatic, glamorous, and sometimes exaggerated journey into the world of legal warfare, where no one plays by the rules.
All’s Fair will be coming this fall on Hulu/Disney+.
⇩ Additional Trailers:
“Lulu Is a Rhinoceros” Trailer: Auli’i Cravalho Stars in Heartwarming Animated Musical Special About a Bulldog Who Thinks She's a Rhinoceros – Premiering May 30th on Apple TV+
This animated musical special, based on the best-selling children's picture book, follows Lulu, a happy-go-lucky bulldog on a mission to spread kindness. The twist? She’s convinced she’s a rhinoceros when she looks in the mirror! Featuring the voice and singing talents of Moana's Auli’i Cravalho, the special delivers a heartwarming message about being bold, gracious, and the best version of yourself. Premiering Friday, May 30 exclusively on Apple TV+.
“Nine Puzzles” Trailer: A Young Criminal Profiler Unravels a Decade-Old Mystery in This New Korean Thriller Series – Streaming May 21st on Hulu
In this new Korean murder-mystery thriller series, a young criminal profiler (Kim Dam), whose uncle was murdered a decade ago with only a strange puzzle piece left behind, finds herself investigating a new string of unsolved murders. As she uncovers more puzzle pieces, she begins to suspect they’re tied to her uncle’s death—and that the clues might be the key to unlocking her memory of that fateful night. Streaming on Wednesday May 21st on Hulu.