Rueben's Ramblings

Here is the list of the programming options to expect on TV this coming week:

On August 8, the third season premiere of Only Murders in the Building will air online on Hulu.

The 4th and final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series will air online on Disney+ on August 9.

On August 10, the second season of The Secret Life of Amy Benson will premiere online on Passionflix.

The 6-part Netflix limited series Painkiller will debut online on August 10. The causes and consequences of America’s opioid epidemic unfold in this drama following its perpetrators, victims and an investigator seeking the truth. The cast includes Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick and Taylor Kitsch.

Also on August 10, the Paramount+ movie Love in Taipei will debut online. Adapted from the best-selling YA romance novel Loveboat, Taipei by author Abigail Hing Wen, the movie will focus on Ever Wong (Ashley Liao from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), a young woman whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei, Taiwan for a cultural immersion program. It’s not quite the educational program she envisions, but instead a summer free-for-all that locals and other students have dubbed “Loveboat.” The experience lives up to its name when Ever finds herself caught between two love interests: Rick Woo (Ross Butler), a sports prodigy and Xavier Yeh (Nico Hiraga), a free-spirited artist and heir to a tech empire. Between these two love connections, Ever must also find the courage to defy her parents’ expectations and pursue her true passion of dancing.

The Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie Big Sky River: The Bridal Path will debut on August 11 at 9 PM. Tara (Emmanuelle Vaugier), now settled in Montana and dating Boone (Kavan Smith), works to bring their family lives together but tensions arise, as blending their families will be more of a challenge than anticipated.

On August 11, the summer finale of Outlander will air on Starz at 8 PM followed by the second season of Men in Kilts at 9:35 PM.

The Netflix action movie Heart of Stone will debut online on August 11. Gal Gadot plays secret agent Rachel Stone, but she’s not your average operative, she is a member of an elusive and mysterious group of elite spies known as the Charter, the most highly trained agents — no political leanings, no national allegiances — working together to keep peace in a turbulent world. To achieve their lofty aims, those agents rely on a one-of-a-kind asset called the Heart. Jamie Dornan will play her MI6 counterpart Parker and Alia Bhatt will play Keya Dhawan, whose quest to find and control the Heart threatens global stability. Can Stone stop her before it’s too late?

Also on August 11, the original movie Red, White & Royal Blue will debut online on Amazon. Based on the novel by Casey McQuiston, the movie follows the star-crossed, secret romance between the son of the President of the United States Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez) and the Prince Henry of England (Nicholas Galitzine). The two young, hot, high-profile young men have been engulfed in a long-running feud since they were kids, but after a silly brawl at a royal event turns into an international scandal, the two must work together to do some serious damage control in the public eye. What was first a “friendship”-slash-publicity-stunt eventually turns into one of the grandest love stories the world has ever known. However, if the truth comes to light, their secret romance could have irreversible political consequences — can love save the world after all?

The original movie A Safari Romance will debut on the Hallmark Channel on August 12 at 8 PM. Megan (Brittany Bristow) is a research scientist living her dream in South Africa pursuing a Ph.D. in Ethology, while working as a ranger on a nature reserve. When Tim (Andrew Walker), an American theme park designer arrives to capture footage for an immersive, safari-themed attraction, Megan serves as his guide. As they spend time together exploring the savanna to observe giraffes, elephants and lions in their natural habitats, romance develops. Knowing that Tim will soon return home, Megan is afraid of giving her heart to someone who lives half a world away.

Also on August 12, the final three episodes of the debut season of the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel will premiere on ABC at 8, 9 and 10 PM.

Lastly on August 13, the 7th and final season premiere of Billions will air at 8 PM on Showtime.

Mark your calendars!