TV Talk: ‘Hacks,’ ‘Lincoln Lawyer’ lead onslaught of summer cable, streaming premieres

The summer TV season began on cable and streaming in late April as platforms debuted prestige programs in time for Emmy consideration. That was only the start.

This week’s premieres include the return of “Hacks,” now streaming on HBO Max. Through the first six episodes of season two, “Hacks” remains in top form as comic Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and her young writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) hit the road as the secret of Ava’s betrayal simmers in the background. “Hacks” finds a way to restore the frenemies dynamic between the two lead characters without ignoring the progress made in their relationship in season one.

Some of the new scripted series coming to home screens include:

“The Lincoln Lawyer” (May 13, Netflix): Originally developed for CBS, this series based on the Michel Connelly books follows lawyer Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), who runs his law practice out of the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car when he’s not meeting with his first ex-wife (Neve Campbell, “Party of Five”) or his second ex-wife (Becki Newton, “Ugly Betty”). The show, written by David E. Kelley (“Big Sky”), still feels fairly broadcast network-y, albeit slightly elevated. Haller is the half-brother of Harry Bosch and “Lincoln Lawyer” feels of a piece with the “Bosch” series.

“The Essex Serpent” (May 13, Apple TV+): Limited series based on the Sarah Perry novel about Victorian London widow Cora (Claire Danes) who bonds with a local pastor (Tom Hiddleston) while searching for a mythical creature.

“Conversations with Friends” (May 15, Hulu): Frances (Alison Oliver), 21, navigates relationships in the latest adaptation of a Sally Rooney novel.

“The Time Traveler’s Wife” (9 p.m. May 15, HBO): Lighter and more romantic than typical HBO series, Steven Moffat (“Sherlock”) adapted this from the Audrey Niffenegger novel about a time traveler (Theo James) and his wife (Rose Leslie). The six-episode first season delivers a welcome fairytale with a “Pushing Daisies” vibe, but with such a tight initial focus on just these two characters, one wonders if it can go the distance.

“Angelyne” (May 19, Peacock): Emmy Rossum (“Shameless”) stars as the Los Angeles billboard queen.

“Kingdom Business” (May 19, BET+): Soap about a gospel superstar (Yolanda Adams).

“The Icpress Files” (May 19, AMC+): Twisty espionage thriller based on the Len Deighton novel.

“Night Sky” (May 20, Amazon’s Prime Video): Elderly couple (Sissy Spacek, J.K. Simmons) keep the secret of a portal to another planet that’s in their backyard.

“Now & Then” (May 20, Apple TV+): Bilingual thriller about college best friends who reunite 20 years after a friend’s death.

“Troppo” (May 20, Amazon Freevee): An ex-cop (Thomas Jane, “The Expanse”) falsely accused of a crime hides out in the tropics of Far North Queensland, Australia.

“The Responder” (May 24, Britbox): British frontline responder (Martin Freeman) takes on a new partner (Adelayo Adedayo).

“Obi-Wan Kenobi” (May 27, Disney+): Ewan McGregor dons his Jedi robes again in this series set between “Star Wars” movies “Revenge of the Sith” and “A New Hope.”

“Shoresy” (May 27, Hulu): Half-hour comedy spin-off from “Letterkenny” follows Shoresy (Jared Keeso) as he joins a senior AAA hockey team.

“Pistol” (May 31, Hulu): Six-episode limited series about the rise of punk band the Sex Pistols.

“Irma Vep” (9 p.m. June 6, HBO): An American movie star (Alicia Vikander) stars in a remake of a French silent film.

“This is Going to Hurt” (June 2, AMC+): Ben Whishaw (“A Very English Scandal”) stars in this adaptation of the Adam Kay memoir about life as a young doctor.

“Mystic” (9 p.m. June 2, UPtv): New Zealand-set drama about teen horse riders trying to save an area from industrial development.

“The Wedding Planners” (8 p.m. June 3, UPtv): Canadian drama about three sisters who inherit their mother’s business.

“Ms. Marvel” (June 8, Disney+): Muslim American teen gets super powers.

“Queer as Folk” (June 9, Peacock): New Orleans-set reimagining of the British drama.

“First Kill” (June 10, Netflix): Teen vampire (Sarah Catherine Hook) falls in love with a vampire hunter (Imani Lewis).

“Becoming Elizabeth” (9 p.m. June 12, Starz): Tudor drama about the early life of England’s “most iconic queen.”

“Dark Winds” (9 p.m. June 12, AMC): Noir thriller based on Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn (Zahn McClaron, “Fargo”) and Chee (Kiowa Gordon, “Roswell, New Mexico”) book series about tribal police investigators.

“God’s Favorite Idiot” (June 15, Netflix): A mid-level tech employee (Ben Falcone) thinks he’s called by God to outwit Satan (Leslie Bibb).

“Players” (June 16, Paramount+): Comedy about a fictional pro “League of Legends” esports team.

“The Old Man” (10 p.m. June 16, FX): Based on Thomas Perry’s novel, it’s the story of a former CIA operative (Jeff Bridges) who’s been living off the grid when an assassin tries to take him out.

“The Summer I Turned Pretty” (June 17, Prime Video): Series adaptation of Jenny Han’s novel about a love triangle among a girl and two brothers.

“Loot” (June 24, Apple TV+): Billionaire (Maya Rudolph) discovers she has a charity foundation and she starts giving back to others in an effort to get back to herself.

“The Terminal List” (July 1, Prime Video): A Navy SEAL (Chris Pratt) lives through an attack only to discover dark forces working against him.

“Maggie” (July 6, Hulu): Comedy about a psychic who’s having a hard time falling in love because she sees how the relationship will end.

“Black Bird” (July 8, Apple TV+): Based on true crime memoir “In With the Devil,” a convicted drug dealer (Taron Egerton) gets a chance at early parole if he’ll befriend and extract information from a serial killer (Paul Walter Hauser).

“Flowers in the Attic: The Origin” (8 p.m. July 9, Lifetime): Prequel limited series to V.C. Andrews’ gothic tale.

“Everything’s Trash” (10 and 10:30 p.m. July 13, Freeform): Thirtysomething podcaster (Phoebe Robinson) has to start adulting.

“Resident Evil” (July 14, Netflix): Lance Reddick stars in this 2036-set series continuation of the apocalyptic story.

“Uncoupled” (July 29, Netflix): Neil Patrick Harris plays a man divorced by his husband in his mid-40s in New York.

“Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon” (9 p.m. Aug. 21, HBO): Prequel series to the HBO fantasy hit

“Mo” (Aug. 24, Netflix): A Palestinian refugee (Mo Amer) straddles cultures and languages as he attempts to get asylum and a path to U.S. citizenship.

“Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” (Sept. 2, Prime Video): Prequel series to the fantasy story.

Returning:

May 13: “The Kids in the Hall” (Amazon Prime Video).

May 19: “Heartland” (8 p.m., UPtv).

May 20: “Love, Death + Robots” (Netflix).

May 27: “Stranger Things,” part one of season four (May 27, Netflix):

June 2: “The Orville” (June 2, Hulu)

June 3: “The Boys” (Prime Video), “Physical” (Apple TV+), “P Valley” (9 p.m., Starz).

June 7: “All Rise” (8 p.m., OWN).

June 10: “For All Mankind” (Apple TV+), “Fairfax” (Prime Video), “Peaky Blinders” (Netflix), “Bunk’d” (7:30 p.m., Disney Channel).

June 12: “Evil” (Paramount+).

June 15: “Love, Victor” (Hulu).

June 16: “Rutherford Falls” (Peacock).

June 19: “Animal Kingdom” (9 p.m., TNT).

June 21: “Motherland: Fort Salem” (10 p.m., Freeform).

June 22: “Umbrella Academy” (June 22, Netflix).

June 26: “Westworld” (9 p.m., HBO), “The Chi” (9 p.m., Showtime).

June 28: “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu).

June 29: “The Upshaws” (Netflix).

July 1: “Stranger Things,” part two of season four (Netflix).

July 7: “Good Trouble” (10 p.m., Freeform).

July 10: “City on a Hill” (10 p.m., Showtime),

July 11: “Better Call Saul” (9 p.m., AMC), “Chad” (10 p.m., TBS).

July 20: “Virgin River” (Netflix), “grown-ish” (10 p.m., Freeform).

Aug. 12: “Never Have I Ever” (Netflix).

Sept. 9: “Cobra Kai” (Netflix).