Third seasons can be hard. Even if a show impresses with its debut and manages to maintain momentum into a sophomore effort, third seasons are where many shows start to flounder. (I’m looking at you, Girls.) Luckily, as two of Netflix’s best comedies prepare for their own third outings this month, I’m happy to report that neither faces any such danger. GLOW, the Emmy-winning dramedy about a group of women wrestlers, is even better this go-round, using the carefully drawn-out relationships between characters to delve even deeper into everybody’s backstories. Dear White People, Justin Simien’s astute satire on modern college campus culture, spends its first episode back making self-referential jokes about that third season curse, only to upend that stereotype by releasing a batch of episodes that can stand next to any of the previous 20.
And that’s not all. Between Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, August promises plenty of queer delights up for streaming. Cinephiles should look out for a Robert Mapplethorpe biopic (Mapplethorpe), an adorable romcom (Plus One), and a severely underrated mystery comedy starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick (A Simple Favor). On the TV side, August brings a long-awaited return (Mindhunter) and a hotly-anticipated arrival (Carnival Row), as well as the streaming debut of a beloved classic (Designing Women). But if you’re like me and you’re on the hunt for a good new reality TV series to sink into, I recommend Styling Hollywood, Netflix’s excellent new show about a top Hollywood stylist; it’s half-The Rachel Zoe Project and half-Keeping Up With the Kardashians — except Black and gay.
Dear White People, Season 3: August 2nd on Netflix
In its third season, Dear White People continues its satirical plunge into the fictional Winchester University with more daring jokes and involved storylines. It’s also more invested than ever in expanding the worldview of its central queer character, Lionel Higgins. After facing his sexuality in the show’s second season, we now find Lionel exploring his new community — primarily by befriending D’Unte, a new character who introduces him to afternoon ki’s, drag shows, balls, and underground sex parties. Kelsey, an under-utilized player in the first two seasons, is also finally given the concrete same-sex love interest she’s always deserved, and the show is all the better for it.
