'Greyhound'
Tom Hanks is back in uniform for this tense game of "Battleship" that he wrote himself. The nonstop action, which revolves around a rookie commander leading an Allied convoy through the Battle of the Atlantic, doesn't leave much room for anything else. The pace is relentless. But if you're a sucker for ol' fashioned, patriotic war pictures — and prefer when Hanks is more Gary Cooper than Jimmy Stewart — you'll want to climb aboard. Apple TV
'Hamilton'
Lin-Manuel Miranda's historical musical that blew up Broadway has now doing the same for TV/streaming numbers, after Disney — aiming to bring divided and quarantined Americans together for Independence Day — released its film of the original cast performing on stage in 2016. Even fans lucky and/or rich enough to score tickets to the Minneapolis or Chicago productions won't throw away their shot to witness the original cast in action, including Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom Jr., Christopher Jackson, Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry and Miranda himself. Disney+
'The Secret of Roan Inish'
For years, this John Sayles-created charmer has been a hard one to recommend. It has gone in and out of availability on streaming services and physical copies were equally hard to find. But it's streaming again, it has popped up for free (with ads) on YouTube and, according to Amazon, a DVD rerelease is coming next month. All of that interest in a 26-year-old family drama makes sense because it's a classic tale of a grave Irish girl who becomes convinced her sad history is wrapped up in tales of a mysterious creature that haunts a neighboring island called Roan Inish. YouTube, Amazon
'30 Rock'
The cast of this Emmy-winning series is reuniting for a special Zoom episode, just as "Parks and Recreation" did — but there's a catch. The one-hour special is being promoted as a network upfront special, which means a lot of the time could be dedicated to Alec Baldwin pitching NBCUniversal's fall schedule. 7 p.m. Thursday, KARE, Ch. 11
'Little Voice'
Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson, who cooked up "Waitress" together, have reunited for this charming series about a New York singer (Brittany O'Grady) trying to muster the courage to perform her own material on stage. As if that weren't enough, she's also dealing with an alcoholic father, a closeted roommate and a love triangle straight out of "Felicity" (that show's creator, J.J. Abrams, is one of the executive producers). Be on the lookout for musician cameos, including one from Bareilles herself. Apple TV
'Life in Pieces'
"Modern Family" may be the most beloved family sitcom of the past decade, but don't overlook its quirkier cousin, which aired on CBS from 2015 to 2019. It may take a while to adjust to the four-act format, but you'll quickly embrace it as an innovative way to present tight, economical comedy that gives all of the rich cast, most notably Dianne Wiest and Colin Hanks, a chance to play in the sandbox. CBS All Access, Hulu, Amazon Prime
'Mr. Sunshine'
Pay no heed to the sappy title — this Korean series is a sumptuous historical epic/romance that defies genre. The mister is Yu-jin "Eugene" Choi, who as a Korean slave boy escapes to America in 1871 and becomes a Marine captain. At the turn of the century, he's dispatched as a U.S. consul to his homeland, where he finds himself in a neither-Korean-nor-American limbo that's underscored when he falls in (chaste, but intense) love with a noblewoman who moonlights as a rebel fighter. Add in richly drawn secondary characters, lush cinematography and even a bit of slapstick, and you'll be hooked. "Mr. Sunshine's" 24 episodes, dense storytelling and subtitles make it ill-suited for short attention spans, but commitment is richly rewarded. Netflix
'The Grinder'
It only lasted one blissfully silly season on network television, where it was too weird to survive, but the Rob Lowe/Fred Savage sitcom lives on multiple streaming platforms. Lowe is a vain actor, massaging his ego after his courtroom TV series, "The Grinder," ends by returning to the small town where he grew up. Savage plays his put-upon brother, an actual lawyer who has to deal with Lowe's delusional attempts to horn into his practice based on his "abilities" as a TV attorney. Amazon, iTunes, YouTube
'Detectorists'
Don't call them metal detectors — that's the tool of their trade. They're detectorists! This gentle British comedy centers on Andy (writer/director Mackenzie Crook, of the BBC "Office") and Lance (Toby Jones, who in "Infamous" out-Capote'd Philip Seymour Hoffman), a couple of sad sacks whose enthusiasm for buried treasure confounds everyone but their circle of like-minded, slightly daft club members. Wry English humor is on full display, particularly a running Simon & Garfunkel joke that never gets old. Odd ducks though Andy and Lance be, you'll be rooting for them before the first episode ends. Bonus points for the occasional Diana Rigg appearance. Amazon/Acorn TV
'Guru'
You know a motivational speaker has skills when he can persuade shy, claustrophobic people to pack half-naked into a sweat lodge where the temps are like Mercury at the equator. That's the story the Wondery podcast folks tell about James Arthur Ray, whom they describe as "an Oprah-endorsed self-help teacher who achieved fame, fortune and influence. But friends and family members of his followers questioned his unorthodox methods." How unorthodox? What did he preach? Why did people follow? Find out in this true-story podcast. Wondery.com
