Crave continues to deliver weekly alerts highlighting new and noteworthy programming and scheduling changes for the week ahead.

Highlights This Week

• From showrunner Misha Green, Oscar^®-winner Jordan Peele and Emmy^®-winner J.J. Abrams, HBO’s new drama series LOVECRAFT COUNTRY premieres Sunday, August 16 at 9 p.m. ET. The series follows Atticus Freeman as he journeys with his childhood friend and his uncle on a road trip from Chicago across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father Montrose. Their search-and-rescue turns into a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and monstrous creatures that could be ripped from an H.P. Lovecraft paperback. The series stars Jurnee Smollett (Birds of Prey, Underground), Jonathan Majors (Da 5 Bloods, The Last Black Man in San Francisco), Aunjanue Ellis (When They See Us); Abbey Lee (Mad Max: Fury Road), Jada Harris (The Resident), Wunmi Mosaku (Fantastic Beasts, Where to Find Them), and Michael Kenneth Williams (HBO’s THE WIRE, BOARDWALK EMPIRE).

• The first three episodes of Selena Gomez’s new unscripted series SELENA + CHEF premieres on Thursday, August 13. The new, 10-episode HBO Max series features the multi-platinum selling recording artist, actress, producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist as she navigates unfamiliar territory: making delicious meals while stuck at home in quarantine. In each episode of this unapologetically authentic cook-along, Selena will be joined remotely by a different master chef. Together, they'll tackle cuisines of every variety, share invaluable tips and tricks, and deal with everything from smoking ovens to missing ingredients.

• An all-new episode of CANADA’S DRAG RACE drops on Thursday, August 13 at 9 p.m. ET. This week the world of pageantry is celebrated through memorable improv with a small-town twist. Canadian singer songwriter Allie X joins judges Brooke Lynn Hytes, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, and Stacey McKenzie as this week’s special guest host.

What Critics Are Saying about the HBO’s series LOVECRAFT COUNTRY

“An audacious and provocative blending of high- and low-brow.”

“A celebration of and corrective to the legacy of the pulpiest of pulp fiction, LOVECRAFT COUNTRY is proudly comfort-resistant, zagging abruptly any time you think you're sure where it's zigging and forcing viewers to interrupt their entertainment for regular confrontations with a past that's never too far in the past and nightmares that are hard to relegate to the realm of fiction. LOVECRAFT COUNTRY is bananas.”
-   Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

“HBO’s LOVECRAFT COUNTRY is one of the year’s wildest new shows”

“By the end of episode 3, you’ll be convinced LOVECRAFT COUNTRY could go literally anywhere—and believe me, you want it to. This is one of the wildest, most exciting projects of the year.”
- Norman Wilner, Straight

Crave Audience Metrics

Crave continues to have Canadians covered, delivering the best movies, TV series, and original hits all in one place. CANADA’S DRAG RACE holds the #1 spot for the sixth consecutive week, followed by AN AMERICAN PICKLE which has debuted at #2. STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS joins the list at #3 and LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER takes the fourth spot.  Here are the Top 10 programs being watched on Crave for the week of August 5 – August 11:

1. CANADA’S DRAG RACE
2. AN AMERICAN PICKLE
3. STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS
4. LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER
5. PERRY MASON
6. SOUTH PARK
7. SEINFELD
8. GAME OF THRONES
9. JOJO RABBIT
10. DOOM PATROL

What to Watch for the Week of August 13 – 19
*All Programming Subject to Change

• The animated-comedy series from Primetime Emmy^®-winner Mike McMahan (Rick and Morty) STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS continues with a new episode on Thursday, August 13. This week, after a high-profile mission goes awry, Boimler is further plagued with self-doubt when Mariner proves herself to be a more naturally talented sci-fi badass than he. Rutherford quits his job in engineering and explores other departments on the U.S.S. Cerritos.

• SHOWTIME’s political documentary series, THE CIRCUS returns Sunday, August 16 at 8 p.m. ET. This documentary series pulls back the curtain on the Trump era of presidential politics, revealing the intense, inspiring and infuriating stories behind the headlines. Key characters and events are presented in real time, as they are happening. THE CIRCUS is a non-partisan, never-before-attempted take on one of the most fascinating and consequential political periods in modern American history.

• The Oscar-nominated film LES MISERABLES begins streaming on Friday, August 14. After premiering at Cannes 2019, and taking home the festival’s Jury Prize, director Ladj Ly’s debut film also captivated audiences at TIFF 2019. Set in Montfermeil, the Paris suburb in which Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel was written, Ly’s film follows a cop from the provinces who moves to Paris to join the Anti-Crime Brigade of Montfermeil, discovering an underworld where the tensions between the different groups mark the rhythm. Starring Damien Bonnard and Alexis Manenti, LES MISERABLES showcases the talents of a group of emerging actors and up and coming French filmmakers.

• SHOWTIME’s drama series THE CHI continues with an all-new episode on Sunday, August 16 at 9 p.m. ET. This week, Ronnie is praised by his church community, while others won't let him forget his mistakes. Emmett and Dom prepare for their grand opening. Kevin tries to balance obligations.

• HBO’s drama series I MAY DESTROY YOU continues with a new episode Monday, August 17 at 9 p.m. ET. In this week’s episode, Arabella re-engages with her work and continues staking out the scene of her attack. Kwame follows Tyrone into uncharted territory, and Terry has some luck in work and romance.

• The six-episode crime thriller from SHOWTIME and BBC Studios, WE HUNT TOGETHER continues Sunday, August 16 at 10 p.m. ET. The series explores the intoxication of sexual attraction and the dangerous power of emotional manipulation. This week, Lola and Jackson find one thing they can agree on after interviewing Freddy. Freddy and Baba seize upon an opportunity to solve two problems with another killing.

• The biographical film SEBERG starring Kristen Stewart (Charlie’s Angel’s) begins streaming Friday, August 14. Inspired by the life of French New Wave icon Jean Seberg, this searing film follows the true events that took the actress from it-girl to person of interest for the FBI. In the late 1960s, Seberg became a target of the FBI as a consequence of her political and romantic involvement with civil rights activist Hakim Jamal (Anthony Mackie). As her privacy is compromised and paranoia sets in, the film portrays the tragedy that ensues when fame and politics collide.

• The epitome of the gangster genre, SCARFACE starring Oscar-winner Al Pacino begins streaming Friday, August 14 on Crave with the STARZ add-on. Set in 1980 Miami, the classic film follows a determined Cuban immigrant named Tony Montana who takes over a drug cartel and succumbs to greed. Steven Bauer (Ray Donovan), Michelle Pfeiffer (What Lies Beneath) and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonion (Blindspot) star alongside Pacino in this 1983 film inspired by the infamous Mafioso Al Capone.

• All-new episodes this week include; CANADA’S DRAG RACE (Thursday, August 13 at 9 p.m. ET); CROSSING SWORDS (Thursday, August 13 at 10 p.m. ET); DESUS & MERO (Thursday, August 13 at 11 p.m. ET); STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS (Thursday, August 13); ROOM 104 (Friday, August 14 at 11 p.m. ET); REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER (Friday, August 14, live at 10 p.m. ET, on-demand the following morning); P-VALLEY (Sunday, August 16); THE CIRCUS (August 16 at 8 p.m. ET); WE HUNT TOGETHER (Sunday, August 16 at 10 p.m. ET); DESUS & MERO (Sunday, August 16 at 11 p.m. ET); THE CHI (Sunday, August 16 at 9 p.m. ET); and I MAY DESTROY YOU (Monday, August 17 at 9 p.m. ET).

Complete listings for the week of August 13 – 19
*All Programming Subject to Change

HBO
REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER, Season 18, Episode 23 (August 14, live at 10 p.m. ET, on-demand the following morning)
ROOM 104, Season 4 Episode 4 (August 14, 11 p.m. ET)
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY *Series Premiere* Season 1, Episode 1 (August 16 at 9 p.m. ET)
LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER, Season 7, Episode 21 (August 16, live at 11 p.m. ET, on-demand the following morning)
AXIOS, Season 1, Episode 11 (August 17)
I MAY DESTROY YOU, Season 1, Episode 11 (August 17 at 9 p.m. ET)

Movies
LES MISERABLES (2019) (August 14)
SEBERG (August 14)

SHOWTIME
THE CHI, Season 3, Episode 9 (August 16 at 9 p.m. ET)
DESUS & MERO, Season 2, Episode 41 (August 13 at 11 p.m. ET)
WE HUNT TOGETHER, Season 1 Episode 2 (August 16 at 10 p.m. ET)
DESUS & MERO, Season 2, Episode 42 (August 16 at 11 p.m. ET)
THE CIRCUS, Season 5, Episode 9 (August 16 at 8 p.m. ET)

STARZ
THE A-TEAM (August 14)
S.W.A.T. (August 14)
SCARFACE (August 14)
BEST IN SHOW (August 14)
P-VALLEY, Season 1, Episode 6 (August 16)
THE CONSPIRACY (August 19)
FANATIC (August 19)

More Riveting TV to Watch
STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, Season 1 Episode 2 (August 13)
CANADA’S DRAG RACE, Season 1, Episode 7 (August 13 at 9 p.m. ET)
CROSSING SWORDS, Season 1, Episode 9 (August 13 at 10 p.m. ET)
SOUTH SIDE, Season 1 (August 14)
ANTHONY JESELNIK @ JFL (August 14)
TOSH.0, Season 12 A (August 14)
OM NOM STORIES, Season 4 B (August 14)