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

Highlights This Week

• The superhero action film rooted in the DC Universe, BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN), starring Margot Robbie, begins streaming on Friday, August 21. The twisted tale, told by Harley herself as only Harley can tell it, picks up when one of Gotham’s most sinister villains, Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor), and his sadistic right-hand, Zsasz (Chris Messina), put a target on a young girl named Cass (Ella Jay Basco), the city’s wicked underbelly is turned upside down looking for her. Harley (Margot Robbie), Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and Renee Montoya’s (Rosie Perez) paths collide and the unlikely foursome have no choice but to team up to take Roman down.

• HBO’s latest docuseries THE VOW premieres Sunday, August 23 at 10 p.m. ET. The gripping nine-part series examines the self-improvement group NXIVM, an organization that made headlines when its leaders were charged with sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. From Oscar-nominated, Emmy^®-winning directors Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer (The Square, Control Room), THE VOW takes a deep, nuanced look at the experiences of a number of people deeply involved in NXIVM over the course of several years. Amidst claims by NXIVM participants of both profound transformation and devastating abuse, the series, seeks to reveal the issues behind the headlines and explore the emotional toll of unfolding events on these individuals.

• An all-new episode of CANADA’S DRAG RACE drops on Thursday, August 20 at 9 p.m. ET. This week the Queens are paired up with Rainbow Railroad – a Canadian charity that helps persecuted LGBTQI individuals get to safety as they seek safe haven from state-enabled harassment and violence – newcomers for a makeover challenge. Canadian actress Amanda Brugel (THE HANDMAID’S TALE) joins judges Brooke Lynn Hytes, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, and Stacey McKenzie as this week’s special guest host.

What Critics Are Saying about HBO’s SELENA + CHEF

“‘SELENA + CHEF’ Is an Intriguing Document of Celebrity at Human Scale”

“[…] marshalling her power as a public figure by being willing to come down to our level — which may be the skill, learned in isolation and practiced over weeks, that ends up serving her more than cooking for one ever could.”

-  Daniel D’Addario, Variety

“‘Selena Gomez’s ‘SELENA +CHEF’ is the quarantine comedy you’ve been dying for”

“Forty seconds into Selena Gomez’s quarantine cooking show, Selena + Chef (debuting on HBO Max today), she opens the door to her house, finds two perfect trendy burlap and canvas grocery bags of food, and as she picks them up to bring them inside, deadpans, “So this is what I’m burning today.” So begins what may be the most delightful series of the quarantine—and I am as surprised as anyone.”

-  David Lidsky, Fast Company

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 seventh consecutive week followed by STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS at #2. LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER climbs to #3 and AN AMERICAN PICKLE takes the fourth spot.  Here are the Top 10 programs being watched on Crave for the week of August 12 – August 18:

1. CANADA’S DRAG RACE
2. STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS
3. LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER
4. AN AMERICAN PICKLE
5. SOUTH PARK
6. SEINFELD
7. GAME OF THRONES
8. LOVECRAFT COUNTRY
9. I MAY DESTROY YOU
10. THE BIG BANG THEORY

What to Watch for the Week of August 20 – 26
*All Programming Subject to Change

• The season finale of SHOWTIME’s coming-of-age drama series THE CHI premieres Sunday, August 23 at 9 p.m. ET. As the third season wraps up, Ronnie finds absolution while Emmett and Tiff take a step toward their future. Trig plays his final card against Douda and life events mature Kevin, Jake, and Papa.

• The season finale of HBO’s acclaimed drama series I MAY DESTROY YOU drops on Monday, August 24 at 9 p.m. ET. Since debuting in June, the stunning series from Michaela Coel has explored the question of sexual consent in contemporary life and how, in the new landscape of dating and relationships, we make the distinction between liberation and exploitation. In the final episode, when Arabella's memory of her assault comes rushing back to her, she drags the last of her demons out from under the bed - once and for all.

• The season finale of the 10-episode, Medieval comedy series CROSSING SWORDS premieres Thursday, August 20 at 10 p.m. ET. The series follows good hearted peasant Patrick (Nicholas Hoult), whose dream job of being a knight turns out to be more of a knight-mare as he discovers that his beloved kingdom is being run amuck by a group of dysfunctional royals, jesters, and crooks. In the final installment, after rescuing princess Blossom, Patrick must stop the assassin from overthrowing the kingdom.

• The six-episode crime thriller from BBC Studios and SHOWTIME, WE HUNT TOGETHER continues on Sunday, August 23 at 10 p.m. ET. This week, Freddy and Baba flee the city with victim number three in the trunk of the car, while Jackson and Lola make a breakthrough over a cup of green tea.

• From showrunner Misha Green, HBO’s new drama series LOVECRAFT COUNTRY continues with an all-new episode Sunday, August 23 at 9 p.m. ET. This week, inexplicably recovered from their terrifying night, Leti (Jurnee Smollet) and George (Courtney B. Vance) luxuriate in their new surroundings, while Atticus (Jonathan Majors) grows suspicious of their Ardham Lodge hosts - Christina Braithwhite (Abbey Lee) and her elusive father Samuel (Tony Goldwyn) - who unveil cryptic plans for Atticus' role in their upcoming "Sons of Adam" ceremony. Later, after Tic, Leti, and George stumble upon a clue that could lead them to Montrose, each takes an unwelcome walk down memory lane.

• The first season of HULU’s romantic-comedy series FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, created by Mindy Kaling (THE MINDY PROJECT, THE OFFICE), drops Wednesday, August 26. Inspired by the 1994 Oscar-nominated film, the series follows Maya, a young communications director in New York as she leaves her professional and personal life behind, in favor of traveling to England and reconnecting with old friends. Throughout this journey, relationships are forged and broken, political scandals exposed, love affairs ignited and doused, and of course, there are four weddings…and a funeral.

• All-new episodes this week include; CANADA’S DRAG RACE (Thursday, August 20 at 9 p.m. ET); CROSSING SWORDS (Thursday, August 20 at 10 p.m. ET); DESUS & MERO (Thursday, August 20 at 11 p.m. ET); STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS (Thursday, August 20); ROOM 104 (Friday, August 21 at 11 p.m. ET); REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER (Friday, August 21, live at 11 p.m. ET, on-demand the following morning); THE CIRCUS (Sunday, August 23 at 8 p.m. ET); WE HUNT TOGETHER  (Sunday, August 23 at 10 p.m. ET); LOVECRAFT COUNTRY  (Sunday, August 23 at 9 p.m. ET); LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER (Sunday, August 23, live at 11 p.m. ET, on-demand the following morning); DESUS & MERO (Sunday, August 23 at 11 p.m. ET); THE CHI (Sunday, August 23 at 9 p.m. ET); and I MAY DESTROY YOU (Monday, August 24 at 9 p.m. ET).

Complete listings for the week of August 20  – 26
*All Programming Subject to Change

HBO
SELENA + CHEF Season 1, Episodes 4 – 6 (August 20)
REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER Season 18, Episode 24 (August 21, live at 11 p.m. ET, on-demand the following morning)
ROOM 104 Season 4 Episode 5 (August 21, 11 p.m. ET)
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY  Season 1, Episode 2 (August 23 at 9 p.m. ET)
THE VOW Season 1, Episode 1 *Series Premiere*  (August 23 at 10 p.m. ET)
LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER Season 7, Episode 22 (August 23, live at 11 p.m. ET, on-demand the following morning)
I MAY DESTROY YOU Season 1, Episode 12 *Season Finale* (August 24 at 9 p.m. ET)

Movies
THE ASSISTANT (August 21)
BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) (August 21)

SHOWTIME
THE CHI Season 3, Episode 10 *Season Finale* (August 23 at 9 p.m. ET)
DESUS & MERO Season 2, Episode 43 (August 20 at 11 p.m. ET)
WE HUNT TOGETHER Season 1 Episode 3 (August 23 at 10 p.m. ET)
DESUS & MERO Season 2, Episode 44 (August 23 at 11 p.m. ET)
THE CIRCUS Season 5, Episode 10 (August 23 at 8 p.m. ET)

STARZ
BABY MAMA (August 21)
CHILDREN OF MEN (August 21)
GROUNDHOG DAY (August 21)
PLANET OF THE APES (2001) (August 21)
SAY ANYTHING (August 21)
SIDEWAYS (August 21)

More Riveting TV to Watch
STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS Season 1 Episode 3 (August 20)
CANADA’S DRAG RACE Season 1, Episode 8 (August 20 at 9 p.m. ET)
CROSSING SWORDS Season 1, Episode 10 *Season Finale*  (August 20 at 10 p.m. ET)
CORPORATE Season 2 (August 21)
ENCHANTIMALS: SECRETS OF SNOW VALLEY (August 21)
THE STAND UP SHOW WITH JON DORE Season 1 (August 21)
FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL Season 1 (August 26)