Summer is the new fall when it comes to TV shows. Disney seems to be hoping to spread the superhero love to all its outlets, and on June 7 "Marvel's Cloak & Dagger" will premiere on Freeform, aimed at teens.
Taking a spin on the original comic book characters, Freeform's show stars Tyrone/Cloak (Aubrey Joseph) and Tandy/Dagger (Olivia Holt) as teenagers living in New Orleans. The show begins when the pair are young children, the day Tandy witnesses her father's death and the day Tyrone sees his older brother's murder which also happens to be the day they meet.
Although it's yet to be explained why in the first four episodes screened for the press, the duo's powers first manifest and link to each other on this day. As teenagers, Tandy and Tyrone run into each other again, and their powers reappear. Tandy can call forth a glowing white dagger, and Tyrone can transport, apparently whenever any sort of black material anything from a flowing window curtain to a plastic sheet passes over him.
While Tyrone and Tandy have different backgrounds, they are tied together by their childhood traumas. Tandy's family lost everything after her father's death, and now she spends her time dealing in drugs and petty theft. Tyrone's family is affluent he lives in a nice house and attends private school but is haunted by his brother's murder.
The show is most effective when it focuses on Tyrone because of how "Cloak & Dagger" has brought in contemporary issues related to the Black Lives Matter movement. Tyrone's brother was innocently shot by a cop, and this has impacted everything in Tyrone's life. He's consumed by a need for revenge, terrified by cops and paranoid that even if he does everything right he'll still be punished for the color of his skin.
In one poignant scene, Tandy argues to Tyrone that her life has been harder than his because of her poverty, but Tyrone fires back that at least she can put on a nice dress, walk in a room full of strangers and no one will think anything of her. But everywhere he goes, people are suspicious of him. Instead of glossing over Tyrone's race, Disney has shown bravery in taking on what modern America is like for young African-American men.
Beyond this theme, the show has a good amount of teenage angst, fast-paced action scenes and a little romance too. The violence, drug use and occasional language may draw an eyebrow from some parents. But, "Marvel's Cloak & Dagger" shows potential to be a strong voice for what concerns the upcoming generation, while still providing entertaining superhero action.
'Impulse'
YouTube Red is the new place for online streaming ("Cobra Kai" is its "Karate Kid" spinoff that's worth a watch). This summer, the service is premiering "Impulse," a young adult action-thriller series based on the third novel in Steven Gould's "Jumper" series. The hourlong episodes are directed and produced by "Bourne Identity" director Doug Liman. Maddie Hasson stars as 16-year-old Henry, a girl who has always felt different in her small town and then develops the ability to teleport. The show is available for streaming June 6.
'Big Hero 6: Baymax Returns'
After the success of the hourlong animated television movie "Baymax Returns," which aired on the Disney Channel last November (and, obviously, also the major motion picture from 2014), an extended television series starring the loveable, blowup medical robot and the orphaned, technology-loving 14-year-old Hiro premieres on Disney XD June 9. The show will start with a marathon, featuring two episodes on Saturday morning, then two more on Sunday.
'Big City Greens'
Also coming to the Disney Channel this summer is a cartoon from brothers Chris and Shane Houghton inspired by their growing up years in the small town of St. Johns, Michigan. The show features a country boy named Cricket Green (voiced by Chris Houghton) who moves to the big city with his family and is blatantly out of place. It premieres on Disney XD June 18.
'Take Two'
ABC is releasing yet another crime procedural comedy, but as it's coming from the executive producers of "Castle," maybe it'll be all right. "Take Two" tells the story of the Sam Swift (Rachel Bilson), the former star of a hit cop series who has a public breakdown that sends her to rehab. Sam decides to research her comeback role by shadowing PI Eddie Valetik (Eddie Cibrian), and "surprisingly," her cop-show experience proves to be valuable. The show premieres June 21.
'The Outpost'
This 10-episode fantasy series is the CW's first hourlong scripted show to be released in the summer. "The Outpost" tells the story of Talon (Jessica Green), the lone survivor of a race called the Blackbloods, whose entire village is destroyed by mercenaries. To track her family's murderers, she travels to a fortress at the end of civilization. Along the way, she discovers her supernatural power that she must learn to control to save herself and the world. Produced by "Stargate" movie producer and co-writer Dean Devlin and "Stargate" TV show creator Jonathan Glassner, "The Outpost" premieres July 10.
'Burden of Truth'
Previously premiered in Canada in January, "Burden of Truth" stars "Smallville's" Kristin Kreuk. The 10-episode first season of this Canadian legal drama tells the story of a big city lawyer returning to her hometown to take on a case she thinks is simple but turns into a fight for justice for a group of sick girls. "Burden of Truth" airs on CW July 11.
'Making It'
Fans of "Parks and Recreation" will rejoice to see Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman getting back together to host a lighthearted crafting competition no, this is not a joke. This six-episode series will feature eight American "makers," who will work with fabrics, wood and metal to impress the hosts and two expert judges. Offerman is actually a woodworker himself and the best-selling author of a book about his workshop exploits. "Making It" premieres July 31 on NBC.
Taking a spin on the original comic book characters, Freeform's show stars Tyrone/Cloak (Aubrey Joseph) and Tandy/Dagger (Olivia Holt) as teenagers living in New Orleans. The show begins when the pair are young children, the day Tandy witnesses her father's death and the day Tyrone sees his older brother's murder which also happens to be the day they meet.
Although it's yet to be explained why in the first four episodes screened for the press, the duo's powers first manifest and link to each other on this day. As teenagers, Tandy and Tyrone run into each other again, and their powers reappear. Tandy can call forth a glowing white dagger, and Tyrone can transport, apparently whenever any sort of black material anything from a flowing window curtain to a plastic sheet passes over him.
While Tyrone and Tandy have different backgrounds, they are tied together by their childhood traumas. Tandy's family lost everything after her father's death, and now she spends her time dealing in drugs and petty theft. Tyrone's family is affluent he lives in a nice house and attends private school but is haunted by his brother's murder.
The show is most effective when it focuses on Tyrone because of how "Cloak & Dagger" has brought in contemporary issues related to the Black Lives Matter movement. Tyrone's brother was innocently shot by a cop, and this has impacted everything in Tyrone's life. He's consumed by a need for revenge, terrified by cops and paranoid that even if he does everything right he'll still be punished for the color of his skin.
In one poignant scene, Tandy argues to Tyrone that her life has been harder than his because of her poverty, but Tyrone fires back that at least she can put on a nice dress, walk in a room full of strangers and no one will think anything of her. But everywhere he goes, people are suspicious of him. Instead of glossing over Tyrone's race, Disney has shown bravery in taking on what modern America is like for young African-American men.
Beyond this theme, the show has a good amount of teenage angst, fast-paced action scenes and a little romance too. The violence, drug use and occasional language may draw an eyebrow from some parents. But, "Marvel's Cloak & Dagger" shows potential to be a strong voice for what concerns the upcoming generation, while still providing entertaining superhero action.
'Impulse'
YouTube Red is the new place for online streaming ("Cobra Kai" is its "Karate Kid" spinoff that's worth a watch). This summer, the service is premiering "Impulse," a young adult action-thriller series based on the third novel in Steven Gould's "Jumper" series. The hourlong episodes are directed and produced by "Bourne Identity" director Doug Liman. Maddie Hasson stars as 16-year-old Henry, a girl who has always felt different in her small town and then develops the ability to teleport. The show is available for streaming June 6.
'Big Hero 6: Baymax Returns'
After the success of the hourlong animated television movie "Baymax Returns," which aired on the Disney Channel last November (and, obviously, also the major motion picture from 2014), an extended television series starring the loveable, blowup medical robot and the orphaned, technology-loving 14-year-old Hiro premieres on Disney XD June 9. The show will start with a marathon, featuring two episodes on Saturday morning, then two more on Sunday.
'Big City Greens'
Also coming to the Disney Channel this summer is a cartoon from brothers Chris and Shane Houghton inspired by their growing up years in the small town of St. Johns, Michigan. The show features a country boy named Cricket Green (voiced by Chris Houghton) who moves to the big city with his family and is blatantly out of place. It premieres on Disney XD June 18.
'Take Two'
ABC is releasing yet another crime procedural comedy, but as it's coming from the executive producers of "Castle," maybe it'll be all right. "Take Two" tells the story of the Sam Swift (Rachel Bilson), the former star of a hit cop series who has a public breakdown that sends her to rehab. Sam decides to research her comeback role by shadowing PI Eddie Valetik (Eddie Cibrian), and "surprisingly," her cop-show experience proves to be valuable. The show premieres June 21.
'The Outpost'
This 10-episode fantasy series is the CW's first hourlong scripted show to be released in the summer. "The Outpost" tells the story of Talon (Jessica Green), the lone survivor of a race called the Blackbloods, whose entire village is destroyed by mercenaries. To track her family's murderers, she travels to a fortress at the end of civilization. Along the way, she discovers her supernatural power that she must learn to control to save herself and the world. Produced by "Stargate" movie producer and co-writer Dean Devlin and "Stargate" TV show creator Jonathan Glassner, "The Outpost" premieres July 10.
'Burden of Truth'
Previously premiered in Canada in January, "Burden of Truth" stars "Smallville's" Kristin Kreuk. The 10-episode first season of this Canadian legal drama tells the story of a big city lawyer returning to her hometown to take on a case she thinks is simple but turns into a fight for justice for a group of sick girls. "Burden of Truth" airs on CW July 11.
'Making It'
Fans of "Parks and Recreation" will rejoice to see Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman getting back together to host a lighthearted crafting competition no, this is not a joke. This six-episode series will feature eight American "makers," who will work with fabrics, wood and metal to impress the hosts and two expert judges. Offerman is actually a woodworker himself and the best-selling author of a book about his workshop exploits. "Making It" premieres July 31 on NBC.
