What to Stream: Keith Urban, ‘The Golden Bachelorette,’ Zack Snyder series and ‘WandaVision’ spinoff
Keith Urban’s 12th studio album and Kathryn Hahn starring in the “WandaVision” spinoff “Agatha All Along” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: season two of the “Frasier” reboot on Paramount+, the debut of “The Golden Bachelorette” and the Strokes’ lead singer Julian Casablancas and his rock band the Voidz will release a new album, “Like All Before You.”
— Writer-director Azazel Jacobs’ latest movie stars Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne and Elizabeth Olsen as sisters who gather in the New York apartment of their dying father. A highlight of the fall season, “His Three Daughters” is one of the most memorable tales of siblinghood, and of a death in the family, in recent memory. It’s out on Netflix on Friday, Sept. 20.
— With Election Day fast approaching, Max is looking back to the last presidential race. The HBO documentary “Stopping the Steal,” directed by Emmy-winner Dan Reed, focuses on Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 results in Arizona and Georgia, culminating in the attack on the U.S. Capitol. It features interviews with Trump insiders like former Attorney General Bill Barr, former White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah Griffin and White House campaign official Stephanie Grisham. The producers say it “explores and debunks the claims of ballot tampering, illegal immigrants and deceased people voting.” The film premieres Tuesday on Max.
— On Friday, Sept. 20, Keith Urban, a fixture of contemporary country, will release his 12th studio album, “High.” He’s spent quite a bit of time in Las Vegas, doing the residency thing, but it’s clear songwriting — and making new material — has always been a source of creative magic for the veteran perform. And there’s range, from the equal parts self-effacing and empathetic “Messed Up as Me” to the life-affirming “Wildside.”
— Nelly Furtado’s seventh studio album and first in seven years, the appropriately titled “7,” arrives at a point of artistic rediscovery for the Canadian singer-songwriter. Just don’t expect any rehashing of the singles that made her a superstar in 2000 (yes, that means “I’m Like a Bird,” “Turn Off the Light” and the like.) Instead, she’s embarked on a sonic experiment, from the bilingual Latin pop of “Corazón” with Colombian psychedelic cumbia innovators Bomba Estéreo to the electro-pop “Love Bites” featuring Tove Lo and SG Lewis.
— Everyday around the world, or at least, the internet, guitar bands are born out of an obsession with the Strokes. Luckily for those musicians, its members have never ceased music-making, and on Friday, Sept. 20 its singer, Julian Casablancas, and his rock band the Voidz will release a new album, “Like All Before You.” There’s a lot to dig into — like the metallic riffs of “Prophecy of the Dragon,” or the minimalist synth production of “Flexorcist.”
— Paramount+ has cornered the market on new music docuseries, and on Tuesday will continue that title when it premieres the three-part “Nöthin’ But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ’80s Hair Metal.” Leather pants optional but strongly encouraged.
— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman
— Since the reveal in 2021’s “WandaVision” that Kathryn Hahn’s nosy neighbor Agnes was really the witch Agatha Harkness, fans have waited to see more of the character. Hahn stars in a spin-off, “Agatha All Along,” debuting Wednesday on Disney+. The witch is now powerless and forms a new coven to get her abilities back. Patti LuPone and Aubrey Plaza are new cast members.
— America fell in love with Gerry Turner’s search for love on “The Golden Bachelor” and now a woman will be courted in “The Golden Bachelorette.” Joan Vassos, 61, has 24 men ages 57 and up to choose from. “Golden Bachelor” fans will remember Vassos as the contestant who opted to leave the show in episode three because her daughter had recently given birth and was experiencing symptoms of postpartum. Vassos, whose husband of 32 years died in 2021 from pancreatic cancer, says her goal going into the show was not to end up engaged, but in a promising relationship. “The Golden Bachelorette” debuts Wednesday on ABC and streams on Hulu.
— If season one of the “Frasier” reboot on Paramount+ was about introducing viewers to Grammer’s return to Boston to fix his strained relationship with his son Freddy (Jack Cutmore-Scott), season two will flesh out the supporting cast. Peri Gilpin revives her Roz character from the original series in a recurring role. Other guest stars include Yvette Nicole Brown, Patricia Heaton, Rachel Bloom and Grammer’s real-life daughter, Greer, as Roz’s daughter. The second season of “Frasier” premieres Thursday.
— Zack Snyder’s“Twilight of the Gods” is an adult animated series featuring well-known Norse mythology characters Thor and Loki but the star in this story is the warrior Sigrid, who saves King Leif in battle and later becomes his wife. An attack by Thor on their wedding night starts a war. It premieres Thursday, Sept. 19 on Netflix.
— Gamers who grew up in the 1980s will never forget UFOSoft, the company behind such classics as Bug Hunter, Pilot Quest and Grimstone. Actually, you’ve already forgotten, because UFOSoft never existed. It’s the brainchild of some of the 21st century’s most talented indie designers, who are paying tribute to the 8-bit era with UFO 50. It’s a collection of, yes, 50 original games, including racing, fighting, shooting, running-and-jumping and dungeon crawling. The creators, who include the masterminds behind real-life hits like Spelunky and Downwell, say every title in the collection is a complete game — this isn’t just a bunch of minigames. You can download the whole package to your PC on Wednesday.
— The Plucky Squire is an intrepid lad named Jot whose exploits have earned him quite the reputation in the storybook land of Mojo. But when the malevolent sorcerer Humgrump gets jealous, he kicks Jot off the page and into our more treacherous 3D world. Our hero has some mad sword skills — but he may find out that the pen is mightier. It’s the debut release from the studio All Possible Futures, whose cofounder is a veteran of Pokémon, and it shares that franchise’s colorful character design and bouncy animation. The tale unfolds on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch or PC on Thursday.
