Survival of the Thickest Gives Michelle Buteau the Star Vehicle She Deserves

Looking for your next binge-watch, or just need to fill an hour? Welcome to Your Weekly Watch List, our curated collection of the best shows on television. Here’s what to watch from Sunday, July 9 through Saturday, July 15.

After years in supporting roles, actor and comedian Michelle Buteau finally gets top billing in Netflix comedy Survival of the Thickest. Also this week: Tiffany Haddish's Detective Danner is back in The Afterparty Season 2, Netflix docuseries Quarterback invites viewers into the huddle during the 2022 NFL season, and Steven Soderbergh's star-studded Full Circle hits Max.

Miracle Workers: End Times

Monday, 10:00 PM ET on TBS

The fourth season of anthology Miracle Workers has had a long journey to the screen: It was originally slated to premiere in January, but was pulled from the schedule at the last minute amid the ongoing dysfunction at Warner Bros. Discovery. Six months later, End Times finally makes its debut on TBS, and it's every bit as charming as the show's previous trips to Heaven, the Middle Ages, and the Oregon Trail.

In Season 4's post-apocalyptic future, wanderer Sid (Daniel Radcliffe) and ruthless warlord Freya (Geraldine Viswanathan) struggle to adjust to their new life in the suburbs. Even in an apocalyptic wasteland, Sid and Freya find themselves unable to escape Homeowners Association disputes and school admissions drama, familiar anxieties that showrunners Dan Mirk and Robert Padnick mine for comedy. A long list of guest stars only add to the fun, with Quinta Brunson, Kyle Mooney, Paul F. Tompkins, and Ego Nwodim popping up throughout the season. Two episodes premiere Monday night, followed by one every week through late August.

The Afterparty Season 2 Premiere

Wednesday, Apple TV+

After becoming a breakout hit in early 2022, The Afterparty returns to Apple TV+ more confident than ever. The second season of Chris Miller and Phil Lord's comedic murder mystery reunites Aniq (Sam Richardson) and Zoë (Zoë Chao) with Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish), who's called to the scene when a man (Zach Woods) is found murdered after his wedding. As Danner interrogates the wedding guests — including the unhappy bride (Poppy Liu), desperate father-in-law (Ken Jeong), and overbearing, wealthy mother (Elizabeth Perkins) — each offers their own version of the day's events, as seen through popular genres, from Bridgerton-style period dramas to classic film noir.

While the show's previous setting, a high school reunion gone horribly wrong, provided ample opportunity for exploration, the familial ties that connect Season 2's kooky characters add an additional layer of intrigue. Their closely-held secrets drive the 10-episode season, and it's up to Danner to unravel them, one erotic thriller or Regency romance at a time.

Quarterback

Wednesday, Netflix (Full Season)

Move over, Hard Knocks, there's a new game in town. Netflix's Quarterback offers viewers unprecedented access to the highs and lows of the 2022 NFL season — and in Patrick Mahomes' case, an MVP and Super Bowl-winning one, at that. Kansas City Chiefs QB Mahomes, who serves as an executive producer on the series, Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings), and Marcus Mariota (Atlanta Falcons) invite Netflix's cameras into their homes and team headquarters as they navigate the grueling regular season (and postseason for Mahomes and Cousins), their obligations as husbands and fathers, and the media narratives that have followed them throughout their careers.

The three signal callers seem to understand that Quarterback marks a first-of-its-kind partnership with the NFL, and they hold nothing back, sitting for intimate interviews in which they speak candidly about the pressure that comes with the job. The football action may be old news, but the show's at-home footage and revealing interviews ensure it still feels fresh, even nine months after the fact.

Full Circle

Thursday, Max

If The Afterparty is at one end of the mystery genre spectrum, Full Circle sits at the other. Steven Soderbergh and Ed Solomon, who previously collaborated on HBO's Mosaic, partner on the Max limited series, which stars Zazie Beetz as an investigator looking into a botched kidnapping. As Harmony (Beetz) questions the teen's parents, played by Claire Danes and Timothy Olyphant, she uncovers long-held secrets that connect various characters and cultures across New York City and beyond. Joining this trio are Dennis Quaid, Jharrel Jerome (recently seen in the excellent I'm a Virgo), CCH Pounder, and Jim Gaffigan, among others. True to form, the Soderbergh-directed series offers a dark look at this family's web of lies and its far-reaching effects, told in an efficient six episodes. Two drop every Thursday for three weeks.

Survival of the Thickest

Thursday, Netflix (Full Season)
*Our must-watch pick of the week*

Michelle Buteau draws inspiration from her personal and professional life in Survival of the Thickest, a comedy about a struggling stylist, Mavis Beaumont (Buteau), who must carve a new life for herself after a difficult breakup. Mavis isn't the most organized or prepared woman in fashion, but armed with a body positive attitude and an ultra-supportive group of friends (played by Tone Bell and Tasha Smith), she begins to make a name for herself in the industry. Though Mavis' journey is fictionalized, the show carries on the spirit of Buteau's acclaimed essay collection of the same name, which features ruminations on growing up as a thick girl in New Jersey, breaking through as a stand-up comic, and her recent success as an actor and reality TV host. In addition to starring, Buteau serves as co-creator and executive producer alongside Danielle Sanchez-Witzel (Up Here), who brings years of experience to the lighthearted series.

If You Have...

An Hour

Celebrity Family Feud: Yellowjackets Cast: Sunday, 9:00 PM ET on ABC
See It Loud: The History of Black Television: Sunday, 9:00 PM ET on CNN
What We Do in the Shadows Season 5 Premiere: Thursday, 10:00 PM ET on FX
Foundation Season 2 Premiere: Friday, Apple TV+

An Evening

Myth of the Zodiac Killer: Tuesday, Peacock
2023 ESPY Awards: Wednesday, 8:00 PM ET on ABC
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 Premiere: Friday, Amazon Prime Video

A Full Day

Platonic: Complete season available Wednesday, Apple TV+
Five Star Chef: Friday, Netflix
Too Hot to Handle Season 5: Friday, Netflix

Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.