Happy Independence Day!
America’s Independence Day has brought us all these wonderful freedoms, like Will Smith—a funny sitcom actor who can now make a massive blockbuster where we all gleefully cheer as famous landmarks get utterly trashed by malevolent aliens.
By the way, for a ‘96 movie the FX hold up so good.
Independence Day on Independence Day is a certified #SetTheVCR tradition. (And honestly? It was either that or a Purge movie. Let’s stick with a classic tradition.)
So gather around the TV with your apple pie after all that tasty BBQ.
We have much to be grateful for…today and every day.
Especially in 2026, following the Knicks winning an NBA Championship. Plus the Hoosiers became college football National Champions for the first time ever.
The World Cup has been captivating. (Egypt is rolling in the World Cup but that only matters to some, not to all.) And that’s just 6 months of sports.
Artemis II’s lunar flyby and much more wild goodness includes openly discussing a Moon Base: “The Moon Base is humanity’s first lunar outpost…” according to NASA’s website. Wow. Okay: Space Is The Place.
Michael, a biopic about pop star Michael Jackson’s early career, was released on April 24, 2026. It quickly became the highest-grossing music biopic in the world, grossing $977 million globally ($607 million from international markets and $370 million domestically.) Michael Jackson is a #GOAT.
(Online idiots struggled with this dancey, delightful movie because it was missing this or failed to acknowledge that. It’s a biopic. These pitch-fork armed fools came for a crucifixion and all they witnessed was a glorious coronation. So yeah, they can all Beat It with their worthless nonsense.)
The 100th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s birth was celebrated on June 1st. So was Mel Brooks’ 100th birthday on June 28. (On November 11 the iconic U.S. highway Route 66 will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its opening.)
Lots of #PantsWorthy in 2026:
The Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music—a 32,000-square-foot facility located on the Monmouth University campus in West Long Branch, New Jersey—opened to the public on June 13.
In downtown Vegas, the Evel Knievel Experience officially opened on June 27. It’s a highly interactive tribute to America’s beloved daredevil/superhero.
In between those 2 experiential openings…the Barack Obama Presidential Center and its classic presidential library opened on June 19.
Just over 6 months into 2026 and this remarkable year has already delivered a flood of dynamic highlights which makes gratitude a natural response.
But before the 4th of July there is…
Canada Day!
If the 4th of July claims Independence Day as its classic pop culture blockbuster, then Canada Day has...what?
Canada has lots of cultural exports—especially comedy—and the quiet confidence of “eh…that was probably shot in Toronto.”
Is it our time for a defining Independence Day spectacular blockbuster for our national birthday? We dig ruckus, too.
A new month means new TV.
For July 2026 I present 5 TV recommendations you’ll wanna #SetTheVCR for these.
I’ve organized them by dynamic and delightful categories to give your July some sweet sticky Summer heat. It won’t be cool outside but watch these and you will be cool.
The Event
→ 72 Hours
The Sleeper
→ Cold Storage
The Comeback
→ Furious — Season 1
The Wildcard
→ The Westies
The My Pal Sammy Pick
→ The Hawk — Season 1
Oh and before I get to the TV Guide Recommendations, since it is Independence Day I’ve attached a fascinating 2022 conversation with director Ben Smallbone. It’s all about his outstanding documentary Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon. (It’s on Prime Video-Canada, if you wanna check it out.)
Fitting for Independence Day.
Ben and I get into Cash, Rick Rubin, Dolly Parton, faith and so many other classic American hallmarks. Oh and yes if his last name Smallbone rings a bell? He is indeed related to For King & Country as in Joel and Luke Smallbone…they’re all brothers. (In Christ and in life.)
Press play on that My Summer Lair episode and let it play while you check out what to watch on TV in July.
It’ll be a good TV month. Shall we?
The Wildcard
Sunday, July 12
The Westies: Season 1 (Anytime / MGM+)
~~
The Westies is a gritty and kinetic crime drama centering on New York City’s infamously violent Irish gang of the same name. The series is set in the early 1980s when the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center on the Westies’ home turf in Hell’s Kitchen promises a financial windfall. Despite being outnumbered fifty-to-one by the Five Families of the Italian Mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente. But internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI’s ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia.
Welcome to 1980s New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen. Where there’s no Daredevil, but there is an Irish Kingpin—Eamonn Sweeney, played by a ruthless J.K. Simmons. (He’s joined by Titus Welliver as mustached Glenn Keenan.)
As for the gritty crime drama The Westies think Goodfellas meets The Wire. Meaning…this isn’t gonna end well.
Not to sound like a wise guy. But brutality to create leverage is only effective for so long, you know?
If you Google the popular dog breed, a Westies personality is described as smart, independent and notoriously stubborn terriers that require firm, patient training.
And weirdly, that’s the exact setup of this show’s generational warfare. An internal conflict between old-school leadership and (of course!) a brash, younger generation of Irish mobsters threatens fragile peace. And that’s with taking on the Italian Mafia’s Five Families.
Meanwhile, The Wire elements naturally surface as the gang’s increasingly reckless actions (lots and lots of violence!) attract em to an ever-deepening FBI investigation into organized crime.
This ain’t your classic “Kiss Me, I enjoy U2” Irish.
This is police and paddy wagon, Gangs of New York Irish.
And I have a feeling as The Westies unfolds it’s all gonna go Southies.
The Sleeper
Wednesday, July 15
Cold Storage (Anytime / MGM+ & Prime Video-Canada)
~~
When a mutating, highly contagious fungus escapes a sealed facility, two young employees – joined by a grizzled bioterror operative – must survive the wildest night shift ever to save humanity from extinction.
An infectious reminder that horror can just be clever, propulsive and fun again. In a horror landscape obsessed with trauma and prestige dread, it is refreshing to delight in projectile vomiting and enjoy aggressive green puke.
In conversation, director Jonny Campbell described Cold Storage as: “It’s like The Goonies for grown-ups.” You better believe I asked him about that in this MSL episode.
What is going on in Cold Storage? Rather than share all the cold-facts, actor Joe Keery has a supa dupa line in the movie:
“This is some horrific repugnant shit, man. I have never seen anything like this in my entire goddamn life and I’ve seen some crazy shit.”
Indeed.
Joe plays Teacake and his co-worker is Naomi, played by Georgina Campbell. While Liam Neeson is a grizzled bioterror operative representing the American government.
And that’s who is gonna prevent the extinction of Mankind.
I wrote about all this in a previous My Pal Sammy: In Praise of Green Puke and there…you can enjoy my conversation with director Jonny Campbell where we get into Doctor Who as well.
Programming Note: Cold Storage streams on Prime Video-Canada on July 24.
The My Pal Sammy Pick
Thursday, July 16
The Hawk: Season 1 (Anytime / Netflix)
~~
Lonnie Hawkins (Will Ferrell) 2004’s number one golfer, struggles on the back nine of his career to recapture his magic. His body says retire, but his heart says he’s not done yet. His ex-wife and his son Lance, golf’s new golden boy, know he’s through. But with one more major to win to complete golf’s Grand Slam, Lonnie refuses to believe he’s anything other than one stroke away from the greatest comeback in golf history.
Will Ferrell.
That’s all.
That’s the entire hook: the best reason why you should press play.
P.S. for more Will Ferrell check out Hot Ones: Extra Heat also streaming on Netflix starting on July 13.
And if Will Ferrell going full Happy Gilmore doesn’t interest you…can I suggest Jake Johnson on Apple TV in The Dink. July 24 for that pickleball movie.
This month no matter how you feel about sports…on streaming you’re gonna score goodness.
The Event
Friday, July 24
72 Hours (Anytime / Netflix)
~~
A 40-year-old executive (Kevin Hart) hopes to save his flailing career by joining a group of twenty-somethings (Marcello Hernández, Mason Gooding, Kam Patterson, Ben Marshall) on a wild three-day bachelor party, after he’s inadvertently added to their group text.
It’s Kevin Hart and Marcello Hernández.
You’re either IN or you’re out. It’s just that simple. You don’t need 72 Hours to think it over or even bother watching the trailer.
That’s the entire comedy hook.
Kevin Hart you know.
While, Marcello Hernández is on fire on SNL. Can he translate that TV comedy success to making funny movies? We’re all about to find out.
The Comeback
Monday, July 27
Furious: Season 1 (Anytime / Hulu & Disney+ Canada)
~~
From creator and executive producer Elizabeth Meriwether, Furious follows an FBI agent, Alice Black (Emmy Rossum) on the hunt for a mysterious and calculating female serial killer. Both walk their own paths toward justice, and as their lives start to intertwine, the line between right and wrong begins to blur.
Elizabeth Meriwether has a New Girl! (She created and wrote New Girl, the supa dupa Zooey Deschanel sitcom.)
Eh, yeah I dunno if I’m sold on Emmy Rossum going full Mindhunter in her TV Comeback.
Hot Girl Mindhunter is a mixed results genre, especially on TV: True Detective: Night Country (Jodie Foster), Amanda Seyfried’s Long Bright River, To Catch a Killer (Shailene Woodley), Alexandra Daddario’s Night Hunter and who was the chick in Clarice? (Cancelled after 1 season so it doesn’t matter at all.)
So I dunno. I’m kinda curious and kinda bored.
More boring? “Alice digs into the killer’s hidden past to anticipate her next move. The series explores a twisted game of cat-and-mouse where the boundary between seeking justice and pursuing personal vengeance completely deteriorates.”
See? Kinda curious and kinda bored. I’m not Furious the serial killer is a woman, s’a decent twist. I’m just not convinced the other elements mean this series is killing it. I guess the only way to fully understand the dark behaviour is to watch it.
Programming Note: Furious premieres on July 27 with three episodes. Then it goes weekly with new episodes streaming Mondays; with the season finale on August 31.
Those are five #SetTheVCR highlights so your July is as cool as your A/C.
Don’t forget to check out #SetTheVCR every week: Watch More TV!
Netflix is having a weird July.
Season 1 of Little House on the Prairie drops on July 9. I dunno why this exists or what value it offers to viewers. And I also don’t care if it’s a reboot or remake or a re-whatever…it’s all a reject.
Clearly, not all IP is beach front property.
Happily Netflix-Canada offers The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear on July 17 as well as The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
The short lived comedy series lasted only 6 episodes and that streams on July 24. (If you think Brooklyn Nine-Nine is hilarious then Police Squad! is a must watch. It’s a crime this didn’t last longer.)
Honestly, if you’re gonna kick it old school with classic TV...please, do it well.
You can be good at TV but…only if you want to.
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Sammy Younan
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Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair podcast: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.
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