Steph Curry on the Court and in ‘Mr. Throwback,’ ‘Evil’ Doppelgängers, ‘Umbrella Academy’ Folds, JFK and Sinatra’s Mob Ties
While his Team USA faces Serbia in the men’s basketball semifinals at the Summer Olympics, NBA superstar Stephen Curry plays a fictionalized version of himself in the Peacock comedy Mr. Throwback. The Paramount+ supernatural thriller Evil approaches its own end times with an eerie exploration of doppelgängers. The Netflix fantasy series The Umbrella Academy commences its fourth and final season. A Sundance Now documentary explores the relationship of John F. Kennedy and the mob-connected entertainer Frank Sinatra.
![Ego Nwodim as Kimberly, Stephen Curry as himself, Adam Pally as Danny in 'Mr. Throwback'](https://www.tvinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/mr-throwback-episode-1-steph-curry-ego-nwodim-1014x570.jpg)
Mr. Throwback
Steph Curry is a superstar on the basketball court — currently moonlighting at the Summer Olympics on Team USA — and off, as a philanthropist, entrepreneur and occasional TV producer (ABC’s Holey Moley). Now he can add sitcom star to his resumé. It may not be much of a stretch, but Curry is adept at mocking his own high-profile status as a fictionalized version of himself in a diverting six-part comedy series. (If you’ve been watching the Olympics, you’ve seen the promos.) The star of the series is Happy Endings’ Adam Pally as Danny, a former childhood buddy of Curry’s and one-time basketball prodigy who’s now struggling as a sports memorabilia huckster. He insinuates his way back into Curry’s life, to the chagrin of Kimberly (SNL’s terrific Ego Nwodim), their long-ago third wheel and now Curry’s brand CEO. In a mock-documentary format, Danny’s grasp at a fame-adjacent brass ring is colored by spiraling deception and farcical desperation. The expert supporting cast includes Ayden Mayeri as Danny’s ex-wife and Tracy Letts as his estranged dad, with well-chosen celebrity cameos from the sports and entertainment worlds. All six episodes are available for binge-watching — when you’re taking a break from the Olympics.
![Kevin Durant #7 and Lebron James #6 of Team United States contest for a rebound with Bruno Caboclo #51 of Team Brazil during a Men's basketball quarterfinal game between Team United States and Team Brazil on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 06, 2024 in Paris, France.](https://www.tvinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/mens-basketball-team-usa-2024-paris-olympics-1014x570.jpg)
Summer Olympics
The aforementioned Team USA takes on Serbia in the men’s basketball semifinals (3:30 pm/ET, USA Network and Peacock) with host country France facing Germany (11:30 am/ET, USA Network and Peacock). Other highlights include track and field (1:35 pm/ET, NBC), including Noah Lyles running for gold in the 200m final, with finals in men’s javelin and 110m hurdles and women’s long jump, heptathlon 200m and 400m hurdles. The U.S. women’s volleyball team faces Brazil in the semifinal (10 am/ET, NBC), and U.S. women’s water polo team takes on Australia in another semifinal (1:30 pm/ET, USA Network). All events are livestreamed, with many available for replay, on Peacock. NBC’s “Primetime in Paris” show (8/7c) goes heavy on track and field and men’s springboard diving finals. For a full schedule, go to nbcolympics.com.
![Andrea Martin as Sister Andrea, Mike Colter as David Acosta, Katja Herbers as Kristen Bouchard, and Aasif Mandvi as Ben Shakir In 'Evil' Season 4 Episode 12](https://www.tvinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/evil-season-4-episode-12-sister-andrea-david-kristen-ben-1014x570.jpg)
Evil
With only two more weeks to go before the series finale — and don’t the characters know it (the assessment team has been given a similar deadline before disbanding) — the sensational supernatural thriller gears up for what might be their last harrowing exorcism. “Let’s go out with a bang,” says skeptic Ben (Aasif Mandvi) as they monitor a family man (Nate Corddry) who’s seemingly possessed by a suicidal doppelgänger. (Cue everyone going online to look up their own curious doubles.) The case hits home for Sister Andrea (the great Andrea Martin), who turns to Father David (Mike Colter) to expunge demons from her past. Elsewhere, the courtroom case against Leland Townsend (Michael Emerson) takes an unexpected turn. A thought: Has anyone consider a spinoff for Sister Andrea? I’d follow this scrappy nun anywhere.
![Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves, Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves, Justin H. Min as Ben Hargreeves, Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves, David Castañeda as Diego Hargreeves, Ritu Arya as Lila Pitts in 'The Umbrella Academy' Season 4 Episode 1](https://www.tvinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/the-umbrella-academy-season-4-episode-1-1014x570.jpg)
The Umbrella Academy
It’s raining twists and turns for the action dramedy’s six-episode fourth and final season, which finds the now-grown superhero kids far from all right. Having reset the universe using an inter-dimensional machine, Viktor (Elliot Page), Luther (Tim Hopper) and the rest of the adopted Hargeeves siblings are stuck in a new reality where they are mere mortals trying to make it on their own. But as a new threat takes shape, they’re drawn back together once more. Because the family that saves the world together, stays together … or dies separately. (Synopsis courtesy of Damian Holbrook.)
![Frank Sinatra and John F. Kennedy as seen in the 'Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia' documentary](https://www.tvinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/kennedy-sinatra-and-the-mafia-documentary-1014x570.jpg)
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
A two-part documentary reveals a dark side to the Camelot of John F. Kennedy’s presidency. Historians recall the friendship of Kennedy and Frank Sinatra, a 20th-century entertainment titan whose connections to Hollywood and the mob allegedly helped propel the charismatic politician to the White House. Their bond soured when Kennedy’s administration, including his brother and attorney general Bobby, began targeting the Chicago mob and severing ties with their associates. Was any of this linked to Kennedy’s assassination in 1963? As always, it’s a feeding frenzy for conspiracy theorists.
INSIDE THURSDAY TV:
- Don’t Forget the Lyrics! (8/7c, Fox): The musical game show wraps its third season with a two-hour finale, as host Niecy Nash welcomes a Junior Olympics gold medalist and a singing doctor. More games on ABC, with new episodes of Press Your Luck (8/7c) and Lucky 13 (9/8c).
- Broadway Melody of 1936 (8/7c, Turner Classic Movies): Tap your troubles away with musical star Eleanor Powell, honored with her first Summer Under the Stars 24-hour salute. Prime-time highlights include her appearances in three Broadway Melody films, with Robert Taylor her co-star in 1936 and Broadway Melody of 1938 (10/9c), and opposite Fred Astaire in Broadway Melody of 1940 (midnight/11c).
ON THE STREAM:
- The Mallorca Files (streaming on Prime Video): The escapist crime drama set on the scenic Spanish island returns for a third season, moving from BritBox to Prime Video. (Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Amazon Freevee and Prime.) All eight episodes are available for a binge, with Elen Rhys as British detective Miranda Blake and Julian Looman her German partner, Max Winter, solving cases while playing the eternal will-they-or-won’t-they game.
- Taken Together: Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth? (streaming on Max): A three-part true-crime docuseries explores the investigation into the 2012 double abduction-murder of cousins Lyric Cook-Morrissey, 10, and Elizabeth Collins, 8, in Evanston, Iowa.
- Ruthless (streaming on BET+): The fifth season of Tyler Perry’s thriller finds Ruth (Melissa L Williams) using her pregnancy by cult leader The Highest (Matt Cedeño) to her advantage as she seeks a way out of the Rakudushis compound.
- Kold x Windy (streaming on ALLBLK): The hip-hop drama returns for Season 2, with Chicago-based rap duo and drill stars Malika “Kold” Wise (Sh’Kia Augustin) and Renee “Windy” Johnson (Nijah Brenea) pursuing stardom while battling personal demons.
- 60 Day Hustle (streaming on Prime Video): From Sonic Gods Studios, a six-part reality competition puts 12 striving entrepreneurs through accelerated paces to launch and market their brands, vying for a $100,000 grand prize.