What to Watch the Week of July 7: The New Season of The Bachelorette With Jenn Tran Is Just What We Needed

ABC/Disney; Hulu/Getty Images; Sony Pictures; Netflix

The Bachelorette is back, and oh, how we’ve missed it. Thanks to successful seasons of The Golden Bachelor and The Bachelor (with Joey at the helm), the franchise has been on a roll as of late, and based on the first episode of The Bachelorette (made available early for press), we’re in for another must-watch season, this time with Jenn Tran as the lead.

“Jenn is someone who has talked about having never been in love before, and this is an incredible opportunity for her,” host Jesse Palmer tells Glamour. “Normally, with past leads, you know their story so much better, so it’s going to make it a lot more exciting in some aspects.”

Palmer is referring to the fact that the physician’s assistant student was eliminated right before hometown dates in week seven of The Bachelor. While Jenn definitely made it far, viewers didn’t get a chance to know her as well as typical leads. Of course, all that will change this Monday night.

It will soon become obvious why she was the perfect choice to lead the new season. Jenn thrives as the Bachelorette, and she’s a hell of a lot of fun to watch with these guys, who think they’re always one step ahead of her (they’re not). Palmer says there are several men you should keep an eye on this season, starting with Devin, who is one of the youngest guys, “which naturally, I think, creates questions amongst some of the other men. He’s very confident, extremely quick-witted, very intelligent, and a good-looking dude, but are there more sides to him? That’s a big question.”

Then there’s Sam M., who Palmer says “could be a force to reckon with in the house.” He’s not to be confused with Sam N., who Palmer says has never had a girlfriend before. “What will he be comfortable sharing with Jenn? How’s he going to be around the other guys? Is he a jealous guy? I don’t know, but I guess we’re going to find out.”

Another guy that Palmer says to look out for is Marcus, who “has an amazing personal story. He has lived 20 lives and is someone who I hope is not going to be afraid to be vulnerable and share some of that with Jenn because he’s very unique.”

We’ll have plenty more intel and interviews during Jenn’s season, so bookmark this page for easy reference. (I was actually on set during Jenn’s journey, which took us to the gorgeous city of Auckland, New Zealand.)

Another show I highly recommend this week is the new three-part Hulu docuseries, Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer. It’s a fascinating look at the personal and professional life of Ann Burgess, DNSc, who is basically a real-life Olivia Benson. She’s responsible for changing the way serial killers and kidnappers are profiled, and most impressively, she did it at a time when women weren’t really in leadership positions at the FBI. Mastermind was not a documentary I anticipated being so enthralled with, but Dr. Burgess has a fascinating story, and at 87, she’s not slowing down.

Executive producer Dakota Fanning was equally fascinated by Dr. Burgess, which is why she and her sister, Elle, came on board to produce the series through their production company, Lewellen Pictures. “She’s everyone’s mother and grandmother, and also just the most badass woman,” Dakota tells Glamour. “I’m so excited to be a small part of bringing the story and bringing who she is to people who may not be familiar.”

Elle Fanning echoes her sister’s sentiment, telling Glamour it was so rewarding to help tell Dr. Burgess’s mainly unknown story. “The FBI was a boy’s club in the ’70s and ’80s, so I think, as sisters and as women, bringing these stories to life is something that Dakota and I are really interested in. And what fascinated me was how she was able to break through with her genius [recommendations] and stand out in the boy’s club.”

Meanwhile, check out the trailer under the July 11 tab below, and read our interview with Dr. Burgess later this week here.

Several blockbuster movies premiere this month, including Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in the stylish period film Fly Me to the Moon as well as Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones in Twisters. On the sports front, the ESPYs air on ABC with Serena Williams as the host (and Prince Harry will be honored). Also, Wimbledon is in full swing this week, heading into the semifinals and finals. Check out the schedule here. There’s also a good chance we’ll see the Catherine, the Princess of Wales, on hand to present the trophies if she’s feeling up to it, so be on the lookout for that as well.

And one housekeeping note: This week’s guide encompasses the next two weeks, so make sure to bookmark it, and I’ll see you back here on July 21 to preview the Summer Olympics, the finale of Land of Women, and so much more.

Sunday, July 7

Shark Week (Discovery Channel): John Cena will host Discovery Channel’s Shark Week (not to be mixed up with National Geographic’s Sharkfest, which launched last week). The weeklong event will include the next chapter in the hit show Belly of the Beast Pt. 2, which investigates the great white shark’s feeding frenzy. Other programming: Monster Hammerhead: Species X, about a potential new hammerhead species, and Great White Serial Killer: Sea of Blood, which follows a great white terrorizing a local village. Yes, I’m serious. Check out the full schedule here.

Monday, July 8

The Bachelorette (ABC): Jenn Tran will make Bachelor franchise history as the first Asian Bachelorette when her journey begins on the 21^st season of the reality dating show (which does have a better track record than The Bachelor). After first appearing on Joey Graziadei’s season of The Bachelor, the 26-year-old will travel the world with her suitors. But first they’re taking up residence at a new mansion, called Hummingbird Nest Ranch. “I actually don’t know why [we switched it up],” Jesse Palmer tells Glamour. “I just showed up night one, and I wasn’t in front of the mansion. But Hummingbird Mansion is historic. It’s beautiful. It has more rooms. It’s a lot bigger than the Bachelor mansion.” See for yourself in tonight’s two-hour premiere. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT and streaming the next day on Hulu

Tuesday, July 9

Melissa Etheridge: I’m Not Broken (Paramount+): The two-part docuseries details how the power of music connected Etheridge with five female residents from the Topeka Correctional Facility, a women’s prison in Kansas. Having recently lost her son to opioids, Etheridge explores themes of substance abuse, generational trauma, healing, and more with these women who are forgotten by society. Streaming

Wednesday, July 10

Sunny (Apple TV+): Rashida Jones stars in this 10-episode mystery thriller as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation” she’s given Sunny, one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s electronics company. At first Suzie resents Sunny’s attempts to fill the void in her life, until they start to develop an unexpected friendship and work to uncover what really happened to Suzie’s family. The series is based on the book Dark Manual, by Japan-based award-winning Irish writer Colin O’Sullivan. Two episodes streaming at launch, followed by one every Wednesday

Land of Women (Apple TV+): In episode four, Hank and Kevin finally track down the ladies in La Muga. Gala has to figure out how to save her and herself, Kate’s and Julia’s lives, and uncovers a clue leading to Fred’s whereabouts. Streaming

Thursday, July 11

The 2024 ESPYs (ABC): Serena Williams hosts the annual awards show, which honors the best and most inspiring stories in sports. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT

Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer (Hulu): This fascinating true crime docuseries directed by Abby Fuller turns the spotlight on the work of Ann Burgess, DNSc, who developed techniques to profile serial criminals. It’s executive-produced by Dakota and Elle Fanning. You’ll just wish you’d known Dr. Burgess’s incredible story sooner. All three episodes streaming at launch

Friday, July 12

Fly Me to the Moon (Sony Pictures): Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum star in this stylish period dramedy directed by Greg Berlanti about the behind-the-scenes craziness ahead of NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Here’s the logline: When marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson) is bought in to fix NASA’s public image, sparks fly in all directions as she wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’s (Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as back-up and the countdown truly begins. In theaters

The Serpent Queen (Starz): Season two kicks off today, with Samantha Morton back in the lead role. She’ll be joined this season by Minnie Driver, who will play the infamous “Virgin Queen” Elizabeth I, who rivals Catherine in court. In the first episode (episodes air weekly) titled “Grand Tour,” Catherine aims to unite France under King Charles IX, pushing her agenda of a secular state. Meanwhile, the Bourbons present an ambitious trade deal with Protestant England, and as tensions rise on the Privy Council, the Guise’s plan to reignite religious conflict. 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT

Touch (Focus Features): A romantic and thrilling story that follows one widower’s emotional journey to find his first love who disappeared 50 years ago. The film is based on the 2022 Icelandic best-selling novel by Olafur Johann Olafsson. In theaters

Saturday, July 13

Wimbledon (ABC): The ladies’ singles final. Check timing here

Rescuing Christmas (Hallmark Channel): Rachael Leigh Cook and Sam Page star in this all-new original Christmas in July movie. Cook plays Erin, a woman who is granted three Christmas wishes—with her final wish being that Christmas would just disappear. And to her surprise, it does! Enter Sam Page—also playing a guy named Sam—who is a potential suitor, and perhaps the guy who can help bring back Christmas. 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT

Sunday, July 14

Wimbledon (ABC): The men’s singles final. Check timing here

Monday, July 15

The Bachelorette (ABC): Week two begins in a way it never has before. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT and streaming the next day on Hulu

Tuesday, July 16

The Fortress (Viaplay): The dystopian drama series stars Russell Tovey, Tobias Santelmann, and Eili Harboe in this thriller set in the near future, where Europe is on the brink of collapse and Norway chooses to sever all ties with the rest of the world. The rest of the synopsis reads as follows: Surrounded by an enormous wall, the nation has become 100% self-sufficient. The fortunate inhabitants enjoy sheltered lives in a self-sufficient Nordic paradise. However, when a deadly pandemic breaks out, they soon realize the wall supposed to protect them is now holding them prisoner. Streaming

Wednesday, July 17

Simone Biles Rising (Netflix): Ahead of the Summer Olympics in Paris, Simone Biles’s four-part documentary launches on Netflix, directed by Katie Walsh. Here’s the synopsis: Simone Biles has unfinished business. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she was one of the biggest stories leading into the Games. But in sport, as in life, competitions do not always go as planned. And for Simone, the world had a front-row seat as her private struggle with mental health exploded on the international stage—forcing her to withdraw from the competition. Since then, she has put in the hard work: facing the difficult traumas of her past, learning to manage her mental health, embracing her journey, and in the process, rebuilding her gymnastics from the ground up. Her courage to soar knows no bounds as this summer she plans to return to the Olympic stage once again to do what she’s always done—be the best Simone that she can be. Because through it all, Simone still rises. Streaming

Land of Women (Apple TV+): Episode five drops today. Gala (Eva Longoria) must convince the ladies at the winery to come back to work after they go on strike. Meanwhile, Julia’s (Carmen Maura) memory takes her down a wrong path, and Amat (Santiago Cabrera) discovers Gala’s secret. Streaming

Thursday, July 18

Cobra Kai (Netflix): The series returns for a sixth and final season, which will be split into three parts (part one premiering today, July 18; part two on November 28; part three in 2025). Picking up with Cobra Kai eliminated from the Valley, the sensei and students must decide if and how they will compete in the Sekai Taikai, the world championships of karate. Streaming

Friday, July 19

Twisters (Universal Pictures): Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos star in a current-day chapter based on the 1996 blockbuster Twister. In this movie Edgar-Jones plays Kate Carter, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years. She now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City but is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Ramos), to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. While she’s back in the Midwest, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures. As storm season intensifies, Kate, Tyler, Javi and their crews find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives. Twisters is directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the Oscar-nominated writer-director of Minari. In theaters

Find Me Falling (Netflix): Rock star John Allman (Harry Connick Jr.) decides to take a break from his career to reclaim his spark, so he moves to an isolated cliffside home on the idyllic Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Sounds good to me! But his dream of keeping a low profile is derailed when he is routinely confronted by desperate souls and later faced with even more complicated surprises when an old flame reignites. Streaming

Lady in the Lake (Apple TV+): Natalie Portman stars in this seven-part limited series based on the 2019 novel by New York Times best-selling author Laura Lippman. Here’s the synopsis: When the disappearance of a young girl grips the city of Baltimore on Thanksgiving 1966, the lives of two women converge on a fatal collision course. Maddie Schwartz (Portman), a Jewish housewife seeking to shed a secret past and reinvent herself as an investigative journalist, and Cleo Sherwood (Emmy nominee Moses Ingram), a mother navigating the political underbelly of Black Baltimore while struggling to provide for her family. Their disparate lives seem parallel at first, but when Maddie becomes fixated on Cleo’s mystifying death, a chasm opens that puts everyone around them in danger. Two episodes streaming at launch, followed by one each Friday

Dandelion (IFC Films): KiKi Layne plays Dandelion, a struggling Cincinnati singer-songwriter in a downward spiral who takes a last-ditch-effort gig at a motorcycle rally in South Dakota. While there she meets Casey (Thomas Doherty), a guitarist who walked away from his dream long ago. Dandelion joins Casey’s group of struggling musicians, and the two strike up a whirlwind romance—and a new perspective on life. In theaters

Saturday, July 20

A Very Vermont Christmas (Hallmark Channel): A local champion skier (Katie Leclerc) and Vermont brew master (Ryan McPartlin) team up in an unlikely match to create a seasonal microbrew in order to save her family’s business by Christmas. 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT

Originally Appeared on Glamour