Media Manda not only reviews TV, she helps make it! Amanda is our Development Coordinator here at Red Arrow Industries, which means she’s part of the team that finds new talent and new stories to tell. Her worlds collide this month on Media Manda’s August TV trends as our new unscripted series, Going for Sold, premieres August 1st at 11pm/10c on HGTV. Amanda played an integral part in the development of this show, and our production team and talent really knocked it out of the park. Read all about it below, and don’t miss it Thursdays at 11pm/10c starting 8/1!
By Amanda Thornton (aka Media Manda)
Unscripted Series to Watch for the Month
Going for Sold – HGTV, premieres August 1 at 11pm
The worst homes in Houston’s best neighborhoods are getting Texas-sized makeovers in the new HGTV series Going for Sold, premiering Thursday, Aug. 1, at 11 p.m. ET/PT. The series stars real estate agent Jon Pierre Tjon-Joe-Pin and his wife Mary, a former flight attendant who left her career to pursue her love of design and start their home renovation business. In each episode, the busy parents of two turn forgotten homes into charming and affordable properties that appeal to young families looking for a high-end look without the hefty price tag. With a love for bright colors and bold design, Mary incorporates artful features into each home, including removable wallpaper, bamboo sinks, modern staircases and geometric paint accent walls. “Jon’s worked in real estate for years, and I lent a hand with design,” said Mary. “I took a giant leap of faith, quit my job and went all in to create our family business.” “More than one hundred people move to Houston every day, so we’re working to keep up with demand,” added Jon. “Mary’s style helps houses look better and sell faster.”
REVIEW: Of course I had to include our show! Mary and Jon are two of the nicest TV people you will ever meet. And, they’re extremely talented to boot! Tune in!
The Food That Built America – History, premieres August 11 at 9pm
For generations of Americans, food titans like Henry Heinz, Milton Hershey, John and Will Kellogg, C.W. Post and the McDonald brothers have literally been household names, but you don’t know their stories. Before they were brand names, they were brilliant, sometimes ruthless, visionaries who revolutionized food and changed the landscape of America forever. This docudrama will tell the fascinating stories of the people behind the food that built America – those who used brains, muscle, blood, sweat and tears to get to America’s heart through its stomach, and along the way built cities, invented new technologies and helped win wars.
REVIEW: This seems to be in the same vein as the show The Men That Built America on History Channel. Overall, it looks interesting to watch and who doesn’t love learning more about food.
Undercover Billionaire – Discovery, premieres August 6 at 10pm
Billionaire Glenn Stearns still believes in the American Dream. In order to prove that anybody in this country can be successful with the right knowledge, he’s attempting a monumental challenge that most would claim is impossible. The series follows this self-made mogul to see if he can build a million-dollar company in just 90 days.
REVIEW: This is an interesting concept for a series to see if this guy can really build a million dollar business in such a short amount of time. I’ll be surprised if he actually completes it and gets to the million-dollar mark. Guess, we’ll see!
This is Football – Amazon, premieres August 2
This Is Football unpacks the unique phenomenon that grips and unifies billions of people from every corner of the globe. Across the episodes universal themes of the human experience are explored: Redemption – football’s uplifting role in rebuilding the soul of Rwanda after the genocide, Belief – the inspirational rise of women’s football and two teams who gave everything to make it happen, Chance – the agony and the ecstasy of the fates that humble champions and keep every fan believing in the impossible, Love – four stories from every corner of the earth where the love of the game transcends adversity, Pride – how Iceland’s football Vikings take on the world and give every underdog hope, and Wonder – unlocking the secrets of Lionel Messi’s genius and the global delight of watching him play. Each story unfolds dramatically through the experience of men and women of different races, cultures and creeds, all of them remarkable, all of them united in their passion for football and chosen from every continent on Earth.
REVIEW: Of course, at first, I thought this was about American football when reading the title. But no! It’s about soccer all over the world and how it connects people. I almost wish Amazon premiered this during the women’s soccer world cup, but August will do too!
Scripted Series to Watch for the Month
Mindhunter – Netflix, premieres August 16
Catching a criminal often requires the authorities to get inside the villain’s mind to figure out how he thinks. That’s the job of FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench. They attempt to understand and catch serial killers by studying their damaged psyches. Along the way, the agents pioneer the development of modern serial killer profiling with the help of Wendy Carr, a psychiatric forensic researcher. The crime drama has a strong pedigree behind the camera, with Oscar-nominated director David Fincher and Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron among the show’s executive producers.
REVIEW: It’s about time this series returned! The first season premiered in October 2017 with David Fincher directing most of season one. The second season will consist of eight episodes, two fewer than the first.While the first season was set in 1977, the second season will follow the Atlanta murders of 1979–81. If you haven’t seen season one, it’s available to binge anytime on Netflix.