1. One Piece Ep. 1171
89/100 – Crunchyroll – August 2 7:15 AM
Like clockwork, another week of One Piece’s Elbaph arc sits at the top of the rankings as Luffy and Zoro find their way back to Loki, pushing the action and the arc’s climax in a stronger direction. The episode also delivers on character design, with the towering Loki finally free and ready to live up to his dangerous name. Sommers, Killingham, and Gunko are lurking as Frankie gets closer and closer to the answer fans have been waiting for, with One Piece moving toward some of the manga’s most anticipated chapters in its history. Safe to say, this show will stay high on these rankings for its entire simulcast.
2. House of the Dragon Season 3 Ep. 6
86/100 – HBO Max – Next Ep. August 2 9:00 PM
Episode six brings another round of well-designed, complex maneuvering as the season moves into its back half. It may rank below most of the first five entries, but it’s still fantastic, and the run remains one of the best seasons of television this year — and maybe the decade. Rhaenyra devises a plan as the Hightower plot begins to affect her image and the opinions of the smallfolk, while more of her men are killed or flee. The season also shifts more toward Aemond, one of the most consistently interesting characters, who seems poised to play a larger role again as he finds new dragon eggs. This season has already been the best yet and keeps delivering every week, with One Piece and House of the Dragon dominating the rankings for the last six weeks straight.
3. X-Men '97 Season 2 Ep. 6
85/100 – Disney+– Next Ep. July 29 – 3:00 AM*
X-Men ’97 is moving toward a solution for defeating Apocalypse, and with the X-Men back in the ’90s and Xavier providing the lost mutants with a safe haven, the answer comes through Polaris and her connection to her father, which gives the team the power they need. X-Men ’97 has settled into being one of the best shows of the year and a standout continuation of both the original series and the first season, but it still needs a big finish from its last few episodes to truly separate itself in a crowded field of returning shows.
4. Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness Ep. 5
84/100 – HBO Max – Next Ep. July 31 – 9:00 PM*
Again, a really great addition to the season from Larry David as we see a really great skit about a friend of Abraham Lincoln played by the man himself, that never ceases to match the expectation of petty, angry, yet hilarious banter humor the comedian is really excelling at in this series. Not to mention a much more simplistic but solid bit in the wild west that may not hit as well on the comedy as other skits the show has produced, but certainly matches the rewatchability this show is certain to have for many years to come, sitting again quite high on our weekly rankings.
5. Trying Season 5 Ep. 3
83/100 – Apple TV+ – Next Ep. July 28 – 6:00 PM*
Trying was doing its job in the first two episodes, sitting at an 81/100 rating, but the full-circle pizza morning moment and the characters finding their love for each other apart from each other in episode three bump up the quality and heart, making it the best entry of the season so far. The show moves on the love of Nikki and Jason, and that felt like it was lacking in the first two episodes. While they are apart for most of this episode, Jason’s realization that he needs to be there for Nikki much more than he is becomes a crucial plot point for the season, and it resolves itself nicely this week, moving Trying season 5 up our weekly TV rankings.
6. Cape Fear Ep. 9
82/100 – Apple TV+ - Next Ep. July 31 - 9 PM
Episode Nine is what we’ve been waiting for from Cape Fear: answers, and as the pacing speeds up and things become more clear, Max’s relationship with his sister Anna and his children is as sinister as the show has always made it seem. It’s a show that certainly works better on the camp and the soundtrack when things are moving at a quicker, more horror-driven pace, and that’s what we get here in Episode 9, which is by all means the best episode of the show. Sure, the same issues are still present: spotty moments of way-too-cheesy dialogue, overdramatic delivery that doesn’t quite work, and mixed feelings about how necessary this remake is. But the storyline and execution here are certainly the best this series has been.
7. Lucky Ep. 3
82/100 – Apple TV+ - Next Ep. July 28 – 6:00 PM*
Lucky was a show people seemed skeptical about and it still hasn’t gotten much traction yet. The concerns about pacing in a weekly show are real, but I just don’t see it yet, as Episode 3 is another really thrilling rendition of the chase as Lucky tracks down her ex-lover and partner to get revenge for leaving her behind, an episode that feels like more of the same but new enough to maintain the high rating the series premiere earned. Sure, there is far more of this series to be seen before the verdict is out, but Apple TV+ is on their A-game this year and Anya Taylor-Joy continues to impress in their new collaboration, which represents one of our biggest weekly recommendations currently releasing.
8. My Adventures With Superman S3 Ep. 7
80/100 – HBO Max– Next Ep. August 1 – 12:00 AM*
A bit of a lower-rated yet fun episode this week as we’re revisited by the famous mischievous all-powerful being Mr. Mxyzptlk–“Mxy”–taking them to play a game that turns out to be simply a ruse, and for the show, an episode that teaches Clark that without his powers he can still make an impact on the world. The show is losing a bit of steam without Superman, and it looks like it will try to gain it back in a much more intense, plot-driving episode next week. For now, while episode seven was another fun one, it sits as one of the weaker episodes of the fantastic season so far.
9. The Ghost in the Shell Ep. 3
80/100 – Prime Video – Next Ep. July 28 – 7:00 AM*
Ghost in the Shell continues its streak of solid sci-fi anime to lead the way for the slowest anime season in quite a while, and after three episodes it’s clear that this souped-up, solid animation and more traditional telling of the story, with such a classic anime feel, is something worth releasing for Prime Video. After the announcements over the past week, it’s clear Prime Video is on a streak of legacy sequels and remakes in the next few weeks, and Ghost in the Shell was only the beginning. Whether this is all a good idea for the service is yet to be determined, but they’re off to a solid start with this anime.
10. Big Brother Season 28 Ep. 7 - 10
80/100 – CBS/Paramount+ – Next Ep. July 29 – 8:00 PM*
Big Brother is heating up, and while the cheesiness is still absolutely present here, the actual intrigue and gameplay are starting to get much more interesting and fun. The niche of this show that we’re finally tapping into is becoming clearer to me, and this week feels like a clear step forward for the series and toward becoming one of the more intriguing reality shows currently airing. Now I do still have my reservations, as the way Devens, Dee, and Angela, returning stars or Survivor players are playing may be the reason this season is shining thus far. So whether the other side of the house, now without Rome, will be able to deliver will certainly prove if this show is really the hit everyone claims it is or if this week was a one-off of great television.
11. Pompeii: Out of Time
79.2/100 – Hulu/National Geographic/Disney+ – Series Complete
We have not covered too many documentary series in this weekly rankings segment, but with the Roman Empire at the forefront of our recent coverage and the film world, this felt like a good time to add one. Tom Hiddleston’s passion project with National Geographic takes a fresh angle on the tragedy of Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii, reframing the disaster through survivors rather than just destruction. Sure, there may not be much new here, but Hiddleston tackles this crucial historical tragedy with so much care and affection that the series turns out to be quite enticing and intriguing, sitting at a really nice spot on this list and making for a great first docuseries to add to our TV Weekly at TwilightRoom.
12. Stuart Fails To Save The Universe Ep. 1
79/100 – HBO MAX– Next Ep. July 30 – 6:00 PM*
Marketed as a Big Bang Theory spin-off, Stuart Fails To Save The Universe certainly has the same charm as the show it’s connected to, but it succeeds overall in its first episode more for its comedic and unique concept, which feels like a solid repeatable weekly presence from HBO Max that complements their more serious projects of late. Sure, there is a ceiling to how good this show can be, and episode one doesn’t blow it out of the water by any means. But a simple apocalyptic journey with funny accents, a goofy and circular storyline, and a well-established new cast is enough to keep us watching and anticipating a fun first season.
13. Silo Season 3 Ep. 4
79/100 – Apple TV+ – Next Ep. July 30– 9:00 PM*
Perhaps the most disappointing release of the week is one that sits much lower in our rankings than it ever has, as Silo season 3 episode 4 departs from Rebecca Ferguson and her character and the silo for more time than ever before, spending time on this outside-world story that simply isn’t effective enough to earn the time season 3 is dedicating to it. Perhaps the complexity here is still working for some fans who are clinging to the magic that season one and most of season two produced, but we’re not buying it as much anymore. There’s still time for season 3 to find its footing and return to the level that established Silo as one of Apple TV+’s best shows ever, but it’s looking bleak after the series’ weakest episode ever.
14. Elusive Samurai Season 2 Ep. 2
79/100 – Crunchyroll– Next Ep. July 31 – 7:30 AM*
An anime we skipped initially because of the very quiet rollout of its first episode, The Elusive Samurai is back on our weekly rankings after a season one that really impressed me with its creative historical fantasy storytelling and unique animation style. Episode 2 sends Tokiyuki into enemy territory alongside Ayako to meet the suspicious Sadamune, keeping his “Chojumaru” cover intact through a tense but goofy exchange. The real highlight is the quiet development between Tokiyuki and Ayako here, including a sweet imagined sequence of her as a celebrated performer through history. It’s a much smaller, more intimate episode after the ensemble-heavy premiere, and it’s certainly not the best of the series, but a serviceable first entry on our list to add to this season’s slower anime lineup.
15. Sugar Season 2 Ep. 6
79/100 – Apple TV+ – Next Ep. July 31 – 10 PM*
Sugar takes a break from the typical crime-show formula and returns to its alien premise a bit more, talking about how Sugar and some of the others of his kind adapted to Earth when they first got there. It’s a switch-up that maybe shouldn’t have been necessary, but it became so because of the lackluster first five episodes, and it delivers the best episode of the second season so far. We get to see the darker side of adapting to a new place and finding their way as Sugar contemplates his purpose before continuing this case that is clearly tormenting him more than ever before, a crucial character development the show is finally addressing. Perhaps this is the turning point, but perhaps not, we’ll see in the coming weeks, as Sugar season 2 sits in the middle of our list.
16. Black Torch Ep. 4
79/100 – Crunchyroll – Next Ep. August 2 – 7:15 AM*
With the foundational setup complete, Black Torch episode 4 pushes Jirou deeper into the mononoke underworld, adding lore for Ragou along the way. The fight choreography and animation are genuinely strong, but the Reiji-Jirou dynamic feels like a retread of shonen dynamics we’ve seen plenty of times before, similar to another new release like Tougen Anki. Sitting in the middle of our list, the show keeps getting better and feels solid but unoriginal, and it’s still missing that spark to really set it apart and move up this list.
17. That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime Season 4 Ep. 16
78/100 – Crunchyroll – Next Ep. July 30 – 7 AM*
This demon lord presence continues to push toward a point of contention that could really return That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime to its former higher ratings, but it’s taking its time. While episode 16 moves us closer to that payoff, it doesn’t do anything to elevate the series above the lower side of this list, where it has sat for a considerable amount of weeks now. The direction here for this anime almost feels tediously phoned in, aside from a few creative and fun action sequences, and episode 16, while not the worst of the season, feels like it falls into that category quite well, patiently anticipating something more from this anime’s fourth gargantuan season.
