HBO Max Renews Starstruck for a Third Season; Max Original Comedy Series from Issa Rae Debuts July 21

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

HBO Max Renews Starstruck for a Third Season; Max Original Comedy Series from Issa Rae Debuts July 21

The Max Original comedy Starstruck, created by comedian and writer Rose Matafeo, has been renewed for a third season by HBO Max and co-producer BBC Three. The series is co-written by Matafeo, Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson, with Matafeo and Snedden also directing. Seasons one and two are available to stream on HBO Max.

Starstruck follows Jessie (Matafeo), a millennial living in East London juggling two dead end jobs and navigating the complications of becoming romantically involved with famous film star Tom (Nikesh Patel), and follows the couple as they realize they can't keep away from each other. The ensemble cast previously included Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) and Russell Tovey.

Consistently receiving huge critical praise across the globe, Starstruck has been nominated for Best Comedy Programme at the Broadcast Awards 2022, and Best Comedy Series at the Edinburgh TV Awards 2021, while Matafeo has received nominations from BAFTA 2022 for Female Performance in a Comedy Programme, and a National Comedy Award 2021 for Best Breakthrough Artist. Starstruck was highlighted by Rotten Tomatoes as their #3 best TV show of the year, featured in the Guardian’s ‘Top 10 Best Shows of 2021’, AV Club’s ‘Top 8 Great TV Hidden Gems’, Decider’s ‘Best TV Shows of the Year’, as well as highlighted as one of the best shows to watch in Decider, New York Times, Paste Magazine, NME, Thrillist, Washington Post, CNET, The Guardian, The I, The Telegraph, Stylist, Vulture, Concrete Playground, Rotten Tomatoes, Time Magazine, Buzzfeed, Chicago Tribune, Paper City Mag, Mashable, Hollywood Reporter, NPR, Star Tribune, Jezebel, TV Insider, TV Guide, Boston Globe, and Bustle, while Matafeo was featured in Variety’s ‘Best Performances of 2021’, The Times’s ‘Top 10 Funniest Actors on TV.’

Rap Sh!t

The Max Original comedy series Rap Sh!t, from Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominee Issa Rae, will debut Thursday, July 21 with two episodes. The eight-episode season continues with one episode each week, concluding September 1.

Rap Sh!t follows two estranged high school friends from Miami, Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion), who reunite to form a rap group. Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell and RJ Cyler will also star.

Rap Sh!t is executive produced by Issa Rae and showrunner Syreeta Singleton, as well as Montrel McKay for HOORAE, Jonathan Berry and Dave Becky for 3 Arts Entertainment, and Deniese Davis. Rae also wrote the premiere episode and co-wrote the finale episode with Singleton. Hip hop duo Yung Miami and JT of City Girls serve as co-executive producers, along with Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas for Quality Control Films and Sara Rastogi for HOORAE. Rae’s audio content company Raedio handles music supervision for the series.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Thursday, September 29

Young Sheldon - "Four Hundred Cartons of Undeclared Cigarettes and a Niblingo" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
George Sr. bails Meemaw and Georgie out of jail. Also, Sheldon and Missy meet Mandy (Emily Osment), and Mary feels unwelcome at church.

Ghosts - "Spies" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sam enlists the Ghosts to help secure a good review from an overly critical couple staying at the B&B. Also, Isaac tries to integrate Nigel into his friend group.

Welcome to Flatch - "Welcome to (Barb) Flatch" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Kelley is changing diapers; Cheryl and Joe are raising baby chickens; Shrub is courting Beth; Barb Flatch makes a triumphant return to her hometown to shake things up.

Call Me Kat - "Call Me Ken Jennings" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Kat is seated next to "Jeopardy!" contestant Ken Jennings on her flight home; Kat discovers some significant changes have been made to the cafe by Randi and Phil; Max has returned home from his time in Nashville.

Atlanta - "Light Skinned-ed" (FX, 10:00PM ET/PT)
My family is so crazy we need our own reality TV show. How you still got beef from the 70's? Whew. And y'all need to stop flirting with people's daddy.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 26)

Thursday, September 29

George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - Catch George on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Billy Eichner (Friends from College/Difficult People/Parks and Recreation) - Billy appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS. Billy appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Kelly Ripa (Hope & Faith) - Kelly is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 10pm on Bravo.
Alfonso Ribeiro (In the House/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/Silver Spoons) - Alfonso will be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Jim Rash (Community/Help Me Help You/Thanks/Katie Joplin) - Jim appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
MC Lyte (Partners in Rhyme/Half & Half) - MC shares her journey from rapper and entrepreneur to actress in the new sitcom Partners in Rhyme on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick stops by to chat about his new stand-up comedy special, Little Big Boy, on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Jurnee Smollett (Wanda at Large/On Our Own) - Jurnee talks about her new film Lou on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show/The Good Life) - Drew talks about The Price Is Right Anniversary on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That.../Divorce/Sex and the City/Square Pegs), Bette Midler (Bette) and Kathy Najimy (King of the Hill/Veronica's Closet) - Sarah, Bette and Kathy talk about Hocus Pocus 2 on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.