While Peterborough Musicfest has consistently shone its spotlight on Canadian country music talent over the years, doing so this summer is particularly prudent in light of an event — or rather a non-event — that has left fans of the genre starving for their fix.

With the cancellation of the 2022 Havelock Country Jamboree, there’s a void to be filled and, by welcoming two of Canada’s rising country music stars to its stage, Peterborough Musicfest is doing its part to satisfy the insatiable appetite of the deprived.

On Saturday, July 23rd, a double bill of country music featuring headliner Sacha and opener Owen Barney comes to Del Crary Park as Peterborough Musicfest’s milestone 35th season continues.

As has been the case since July 1987, admission to the 8 p.m. concert is free.

In enticing the duo to its stage, Peterborough Musicfest has secured two artists before they likely become unattainable. Think Carly Rae Jepsen back in July 2012, whose stock rose quickly and significantly after her Musicfest appearance upon the coinciding release of her groundbreaking hit “Call Me Maybe.”

Warkworth-raised Sacha (Visagie) and Toronto native Barney are each on similarly dramatic trajectories — an accelerating momentum that has been fueled by hit singles mingled with social media buzz.

Sacha has experienced a meteoric rise in the country music realm, beginning in 2020 with the release of her debut EP The Best Thing and the single “Standards,” which has been streamed 10 million times to date and counting.

VIDEO: “Standards” – Sacha

“The second I heard it (Standards), it just hit me like a ton of bricks,” she told Erica Zisman in an April 2021 interview for Country Swag.

“I always loved making music for the love of it, but the main thing is having a good message to go along with. We have a lot of heartbreak songs on country radio, but not a lot of songs that might help you avoid one.”

But it was Sacha’s follow-up collaboration with The Reklaws on the 2021 TitTok hit “What The Truck” that gave Sacha her first gold-certified song and really got the ball rolling. Included on her latest EP We Did, the song is the fastest-ever Canadian country song to go gold in the streaming era, reaching that status in just 16 weeks.

This is all pretty heady stuff for a girl who had a music dream at a young age.

“The impact of country living and country music just had an effect on me,” she told Zisman.

“I didn’t even realize what kind of music I was falling in love with. It was just what I heard over the speakers really struck a chord with me. I remember singing along and wishing I was the voice on the other side of the speaker.”

VIDEO: “What The Truck” – The Reklaws featuring Sacha

Sacha has garnered music industry praise in quick fashion. A Country Music Association of Ontario Rising Star nominee in 2021, Sacha was named an iHeartRadio Future Star, and three of her videos — for the songs “Cheers,” “Standards,” and “What The Truck” — have received regular play on Country Music Television.

And as a testament to her talent and quickly growing popularity, she was asked to join Maddie & Tae on their Next Women Of Country All Song No Static Tour that stopped in 16 U.S. cities earlier this year.

Beyond her music, not lost on Sacha is what she represents as a woman of colour in a music genre where that’s not too common.

“I’m optimistic about the shift that is occurring regarding Canadian values being represented in the country music industry,” she told Front Porch Music in an August 2020 interview.

“As Canadians, we pride ourselves on ethical values such as diversity and equality, which is why I believe more space is becoming available for people who are under-represented to have a fair chance and contribute to the Canadian music industry.”

“I think we move forward from conversation to actual results by asking ourselves the tough questions, evaluating our values and abandoning small-minded behaviours mapping out the big picture. The big picture always includes many people, and people of every kind.”

VIDEO: “Cheers” – Sacha

As for Owen Barney, who will open for Sacha at the July 23rd Musicfest concert, the Toronto-born and raised musician first picked up a guitar at age seven and, influenced by country music heavy hitters such as Eric Church, Steve Earle, and Jason Aldean, started performing shows in the big city at age 14.

“As soon as I could play the guitar, all I wanted to do was play for people,” recalled Barney in May 2021 during a chat with Jason Sheppard of 25YearsLater.

“Our living room fireplace had this little mantle on it, so I used to stand on that and sing for my parents. I’d go into school and do a talent show, get the odd gig here and there in Toronto, and kept doing that and loving it more and more. I started playing with a band and then it all just came together and I haven’t stopped.”

2019 saw the release of Barney’s debut EP Home and appearances on bigger stages, but it was his 2020 follow-up EP No Road Too Long that took him to the next level with the charting singles “Thank Her For That” and “Pour Me” — the video for the former garnering 320,000 views before he was named Amazon Breakthrough Artist of the Month in September 2020.

“All this attention that I’ve been so fortunate to have, it’s the first time it’s ever happened,” said Barney in the same interview. “It’s like nothing I’ve experienced before. So I sit here and keep going … not get too excited. I just keep working, keep pushing forward and hope that it keeps happening.”

“When you’re a musician and songwriter, all you ever want is for people to hear your music and have it speak to them the same way that it speaks to you. Maybe not the same way but that feeling you get when you hear a special song — it’s your music doing that to somebody else.”

VIDEO: “Pour Me” – Owen Barney

Barney has since issued a third EP, Tough Times, a three-song collection that gave him another hit in “You Make Me Wanna (Brown Eyed Girl),” which features the familiar riff from the classic Van Morrison song sprinkled amongst Barney’s music and words.

However, as Barney told 25YearsLater, the new EP’s title track is the song that he’s most proud of to this point.

“When I wrote that song, it was an exploration of songwriting for me,” he said. “I was driving to a show two summers ago and remember I saw on this gas station sign the price of gas and then beneath that some fella or gal climbed up there and wrote right beside it ‘too high’ and I thought that was funny. I wrote this song about a guy going through some tough times and that’s the song. I feel that really shows who I am and who I can be as a songwriter.”

VIDEO: “You Make Me Wanna (Brown Eyed Girl)” – Owen Barney

While there’s no word on whether a full-length album is in the cards, Barney assures “I’ll always be picking tunes on the guitar.”

“It never gets old and it’s all I want to do. Hopefully you’ll see me around for awhile.”

Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission concerts during its milestone 35th anniversary season, each staged Wednesday and Saturday nights at Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough.

Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission remains “to provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”

For more information on this concert or the entire 2022 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.

Every Thursday, we publish live music events at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, July 21 to Wednesday, July 27.

If you’re a pub or restaurant owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our nightlifeNOW editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com. For concerts and live music events at other venues, check out our Concerts & Live Music page.

When trying to lure audiences back after two years of pandemic-related hibernation, it’s not a bad idea to keep doing what you’ve done so well.

The soundness of that approach hasn’t been lost on 4th Line Theatre and, as a result, the company has picked up right where it left off in 2019, presenting original, local history-infused productions on its rustic and enchanting Winslow Farm stage just outside of Millbrook off Zion Line.

For the second production of its milestone 30th summer season, 4th Line Theatre will stage the world premiere of Wishful Seeing, playwright Maja Ardal’s adaptation of Janet Kellough’s novel of the same name.

Directed by 4th Line managing artistic director Kim Blackwell, the 1850s-era murder mystery opens August 2 and continues Tuesdays through Saturdays at 6 p.m. until closing on August 27.

Set in 1853, the play’s storyline revolves around saddlebag preacher Thaddeus Lewis who stumbles upon a murder mystery on Rice Lake. Featuring a most colourful cast of characters, it’s set against the backdrop of pre-Confederation Canada. Think Murdoch Mysteries, CBC’s very popular television series, and you get the general idea.

During a media preview held Wednesday (July 20), Blackwell noted Wishful Seeing “checks a lot of boxes … for this theatre, for its mission, and its mandate” — that being the development and presentation of original theatre pieces that bring Ontario small-town stories (and history) back to life.

“My mom gave me the book in July 2016,” recalls Blackwell of her introduction to Kellough’s novel.

“In late August, I was at the cottage and I read it. I thought ‘This is a perfect play for 4th Line. It’s a murder mystery. There’s the historical story of the Cobourg-to-Peterborough railroad and there’s this murder on Spook Island on Rice Lake.’ I sent a message to her (Janet). She got back to me in 15 or 20 minutes on a Sunday morning and said she’s interested.”

Once publisher Dundurn Press gave its blessing, Ardal did her thing and did it very well, not surprisingly according to Blackwell.

“What she does beautifully is adapt source material, but adds spins of her own while staying very true to the source material,” Blackwell says, recalling “the beautiful job” Ardal did on The Hero of Hunter Street, her 2016 4th Line-staged play that chronicled events at the time of the 1916 Quaker Oats explosion and fire in Peterborough.

As for Wishful Seeing, “it’s an incredibly technical piece,” says Blackwell, noting elements such as fight scenes, original music, choreography, and “extraordinary” sets and props.

“I always think my shows are going to be simple. On the face of it, when an audience comes to see them, they probably look simple. But to create a world, to draw an audience into Cobourg in 1853, there are so many moving parts. It’s like a humongous machine and I’m sort of oiling parts to make sure things are moving.”

Blackwell has been “oiling parts” with 4th Line Theatre for a long time, this summer marking her 28th season with the company for which she has directed more than 25 productions, 14 of them world premieres. Along with founder and creative director Robert Winslow, Blackwell remains the face and voice of the outdoor theatre company that debuted in 1992 with Winslow’s The Cavan Blazers.

Wishful Seeing marks Winslow’s return to a principal role after a few years’ absence. Blackwell says he “was born to play” the part of preacher Lewis.

“I’m enjoying the process but it has been quite awhile,” says Winslow, dressed in full black preacher garb on an insanely hot day.

“I find these types of characters kind of interesting,” Winslow says. “This particular man (Lewis) preached into his seventies. One of the challenges of playing a religious character is you have to find that faith within yourself.”

“In these times, you assume no one believes in God — that everybody’s into science and that sort of thing — but that’s not necessarily true. There are a lot of people who still have faith.”

As for the cast, it’s heavy on the side of local actors, among them Megan Murphy who, with singer-songwriter Kate Suhr, brought The Verandah Society In Residence to the farm last summer for a limited run. Wishful Seeing marks her 4th Line summer play debut — a big check mark on her bucket list, she says.

“I play Constance Small … I’m kind of the town biddy,” Murphy says. “Gossip is currency and I like to have the most currency. I want to be on my way up in the world, but there’s that interesting combination where gossip travels fast and it can be simple or it can ruin people. There’s a little bit of power there. I’m the 1850s’ Facebook.”

“My first love was Anne of Green Gables — I thought I was Anne. Now, for the first time, I’m in that period and I get to wear these things (hoop skirts and corsets). This is so much fun. I get to play for a living. I’m a giant overgrown child. It’s amazing.”

Equally thrilled to be in the mix is Kate Bemrose, who is making her 4th Line debut. The recent Lakefield College School graduate has appeared in numerous locally staged musicals — she was also a competitive dancer with Premiere Studio of Dance — and was involved with 4th Line’s 2021 Young Company. In Wishful Seeing, she plays Martha Renwell, the granddaughter of preacher Lewis.

“She (Renwell) is young and full of energy — kind of a feminist and very modern for the times,” Bemrose says of her character, adding “I love that she’s forward thinking and progressive.”

“I fell in love with musical theatre because it’s a combination of all the different things, but I never dived deeper into the acting portion. I’m so excited to do that this summer. Kim (Blackwell) and Marjie (Chud), the assistant director, have taught me so much, even in just the last two weeks. I’m excited to learn more. I try to be like a sponge and soak everything up.”

Meanwhile, JD (Jack) Nicholsen, who portrays George Howell, is no stranger to 4th Line audiences. An award-winning actor whose career spans 30-plus years, he has appeared in five previous 4th Line productions, adding to an impressive resumé that also includes a 1991 Juno Award as a member of The Leslie Spit Treeo.

“I play the father of Caroline and the husband of Ellen Howell (portrayed by Peterborough-based actor Kait Dueck),” he notes. “Ellen is the woman that Thaddeus Lewis takes a shine to and helps. I play the husband who has nefarious undetermined activities that he’s involved with. He’s not a bad guy, but he is a bit of shady character.”

“I’ve never done a murder mystery. It’s a fun script, and Kim (Blackwell) is very detailed. She’s always talking about your intention and your reaction.”

“What I really admire is what she achieves in the short period of time she is given. It’s a big cast — 18 people — and there are more than 40 different scenes. That’s a lot to navigate. She’s got a great visual sense; a great rhythmic sense. Her direction is always very clear and concise. She never confuses you.”

Sponsored by Trinity College School and IG Wealth Management, Wishful Seeing also stars visiting actors Tavaree Daniel-Simms and Conor Ling. Other actors in the cast include Naomi Duvall, Hilary Wear, Ryan Tobin, and Mark and Justin Hiscox. Musical direction is by Justin Hiscox, with choreography by Madison Sheward, fight direction by Edward Belanger, and costume design by Korin Cormier.

Performance dates for Wishful Seeing are Tuesdays to Saturdays from August 2 to 6, 9 to 13, 16 to 20, and 23 to 27 with curtain at 6 p.m. Previews take place on August 2 and 3, with opening night on Thursday, August 4. Tickets are $42.50 for adults and $36.50 youth.

For more information and to order tickets for Wishful Seeing, visit www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca. You can also order tickets by calling 705-932-4445 (toll free at 1-800-814-0055) or in person at the 4th Line Theatre box office at 4 Tupper Street in Millbrook starting July 2.

Every month, kawarthaNOW is the only local media source to bring you a list of what’s coming to Netflix Canada. Here are a few highlights of what’s coming to Netflix in August.

The Sandman, a new Netflix fantasy drama series based on the comic book by award-winning writer Neil Gaiman (American Gods, Coraline), stars Tom Sturridge as the titular character Dream with Gwendoline Christie, Vivienne Acheampong, Boyd Holbrook, Charles Dance, Asim Chaudhry, and Sanjeev Bhaskar in supporting roles. Gaiman has promised fans the show is a faithful adaptation of the comics in both spirit and storyline, but it will be set in the present day, 30 years later than when the comics take place. The Sandman premieres on Friday, August 5th.

Another new Netflix series is Mo, a comedy created by and starring comedian Mohammed Amer based on his own life. Co-created by Ramy Youssef, the series tells the story of Mo Najjar (Amer), a Palestinian refugee whose mother, sister, and older brother flee to Houston while trying for U.S. citizenship. In Texas, Mo straddles the line between two cultures, three languages. and a pending asylum request while hustling to support his Palestinian family. Mo debuts on Wednesday, August 24th.

Other new Netflix series include Partner Track (no release date specified), Instant Dream Home and Iron Chef Brazil (both on Aug. 10), Echoes (Aug. 19), Chad and JT Go Deep (Aug. 23), Lost Ollie and Queer Eye: Brazil, Selling The OC, and Under Fire (all on Aug. 24), and Drive Hard: The Maloof Way (Aug. 26).

The third and final season of the Netflix fantasy horror drama series Locke & Key sees the Locke family uncovers more magic as they face a demonic new foe who’s dead-set on possessing the keys. The final season premieres on Wednesday, August 10th. Other returning Netflix series include season two of Indian Matchmaking (Aug. 10), season three of Never Have I Ever (Aug. 12), season four of Glow Up (Aug. 19), season two of History 101 (Aug. 25), and season three of I Am A Killer (Aug. 30).

The Netflix action horror comedy film Day Shift stars Jamie Foxx as a hard-working blue collar dad who just wants to provide a good life for his quick-witted daughter, but his mundane San Fernando Valley pool cleaning job is a front for his real source of income: hunting and killing vampires as part of an international union of vampire hunters. Day Shift debuts on Friday, August 12th.

VIDEO: “The Sandman” trailer

There’s also the Netflix films Carter (Aug. 5), a Korean action thriller about a man with missing memories who sets off on a hostage rescue mission rife with danger while being directed by a mysterious voice from a device in his ear, and Me Time (Aug. 26), about a stay-at-home dad (Kevin Hart) who finds himself with some “me time” for the first time in years while his wife and kids are away, and then reconnects with his former best friend (Mark Wahlberg) for a wild weekend that nearly upends his life.

Other new Netflix films include Wedding Season (Aug. 4), 13: The Musical (Aug. 12), Look Both Ways (Aug. 17), The Next 365 Days (Aug. 19), That’s Amor (Aug. 25), and I Came By (Aug. 31).

Netflix documentaries include Clusterf**k: Woodstock ’99 (Aug. 3), an exploration of why the 1999 revival of the 1969 festival of peace and music instead delivered three days of rage, riots, and real harm, and Running with the Devil: The Wild World of John McAfee (Aug. 24), the story of the inventor of one of the most successful (and most hated) pieces of software of all time: McAfee Anti-Virus.

VIDEO: “Day Shift” trailer

Other new documentaries include I Just Killed My Dad (Aug. 9), Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story (Aug. 11), volume two of the sports documentary series Untold (new episodes weekly beginning Aug. 16), and Inside the Mind of a Cat (Aug. 18).

Highlights of theatrically released films coming to Netflix are Christopher Nolan’s 2020 science fiction action thriller Tenet on Monday, August 1st, and the 2020 superhero film Wonder Woman 1984 on Monday, August 15th. Other theatrically released films include The Addams Family, Addams Family Values, Downsizing, The Italian Job, and We Were Soldiers (all on Aug. 1), Clara and Made In Italy (both on Aug. 7) and Homefront (Aug. 17),

VIDEO: New to Netflix Canada in August 2022

Here’s the complete list of everything coming to Netflix Canada in August, along with what’s leaving.

Coming soon (no release date specified)

• Delhi Crime: Season 2 (Netflix series) – When a chain of distinctly grisly murders suggests the return of a feared criminal gang, DCP Vartika heads the case under media and public pressure.
• Partner Track (Netflix series) – Ingrid Yun fights to make partner — and keep her moral compass — at an elite New York City law firm while balancing love, friendships and family duties.

Monday, August 1

• Big Tree City (Netflix family) – A team of animal heroes with special skills and speedy vehicles work together to keep Big Tree City safe and solve the town’s trickiest problems.
• The Addams Family
• Addams Family Values
• Country Strong
• Downsizing
• Good Burger
• The Italian Job
• LEGO Friends: Heartlake Stories: Limited Series
• Movie 43
• Nocturnal Animals
• Red Dawn (2012)
• Tenet
• We Were Soldiers
• Young Adult
• The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet

Tuesday, August 2

• Ricardo Quevedo: Tomorrow Will Be Worse (Netflix comedy special) – From road rage to couples fighting during the pandemic, comic Ricardo Quevedo examines the absurdity of the situations that try our patience.

Wednesday, August 3

• Buba (Netflix film) – When a small-town con artist joins the local mafia with his manipulative brother, his obsession with balancing his karma gets hilariously brutal.
• Clusterf**k: Woodstock ’99 (Netflix documentary) – Woodstock 1969 promised peace and music, but its ’99 revival delivered three days of rage, riots and real harm. Why did it go so horribly wrong?
• Don’t Blame Karma! (Netflix film) – When her model sister and high-school crush start dating, fashion designer Sara must decide whether her alleged bad luck is the real culprit behind this.
• Good Morning, Verônica: Season 2 (Netflix series) – Presumed to be dead, Verônica works to unravel the mysteries of the religious cult that fuels abuse and corruption within the government.

Thursday, August 4

• Lady Tamara (Netflix series) – The glamorous life of socialite Tamara Falcó takes center stage in this reality series as she balances work, play and her famous family.
• Kakegurui Twin (Netflix anime) – Determined to climb up the social ladder, Mary Saotome invests everything she has into what her elite high school values most: high stakes gambling.
• Super Giant Robot Brothers (Netflix family) – Once the squabbling stops, the battling begins! Robot siblings Shiny and Thunder and their whiz inventor must defend Earth when space monsters attack.
• Wedding Season (Netflix film) – Under parental pressure to find spouses, Asha and Ravi pretend to date during a summer of weddings — but their ruse goes awry when feelings turn real.

Friday, August 5

• Carter (Netflix film) – A man wakes up missing his memories. Directed by a mysterious voice from a device in his ear, he sets off on a hostage rescue mission rife with danger.
• Darlings (Netflix film) – Badru hopes her volatile husband will reform if he stops drinking. But when his rage goes too far, she and her mom boldly, albeit clumsily, seek revenge.
• Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (Netflix film) – The teen turtles and their mystic ninja powers are put to the ultimate test when ruthless creatures from another universe look to unleash extreme chaos.
• The Sandman (Netflix series) – After years of imprisonment, Morpheus — the King of Dreams — embarks on a journey across worlds to find what was stolen from him and restore his power.

Saturday, August 6

• Reclaim (Netflix film) – Shouldering all of her family’s responsibilities, a mother scrambles to find a bigger apartment for her suddenly crowded household.

Sunday, August 7

• Clara
• Made In Italy

Monday, August 8

• Code Name: Emperor (Netflix film) – An intelligence agent tasked with incriminating a squeaky-clean politician must decide if there are still some lines he won’t cross.
• Team Zenko Go: Season 2 (Netflix family) – Runaway robo-dogs, sleepwalking uncles and troublesome tots! These kid heroes in hiding are finding more ways to help around the town of Harmony Harbor.

Tuesday, August 9

• I Just Killed My Dad (Netflix documentary) – An unprecedented documentary series that tells the unbelievable, never-been-told-before true story of the Templet family. Anthony Templet shot his father and never denied it. But why he did it is a complex question with profound implications that go far beyond one family. This three-episode documentary series explores the psyche of Anthony leading up to the events of June 3, 2019 and the journey of his mental and emotional aftermath.

Wednesday, August 10

• Bank Robbers: The Last Great Heist (Netflix documentary) – Through candid interviews, the perpetrators of Argentina’s most notorious bank heist detail how — and why — they carried out the radical 2006 operation.
• Heartsong (Netflix film) – While serenading a wedding that quickly implodes, a nomadic musician falls for the bride, who runs afoul of her family. Now he has to save her life.
• Indian Matchmaking: Season 2 (Netflix series) – Sima Taparia, everyone’s favorite matchmaker, returns for another season of helping eligible, eccentric and eager clients find their future spouses.
• Instant Dream Home (Netflix series) – A team of rapid-fire renovators takes big risks and makes painstaking plans to transform families’ homes from top to bottom in just 12 hours.
• Iron Chef Brazil (Netflix series) – Welcome to Iron Chef Brazil! In this cooking competition, rising culinary talents battle Brazil’s greatest chefs for a chance to be named Iron Legend.
• Locke & Key: Season 3 (Netflix series) – In the thrilling final chapter of the series, the Locke family uncovers more magic as they face a demonic new foe who’s dead-set on possessing the keys.
• School Tales The Series (Netflix series) – Unspeakable horrors roam the halls of high school in this anthology featuring ghost stories directed by seasoned Thai horror directors.

Thursday, August 11

• DOTA: Dragon’s Blood: Book 3 (Netflix anime) – The time has come for brave warriors to conquer an indomitable foe. But can the ultimate sacrifice bring lasting peace — to all possible worlds?
• Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story (Netflix documentary) – A raw and immersive feature film that follows competitive skateboarding icon Leo Baker in the lead up to the 2020 Olympics. As he faces the sharpening stakes and intensifying disconnect between how the world sees him and who he knows himself to be, the pressure to keep on the course or be true to himself comes to a career and life-defining turning point. Stay on Board is Leo’s journey balancing the gendered world of sports, transition, society, and skate culture, which ultimately leads him to the punkest thing imaginable.

Friday, August 12

• 13: The Musical (Netflix film) – After moving from New York to Indiana in the wake of his parents’ divorce, a clever middle schooler is determined to throw the best bar mitzvah ever.
• A Model Family (Netflix series) – After unwittingly stealing money from a cartel, a cash-strapped professor finds the only way to save his broken family is by working as a drug courier.
• Day Shift (Netflix film) – Jamie Foxx stars as a hard working blue collar dad who just wants to provide a good life for his quick-witted daughter, but his mundane San Fernando Valley pool cleaning job is a front for his real source of income, hunting and killing vampires as part of an international Union of vampire hunters.
• Never Have I Ever: Season 3 (Netflix series) – Devi and her friends may finally be single no more. But they’re about to learn that relationships come with a lot of self-discovery — and all the drama.

Monday, August 15

• Deepa & Anoop (Netflix family) – Joined by her color-changing pet elephant, a joyful little girl creates music, merriment and mischief at her Indian family’s Mango Manor hotel.
• Wonder Woman 1984

Tuesday, August 16

• Untold: Volume 2 (Netflix documentary, new episodes weekly) – The critically acclaimed series returns with a four-week docuseries event that once again brings fresh eyes to epic tales from the wide world of sports. From football to basketball and streetball to sailing, these stories aren’t the ones you’ve heard before, even if you think you have. Premiering weekly, each film kicks off at a pivotal moment and then delves deep into what happened beyond the headlines, as told by those who lived it, to reveal the grit, resilience, heartbreak, triumph, violence, comedy and pathos beneath the sweat. Volume 2 begins with Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist (2 Parts), telling the story of All-American football standout Manti Te’o who, born into a Hawaiian paradise, leads a simple life summed up in just three words: faith, family, football. College football’s golden boy could do no wrong, but when tragedy strikes, the increased scrutiny of his online relationship causes a media maelstrom that threatens his future and legacy. Featuring in-depth interviews with Manti Te’o and the person behind the online identity, Ronaiah ‘Naya’ Tuiasosopo. Directed by Ryan Duffy and Tony Vainuku.

Wednesday, August 17

• High Heat (Netflix series) – When clues to his brother’s murder lead Poncho to a fire brigade, he joins it to investigate further and finds romance, family… and a serial killer.
• Homefront
• Look Both Ways (Netflix film) – On the night of her college graduation, Natalie’s life splits into parallel realities after she takes a pregnancy test. What will life and love bring?
• Royalteen (Netflix film) – A teenager struggles to keep her scandal-ridden past and a big secret from getting out when she strikes up an unlikely romance with the crown prince.
• Unsuspicious (Netflix series) – Conned by the same playboy, three women and their families go to his mansion to get answers — and must stay for an investigation when he’s found dead.

Thursday, August 18

• He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Season 3 (Netflix family) – With Skeletor intent on controlling the universe, He-Man and his heroic squad must fulfill their destinies. The epic battle for ultimate power is on!
• Inside the Mind of a Cat (Netflix documentary) – Cat experts dive into the mind of the feline to reveal the true capabilities of the pouncing pet in this captivating and cuddly documentary.
• Tekken: Bloodline (Netflix anime) – After losing his home to a powerful enemy, a hot-tempered fighter trains under his zealous grandfather while awaiting his chance for revenge.

Friday, August 19

• The Cuphead Show! Part 2 (Netflix family) – Follow the misadventures of the impulsive Cuphead and his easily swayed brother Mugman in this animated series based on the hit video game.
• Echoes (Netflix series) – Identical twins Leni and Gina have secretly swapped lives since they were children. But their world is thrown into disarray when one sister goes missing.
• The Girl in the Mirror (Alma) (Netflix series) – After losing her memory in a bizarre accident that kills most of her classmates, Alma tries to unravel what happened that day — and regain her identity.
• Glow Up: Season 4 (Netflix series) – Ten new contestants test the limits of their creativity as they tackle a variety of challenges in hopes of becoming the next big name in makeup.
• Kleo (Netflix series) – After the fall of the Berlin Wall, a former East German spy resolves to find out who betrayed her and why — and use her lethal skills to exact revenge.
• The Next 365 Days (Netflix film)

Saturday, August 20

• Fullmetal Alchemist The Revenge of Scar (Netflix film) – In this sequel to the first feature film, the Elric brothers meet their toughest opponent yet — a lone serial killer with a large scar on his forehead.

Tuesday, August 23

• Chad and JT Go Deep (Netflix series) – Best bros Chad and JT set out to spread positivity through community activism and chill vibes in this raucous prank comedy series.
• Untold: The Rise and Fall of AND1 (Netflix documentary, new episodes weekly) – Born out of the playgrounds of New York City, the “And 1 Mixtape Tour” took streetball to the masses, challenging convention and picking up a team of basketball misfits along the way. “The Rise and Fall of AND1” traces the journey of how three young friends with a dream of bringing greater acclaim to the game they loved, connected with the underground artform of streetball, and ended up flipping the billion-dollar basketball industry on its head. AND1 co-founders along with streetball legends The Professor, Hot Sauce, Skip 2 My Lou, The Main Event, Shane the Dribbling Machine and more reflect on their experience and the brand’s journey. Directed by Kevin Wilson Jr.

Wednesday, August 24

• Lost Ollie (Netflix series) – A toy searches the countryside for the young boy who lost him in this family series inspired by the book “Ollie’s Odyssey.”
• Mo (Netflix series) – In Texas, Mo straddles the line between two cultures, three languages and a pending asylum request while hustling to support his Palestinian family.
• Queer Eye: Brazil (Netflix series) – The uplifting makeover series hits Brazil with a new Fab Five and more courageous journeys of transformation — along with lots of tears and laughs.
• Running with the Devil: The Wild World of John McAfee (Netflix documentary) – He’s the original computer genius gone rogue, inventor of one of the most successful (and most hated) pieces of software of all time: McAfee Anti-Virus. At his peak, John McAfee was worth $100 million. But when his neighbour was murdered, McAfee went on the run – and invited a film crew with him. With access to hundreds of hours of never-before-broadcast footage of McAfee as he was pursued by the authorities, this is the definitive story of a larger-than-life character, a man who ran for President, escaped from prison multiple times, and claimed to have hacked the world.
• Selling The OC (Netflix series) – The Oppenheim Group expands to Orange County, where an all-new real estate team shows off lavish oceanfront listings and big personalities make waves.
• Under Fire (Netflix series) – At East Bank Station, a close-knit team of firefighters must balance a dangerous, high-stress job, personal challenges and professional setbacks.
• Watch Out, We’re Mad (Netflix film) – In this reboot of the 1970s Bud Spencer and Terence Hill film, two brothers estranged for 25 years reunite to reclaim their father’s beloved dune buggy.

Thursday, August 25

• Angry Birds: Summer Madness: Season 3 (Netflix family) – Teen birds Red, Chuck, Bomb and Stella are crashing through Camp Splinterwood with their fellow feathered campers for a summer of high-flying hijinks!
• History 101: Season 2 (Netflix documentary) – The bite-size history lessons return, this time to investigate psychedelic drugs, weaponized lasers and even bottled water.
• Rilakkuma’s Theme Park Adventure (Netflix anime) – Cuddly bear Rilakkuma and his lovable friends have a day full of adventure at a sweets-themed amusement park that’s about to close its doors forever.
• That’s Amor (Netflix film) – After her job and relationship implode on the same day, Sofia starts from scratch — and meets a dashing Spanish chef who might be her missing ingredient.

Friday, August 26

• Drive Hard: The Maloof Way (Netflix series) – Legendary racer Sammy Maloof and his family of racers and stunt drivers build the world’s baddest cars to make sure their clients take the checkered flag on race day. And when the racing dust settles, the Maloofs pull back the curtain on professional stunt driving as they practice and execute the most action-packed feats imaginable.
• Loving Adults (Netflix film) – The thin line between love and hate turns deadly when a wife discovers her husband’s affair — and they both take extreme measures to get what they want.
• Ludik (Netflix series) – To save a kidnapped family member, an enterprising furniture tycoon must use his secret diamond smuggling operation to transport guns across the border.
• Me Time (Netflix film) – When a stay-at-home dad finds himself with some “me time” for the first time in years while his wife and kids are away, he reconnects with his former best friend for a wild weekend that nearly upends his life.
• Seoul Vibe (Netflix film) – In the days leading up to the 1988 Seoul Olympics, a ragtag team of drivers and mechanics go undercover to dismantle a massive money-laundering ring.

Monday, August 29

• Under Her Control (Netflix film) – An ambitious young woman enters into an unusual arrangement with her charismatic boss. By the time doubts creep in, it may be too late to back out.
• Mighty Express: Season 7 (Netflix family) – Nate, Flicker and the rest of the trains raise the rails for more thrilling deliveries, special missions and lighthearted lessons on the track.

Tuesday, August 30

• I Am A Killer: Season 3 (Netflix documentary) – While serving hard time for murder, inmates recount their crimes and reflect on how their actions destroyed lives — including their own.
• Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul (Netflix documentary, new episodes weekly) – In the summer of 2007, news broke that an NBA referee was being investigated for gambling on his own games, igniting a media storm and sending the NBA, FBI and sports fans into crisis. That referee was Tim Donaghy and the story didn’t just start and end with him, but wound its way from the small town bookies of the Philadelphia suburbs to lining the pockets of the notorious New York crime families and worldwide sports gambling underworld. For the first time, all three co-conspirators discuss their involvement and, unsurprisingly, their stories don’t all line-up. Featuring revealing sit-down interviews with Tim Donaghy, Tommy Martino, Jimmy “The Sheep” Battista plus FBI agent Phil Scala, Donaghy’s lawyer John Lauro, Donaghy’s ex-wife Kim Strupp Donaghy, and more. Directed by David Terry Fine.

Wednesday, August 31

• Club América vs Club América (Netflix documentary) – This docuseries depths into the past and present of America, the most winning and controversial soccer club in Mexico.
• Family Secrets (Netflix series) – A couple’s wedding day threatens to turn disastrous when they begin to unravel a web of secrets and lies that connects their two families.
• I Came By (Netflix film) – A graffiti artist who targets homes of the elite uncovers a twisted secret in a hidden basement — triggering events that put his loved ones in danger.

Leaving Netflix Canada in August

Sunday, August 14

• Prison Break: Seasons 1-5

Wednesday, August 24

• Wheel of Fortune: Season 35-37

Wednesday, August 31

• Chicago Fire: Seasons 1-4

All titles and dates are subject to change.