Jennis Fitness

It's not all workout, workout, workout, with rest an essential part of the training process. To help you make the most of those all-important rest days, our LA Jennis correspondent, Emma Dibdin, has rounded up the box sets that will be lighting up your screens this August. You’re welcome!

Succession: Season 2

Release date: 12th August

Where to watch: Sky Atlantic

Why you have to watch: Watching obscenely rich people do obscenely terrible things might not sound like fun, but trust me – Succession is a riot. Blending satirical black comedy with addictive drama, the show centers on a fictional family who control a global media empire, and the power struggle that erupts between siblings after their formidable father (Brian Cox) suffers a health crisis. Season two will pick up soon after season one’s dramatic finale, which saw the family’s self-destructive second son Kendall (Jeremy Strong) make a disastrous attempt to stage a coup. If the end of Game of Thrones has left you craving a new epic saga about power-hungry lunatics backstabbing each other in pursuit of an increasingly impossible goal, look no further.

Surprise fact: The fictional Roy family bears a lot of similarities to the Murdoch family, though show creator Jesse Armstrong has downplayed the parallels.

Mindhunter: Season 2

Release date: 16th August

Where to watch: Netflix

Why you have to watch: True crime fans, you do not want to miss the second season of this gripping drama, which tells the real story of how criminal profiling was born. Produced by David Fincher (known for Gone Girl, Fight Club and more of your darkest faves), the 1970s-set show sees two FBI agents travelling around the US to interview serial killers in prison, trying to understand their mindsets and develop tools to catch other men like them. Season two will see our heroes mindhunting some of the most legendary murderers in history – including Charles Manson – while grappling with the toll this grim work takes on their own mental health.

Surprise fact: The role of Charles Manson is played by Damon Herriman, who also plays Manson in Quentin Tarantino’s new movie, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

Orange Is the New Black: Season 7

Release date: Out now

Where to watch: Netflix

Why you have to watch: This month marks the end of a streaming era! One of the very first Netflix original binge-shows, Orange Is the New Black, is heading into its seventh and final season, and the final episodes are bound to be as funny, emotional and surprising as the show has been throughout its run. Season seven will open with Piper (Taylor Schilling) newly released from prison and trying to adjust, while her now-wife Alex (Laura Prepon) and the rest of the ensemble remain incarcerated, and Taystee (Danielle Brooks) faces the possibility that she’ll spend the rest of her life behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit. However OITNB ends, it’s going to be hard to say goodbye.

Surprise fact: The show is based on the true story of Piper Kerman, who spent 15 months in prison for money-laundering and wrote a memoir about her experiences there.

Euphoria

Release date: 6th August

Where to watch: Sky Atlantic

Why you have to watch: Not for the faint-hearted, this provocative teen drama has already aired on HBO in the US, where it’s drawn rave reviews and a healthy dollop of controversy for its explicit depictions of general bad teen behaviour. It won’t surprise you, then, to hear it’s been compared to Skins (though there are moments that make Skins look positively tame by comparison). Starring Zendaya as Rue, a 17-year-old drug addict who’s both jaded and vulnerable, the show is sometimes hard to watch but consistently thrilling as it plumbs the depths of modern teenage life.

Surprise fact: Every episode of the show is named after a rap song, and the show is produced by none other than Drake.

GLOW: Season 3

Release date: 9th August

Where to watch: Netflix

Why you have to watch: If the above shows leave you craving something a little more light-hearted for your summer viewing, check out 10 new episodes of Netflix’s gloriously fun deep-dive into the world of women’s wrestling. Season three will follow the GLOW ladies as they navigate their new surroundings in Vegas, where they’ve relocated to turn their TV show into a live act on the strip. The characters’ personal lives look set to get even more complicated, now that Ruth (Alison Brie) has left her boyfriend behind in LA, Debbie (Betty Gilpin) is separated from her infant son, and the closeted Bash (Chris Lowell) just married Rhonda (Kate Nash) to get a green card. Throwing this dysfunctional bunch into Sin City is bound to be entertaining.

Surprise fact: Kia Stevens, the actress who plays Tamee (aka Welfare Queen) is a professional wrestler in real life.