What to watch this weekend May 10, 2024: TV awards contenders

Following its critically acclaimed first season, AMC’s “Interview with the Vampire” is back for round two, and the Gothic drama based on Anne Rice’s beloved novels remains one of TV’s best and brightest despite the inherent darkness within.

The new season (premiering Sunday at 9/8c on AMC and AMC+) picks up in the aftermath of the jaw-dropping reveal that closed out the show’s freshman outing: Louis’ (Jacob Anderson) loyal assistant Rashid is actually his vampire lover, Armand (Assad Zaman). Once again the show makes excellent use of its unique interview framing to jump between multiple timelines as Louis weaves a complicated tale for journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), one that explores his relationships with both Armand and Claudia (Delainey Hayles, stepping in for Bailey Bass), beginning with their adventures in Paris in the 1940s.

But lest you worry the show has entirely forgotten Sam Reid’s Lestat in the wake of Louis and Claudia leaving him for dead at the end of Season 1, the volatile vampire remains a powerful presence in the narrative even if he’s not physically present in Louis’ life. So by doubling down on what initially made the show so impressive, ”Interview with the Vampire” continues its ascent to the top of the TV mountain, and thus is the awards contender to watch this weekend.

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But if toxic relationships aren’t what you’re looking for right now, other contenders include:

• “Doctor Who”: With a new U.S. home, a bigger budget, and original NuWho showrunner Russell T Davies back at the helm, the beloved sci-fi series is reinventing itself yet again. Ncuti Gatwa burst onto the scene as the Fifteenth Doctor last fall during the third and final special celebrating the series’ 60th anniversary, and while he embarked on his first solo adventure opposite Millie Gibson’s companion Ruby Sunday in the series’ Christmas special, these new episodes mark the true beginning of Fifteen’s era. So if you’ve yet to jump aboard the “Doctor Who” train, now is the perfect time to do so, as this is a fairly big reset. But longtime Whovians will be pleased to know the show’s ability to tell universal, emotionally resonant stories while traveling the stars remains firmly intact. The first two episodes stream Friday at 7/6c on Disney+.
• “Dark Matter”: Not to be confused with that other science fiction series titled “Dark Matter” that aired in the mid-2010s, this science fiction show is based on the 2016 book of the same name by Blake Crouch. Joel Edgerton stars as Jason, a physicist who is kidnapped and transported to an alternate universe in which another version of his life unfolds based on a decision he’d made years prior. That might sound cool to you — who wouldn’t love to explore the road not taken? — but it’s a nightmare for Jason, who must fight to return to his real life and family. The first two episodes are now streaming on Apple TV+.
• “Hacks”: Is it cheating if we include “Hacks” every week? Don’t answer that. The Max comedy is going to top many of the year’s “best of” lists come December, and this week’s episodes — ”The Roast of Deborah Vance,”  which as the title implies includes a fantastic roast of Deborah (Jean Smart), and “Join the Club,” which is a standout episode for series co-creator and star Paul W. Downs — are two of the reasons why. Both are now streaming on Max.

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