There is no show of the week this week, partly because I didn’t have that much to screen and partly because I didn’t have much time to screen what I did have.

Short Takes

From left, Trenton Quiocho, Rob Stern, evaluator Katherine Gray, John Moran, Claire Kelly, Maddy Hughes, Dan Friday, host Nick Uhas, Brenna Baker, Minhi England, John Sharvin and Grace Whiteside
in Season 3 of “Blown Away.” PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

Blown Away (July 22, Netflix)

Reality competition series are a dime a dozen these days, but this Canadian-made entry has managed to stand out and accumulate a loyal following. Fans are in for more of what they love in the third season as a new group of 10 contestants competes in the Hamilton hot shop for a chance at $60,000 in prizes. They’re a delightfully diverse group, each with their own unique reasons for their devotion to the art of blowing glass. There’s something almost hypnotic about watching the pieces take shape although, at the same time, it looks frenetic, sweaty and extremely difficult, especially given the time constraints for each challenge. And part of the fun is not knowing who’ll come out on top week to week since victory does not alway go to the most experienced glass blowers or those with the most high profile reputations. Former “Big Brother” contestant Nick Uhas returns as genial host and Canadian glass artist Katherine Gray as resident evaluator with a rotating cast of guest judges.

Netflix also has Season 4 of “Virgin River” on July 20, a bandwagon I confess I have yet to jump on; and action movie “The Gray Man” (July 22), which was unavailable to screen. Blow-em-up and shoot-em-up films are not generally to my taste, although I might have watched this one just to see what else “Duke of Hastings” Rege-Jean Page can do.

Dougray Scott as detective Ray Lennox in “Crime.” PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of CBC Gem

Crime (July 22, CBC Gem)

This is a fairly standard crime drama, complete with young adolescent girl kidnapped and murdered, but with the added distinction of being set in one of my favourite cities, Edinburgh, and being the maiden TV effort of Irvine Welsh, the author whose “Trainspotting” novel was turned into a seminal film by Danny Boyle. Several well-worn tropes are found here: the tortured lead detective (although Ray Lennox, played by Dougray Scott, is more tortured than most); the clever serial killer who’s eluded the police for years; the bureaucratic boss (Ken Stott) who wants the case tied up fast, to hell with the evidence. That being said, Scott does some decent work as Lennox, who’s battling not only an alcohol addiction but trauma from his own past that’s stirred up by the case. Joanna Vanderham (“The Paradise,” “Warrior”) holds her own as a young detective partnered with Ray and Jamie Sives (“Frontier,” “Guilt”) stands out as an uncouth, bigoted, sexist cop investigating a murder of his own. If this seems familiar, it’s because the BritBox original first debuted on that streamer in December.

CBC Gem also has the British real estate reality series “Extraordinary Extensions” (July 18) and the Canadian broadcast premiere of the Charles Officer film “Akilla’s Escape” on July 23 at 9 p.m., also on CBC TV.

Odds and Ends

KaMillion and Aida Osman in “Rap Sh!t.” PHOTO CREDIT: Alicia Vera/HBO Max

Sisters are trying to do it for themselves in “Rap Sh!t” (July 21, 10 p.m., Crave). The comedy from Issa Rae (“Insecure”) follows two high school friends who decide to form a rap duo, and try to rise above the sexism and misogyny of the rap music industry. I only watched one episode, not enough to give it a fair review. Crave and CTV also have Season 4 of “Love Island USA” (July 19, 9 p.m.), with episodes every Tuesday to Friday and Sunday, and who the hell has that kind of time?

Prime Video’s premiere of the week is “Anything’s Possible” (July 22), the feature film directing debut of Billy Porter of “Pose.” It’s a high school romance in which one half of the couple is a transgender girl, played by trans actor Eva Reign.

Apple TV Plus offerings include Season 3 of parenting comedy “Trying” (July 22) and “Best Foot Forward” (July22), which follows Josh (Logan Marmino), an engaging youngster with a prosthetic leg, as he switches from home-schooling to public school in Grade 7. It’s based on the true story of paralympic athlete Josh Sundquist.

NOTE: The listings here are in Eastern Standard Time and I’ve verified the times where possible, but it’s always best to check listings for your own area. The selection of programs reviewed reflects what I’m given access to by networks and streamers, whether reviews are embargoed, how many shows I have time to watch and my own personal taste. The Odds and Ends section includes shows that I have not watched.