This great sports doc is The Last Dance for baseball

The madness of the world got you down? Well, thank the gods of television that the Olympics are coming up to distract us from the slow erosion of society. The Olympics start in earnest this Friday (the opening ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. ET), so we can all focus on swimming and LeBron James instead of literally anything else. [Here’s our guide on how to watch the Olympics]( which includes details on what to expect, the new sports added this year, and even what the U.S. teams will be wearing. Until then, here’s what to watch this week. -Tim   Your Watch This Now! newsletter is created by Senior Recommendations and Reviews Editor Tim Surette and more show-obsessed editors at TV Guide!   SERIES PREMIERES THURSDAY ON NETFLIX [The Decameron is a dark comedy about the OG pandemic]( [Everything's getting adapted now, including The Decameron, Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio's 14th century short story collection. Why not! Plague literature never goes out of style. The Netflix show is described as a "wine-soaked sex romp" that turns into a survival story: Nobles in 1348 Florence take their servants to a grand villa to wait out the Black Death, and what begins as a lavish party gets dicey. Tony Hale, Zosia Mamet, and Saoirse-Monica Jackson star in the dark comedy series, which was created by Teenage Bounty Hunters' Kathleen Jordan and executive produced by Orange Is the New Black's Jenji Kohan. -Kelly Connolly]( LIMITED SERIES PREMIERES WEDNESDAY AT 9/8C ON HBO, MAX [Charlie Hustle & The Matter of Pete Rose reminds us why Pete Rose is in exile]( [What would ESPN’s lauded The Last Dance have looked like if Michael Jordan’s production company weren’t involved in it? A little like HBO’s Charlie Hustle & The Matter of Pete Rose, a fantastic and immensely entertaining four-part docuseries on one of baseball’s most controversial figures, Pete Rose. Rose, who holds several of MLB’s most esteemed records, including the most career hits of all time, is in the middle of trying to be reinstated into baseball following a lifetime ban for gambling, with the ultimate goal to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The problem is every time Rose opens his mouth, he doesn’t help his case. Arrogant, old-fashioned, misogynistic, and 100% himself, Rose’s personality — at one moment charming and charismatic and another brutishly repulsive — closes any path to redemption. Director Mark Monroe is careful to ask the right questions and let Pete be himself in interviews, while also painting a complete picture of his infamous career, from the triumphs to the scandals. Two episodes will air on Wednesday and Thursday on HBO, while all four will be available on Wednesday on Max.]( SERIES PREMIERES WEDNESDAY ON APPLE TV+ [Time Bandits reimagines an underrated classic family film]( [For people of a certain age, the 1981 film Time Bandits is just as big a childhood memory as the much more popular and thematically similar 1985 movie The Goonies. The fantasy-comedy follows an 11-year-old boy who goes on adventures through time and space with a band of time-traveling burglars who nick treasures throughout history. Though it’s family friendly, it’s along the lines of The Dark Crystal: entirely imaginative but with a creeping darkness under its surface. Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Iain Morris — all of whom worked together on Flight of the Conchords — adapt the film for television, adding some modern silly panache while retaining the retro ‘80s fantasy feel.]( GREAT POWER, GREAT IRRESPONSIBILITY [Prepare for Deadpool & Wolverine with this handy guide]( The snarkiest superhero and the most serious superhero — Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively — are joining forces for what’s sure to be one of the biggest movies of the year. Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters this Friday, which means you have a few days to cram in all the necessary X-Men movies that Deadpool will be making fun of. We’ve put together a [guide on which ones to watch first (and where to watch them)]( so you aren’t left puzzled while Marvel superfans are cracking up around you. [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Service]( | [View in Browser]( [Unsubscribe]( © 2024 TV Guide, A Fandom, Inc. company. All rights reserved. TV Guide, [130 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94104, U.S.A.](#)