Soraya Nadia McDonald

In his new book of essays, Damon Young, co-founder of the blog Very Smart Brothas, sticks it to his high school bully — while also offering insights into race, power and how to be a modern man.

Mahershala Ali is a small-town cop grappling with the disappearance of two high-school students — while also dealing with his own isolation — in the new season of the HBO series.