📺 ON THE TUBE TONIGHT-
(all times CLT)

Painkiller takes on the Sacklers and the Oxy epidemic: This limited series takes on the events leading up to the creation of the highly addictive opioid pain reliever Oxycontin and the family behind it all. The series follows an interview between federal investigator Edie Flowers (masterfully played by Uzo Aduba), giving the audience a play-by-play of what led Oxycontin to be one of the most devastating drugs to hit the US market, and the role of Richard Sackler (played by Matthew Broderick) — and tangentially, the US Food and Drug Administration — in successfully commodifying pain to create a multi-bn USD industry. Looking at the topic from all angles, the series is both engaging and deeply sad. It shows how severe addiction wreaks havoc on families, tears communities apart, and spreads crime and homelessness at alarming rates — and how the people selling and marketing the drugs are wholly disconnected from the consequences.

⚽ Gameweek 1 of the English Premier League’s new season draws to a close tonight as Manchester United hosts Wolverhampton at 10pm.

The Enterprise Fantasy League is off to a strong start, with more than 180 of our readers already competing for the top spot — are you one of them? If you haven’t joined yet, get in on the action by clicking on this link or entering the code abd0f7.

Meanwhile in LaLiga:

• Cádiz v Alavés (8:30pm)
• Atlético Madrid v Granada (10:30pm)

🍝 EAT THIS TONIGHT-

Ciao, Italia: Norma brings a taste of Italy to Sheikh Zayed’s Arkan Plaza: The relatively new Sicilian restaurant offers all the best features of Mediterranean cuisine — fresh ingredients in vibrant colors, enjoyable flavors and aromas, and a menu that changes according to what’s in season for the freshest experience. Some of the dishes we tried and would recommend are the carpaccio di manzo and sauté di scampi in an orange and garlic sauce. For the main course, we opted for the pesto tagliatelle, which was pleasantly covered in caramelized cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, and rich parmesan cheese. The tenderloin filet in truffle butter sauce was also a good choice. Round out the meal with a refreshing granita for dessert that will both satisfy your sweet tooth and help you cool off on a hot summer evening. Norma’s granita is available in three flavors: Espresso, watermelon, and peach.

🎤 OUT AND ABOUT-
(all times CLT)

El Sawy CultureWheel’s annual book fair is on its second day today and will continue until Friday, 18 August. The fair will include different events which include discussions, book signings and even cultural competitions.

This weekend’s lineup at the New Alamein Festival:

• Singer Hakim will perform this Thursday , 17 August — ticketsare available on Tazkarti.
• Mohamed Mohsen and maestro Ahmed Oweida will share a stage this Thursday , while actor Ali Quandil will also perform a standup comedy show. Tickets for both performances are available on Tazkarti.

Get some more laughs over the weekend with The Elite Standup on Friday, 25 August at Paragon Beach Hub, New Alamein. The show will start at 7pm. Tickets are available on Tazkarti.

Akher Zafir is back again: The Jordanian rock band is back in Egypt to hold a performance on Saturday, 19 Augustin Bibliotheca Alexandrina as a part of the summer carnival. You can reserve your tickets through their website. They will also be performing in Cairo at ElSawy Culturewheel in Zamalek on Monday, 21 August at 8pm, with tickets available for purchase from the venue’s website.

Russ is coming to New Alamein. American pop star Russ will be performing as part of the New Alamein Festival on Friday, 25 August. Tickets are available on Tazkarti.

Get ready for a fancy event with exquisite music at the Omar Khairat concert at Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski on Tuesday, 22 August. The concert will start at 6:30pm, with doors opening at 6pm. Get your tickets on TicketsMall.

DJs Kygo , Tiësto, Kungs and Frank Walker are performing on Saturday, 28 October at the Giza Pyramids. The concert will be part of the next edition of the four-day Palm Tree Music Festival (PTMF) which will be held from Thursday, 26 October until Sunday, 29 October.

Get your running shoes ready for the 2023 edition of the El Gouna Half Marathon, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 11 November. You can sign up for the marathon from here — and catch the lowest registration price with the early bird special which starts today and ends Saturday, 30 September.

💡 UNDER THE LAMPLIGHT-

Chandler Baker’s The Husbands reimagines The Stepford Wives with some social commentary and a dash of murder for good measure. Nora Spangler is a hardworking attorney about to make partner at a large personal injury law firm. As with most modern couples, her husband Hayden is more involved in the household than those of previous generations, but even then, the amount of housework she does is still disproportionate. But that’s just how things have always been and always will be, she thinks — until they visit Dynasty Ranch on a house-hunt. Somehow, this exclusive suburban neighborhood is full of successful career-oriented women whose husbands happily (and actually) shoulder half the housework. Nora finds herself folded into the community as she helps a local woman lawsuit surrounding her husband’s mysterious death only to discover something disturbing about the community.

The Husbands imagines a world where the burden of the second shift is equally shared , and shows the desperate measures women might take to make it a reality. Darkly hilarious and quietly disturbing, The Husbands sheds light on a universally shared experience between women and tells them to be careful with what they wish for. You can find this novel at Cherry Blossom Books for EGP 269, or on Amazon for USD 13.61, or USD 9.99 for the Kindle edition.