New Shows And Movies To Stream On Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV And More
What to watch this weekend.
Angry golfers with something to prove. Powerful superheroes in an alternate reality. Historical fiction adventures that explore science, freedom and race. Magical fables, weird horror, hilarious political satire and much more await in this week’s weekend streaming guide.
Every week, I pour over the internet and all the myriad streaming services we all subscribe to these days to find the very best new shows and movies—and sometimes the best old shows and old movies—to watch over the weekend. Even on these beautiful summer days, it never hurts to end the day with a good TV show or movie.
I also like to include the latest theatrical releases since I’m a big believer in going to the movies. I may be something of a hermit or lone wolf, but that makes it even more important to go out and watch movies in a more communal setting. It’s also basically the only time I drink soda.
If you have any tips or I missed something, shoot me a message on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. You can check out last weekend’s streaming guide right here.
What’s New & Notable This Weekend
South Park — Season 27 (Paramount)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The world is a better place because we have South Park. The latest season starts out with a bang as Trey Parker and Matt Stone take on president Trump and plenty of other modern social and political issues in their cuttingly irreverent way. Just days after the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, South Park comes out swinging, lampooning everyone in the process. Smart, no-holds-barred satire is rare these days.
Washington Black (Hulu)
Hulu’s new historical fiction miniseries starring Sterling K. Brown and Ernest Kingsley Jr. among others, is based on the novel of the same name by Esi Edugyan. The story follows the adventures of the 19th-century odyssey of George Washington “Wash” Black, an eleven-year-old boy born on a Barbados sugar plantation, who also happens to be a scientific genius. Forced to flee, he sets off on a globe-spanning adventure at once harrowing and liberating. It looks pretty good and is getting a very decent 85% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix)
I haven’t watched Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore sequel yet and honestly, I’m not sure I want to. I loved the original movie that came out thirty years ago when I was a teenager and Sandler’s humor resonated perfectly with my teenage brain. But I’m not super keen on revisiting this character as a middle-aged, washed-out loser making all the same jokes over again. It’s not that I’m against reboots or revisiting old franchises. Liam Neeson’s Naked Gun reboot looks pretty pitch perfect. There’s just something about this one that has me worried. That being said, it’s 59% score on Rotten Tomatoes is higher than I expected, so that’s something.
Wicked (Prime Video)
I adored Wicked when I saw it in theaters last year. Definitely one of my favorite films of the year and one of my favorite musical adaptations ever made. I saw it on Broadway in NYC last year a few weeks before it came out (and had previously seen the musical on a touring Broadway show). I’ve read all the books the play and movie are based on. Wizard Of Oz remains one of the greatest films ever made. What can I say? You should watch this movie if you have Prime Video where it is now free!
Death of a Unicorn (HBO Max)
Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega star in this peculiar horror flick about a father/daughter roadtrip gone terribly wrong when they hit and kill a unicorn with their car. I haven’t seen this yet. It didn’t get the best reviews. I typically like my unicorns whimsical and magical a la Peter S. Beagle’s The Last Unicorn rather than fanged and terrifying. But it’s out on HBO Max now so if you’re looking for a scary movie, give it a shot.
Fantastic Four: First Steps (In Theaters)
I literally just got back from watching Fantastic Four: First Steps with my fifteen-year-old son and after I finish writing this guide I’m going to write my review. It was . . . fine? Kind of lackluster but with a nice retrofuturistic aesthetic. I enjoyed it but not nearly as much as I was hoping to, which is basically how I felt after Superman. More thoughts once I’ve posted my review, which I’ll update this guide with soon. Update: Here’s my review!
What’s Streaming Weekly
There are plenty of shows airing each week this summer, though several are coming to a close or just recently wrapped up their current seasons. Of course, we have lots more new ones kicking off in August and beyond. Here’s what’s coming out weekly.
Dexter: Resurrection (Paramount+)
I’m very much enjoying the new Dexter series. Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) is just so likeable and Hall is so watchable, you really don’t need the greatest story in the world so long as Dexter remains at the center of it. So far, the story in Resurrection is just getting started, but I’m curious about where it’s going and I love that we’re back in the city, though NYC is a lot less fun than Miami (mostly because it’s used in so many shows, whereas Miami felt more unique).
Untamed (Netflix)
This was out last week on Netflix but I ended up binging all six episodes and wrote a review which you can read here. I think this show never quite lived up to its potential and would have benefited from a couple more episodes and stronger writing, but I loved the setting (Yosemite) and Eric Bana was genuinely terrific. A solid, if imperfect, murder mystery.
The Institute (MGM+)
I’ve watched the first three episodes of The Institute on MGM+ and it’s okay so far. I don’t love it. I don’t hate it. I’m waiting to see what it becomes. It’s taking its time to really give us any sense of what to expect beyond the basic plot. I don’t know if I like the main kid. He’s this super brilliant 14-year-old who is very obviously 19 (the age of the actor) and has essentially no flaws. He’s not a timid nerdy kid, but rather this super confident, super smart and defiant basketball player (okay, he’s not very good at basketball, but he’s also clearly meant to be “cool”). I’m hoping it picks up because I like the premise of a mysterious Institute that kidnaps kids with special telepathic or telekinetic powers and uses them for mysterious but probably nefarious purposes. It has potential!
Resident Alien — Season 4 (SyFy / Peacock)
Sad news: Resident Alien, which has just a few more episodes left this season, has been cancelled. This will be our final few episodes with Harry the alien and friends. Alan Tudyk is so great in the role, but honestly I’m not surprised. This was never a show I really envisioned going beyond three or four seasons. I hope they’ve written an ending for it!
Other Currently Airing Shows
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 (Paramount+) — I’m way too far behind on this show to tell you what’s happening, but if you’re looking for probably the best modern Star Trek out there, this is up there. At least it captures the spirit of classic trek.
Foundation Season 3 (Apple TV) — Epic space opera is not Apple’s main thing, but that’s Foundation in a nutshell, though I have yet to even watch a single episode. I keep meaning to and then there’s just so many other things to watch!
Nautilus (AMC) — Based on Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea, Nautilus follows Nemo’s mission to exact revenge on the East India Mercantile Company
Countdown (Prime Video) — A race-against-the-clock thriller filled with conspiracy and action. Fans of Jensen Ackles from The Boys will want to give this one a shot.
Smoke (Apple TV+) — Taron Egerton stars as an arson investigator who gets drawn into a murder investigation / conspiracy. Mystery author Dennis Lehane is the show’s creator.
Stick (Apple TV+) — Owen Wilson’s golf-dramedy just got renewed for a second season by Apple so if you were holding off wondering if it would make the cut, you can dive in now. The season 1 finale just landed this week.
The Gilded Age Season 3 (HBO) — The lavish HBO period drama will transport you to the “gilded age” of East Coast America in the late 19th century. Still on my backlog, but my do those costumes look lovely.
The Buccaneers Season 2 (Apple TV+) — The Buccaneers is more Bridgerton than Downton Abbey, but should appeal to fans of period romance of all stripes.
BMF Season 4 (Starz) — A dramatization of the rise of the Black Mafia Family in Detroit and elsewhere in the 1980s and 90s. I’ve heard it called the “Black Sopranos” so if that sounds like your thing, give it a shot.
Late Night With Stephen Colbert was cancelled recently and I have some thoughts on why. I think it’s a bit more complicated than just blaming Trump or just saying Colbert isn’t funny. I discuss the whole messy situation in my newest YouTube video:
What else did I miss? What should I put on this list or add to my backlog? Let me know on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook.
Previous Streaming Guides From Yours Truly:
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