Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish shows available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.
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10. (tie) Sex Education (Netflix)
This Gillian Anderson-starring series returns, so that the X-Files and The Crown actress can continue embarrassing the heck out of her TV son, Otis (Asa Butterfield), who is apparently now having casual sex. Jemima Kirke is officially on board, too, as a headteacher named Hope, who desperately wants to restore Moordale Secondary School to its former sterling reputation. Uh, good luck with that? Also, Anderson’s character is pregnant. Oh, Mom. Watch it on Netflix.
10. (tie) Muhammad Ali (PBS)
You’re probably thinking, “Do I really need to watch a four-part PBS docuseries on Muhammad Ali? I already know so much about him — is there really any more to learn?” Yes, yes there is. More specifically, there’s so much never before seen footage of young Ali in this that Ken Burns and his team dig up by apparently spending months digging through the archives at local news stations in Louisville, Kentucky, where Ali grew up. It’s a riveting portrait of one of the most extraordinary humans to ever walk the Earth, and it’s well worth your time. Watch it on PBS.
10. (tie) The Great British Baking Show (Netflix)
The Great British Bakeoff is back to prove that kindness is good, gluten is better, and the mythical Paull Hollywood handshake is … eh, overrated. We’ve waited a year for this comfort watch, suffering through the Jake Gyllenhaal sparked Sourdough Bread Challenge of 2020 and spending quarantine lockdowns crafting 5-ingredient recipes for every cookie imaginable. Now, we get to what real bakers – or, at least, amateurs with experience – can do. This season is more diverse than ever – from German IT guys to Italian engineers and a horse-riding teenage vegan – but the good vibes are still there. At least, until bread week drops. Watch it on Netflix.
9. The Haunted Museum (Discovery+)
Eli Roth has so much going on over at Discovery+ this month (following his recent real-life horror/Shark-Week film on the streamer) that one has to wonder… is he running the joint? It’s a valid question, but more to the point, he’s teaming up with Ghost Adventures host Zak Bagans for this scripted anthology series, in which they illuminate nine of the world’s most cursed artifacts. These relics are actually in display in Bagans’ Vegas museum, but here, you’ll get the historic commentary in addition to having the pants scared off of you.
8. Only Murders In The Building (Hulu)
Selena Gomez stars alongside the legendary Steve Martin and Martin Short, and the three portray NYC neighbors who aim to unravel an apparent murder inside their apartment building. Yes, they’re all podcasting because everyone does it (duh), and before long, the killer might be after them, too. Martin hasn’t written a feature film since the Pink Panther movies and Shopgirl, and we don’t wanna come out and call this trio a “much cooler Three Amigos” update, but Martin wrote that, too, so why not? Watch it on Hulu
7. Foundation (Apple TV+)
Sorry to Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos but Apple TV+ is actually winning the space race right now. They’ve already delivered the terrific For All Mankind and now they’re taking us further, to the very borders of the galaxy for this sci-fi adaptation. The story follows a mathematician who develops a formula for predicting the end of a future Galactic Empire before devising a way to save it via a rebellion (of sorts). Yes, there’s a lot going on here, but prestige TV king Jared Harris is a pro at making us care about really complicated science – see Chernobyl – and the casting department has another ace up its sleeve in case you’re on the binge-watching fence. Four words: Lee. Pace. In. Space. Watch it on Apple TV+.
6. The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Critics of season one of The Morning Show won’t have an easy time credibly claiming a lack of action or interest in a second season that picks up the thread from the last while also servicing even more characters and the lingering threat of COVID. This is a heavyweight fight all over again with Aniston and Witherspoon leading the way, but look for more of Billy Crudup lounging in the chaos to spark the show once more. Watch it on Apple TV+.
5. Maid (Netflix)
Margaret Qualley (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood) stars in this heartbreaking adaptation of Stephanie Land’s New York Times best-selling memoir, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive. This will, clearly, be a difficult watch, but Qualley’s raw portrayal (of a woman who flees an abusive relationship to go through exceedingly difficult times to break the cycle for her daughter) yields a burgeoning star. Watch it on Netflix. Watch it on Netflix.
4. Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
There are moments in the early stages of season two that feel like they’re doubling down on the show’s signature positivity and niceness, but there’s no such thing as sweetness overload here as the show grows our affection for characters that are clearly taking a step forward in their arcs. Especially Ted, even though it seems like there may be some challenges ahead. Watch it on Apple TV+.
3. The Problem With Jon Stewart (Apple TV+)
Jon Stewart is back with an issue-oriented comedy/news hybrid that builds on a lot of the advances in form carved out by his former Daily Show colleagues. Can it work? To be sure, the brainpower and intensity make it feel like old times, but it’s the human connection — to the causes and in-studio guests — that might make it stand out as a powerful and necessary second act for Stewart as he brings substance and nuance to a strange world that both needs and seems to run away from those things. Watch it on Apple TV+.
2. What We Do In The Shadows (FX/Hulu)
Well, well, well. Guillermo turned out to be a vampire killer, which sure as heck came as a surprise to Nandor, Nadja, and Laszlo, and Colin. The four Staten Island roommates must figure out how to handle this conundrum, along with tackling the other challenges of this season. Those include dealing with wellness cults and gym culture, along with gargoyles, werewolves who play kickball, casinos, and more. In other words, this is still one of the funniest shows on TV. Watch it on FX and Hulu.
1. Midnight Mass (Netflix)
Get ready, The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor addicts, because creator Mike Flanagan’s back to cause us more horror fits. This happens to be his favorite project so far and revolves around an isolated community that lives on spooky Crockett Island, which gets even spookier due to a charismatic priest’s arrival. Naturally, a whole lot of supernatural shenanigans are afoot, but human nature can often be scarier than the ghosts that people can dream up. It’s dark, real dark. Watch it on Netflix.