Every single week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.
TIE: 10. The Boogeyman (20th Century Studios movie streaming on VOD and Amazon Prime)
This 2023 movie goes back to the 1973 short story by Stephen King as the perfect streaming lead-in to nightmares about Halloween season. This is not a true tale, but perhaps thinking of it that way can increase the terror. The story explores the enduring Boogeyman/Bogeyman folklore that has persisted around the globe for centuries. We’ve got a distracted father not paying enough attention to a pair of sisters, who begin to experience horrors that could trigger any lingering fears you’ve ever had about monsters lurking in your bedroom closet. The cast includes Sophie Thatcher, David Dastmalchian, and Chris Messina.
TIE: 10. Harlan Coban’s Shelter (Amazon Prime series)
Another adaptation has proven to be a streaming crowd pleaser while adapting the series by (as the title suggests) Harlan Coben. This series revolves around Mickey Bolivar, who must uproot his life after his father’s death. Being the new student at school is rarely a good time, and another newbie shows up to complicate matters. Cue a dark underground and investigations by Mickey and his new group of friends, who might just solve a long-standing mystery of the surrounding community.
9. Star Wars: Ahsoka (Disney+ series)
The Mandalorian‘s third season sparked fears that the Star Wars TV shows are perhaps a bit too saturated these days, but Ahsoka appears to be a turn for the better, at least so far. Perhaps that’s owing to Rosario Dawson being initially cast by the Internet as the title character, so people are already invested in the show’s outcome. You might need to do a little catchup first, though. The first season follows up on Ashoka’s The Mandalorian appearance as well as the character’s place at the end of Star Wars: Rebels.
8. Suits (USA series streaming on Netflix)
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes will do nothing to slow down the continued appetite for this show that ended years ago but continues to inspire millions of weekly streaming hours. Perhaps this is evidence that Meghan Markle can always fall back into scripted TV if that whole reality-show thing on Netflix doesn’t work out. This show has been cruising into the Netflix’s Top 10 list of most-streamed shows of all time, and the Suits have been sizzling all summer.
7. Special Ops: Lioness (Paramount+ series)
Taylor Sheridan’s audience can’t get enough of him, even when his series lie outside the Yellowstone universe proper. This particular show arrives with another A-list lineup including Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman in this story about CIA operatives who mentor and mold recruits into fearsome assassins. Next up for Sheridan will be Lawmen: Bass Reeves, starring David Oyelowo, Donald Sutherland, Dennis Quaid, and Garrett Hedlund. For now, though, enjoy Zoe Saldaña getting back to her badass roots.
6. Who Is Erin Carter? (Netflix series)
Speaking of ass-kicking women, here’s a sleeper series that proves that the streaming audience will not tire of maternal figures with a mysterious past who suddenly break into an arsenal of gunman-busting moves out of nowhere. Yup, cue up another high-octane thriller series that might not make sense, but nonetheless, you might need to reserve time for a binge session once you start watching.
5. Only Murders in the Building (Hulu series)
Selena Gomez can do everything. Sure, Steve Martin and Martin Short are great, too, but the actress/singer/not-a-chef-but-still-great-at-cooking triple threat is the biggest reason to watch this show. Oh, and Meryl Streep also happens to be along for the homicidal intrigue this season, and Emily In Paris‘ Ashley Park is one of several cameos to enjoy.
4. Justified: City Primeval (FX series streaming on Hulu)
Our own Brian Grubb struck a celebratory tone over a twist for the ages that ended this supposedly limited series’ finale. There might very well be more, judging from the outpouring I’ve seen on social media following those final minutes. Yes, Raylan got out of Harlan and Detroit alive, but he might never be able to stop being a lawman while he’s alive.
3. You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah (Netflix film)
We still haven’t seen Adam Sandler attempt another movie on par with Uncut Gems, but through and through, he is a funnyman. This time, he pokes fun at himself by portraying a father to two daughters who happen to be portrayed by his two real-life daughters, Sunny and Sadie. Idina Menzel (also of Uncut Gems) is also on board, and someone’s Bat Mitzvah could potentially be ruined by a dramatic betrayal of friendship. Man, boys are just not worth it, but at least some people weed themselves out of that pool. Enjoy the Dua Lipa, too.
2. The Wheel Of Time (Amazon Prime series)
Jeff Bezos famously wanted Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power to be his Game Of Thrones, but instead, this Rosamund Pike-starring series is so-far succeeding more at that goal. Fantasy lit lovers turned out in droves and pushed Wheel Of Time to the top three of most-watched Amazon Original series thus far. The sprawling series is based upon Robert Jordan’s bestselling novels that follow a world where only choice women can access magic. Pike stars as Moiraine, who hails from the all-powerful Aes Sedai organization. Under her guidance, the prophesied Dragon Reborn is destined to appear and either save humanity or crush it.
1. One Piece (Netflix series)
Netflix hasn’t had the best history of adapting anime on the live-action front (Cowboy Bebop, Death Note, but the fans are quite pleased with this effort. The world-building production adapts the ragingly popular manga and follows Monkey D. Luffy, who sets out to find a particularly prized and elusive treasure in an effort to become the pirate king. You can watch this in English as produced, but you can also contemplate the sub vs. dub conundrum at will. Choose your own hill, so to speak, on that one.