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.
10. Special Ops: Lioness – Paramount Plus series
Taylor Sheridan’s Zoe Saldana-starring spy thriller series has been streaming on Paramount Plus all along, but the series recently started climbing the Netflix English Language charts due to landing in limited (non-U.S.) territories. That has led to restrained success while Sheridan’s audience awaits word of a third season. The series co-stars Nicole Kidman, Michael Kelly, Genesis Rodriguez, Morgan Freeman, and Laysla De Oliveira and isn’t the typical Sheridan show although of course he makes a shirtless cameo.
9. Another Simple Favor – Prime Video/Amazon movie
Blake Lively’s recent wave of drama has overshadowed the plot of this sequel, which reteams her with director Paul Feig and co-star Anna Kendrick. In this installment, Lively’s Emily sets out for her lavish wedding to a rich dude, but of course murder pays a visit to the venue. This sequel co-stars Michele Mirrone and Henry Golding and is (unfortunately) forgettable from a story standpoint, but at least the scenery is enjoyable for living vicariously.
8. Andor – Disney+ series
The greatest Star Wars show will return with Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor. The second season will take place over four years while Cassian continues his rebel-hero evolution in the face of the imperial threat as the show pushes forth toward Rogue One territory. In addition to Luna, this story will continue with Ben Mendelsohn (as Orson Krennic), Forest Whitaker (as Saw Gerrera), Stellan Skarsgård (as Luthen Rael), and Denise Gough (as Deedra Meero) among the ensemble cast.
7. MobLand – Paramount Plus series
Tom Hardy is having a moment, but isn’t he always? His current run as a fixer will probably continue for a second season of this Guy Ritchie series, but do not forget about the rest of the bang-up cast including Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, Anson Boon, Annie Cooper, and Paddy Considine. Shakespeare could also be considered a figure lurking in the forefront, and The Bard might even be offended at the overuse of this curse word, but the action is still barreling toward what promises to be full-on war with a bloody season finale.
6. The Rehearsal – Max series
Well, if you haven’t already caught last week’s episode about Capt. Sully Sullenberger with a side of Evanescence, what on earth are you waiting for? It’s cinema on TV as the Gen Z-ers would say. This week’s episode arrives with the slightest of descriptions (“A young man’s romantic life poses a challenge for Nathan”), but you know that as with the rest of this season so far, it will be a doozy.
5. You – Netflix series
Nobody is having a better time rolling out this final season than a dancing Penn Badgley. Stalker Joe amassed quite a death toll over five seasons, and now, it’s time to find out how he fares against Madeline Brewer’s Final Girl, Bronte. Thank goodness that Netflix didn’t run with a split season to finish this series because that halfway point was devastating enough, and unfortunately, Dr. Nicky does not appear in the flesh to finish his story, but cameos from many of Joe’s victims do torture him, and some faces from the past even appeared in the flesh. It was a good-bad run that ended with perhaps the most fitting line possible. Goodbye, You.
4. The Last Of Us – HBO series streaming on Max
Although Pedro Pascal is now moving onto non-Infected pastures after Joel’s demise, Bella Ramsey (as Ellie), Kaitlyn Dever (as Abby), and Isabela Merced (as Dina) are pushing forth within one of many crowd-pleasing video game adaptations. This week, it sure looks like spores are afoot, which should perk up the interest of gamers who might be tempted to tune out after Pascal’s departure. Also, it’s worth keeping in mind that showrunner Craig Mazin told viewers, “This is not the last we will see of Joel.” Just keep that in mind.
3. The Four Seasons – Netflix series
If you haven’t watched this yet, do beware of this wild spoiler, which is really only worth mentioning here because the showrunners “regretted” this move “immediately.” What that says for a potential second season, nobody can say, but this series takes another twisted turn down paths that will appeal to The White Lotus and Nine Perfect Strangers viewers, and Tina Fey co-created and stars in this series, so you can count on seeing her brand of humor. Steve Carrell and Colman Domingo are along for the ride, and of course privileged travelers don’t know how they lucky they are while still miserable. It’s TV tradition now.
2. Poker Face – Peacock series
Natasha Lyonne is doing Columbo-inspired things again while reeling in “a truly gonzo parade of guest stars” this season. They include John Mulaney, Alia Shawkat, Cynthia Erivo, Katie Holmes, Giancarlo Esposito, Haley Joel Osment, Melanie Lynskey, Taylor Schilling, Justin Theroux, and Kumail Nanjiani. If anybody had guessed five years ago that Lyonne would be collaborating with Rian Johnson in such an addictive way, would you have believed? Fortunately, we can thank Russian Doll (and Oatmeal the cat and maybe The Last Jedi) for bearing this mystery-solving fruit.
1. Havoc – Netflix movie
This long-gestating feature film happens to be the first arrival from The Raid franchise director Gareth Evans’ overall deal with Netflix. What shall come next? Nobody has spilled that news yet, but nobody would be upset if Tom Hardy didn’t sign on for a sequel. His jaded detective ended the film in the most ambiguous way possible with nobody knowing whether his partner would arrest him following the killing spree that came prior. Forest Whitaker and Timothy Olyphant co-star in this action picture that is also as bleak of a thriller as they come, and although there’s little character development to be found, the movie can still coast on charisma for miles and maybe a followup.