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. The Eternaut – Netflix series
A second season is already in the works for this overnight phenomenon that involves apocalyptic snow, an alien invasion, and mind control. Next time, viewers can look forward to the series digging more fully into the sci-fi elements that were briefly introduced during the show’s debut. That tidbit comes from Netflix exec Francisco “Paco” Ramos, who promises a more “fully blown” treatment that will conclude this adaptation of the same-named 1957 comic by Hector G. Oesterheld.
9. Havoc – Netflix movie
Was the multi-year wait worth it for Tom Hardy’s starring role in The Raid franchise director Gareth Evans’ overall deal with Netflix? Yes, but news of a sequel hasn’t arrived yet despite the bonkers viewership numbers. This movie has just about everything that you’d want in a gritty cop drama, like an ambiguous ending that could take or leave a followup along with Forest Whitaker and Timothy Olyphant as a rare baddie, but damn, can the dude get away from lawman roles? Now that you ask, yep, he will soon be seen as a synth in FX and Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth (you’re welcome).
8. 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.
7. The Rehearsal – Max series
Nathan Fielder is somehow managing to top himself each week in terms of viral response. After taking on Capt. Sully Sullenberger, “birds,” and Evanescence, he’s heading to Washington, D.C. in an episode aptly titled “Washington.” Want a description? According to HBO Max, “Nathan heads to Washington.” Alright, fine.
6. The Four Seasons – Netflix series
Netflix recently announced that a second season was on the way for this Tina Fey-crafted series (starring Fey, Steve Carell, Will Forte, Colman Domingo, and more) that is happy to court The White Lotus and Nine Perfect Strangers viewers with more straight-up comedy vibes. No confirmation has surfaced on which stars will return, but considering that rather surprising death, at least one star will probably not return, but do not count out the possibility of flashbacks. Or even better, ghosts. Oooh, maybe these couples can go vacation at Colorado’s Stanley Hotel, which has long been credited with inspiring Stephen King’s The Shining. Just an idea.
5. Nonnas – Netflix movie
This Mother’s Day movie is so Italian American that it hurts. Vince Vaughn stars as a man who puts everything on the line to honor his dearly departed mother with an Italian restaurant. Naturally, the chefs are all Italian nonnas, and co-stars include Talia Shire, Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Brenda Vaccaro alongside Linda Cardellini and Joe Manganiello. This little movie is charming as heck and is (naturally) inspired by true events. Hey, everybody loves their nonna.
4. Murderbot – Apple TV+ series
Nobody can deny that Alexander Skarsgård is objectively sexy, but here, he’s portraying an unsexy robot (good luck with that) who would really prefer to bingewatch futuristic soap operas while being taxed with protecting and serving idiotic humans. So far, the fan response (from The Murderbot Diaries readers) is that the series nails the tone and spirit of the source material. And because David Dastmalchian is in every cool project these days (including Dexter: Resurrection), you know he is in this, too. Whew.
3. MobLand – Paramount Plus series
Tom Hardy has admitted to Esquire that his wildly embraced role as a fixer in this Guy Ritchie show wasn’t something that he was so sure about. Actually, he confessed to finding Ritchie too “macho” at first, but this impression yielded to Hardy realizing that Ritchie’s “a sort of punchiness and an energy” truly “had an edge to it. It had something.” He further explained that his Harry Da Souza character was the perfect counterpoint to his Venom trilogy. Whatever the case, audiences are digging it.
2. Andor – Disney+ series
Well, the series finale has finished the Diego Luna-starring precursor to Rogue One, and Cassian has now achieved true rebel-hero evolution in the face of the imperial threat. As creator Tony Gilroy summed up of connecting the final dots before cinematic liftoff, “That sh*t laid down really clean,” and “presented itself without the incredible amount of effort that was anticipated.” Despite some controversy over the tenth chapter of this season, the twelfth and final installment has left both critics and audience members swooning over alleged perfection.
1. The Last Of Us – HBO series streaming on Max
Showrunner Craig Mazin previously suggested that the show wasn’t quite done with Pedro Pascal’s Joel, and the audience has learned that this wasn’t simply a tease. Prepare yourself for upcoming flashback scenes that will fill in some context on why Joel and Ellie’s relationship deteriorated to the degree that it did, and this week might actually deliver another bottle episode as Mazin and Neil Druckmann previously promised would surface. And nobody can say no to more Pedro Pascal, it’s simply not possible.