Streaming services keep on bringing us the fresh content every weekend, and this week, it’s a little lighter for a generally plentiful service (Netflix), but no worries, that one is gonna rally again in March. And a lighter week there is perfectly alright because the weather’s improved in much of the United States, so you might be able to step outside without slipping and sliding. However, there’s still plenty of content to entice you to spend time indoors, or at least, you shouldn’t feel guilty for doing so. With that said, we’re back to pick the best of what those platforms have to offer while weighing quantity and quality.
This weekend, Hulu and HBO Max are pretty much tied for what they’re bringing to the table, both quality- and quantity-wise. Peacock is bringing a strong game as well with a stocked library (including all of The Office and Modern Family) while rebooting a classic 1980s show about a certain foster kid. Amazon Prime is not to be forgotten with a LeBron James-produced sports documentary series, and Disney+ is coming in strong with one of the final WandaVision episodes. Overall, you won’t be disappointed!
In short, there’s a lot to be happy with here. We’ll discuss all of these top streaming services below, and then we hope you stream to your heart’s delight
Hulu
The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu Original film) — Directed by Lee Daniels and starring Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Andra Day, this film follows the legendary jazz musician who was targeted in the 1940s by the federal government. This was all part of an effort to radicalize the war on drugs, which led to the feds attempting to stop Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” ballad from happening. It’s an at-times heart-wrenching portrait of a powerful civil rights activist and musical icon whose work still resonates, 80 years later and beyond.
Snowfall: Season 4 Premiere (FX on Hulu) — It’s (still) the next-day drill for FX on Hulu shows, thank goodness. The John Singleton-co-created series returns for the Season 4 premiere, and the show picks up with Franklin reemerging from his near-grave. In doing so, he aims to regain control over his empire prevent an all-out war of drug violence in the mid 1980s, Reagan-era streets of America.
Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures film on Hulu) — Frances McDormand stars this tribute to the American West as a widow (Fern) who loses her house and travels (nomadically, naturally) in her van. Freedom and danger abound, and one of the goals here is to figure out what Fern’s looking for, and whether she can possibly find it, or whether wandering is an escape or a solution, or whether the virtue is in the journey itself.
HBO Max
Tom And Jerry (Warner Bros. film) — This live-action/CGI-animation hybrid follows the continuing legendary rivalry between the title cat and mouse. They’re taking a New York City hotel by storm and launching mayhem-filled adventures as a massive, high-profile wedding looms. Chloe Grace Moretz stars as a wedding planner who’s there to wrangle them, and I believe we can all guess how well that goes. Godspeed.
Lupe (HBO Latino film on HBO Max) — This HBO Latino acquisition follows a Cuban immigrant, boxer, and transgender individual who searches for a missing sister in New York City. It’s a study of identity, loss, and personal discovery, and one where transgender individuals are front and center while seizing control of their own destinies. The film makes the directing debut of Andre Phillips and Charles Vuolo while starring Rafael Albarran, Lucerys Medina, and Celia Harrison.
Allen V. Farrow (HBO documentary series, HBO Max on Sunday) — This four part documentary series continues this weekend while digging into a notorious and still-raging scandal of what, exactly, happened with Woody Allen and his family. That includes daughter Dylan Farrow’s allegations of sexual abuse against her father along with Allen’s relationship with Farrow’s daughter, Soon-Yi, and the custody trial that grew especially ugly. In the aftermath, a sprawling family fractured, and that divide continues to this day with continuing disputes that revolve around the allegations.
Last Week Tonight: Season 8 Premiere (HBO Series, Sunday On HBO Max) — Everyone’s favorite sarcastic and satiric late-night host finally returned a few weeks ago (after blowing up 2020 and getting weird with sweet Adam Driver), and not a moment too soon. John Oliver will break down exactly what’s wrong with our society in a way that only he can do, and let’s hope that he brings back that award-winning hoodie, so we can all get fancy with him.
Peacock
Punky Brewster: Season 1 (Peacock reboot series) — Hear me out here on this one. Reboot madness won’t stop (no matter what we do), and after NBCU’s streaming service did the Saved By The Bell thing (which is already renewed for a second season), the progression toward Punky Power shouldn’t be too surprising. In this series, Punky’s a single mom who finds herself inspired by meeting a young orphan who possesses of all her old spunk. Both Soleil Moon Frye and Cherie Johnson reprise their roles, and Freddie Prinze Jr. plays Punky’s ex-husband. Did she go by “Punky” or “Penelope” while taking wedding vows? I kind-of need to know.
Netflix
Canine Intervention (Netflix series) — Bridgerton, this ain’t, and it certainly differs from most of Netflix’s other offerings of late. I didn’t even expect to be reeled in by this series about a California-based K9 dog trainer, Jas Leverette, as he helps owners with their “problem dogs.” Instead, I imagined that this would be an unbearable watch that would make me weepy while wishing that I’d never clicked, but something about this trailer made me suspect differently, and I’m glad to have given it a chance. The charismatic Jas transforms the lives of several dogs, beginning with Lady MacBeth, a three-legged survivor who suffered a gunshot and stood as the very essence of Jas’ motto, “It’s never the dog’s fault, it’s always human error.” These are uplifting journeys for this dog and many others, who received their second chances and worked tirelessly to achieve stunning transformations in the process. Jas’ holistic approach to training works surprising benefits for the humans involved in these stories, too.
Ginny & Georgia (Netflix series) — This one’s got some heavy Gilmore Girls flavor (although it’s very different in both good and not-so-good ways) with angsty and awkward Ginny feeling far more emotionally mature than her mom, Georgia Miller. They’re putting down roots for a normal life, but there’s plenty of bumps along the way, and apparently, there’s a lot of carpool and Kombucha to be had.
Crazy About Her (Netflix film) — An enigmatic woman has a “magical one night stand” (those are Netflix’s words, and they’re impossible to make better in this context), and she lives in a mental institution. That’s not the strangest thing that happens here. Rather, her one-night-stand partner is so taken with this lady that he decides to admit himself too. Ain’t love grand? Naturally, the dude gets a lot more than he bargained for after making his decision, so enjoy the romantic hijinks.
Behind Her Eyes (Netflix series) — This series follows a single mother who has an affair with her boss, who happens to be a psychiatrist, and then his wife ends up in her circle of friends. Naturally, this leads to a web of secrets and lies and so much drama, all from the producers of The Crown.
Disney+
Wandavision: Episode 7 (Disney+ series) — Last week’s revelation that Agnes was Agatha All Along should lead to even more potentially catastrophic developments, but surely this show keeps cranking out the weekly successes, so whatever happens, people will undoubtedly be tipping their hat to Kevin Feige. Soon, we’ll be watching The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, too!
Amazon Prime
Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers (IMDB TV series on Amazon Prime) — LeBron James and Maverick Carter executive produce this series about a high-school athletics mecca near Los Angeles. Top Class follows six star players at what the show’s trailer refers to as “the most Instagrammed high school.” Their team scores back-to-back state championships and lands in the national headlines. Expect this one to have both heart and grit and every emotion in between.