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) Lucifer (Netflix)
The Devil is back for one last dance-of-a-rodeo in Season 6, and naturally, Lucifer Morningstar is still a total pain in the tush, and you’ll love him for it. Fortunately, he’s no longer attempting to be a detective. Lucifer is now God (don’t ask), and if he doesn’t get with the new program, he’s liable to trigger the apocalypse of all apocalypses. This is one last, fan-requested hurrah for a Netflix-resurrected series, and Neil Gaiman’s creation will live on in fans’ hearts and, most likely, their pants as well. Watch it on Netflix.
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. Reservation Dogs (Hulu)
Taika Waititi’s follow-up to What We Do in the Shadows brings us a comedy series that’s co-written by Native American filmmaker Sterlin Harjo. Yes, the lead quartet in this show rocks suits that look strikingly similar to the characters of Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, yet they’re four Indigenous teens who want to commit crime and simply can’t pull it off. The show was shot in and near Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and these teens hope to make it all the way to California. The cast and crew come from indigenous communities, from where Harjo and Waititi are aiming their storytelling styles as well. Watch it on Hulu.
8. Doom Patrol (HBO Max)
DC’s misfit superheroes are back for another round of being portrayed by an incredible cast. Brendan Fraser has received plenty of raves for his exasperated and fury-filled Cliff Steele/Robotman, but don’t count out the rest of the crew. There’s Matt Bomer as the bandage-wrapped Negative Man and repeat appearances from Danny the Street, but the real kudos should go to Diane Guerrero (Orange is the New Black) as Crazy Jane, which is actually a role that requires dozens of incarnations, including a very timely take on a Karen. This season, the sh*t hits the fan with a time machine. Watch it on HBO Max.
7. 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
6. Muhammed 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.
5. 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+.
4. 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+.
3. 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+.
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.