Multiple times per 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 and ratings) 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 (TIE): Russian Doll (Netflix series)
Natasha Lyonne’s walking that walk better than anyone else in this world with a trippier journey that transcends the first season’s Groundhog Day-esque time loop. Both Nadia and Charlie must conquer a new set of challenges in order to save themselves, and both Annie Murphy and Chloe Sevigny are crushing their supporting roles. Get ready for more stair shenanigans and transcendence from Oatmeal the Cat.
10 (TIE): Uncharted (Sony movie on Amazon Prime)
Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg go treasure-hunting together, and it’s a bit of a heist story that’s based upon the PlayStation phenomenon. One would do best to not expect a serious story and simply enjoy the ride here because these two movie stars are the odd couple, and that’s probably part of the intended charm of this project. It’s sheer fun, and if you want a little more bite, maybe go watch Free Guy again?
9. Barry (HBO series on HBO Max)
After a three-year hiatus, Bill Hader’s contract killer is back and not happy to be doing, you know, the contract-killing thing. He’s here to question everything he knows and explore why he can’t quit the game. Anthony Carrigan and Henry Winkler are back in their supporting roles to amp up the irresistible quotient here. Dancing and fish photos for all!
8. Ziwe (Showtime series, but you can stream it on on Hulu)
No one can escape the scathingly satiric viewpoint of Ziwe Fumudoh, former Desus & Mero writer and YouTube star in her own right. This season’s guests include Emily Ratajkowski, Hannibal Buress, Mia Khalifa, Charlamagne Tha God, and shambolic king Chet Hanks.
7. Batman (Warner Bros. film on HBO Max)
Bye bye for good, Edward Cullen. Robert Pattinson’s been warning us for quite some time that he’s got it going on when it comes to reinvention, and his Caped Crusader will see a sequel. Before then, you have time to catch up on his gritty, gothy version of Bruce Wayne as he’s joined by Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman, Paul Dano’s The Riddler, and Colin Ferrell’s Penguin. As with Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, ain’t the DCEU, so let the creative freedom roll, Matt Reeves.
6. Flight Attendant (HBO Max series)
Kaley Cuoco’s Cassie thought she had her (terminally messy) life all worked out, but as this season proves, the massive mayhem is only beginning. Cassie kicked the booze and replaced that fix with life as a CIA asset, which is obviously not a recipe for slowing down and chilling out. The action’s nonstop again and travels over to Iceland, all while Cassie tries to feel out another murder case that feels very personal. Thank goodness that Zosia Mamet and Rosie Perez are still here to flesh out the friendship dynamic while we all feed our need for globetrotting escapism.
5. Under The Banner Of Heaven (FX series on Hulu)
Andrew Garfield stars as a detective (Jeb Pyre) who’s digging deep into a Salt Lake Valley, Utah double murder that went down in the 1980s. Daisy Edgar-Jones once again plays a character who doesn’t fare well in this story that’s based upon a Jon Krakauer true-crime bestselling book. As Pyre investigates the circumstances of the violence in question, he ends up stumbling upon truths that make him wonder exactly what’s going on within his own (LDS) church. Sam Worthington and Rory Culkin help round out the cast.
4. We Own This City (HBO limited series on HBO Max)
The Wire creator takes a very different law enforcement-related turn here with this six-part series that charts the rise and fall of a Baltimore PD branch that’s laden with corruption and sketchy tactics aplenty. Jon Bernthal, Wunmi Mosaku, and Jamie Hector lead the cast in this story that follows Baltimore Sun reporter Justin Fenton’s book, which lights police practices on fire when it comes to the lengths that some cops will go to to look like drug-prohibition champions while pulling off their own dirty deeds.
3. Better Call Saul (AMC series on AMC+)
Last week’s episode did not go well for one pivotal character, but there are plenty more with their fates on the line. The good news: Kim Wexler is still kicking, so maybe stop fretting about it, even though the show’s about to smash right into the Breaking Bad timeline. An atypical opening scene for this season means that perhaps we’ll see Cinnabon Gene down the line, but the good news is that we will apparently see Walt and Jesse make an appearance. All five of the first seasons are streaming on Netflix while this sixth and final round is doing the weekly release thing.
2. Heartstopper (Netflix series)
A ferociously enthused audience almost guarantees a second season for this story that follows Charlie and Nick as they move from fellow students to friends to love interests. In the process, they must navigate other friendships and various influences on the way to self-discovery and authenticity. Oh, and there’s rugby involved. A lot of rugby.
1. Ozark (Netflix series)
Jason Bateman’s baby has been an intense ride, and the final season is (fittingly) both shattering and savage. Carve out time to binge it all because everything’s all lined up to send off Ruth Langmore and the Byrde family in an unforgettable way. In the end, the show doesn’t quite live up to the Breaking Bad template, but there’s no denying that Ozark is a force of nature on its own two feet. Also, Killer Mike shows up for a cameo, and that cookie jar is back for one final hurrah.
