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. Red One – Prime Video/Amazon movie
A-lister holiday movies are inevitable, but Amazon MGM knew how to seize the opportunity to pair two of the most charismatic stars in Hollywood together. In this case, Chris Evans and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson contribute to a family movie that isn’t ideal grown-up material, but it’s endurable enough when the target audience hits “repeat.” Now, if one of them decided to bench press an entire herd of reindeer, that might be better, but perhaps they’re saving that trick for the sequel.
9. Black Doves – Netflix series
A second season is in the works for Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw’s spy-series comfort food with more than a few scenes that bring John Wick to mind. This series proves, among other things, that a lady can always benefit from having a gay best friend who happens to be an assassin, and if he’s indebted to her? Even better. Regular doses of bleak humor and a stellar supporting cast left this show’s audience wanting more but also feeling satisfied, which is precisely where every series should take its regularly scheduled breaks.
8. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew – Disney+ series
What, another Star Wars series so fast after The Acolyte? It’s happening. This series stars Jude Law as Jod Na Nawood, a pirate who tangos with the Force but probably not in a trustworthy way. Four kids cross paths with him after leaving their home planet and finding themselves lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy (far, far away). It’s like The Goonies and Stranger Things meet Star Wars of the New Republic, if an analogy needs to be made.
7. Carry-On – Netflix movie
This high-concept film leaves the sequel door open but is also entertaining of its own volition. Taron Egerton stars as a TSA agent who must thwart a plan to wreak havoc during the Christmas travel season, and Jason Bateman going villain with the always underrated Theo Rossi is worth the price of admission. It’s not a The Outsider and Emily The Criminal crossover, but it’s close enough and worth plopping into the queue.
6. Landman – Paramount+ series
Billy Bob Thornton’s many acclaimed roles somehow led to this series that will surely receive a new season going forward. Taylor Sheridan’s endlessly active writing bunker did not shy way from the viral moment-making dirty jokes that helped this series launch in the hardest of ways. This yielded to endlessly entertaining character dynamics from Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, Michael Peña, and Michelle Randolph. And sure, this series would probably have been better with more Demi Moore, but the season isn’t over yet.
5. The Day Of The Jackal – Peacock series
This remake of the 1970s classic film stars Eddie Redmayne and significantly alters the assassin’s story, and conveniently so, because streaming longevity is a beautiful thing. It’s a sentiment that prevails throughout this list, perhaps more than any other week in this column’s history. Executive producers Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant were not subtle about the reason why: “Of course, we’re in the business of series television, and there was the idea of sustainability for a returning series.” At least they’re honest about it, and perhaps recent Broadway Cabaret emcee Redmayne will harness that forthright sentiment and tackle this musical next. Just a thought.
4. No Good Deed – Netflix series
This star-packed show revolves around a home with a dark story, which turns into a murder mystery from the comedically talented Liz Feldman, showrunner behind Dead To Me starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. The latter pops up in this show as a glossy socialite type alongside characters portrayed by Lisa Kudrow, Ray Romano, O-T Fagbenle, Luke Wilson, and Denis Leary.
3. It Ends With Us – Sony Pictures Releasing movie streaming on Netflix
[TRIGGER WARNING for domestic abuse content.] This Blake Lively-starring film is receiving plenty of headlines regarding plentiful allegations against director and co-star Justin Baldoni. It’s safe to say that if there is a continuation of this Colleen Hoover adaptation, then he won’t be involved, but more to the point here, this romantic drama raked in $350 million globally and is now pulling in streaming clicks despite the incredibly serious subject matter behind the romantic packaging.
2. Dexter: Original Sin – Showtime series streaming on Paramount+
Word recently broke of a second Dexter prequel (about the Trinity Kiler), and the world hasn’t yet finished enjoying this literally-named origin story starring Patrick Gibson as the younger Dexter Morgan whose inner monologue arrives from Michael C. Hall. He will also star in next year’s Dexter: Resurrection, so if there was any doubt about who the most marketable TV serial killer might be, this Showtime franchise has put those questions to rest. This prequel series’ leading character is still working the kinks out of his Code with about half of the first season to go. Harry and Debra Morgan’s roles also receive more background texture than expected with both Christian Slater and Molly Brown pulling off an admirable amount of nuance. As the show’s promotional material suggested, it really does take a village to pull off a damn fine prequel.
1. Squid Game – Netflix series
Do I really need to explain the premise of this series? You’ve watched it, and you know how brutal this series is while satirizing the real-life circumstances of a several current generations. Lee Byung-hun returns (as Front Man) with Wi Ha-jun (as Detective Hwang Jun-ho), both with secret motives, and naturally, the stakes are larger now, and Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) is more hardened now, but that doesn’t mean that he can quell the death machine. Whew. (Fingers crossed that series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk can take a long nap soon.)
