What to watch this weekend.
Credit: Warner Bros / HBO / Netflix
Powerful alien super-heroines battling extraterrestrial threats. Tense kitchen dramas. Sheep who just so happen to also be pretty great at solving mysteries. Season premieres and season finales. And the return of Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Larry David, this time in a bevy of historical sketches. All this and more await your viewing pleasure this weekend, all tidily arranged in the following weekend streaming guide.
The Legend Of Vox Machina ended this past week, and while I’m still a few episodes behind, I’ve really enjoyed the fourth season. This show has been one of the most consistently high-quality fantasy series of the modern era, something you really can’t say for almost any other fantasy series out there. I’m glad Critical Role has expanded the animated shows to The Mighty Nein since it means we have less time to wait between new seasons.
Speaking of machina, movie night this week was Ex Machina from A24 and director Alex Garland. I’ve seen it a couple times but wanted to show my kids as I think it’s top-notch sci-fi, even if it’s more unsettling and almost jarring to watch now that AI (er, “AI”) is such a big part of our daily lives and the culture at large. Somehow, the reality always ends up feeling a lot more mundane and a lot less sexy than the dystopian fiction that warns us about the dangers of technology. AI in reality looks nothing like Alicia Vikander. ChatGPT is nowhere near as clever as Ava. A very good film which, once again, I watched on 4k Blu-ray rather than streaming.
As always, I’ve scoured the internet for the best TV shows and movies streaming on Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+ for you to watch this weekend. If you have any recommendations, tips or other thoughts feel free to shoot me a note. Let me know what you’re watching these days, or if you’ve enjoyed any of my recommendations, on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Be sure to also check out last weekend’s streaming guide below:
Alright, let’s get started, shall we?
New TV Shows To Watch This Weekend
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (HBO / HBO Max)
If Curb Your Enthusiasm and Drunk History had a baby, this would be it. HBO’s new Larry David limited series, Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is all about the history of America, but with Larry David’s own unique spin. The new sketch comedy looks pretty funny, but it’s only at 67% on Rotten Tomatoes (based on just 6 reviews as of now), a pretty steep drop-off from pretty much every season of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Sketch comedies can be hit or miss, of course, so I’m still going to watch this one. The series has a bunch of famous guest stars and cameos from John Hamm to Alan Tudyk and even Jerry Seinfeld. It’s produced by the Obama’s Higher Ground Productions as part of the country’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The Bear – Final Season (Hulu)
I thought the first season of The Bear on Hulu (and FX) was pretty close to perfect, a tense and often funny and sometimes mouthwatering portrayal of life at a busy independent restaurant in Chicago. And then I never watched another season. A part of me just liked where it ended and didn’t care to see more. Another part of me worried it would just go downhill like so many other shows. Whatever the case, I have no idea what’s been happening for our heroes all these seasons later, but the fifth is also the final season of the Jeremy Allen White-led series. All episodes are currently streaming on Hulu.
Avatar: The Last Airbender – Season 2 (Netflix Live-Action)
Puberty comes for us all, it just came a little faster for Netflix’s live-action version of the last airbender, Aang, in the live-action adaptation of the wildly popular animated Nickelodeon series. While the second season is faring better with critics (and about the same with audiences) I just can’t bring myself to watch this one. The animated series is pretty much perfect and even after the first couple episodes of the live-action remake, I could tell the changes would be too much (and far too perplexing) for my taste. Still, if you don’t like animated shows maybe you’ll enjoy this more than I was able to.
A Woman of Substance (BritBox)
British drama, A Woman Of Substance, heads to BritBox this week. The series follows a woman named Emma over the course of more than six decades of her life, from the 1900s through the 1970s, working her way from impoverished maid to the world’s richest woman. Emma is played by different actresses over the course of the series (Jessica Reynolds, Brenda Blethyn) alongside a cast of talented co-stars. Mystery, drama, revenge…it looks fantastic and boasts a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The American Experiment (Netflix Docuseries)
I suppose we’re going to get a whole bunch of these kind of documentaries (and sketch comedy series) with the 250th anniversary of America here. The new Netflix docuseries explores the founding of the United States of America, digging into the founders’ philosophies on life, liberty and the pursuit of, um, happiness. Not unhappiness. The docuseries is produced by Tom Hanks and features Martin Sheen and interviews with Hillary Clinton, Mike Pence and many more.
New Movies To Watch This Weekend
The Sheep Detectives (Prime Video)
I missed The Sheep Detectives in theaters and I’m thrilled to see that it’s out this week on Prime Video. It looks adorable and boasts a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score. The story follows a group of sheep who belong to shepherd George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) who reads them murder mysteries, though he’s unaware they understand every word. When George is found dead, the sheep decide to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death.
Little Brother (Netflix)
Little Brother looks like a John Cena movie you’d find on Prime Video, though I suppose both Netflix and Prime Video do love to churn out cheap comedies with big enough names to draw eyeballs. Eric Andre stars across from Cena in this story about two long lost “brothers” who reunite, whereupon things go off the rails. The movie is out this Friday on Netflix.
New Movies In Theaters This Weekend
Supergirl
Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El (aka Supergirl) gets her own movie, the second in James Gunn’s rebooted DCU. I really disliked Superman, but I enjoyed Gunn’s Peacemaker series (speaking of John Cena) so I’ve yet to make up my mind on the direction he’s taken the comic book franchise. Curiously, former Aquaman star, Jason Moma, is also in this film, though not as a lord of the seven seas. With a 59% RT score, things do not bode well for Supergirl, but I still plan to see it when I’m back from vacation.
Jackass: Best and Last
Johnny Knoxville and crew are a lot older now, but that doesn’t seem to be slowing them down much. The last of the Jackass films is out this weekend, and it’s unclear whether it or Supergirl has the sillier script – but Jackass: Best and Last has a much higher RT score. This movie comes on the heels of a new Mortal Kombat film, a new Masters of the Universe film (which I really liked!), a new Scary Movie film, with a new Street Fighter film in the offing. Everything old is new again.
TV Shows Currently Streaming Weekly
From – Season 4 (MGM+)
I admit, the penultimate episode of From’s fourth season really bugged me. I found it incredibly frustrating, especially since we only have one more episode to go before the season ends and we have to wait for the fifth and final season. Characters have become almost intolerable to watch outside of a small handful. Many of them, like Elgin, are making incredibly stupid choices. The most interesting plotlines, like the time travel stuff and the Lake of Tears, were dropped. The entire plot to get to the bones seems incredibly dumb. I’m just at my wits end with this show. Hopefully the finale makes up for all the nonsense we’ve been dealing with for the past few episodes. We’ll know when it comes out this Sunday, June 28 on MGM+.
House of the Dragon – Season 3 (HBO Max)
House of the Dragon
Credit: HBO
HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, returned last week for its third season. While I enjoyed aspects of the Season 3 premiere, I found a lot of it to be incredibly frustrating, with baffling changes to the source material and a lackluster Battle of the Gullet. I’ve watched the first four episodes and it does improve as it gets chugging along, but I obviously can’t speak to the rest of the season (which has eight episodes total). The series follows the Westerosi civil war known as the Dance of Dragons and the struggle for the Iron Throne between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother, Aegon. Episode 2 comes out Sunday with new episodes weekly and the season finale airing on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, August 9.
Sugar – Season 2 (Apple TV)
I can think of very few shows with a more shocking twist than Apple TV’s Sugar. It’s such a shocking twist that I won’t spoil it here. The story follows private detective John Sugar (Colin Farrell) as he investigates the disappearance of the granddaughter of a wealthy movie producer in Hollywood. Things get weird. I’m very excited to start Season 2. A total of eight episodes comprise Season 2, with new episodes landing Thursday evenings and the season finale dropping on August 6.
Star City (Apple TV)
Star City
Credit: Apple TV
Apple TV’s hit sci-fi series, For All Mankind, explores a “what if” scenario: What if the Soviet Union had landed the first man on the moon, propelling a real space race that hadn’t fizzled out decades ago? Star City takes us to the other side of the Iron Curtain, exploring this hypothetical scenario from the Soviet side. The series currently holds a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score. New episodes drop weekly on Thursday evenings for a total of eight episodes, with the finale airing on July 9.
Cape Fear (Apple TV)
Cape Fear
Credit: Apple TV
Javier Bardem and Amy Adams star in this television series based on the novel The Executioners and its two film adaptations (1962 and 1991) both of which were also called Cape Fear. The story follows vicious ex-con, Max Cady (Bardem) and his revenge plot against married couple Tom (Patrick Wilson) and Anna Bowden (Adams). The series holds a 76% on Rotten Tomatoes. New episodes drop Thursday evenings for a total of 10 episodes, with the finale landing on July 30.
The Vampire Lestat (AMC+)
The Vampire Lestat
Credit: AMC
The Vampire Lestat follows the vampire, Lestat (Sam Reid), as he becomes a rockstar (Anne Rice based his persona on Jim Morrison of The Doors) and tries to set the record straight via his own autobiography rather than leave history to his old friend and rival, Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) and his infamous interview from Interview With A Vampire. New episodes drop on Sundays on AMC+ for a total of seven episodes, with the finale airing on July 19.
Dutton Ranch – Season 1 (Paramount+)
Dutton Ranch
Credit: Paramount
Yellowstone spinoff, Dutton Ranch, follows Rip and Beth from Montana to Texas where they try to live a life of peace, somehow not realizing that if you own a ranch in Taylor Sheridan’s universe, someone will try to take it from you and kill you in the process. Critics and fans are all pretty upbeat about Dutton Ranch, with an 89% / 85% critic-audience split. The new show also stars Annette Benning and and Ed Harris. New episodes drop weekly on Fridays for a total of nine episodes, with the finale airing on July 3.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed (Apple TV)
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
Credit: Apple TV
Tatiana Maslany stars in Apple TV’s new dark comedy series, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, as a divorced fact-checker who forms an online relationship with a male sex worker and finds herself the target of a blackmail scheme. Things get darker from there. It has excellent reviews from both fans and critics. New episodes drop on Tuesday evenings, with the finale landing on July 14.
Check out the week before last’s streaming guide below:
What are you watching these days? Let me know on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.