What’s Popular On Streaming Now
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.
TIE: 10. The Bear (FX series streaming on Hulu)
The kitchen remains hot for another week with Carmy Berzatto and his legion of Chefs (and high-strung family members) despite the show releasing an entire season in one go. This show is the opposite of no-stick as a sleeper series, which does everything well except for putting Carmy in a romance, but hey, one cannot be perfect at everything. Richie comes out as one of the MVPs of the season, and naturally, Sydney is still in that category, too. Let’s hope that they somehow deliver Season 3 as fast as Season 2 arrives and hopefully with more Will Poulter and Jon Bernthal, along with more than a quick flash of Joel McHale’s a-hole Chef.
TIE: 10. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (Marvel Studios movie streaming on Disney+)
Marvel Studios’ movies and TV shows have been hit-and-miss lately, but James Gunn’s final MCU entry was a worthy conclusion while this beloved crowd of misfits takes their final onscreen voyage together. Get the tissues ready because you may need them during multiple scenes of this movie, but at least we know that one constant in the MCU will never let us down: Star-Lord will always be the Worst Avenger. What on earth did Gamora ever see in him? The new Gamora has been wondering that, too.
9. Reservation Dogs (FX series streaming on Hulu)
Settle in for one final lap from the TV world’s favorite four Indigenous teens (Elora Danan, Bear Smallhill, Willie Jack, and Cheese) who end up stuck in California and will be attempting to return home to rural Oklahoma. Some dreams are better off remaining dreams, right? The four will attempt to feel out their modified futures while the show’s assortment of elders will provide more comedy and drama while the community could still stand to heal past wounds that never quite closed. Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi need to announce another joint project, stat.
8. The Witcher (Netflix series)
Henry Cavill is back for one final, bewigged tour on The Continent. In Season 4, Liam Hemsworth will take over as Geralt of Rivia, and no one can envy the task he has before him. We’ll find out how good he is at grunting, swashbuckling, and wielding potions. Then again, one of the show’s producers didn’t have favorable remarks about the audience, so the jury is completely out on how the future of this franchise will be received. Until then, enjoy Jaskier enjoying himself one more time with this particular Geralt.
7. They Cloned Tyrone (Netflix movie)
John Boyega admitted Uproxx that he’s ready for a love story onscreen, but first, he’s turning heads in this homage to Blaxploitation cinema. It’s as wild as it sounds: Jamie Foxx plays a pimp, Teyonah Harris plays a sex worker, and Boyega portrays a drug dealer. Together, they fall into a conspiracy-laden rabbit hole because government agency has weaponized Black cultural tidbits against the Black community. It’s absurd and funny and much more inventive than most streaming films need to be, which is even rarer because it’s happening during multiplex-blockbuster season.
5. Twisted Metal (Peacock series)
Anthony Mackie’s smart-talking talents are put to good use here as wise-cracking outsider who would probably be satisfied if he could only find some toilet paper in the post-apocalyptic hellscape. He’s tasked with moving an important package, and if this sounds like the plot to a video game, yes, you are correct. This has been an eventful year in unusually well-received adaptations including The Super Mario Bros. Movie (even with Chris Pratt’s Mario voice) and The Last Of Us, and this Peacock series also co-stars Will Arnett (as one half of a psychotic clown) and Neve Campbell.
4. Good Omens (Amazon Prime series)
The complimentary writing styles of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett collided in this book, and the series adapts the delightful mixture as perfectly embodied by David Tennant (as demon Crowley) and Michael Sheen (as angel Aziraphale). The second season took far too long to percolate with all that’s going on in the world, and the season finale already has fans clamoring for more with the whole hate-love relationship shifting into a new gear. These two would sure love to quit each other but must work together if they want to keep enjoying life on Earth. Yes, Armageddon is coming, among other things.
3. Justified: City Primeval (FX series streaming on Hulu)
Get ready for some “Kokomo” in the newest episode, and because this is Justified, surely, you won’t be upset about having that song stuck in your head. Clement Mansell is still spreading his brand of chaos with Raylan and Carolyn Wilder still circling each other in more ways than one. Willa did not appear on the scene this week, but you can revisit those glory days if you’d like to ruminate about Angry Raylan Givens and how this revival is roasting the hell out of him, but he can handle it.
2. Hijack (Apple TV+ series)
Idris Elba must stop hijackers who end up blackmailing and booting a pilot from a cockpit (one must obviously suspend belief on the reason why), but he does so in a way that you probably don’t suspect. His character is one of a plan full of people whose air-bound voyage from Dubai to London could be doomed. However, Elba’s guy is a savvy negotiator on the ground, so he puts those stills to use in the not-so-friendly skies, and frankly, that’s what one needs when a pilot essentially hands over over 100 lives like it ain’t no thing. It sounds silly, yes, but it’s an addictive watch with Elba throwing himself into the fray, not only for the passengers but also for his at-home audience.
1. Suits (USA series streaming on Netflix)
Yeah, I don’t understand it either. There are so many new shows to stream on a weekly basis, and people are hooked on this show (co-starring Meghan Markle) that ended in 2019. At this point, the show is poised to crack the Top 10 most-watched shows on Netflix of all time. Perhaps that will even happen before summer ends. Currently, only eight of the nine existing seasons exist on the streamer, so perhaps the final one shall eventually materialize. Prince Harry has already gone on record to share how he’s not a fan of the show’s sex scenes, so now you know.