New on Netflix March 23-29: 6 expert-recommended shows and movies to stream

Bill Nighy in The Beautiful Game on Netflix
(Image credit: Netflix)

The streaming giant Netflix never slows down, not even as Easter draws near, and this coming week there are plenty of interesting-looking new movies, shows and specials that streaming fans will want to catch.

For our weekly Netflix recommendations list this week we're looking at new Originals added between Saturday, March 23 and Friday, March 29, though they mainly fall at the latter end of that calendar. Could some of these find their way onto our list of the best Netflix shows?

What to Watch's resident streaming expert has gone through the full list of Netflix's new additions to pick out the six most interesting-sounding ones, that'll likely be the ones everyone is talking about for weeks to come.

Other than a reality baking show and stand-up special we've mostly got dramas this week, with the kind of documentary that's usually Netflix's bread and butter absent. Instead we've got several great-sounding movies and one fascinating TV show from abroad.

So if you're looking for something new to watch on Netflix this week, let's jump right in. And if you want something to stream right now, here's last week's new on Netflix round-up as they'll all be available to watch immediately.

Dave Attell: Hot Cross Buns

  • Stand-up comedy special arrives on Tuesday, March 26

Dave Attell in stand-up special Hot Cross Buns on Netflix

(Image credit: Netflix)

New York comedian Dave Attell is making his first proper Netflix stand-up comedy appearance this week (not counting a 2018 docuseries he starred in).

The new half-hour comedy stand-up special seemingly isn't actually about Easter at all, despite the name and release timing. Instead, he's set to talk about "hard seltzers, strip clubs, unsatisfying snacks and his wild trip to a petting zoo" according to Netflix. A bit of an atypical Easter celebration, perhaps.

Rest in Peace

  • Argentinian drama movie releases on Wednesday, March 27

Joaquin Furriel in Netflix's Rest in Peace

(Image credit: Netflix)

This new drama movie from Argentina sounds like a dark but interesting watch, so it's earnt its way onto this list for that reason alone.

The story centers on a man, Sergio, who's deeply in debt. He decides to run away from his wife and family by faking his own death, and manages to start again somewhere else... until, many years later, he becomes curious about whether his old family and friends have moved on or still mourn him.

What he discovers in this quest for information isn't' what he expected at Netflix's synopsis doesn't elaborate any more than that, so you'll have to watch Rest in Peace to find out what Sergio discovers.

The Believers

  • Thai TV thriller releases on Wednesday, March 27

Pachara Chirathivat and Teeradon Supapunpinyo in Netflix's The Believers

(Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix has a few religious-themed shows out this week, but The Believers is a little different because it actually has something to say about the topic.

In The Believers, three businesspeople start their latest venture: they take over a Buddhist temple in order to make it profitable and pay off their past debts. The show examines the relationship between faith and money, with (hopefully) something to say about the uneasy crossover.

This is a TV show but Netflix seemingly hasn't actually said how long it is just yet. 

The Wages of Fear

  • French action thriller remake lands on Friday, March 29

Franck Gastambide in Netflix's The Wages of Fear

(Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix's newest action thriller comes from France, and it's adapted from a 1953 movie and 1950 book of the same name.

The Wages of Fear is about a team of fighters who need to transport 200KG of explosives across the desert in under 24 hours to put out an oil fire. They'll need to survive minefields, rough terrain and dangerous militias in order to deliver their payload, all while the clock is ticking down.

If you're looking for an exciting action spectacle, this is probably your best pick on Netflix this week.

Is It Cake? season 3

  • Reality baking show returns once again on Friday, March 29

Is It Cake? season 3 on Netflix

(Image credit: Netflix)

The viral online joke turned baking show returns for its third season, with even more cakes... or not-cakes.

In Is It Cake?, crack bakers are tasked with making cakes that look deceptively like real objects, and then you have to guess between their bake and the real object, to determine which is the real one and which is the sponge.

Season 3 promises to have nautical themes, Halloweeny creations and a lot more. 

The Beautiful Game

  • British feel-good sports movie releases on Friday, March 29

The cast of Netflix's The Beautiful Game

(Image credit: Netflix)

If you want to watch something heartwarming this week (and not just batter-warming, as above) then The Beautiful Game sounds like it'll be right up your street.

This British movie stars Bill Nighy as a football coach (that's soccer, to you Americans) as he trains up a rag-tag squad of aspiring players who are all homeless. Their goal is to compete in the Homeless World Cup, a football tournament for a self-explanatory type of individual, so it's a classic underdog story of unexpected winners.

The story sounds more than a little like the recent Last Goal Wins but hopefully its British-ness will make it different enough for fans of the former.

Tom Bedford
Streaming and Ecommerce Writer

Tom is the streaming and ecommerce writer at What to Watch, covering streaming services in the US and UK. His goal is to help you navigate the busy and confusing online video market, to help you find the TV, movies and sports that you're looking for without having to spend too much money.