The surge of interest in Heated Rivalry - the sexually explicit hockey drama based on Rachel Reid's Game Changers novel – is not slowing down. Not seen it? Here's where to watch Heated Rivalry online, without cable.

Heated Rivalry episode 3 is out on December 5 with episode 4 due to drop on December 9.

Here's where to watch Heated Rivalry from anywhere with a good-quality streaming VPN such as Surfshark.

Where to watch Heated Rivalry

Heated Rivalry season 1 is available on in the following countries:

• US – HBO Max ($10.99 @Amazon Prime)
• Canada – Crave
• Australia – HBO Max
• New Zealand – Neon
• UK – TBA

ABROAD? With a VPN, you can unblock your local streaming service and watch new episodes from anywhere....

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Heated Rivalry episode dates

Episode 1 — “Rookies” — November 28, 2025

Episode 2 — “Olympians” — November 28, 2025

Episode 3 — [Untitled / TBA] — December 5, 2025 (titled '******' per Tom's Guide)

Episode 4 — “Rose” — December 12, 2025

Episode 5 — “I’ll Believe in Anything” — December 19, 2025

Episode 6 — “The Cottage” — December 26, 2025

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For a while there, it felt like we were all watching a simulation of Sex and the City, some kind of ChatGPT-fueled adaptation that similarly followed the romantic adventures of Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and co., but only sort of.

And Just Like That, the spinoff series of that HBO classic, was the closest thing we'd all get to having SATC back on our screens each week. All of the disparate parts were there (well, all except the token sauciness of Kim Cattrall's Samantha Jones, who only popped up in one measly cameo): Bradshaw, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis were reprising their iconic roles as BFFs Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte, with former SATC showrunner Michael Patrick King back to captain the fabulous ship. There was Aidan (John Corbett), Harry (Evan Handler), Steve (David Eigenberg), Anthony (Mario Cantone) and New York. It certainly looked like Sex and the City.

But it didn't feel like it—across three seasons on HBO Max, AJLT failed to live up to the magic of its pioneering predecessor, lacking the cheeky wit, substantial heart and insightful social commentary of the original. Most offensive of all, the beloved lead trio became darn-near unrecognizable: Carrie, too rich, passive and incurious; Charlotte, too goofy and dog-obsessed; and Miranda, too everything.

However, at the near end of the series' third season, it's felt like the powers that be have finally tapped in that SATC spirit: after fumbling its way around incorporating new characters like Nya Wallace (Karen Pittman), Seema Patel (Sarita Choudhury), Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker) and—gulp— Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez) in its first two installments, the show has rightfully recentered the focus on Carrie and her own romantic entanglements and close friendships, the very sustenance that fueled the original series through six seasons and two films.

The emotional dissolution of Carrie's relationship with—spoiler alert—on-and-off-again love Aidan felt like classic Bradshaw (it helped that their romance-ending fight was one those characters have been having for decades, ever since Sex and the City itself), as did the lightness of her sweet rebound with fellow writer Duncan Reeves (Jonathan Cake). The end of episode 9, "Present Tense," saw a newly single Carrie joining her girlfriends for some commiseration cocktails, reaffirming—as SATC always had—that the women she surrounded herself with were the true loves of her life.

Sadly, though, those Sex and the City-worthy qualities have come far too late: And Just Like That has officially been axed by HBO Max, with King personally announcing the spinoff's cancelation on his social media accounts: "While I was writing the last episode of And Just Like That... season 3, it became clear to me that this might be a wonderful place to stop," he wrote.

He added: "Along with Sarah Jessica Parker, Casey Bloys and Sarah Aubrey, we decided to end the popular series this year with a two-part finale and extended the original series order from 10 episodes to 12. SJP and I held off announcing the news until now because we didn't want the world 'final' to overshadow the fun of watching the season."

The sequel series will air its final episode on Thursday, August 14. And while it's certainly sad for longtime fans to have to say a last goodbye to Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York, Miranda Hobbes and the rest of the Sex and the City universe, at least we're glad that, for a moment there, said universe was looking far more like familiar territory than it had in years.

Check out the official promo of the series finale of And Just Like That before tuning into the last episode this Thursday at 9pm Eastern on HBO Max.

Typically we're not crazy about the end of summer arriving, but one silver lining to the change in seasons is the launch of the fall TV slate, which always brings a bevy of new shows to the networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and various cable channels) and streaming services (Apple TV Plus, Hulu, Netflix, Peacock and more).

Fall 2025 is looking to have a solid lineup for viewers, both with a range of new shows and returning favorites. To help you identify some of the biggest comedies, dramas and reality TV series that you should be keeping an eye on, my colleagues Sarabeth Pollock, Terrell Smith and I are offering our most anticipated fall TV shows and why they're must watch.

Read on for our picks and when and where you'll be able to watch them this fall.

The Paper (Peacock)

The Office is, without a doubt, one of my favorite shows of all time. If you were to ask my friends, they’d probably tell you I can even quote lines from specific episodes of the series. It’s because of my love for The Office that I’m optimistic about the sequel show, The Paper.

The new mockumentary follows the employees of a dying newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, as they try to deal with job uncertainty along with the ebbs and flows of their personal lives. The concept of The Paper and The Office are similar, I just want the comedy of both shows to be similar as well. — Terrell Smith

The Paper premieres Thursday, September 4, exclusively on Peacock.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 (AMC)

After spending the first two seasons in France, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 is moving to Spain. Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) are still trying to get home and it looks like there could be a path, but it means venturing into Spain. They’ll face new challenges and new threats in addition to the hordes of undead wandering around.

Daryl Dixon will spend the next two seasons in Spain before the series bows at the end of season 4, so fans will be watching to see how Carol and Daryl’s arrival sets up the beginning of the end of their journey. — Sarabeth Pollock

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 premieres Sunday, September 7, on AMC and AMC Plus.

Only Murders in the Building season 5 (Hulu)

It's just not fall without an Only Murders in the Building mystery to solve. Since 2021, the series has probably been my favorite show on TV thanks to their clever mysteries, fantastic writing and directing, great supporting casts, but most importantly the wonderful and hilarious chemistry between stars Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short.

The show has yet to let me down, which is why I'm stoked to watch Only Murders in the Building season 5, which will attempt to solve who killed the Arconia's doorman Lester, with a host of suspects and new guest stars to choose from.

Only Murders in the Building season 5 premieres Tuesday, September 9, exclusively on Hulu.

High Potential season 2 (ABC)

I started High Potential when it premiered on ABC last fall and loved Kaitlin Olson’s performance as a struggling single mom who has an incredibly high IQ and becomes a consultant for the LAPD, but I got behind on the show and have had to play catch up. But I’m determined to stay up to date with High Potential season 2, as it is probably my most anticipated network TV show this fall.

I'm excited to see Olson’s Morgan Gillroy back on the case, using her unorthodox investigating skills, bantering with her partner (Daniel Sunjata) and trying to unravel what happened to her husband after he mysteriously disappeared years earlier. — Michael Balderston

High Potential season 2 premieres on Tuesday, September 16, on ABC; streams on-demand the following day on Hulu.

Gen V season 2 (Prime Video)

It’s been nearly two years since Gen V premiered, and as a fan of nearly all things The Boys, you can imagine my excitement to see the spinoff series pick up where it left off with Gen V season 2.

With Marie (Jaz Sinclair), Emma (Lizze Broadway) and the other actual “heroes” now portrayed as enemies of Homelander (Antony Starr) and Vought, I’m intrigued to see how the young supes get out of their predicament. On a sadder note, based on the trailer, I get the sense that the real-life death of show star Chance Perdomo, who portrayed Andre, will be handled with care and respect in the new episodes. — Terrell Smith

Gen V season 2 premieres Wednesday, September 17, exclusively on Prime Video.

Love Island Games season 2 (Peacock)

Love Island Games season 2 finally arrives this fall, nearly two years since the first season of the series premiered. Having become a major fan of Love Island USA and just wrapped Love Island USA season 7, the biggest season of the franchise to date, I’m ready to see which past islanders will be competing in the next round of Love Island Games and what romantic connections will be formed.

I’m hoping to see Love Island USA season 5’s Leo and season 7’s Coco, Andreina Santos-Marte and Jeremiah all back on screen in Love Island Games season 2. — Terrell Smith

Love Island Games season 2 premieres Wednesday, September 17, exclusively on Peacock.

Reasonable Doubt season 3 (Hulu)

During its tenure on air, Reasonable Doubt has provided a nice fix for my craving for high-octane legal dramas. With Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and Your Honor, all resting in the annals of TV history, Reasonable Doubt has stepped into the void and is doing an exceptional job showcasing the journey of high-profile attorney Jax Stewart (Emayatzy Corinealdi).

Since Reasonable Doubt season 2 ended on a cliffhanger in regards to Jax and Lewis (McKinley Freeman) being sued over the death of Lewis’ baby with Toni (Tristan Cunningham), I can't wait to see if this becomes the case Jax is dealt a loss. — Terrell Smith

Reasonable Doubt season 3 premieres Thursday, September 18, exclusively on Hulu.

Chad Powers (Hulu)

Ted Lasso was born from a NBC Sports commercial for the Premier League; is our next great sports comedy going to have similar origins?

Chad Powers stars Glen Powell as a disgraced college quarterback who attempts to get a second chance at glory by donning some makeup and a wig and going by the alias Chad Powers to be a walk-on at a struggling program. The series was inspired by a prank video that featured two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Eli Manning attend tryouts at Penn State.

Ted Lasso may be lofty expectations, but I’ve been a big fan of just about everything Powell has done in recent years, so count me in on this one. — Michael Balderston

Chad Powers premieres Tuesday, September 30, exclusively on Hulu.

Task (HBO)

Remember how Mare of Easttown, the Kate Winslet-led crime drama, had us all hooked back in 2021? Well, Brad Ingelsby, the creator of Mare of Easttown, is back with another series set in the Philadelphia suburbs.

In Task, Mark Ruffalo stars as an FBI agent who leads a task force created to put an end to a violent string of robberies in the area. There won’t be any mystery for audiences as to who is doing the crimes, as Tom Pelphrey (Outer Range) has been tapped for that role, but the hunt by Ruffalo and his team to take him down has the potential to be pretty compelling TV. And the pedigree of HBO and Ingelsby's last series bodes well. — Michael Balderston

There is no confirmed premiere date for Task at this time, though HBO has confirmed that the series will premiere in September, streaming simultaneously on HBO Max.

Abbott Elementary season 5 (ABC)

Over the past four seasons, Abbott Elementary has absolutely been the best comedy series in my opinion, so, of course, I’m excited for Abbott Elementary season 5. I can’t wait to see Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) take their relationship to the next level, Ava (Janelle James) get reacquainted with her job as principal and what other obstacles the Abbott crew faces as they just try to teach in this modern age. Also, who doesn’t want to see more quirky moments from Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis)? — Terrell Smith

Abbott Elementary season 5 premieres Wednesday, October 1, on ABC; streams on-demand on Hulu the following day.

Nobody Wants This season 2 (Netflix)

If Kristen Bell is in it, I’m usually invested in the project (sans Frozen, which I’ve embarrassingly enough haven’t seen). So when Nobody Wants This debuted last year on Netflix, I quickly powered through the episodes and loved the funny take on opposites attracting and falling in love. She was brilliant as Joanne, an agnostic dating podcaster, falling for Adam Brody’s Noah, a modern rabbi.

In season one, the duo faced a few obstacles as a couple, so I’m left wondering what additional obstacles they may face in season 2, especially given Noah’s promotion in the temple. — Terrell Smith

Nobody Wants This season 2 premieres Thursday, October 23, exclusively on Netflix.

Talamasca: The Secret Order (AMC)

The Anne Rice Immortal Universe is expanding with a brand new spinoff, Talamasca: The Secret Order. Based on the secretive society of observers who keep watch over the world’s supernatural residents, the series will be a spy thriller that sees the agents furtively keeping tabs on witches, vampires and other supernatural beings all over the world.

What we love about this series is that it has the potential for lots of crossovers between Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches, so that means we get to see more from our favorite immortals. — Sarabeth Pollock

Talamasca: The Secret Order premieres Sunday, October 26, on AMC and AMC Plus.

Down Cemetery Road (Apple TV Plus)

Slow Horses remains one of my favorite shows on TV, and I’m excited about Slow Horses season 5. However, I’m just a bit more intrigued by the potential of Down Cemetery Road, a new Apple TV Plus series that is based on a book series by Slow Horses author Mick Herron.

Emma Thompson stars as a private investigator who helps Ruth Wilson in the search for a missing young girl, which quickly spirals into a wide-ranging conspiracy.

Premiering right after Slow Horses ends, it could be the perfect complimentary series and another exciting thriller to stream on Apple TV Plus. — Michael Balderston

Down Cemetery Road premieres Wednesday, October 29, exclusively on Apple TV Plus.

The American Revolution (PBS)

2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, so there are going to be plenty of celebrations revolved around that, including probably more than a few TV specials. It’s a little early, but one of those is a PBS documentary series from Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David P. Schmidt, The American Revolution.

Burns has made a name for himself with his in-depth documentaries, including previous ones about the Civil and Vietnam wars. We all know the basics about the American Revolution, but expect for Burns and his co-creators to dive into things that we may never have known about but should not be forgotten. — Michael Balderston

The American Revolution premieres Sunday, November 16, on PBS.

Stranger Things season 5 (Netflix)

At long last, the final season of Stranger Things is here. It’s been more than three years since Stranger Things season 4 set up the end game in the battle between our Hawkins heroes and the Upside Down, so expectations are high for the Duffer Brothers and company to close out the series.

Netflix is making sure that the series is at least getting an epic rollout, with Stranger Things season 5’s eight episodes broken into three parts. The first four premiere in time for Thanksgiving, the next three as a Christmas Day treat, and the Stranger Things finale dropping on New Year’s Eve.

I honestly am having a hard time remembering a series that has had this much anticipation around its finale since Game of Thrones. Here’s hoping they stick the landing better. — Michael Balderston

Stranger Things season 5 part 1 premieres Wednesday, November 26; Stranger Things season 5 part 2 premieres Thursday, December 25; Stranger Things season 5 part 3 premieres Wednesday, December 31, all exclusively on Netflix.

All Her Fault (Peacock)

When Marissa (Sarah Snook) sends her son on his first playdate, the last thing she thinks is that she’ll never see him again, but when it’s time to pick him up, the woman who answers the door isn’t the same mother she dropped him off with, and what’s more is that the woman has no idea who her son is. So begins All Her Fault, a thriller that portrays a desperate woman living through a parent’s worst nightmare. — Sarabeth Pollock

All Her Fault is coming to Peacock this fall.

All’s Fair (Hulu)

When Kim Kardashian dazzled critics with her turn as a devious attorney in American Horror Story: Delicate, Ryan Murphy quickly recruited her for another series he was dreaming up. All’s Fair is the story of a powerful Los Angeles law firm run by women. Kardashian plays the firm’s divorce lawyer who works with her team to get the best deal for her clients.

I'm excited to see this powerhouse cast that includes Kardashian, Glenn Close and Sarah Paulson. — Sarabeth Pollock

All’s Fair is coming to Hulu this fall.

Halloween Baking Championship season 11 (Food Network)

Spooky season is on the way and there’s nothing like Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship to get you in the mood to bake up some terrifyingly tasty treats. The series, now in its 11th season, features bakers who let their imaginations run wild as they create some of the most extraordinary confectionary creations ever seen.

Each season has featured special guest stars and fun themes so we’re eager to see what this season has to offer. (If they make a life-size M3GAN doll made of cake we’re out of here! — Sarabeth Pollock

Halloween Baking Championship season 11 premieres this fall on Food Network.

Holiday Touchdown: A Bill’s Love Story (Hallmark Channel)

Hallmark Channel partnered with the NFL in 2024, leading to their crossover film, Holiday Touchdown: A Chief’s Love Story, which premiered during Countdown to Christmas 2024. This season, Hallmark is heading to Buffalo to bring their brand of holiday magic to the Bills Mafia. Holland Roden, Matthew Daddario and Tony Danza star in what’s sure to be a holiday classic for years to come, especially if you’re a Bills fan. The movie will arrive during the 2025 Countdown to Christmas celebration. — Sarabeth Pollock

Holiday Touchdown: A Bill’s Love Story premieres this fall on Hallmark Channel and streams the next day on Hallmark Plus.

Next Level Baker (Fox)

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is taking baking to new heights with Next Level Baker. After the success of Next Level Chef, a cooking competition that features three teams competing on three different levels of a moving set, it makes sense that Ramsay would expand the franchise and add baking.

With cold weather right around the corner, nothing beats a good baking show to help us prepare for the holidays and we’re excited to see how Ramsay puts his unique stamp on the genre. — Sarabeth Pollock

Next Level Baker premieres this fall on Fox.

I know the NFL preseason got underway on July 31 with the Hall of Fame Game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions, but for me, the real sign that football is near (aside from the calendar) is the return of HBO’s Hard Knocks. Premiering tonight, August 5, Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills airs on HBO starting at 9 pm ET/PT, while streaming simultaneously on HBO Max.

Let’s be honest, preseason games are barely watchable unless you’re an absolute football nut (admittedly, I’d probably classify as a semi-nut as I’ll usually skim through the first half of Philadelphia Eagles preseason games). They have no actual stakes, and at least half of the players that take the field are never going to be heard from during the actual season unless things go horribly wrong for a team. But Hard Knocks, for myself and many others, has become a tradition to get us warmed up and excited for a new season.

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills marks season 20 of Hard Knocks, having started all the way back in 2001 and taking place annually since 2012. Even when it’s not the team that you root for, Hard Knocks is an engaging look inside the preparation from the players and coaches for another NFL season, with the series often making stars (at least temporary) of the little known players fighting for roster spots, showcasing their time on the field and their lives off of it.

There are certainly plenty of storylines for this new season focusing on the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have come oh so close to making the Super Bowl these last few seasons, but have not been able to get over the hump. Reigning MVP Josh Allen hopes to change that this season. In that pursuit, there are new additions to the team like defensive end Joey Bosa, but also some strife as star running back James Cook is currently sitting out practices as he pushes for a new contract with the team.

Elsewhere, there are always injuries to deal with, players doing anything it takes to make their NFL dreams come true and a spotlight on some unheralded coaches on the team.

Another great thing about Hard Knocks is that between their editing, unique camera angles, having players and coaches mic’d up and narration by Liev Schreiber, they actually make preseason games look interesting. If you want a comparison, watch some of the Buffalo Bills' first preseason game on Saturday, August 9, on NFL Network, and then tune in for how that game is presented on Hard Knocks on the August 12 episode.

With less than 31 days before the first regular season game of the 2025 NFL season on Thursday, September 4, Hard Knocks is going to be my weekly NFL viewing. If you want to enjoy it as well, you can watch Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills on HBO (available via select pay-TV providers) or stream it on HBO Max (subscription required).

Watch the Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills trailer right here:

In 1991, four teenage girls were brutally murdered at a frozen yogurt shop in Austin, Texas. What happened that night shook not only Texans but Americans as a whole, a case that continues to mystify and torment those affected all these decades later. And now the shocking real-life story is the subject of HBO's latest true-crime docuseries The Yogurt Shop Murders, with the first installment premiering tonight, August 3 at 10pm Eastern Time. (The remaining episodes of the four-part series will debut subsequent Sundays at the same time.)

Directed by Margaret Brown, The Yogurt Shop Murders "revisits the case through interviews with investigators, victims’ families, and the two men who served time for the murders," per HBO.

Along with exploring law enforcement practices and raising "complex questions about press coverage and the power of suggestion on memory," the series also delves into "the lasting effects of grief and the enduring impact of unrelenting crime coverage in mainstream media through poignant interviews with those closest to the crime and investigation."

Airing tonight, the debut episode will introduce viewers to Amy Ayers, Eliza Thomas and sister Jennifer and Sarah Harbison, four Texan teens who were at the yogurt shop where Jennifer and Eliza worked during closing time but never returned home that evening. As police investigate what happened to the young Austin locals, and how several teenaged boys could be involved, the girls' respective families grieve, and a community comes together to weather unimaginable loss.

To tune into The Yogurt Shop Murders tonight, you're going to need access to HBO. Thankfully, the channel is available with most cable TV subscriptions. However, if you've cut the cord, you can watch live simulcasts of HBO channels via several TV streaming service options, including Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream. You also have access to HBO programming, including The Yogurt Shop Murders, through the network's streaming platform, HBO Max.

Check out the official trailer for The Yogurt Shop Murders before tuning into the new true-crime docuseries on HBO tonight at 10pm ET.

Looking for some new movies to stream in August? Well, great news, there are plenty of options across the likes of Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video and all of the major streaming services this month. With that said, it can be a lot to scroll through, so allow me to offer my humble services in helping you find the new movies on streaming that you are not going to want to miss.

The below list of movies is taken from the major streaming services: Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Paramount Plus, Peacock and Prime Video. I'm also specifically picking movies that are new to streaming this month — in this case, these are 12 movies that are landing on one of the major streamers for the first time, or coming back to streaming services after only being available via on-demand.

So without further ado, here are my picks for the 12 movies to stream in August.

The Departed (Netflix)

Martin Scorsese's The Departed will always have a special place in my heart, as this Best Picture winner was my first real introduction to the master filmmaker. I've of course watched as much of his filmography as I can since then, but The Departed sticks with me as it is fun, has some great performances (particularly from Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson) and is layered with details that enrich repeat viewings (the use of X in the movie has been well documented). While Scorsese has a lot of things in the works (including The Devil in the White City), we don't know for sure when we're getting his next movie. So streaming The Departed is a good way to bide our time.

Stream The Departed on Netflix starting August 1.

Eenie Meanie (Hulu)

Samara Weaving has starred in a number of fan-favorite movies, including Ready or Not and Guns Akimbo. Could Eenie Meanie be next? The action movie sees her star as a former getaway driver brought back into the criminal world when her former employer offers her a chance to save her ex-boyfriend. A great supporting cast is on hand for this one as well, with Steve Zahn, Randall Park, Andy Garcia, Karl Glusman and Marshawn Lynch. Here's hoping this one puts the pedal to the metal for a fun watch.

Stream Eenie Meanie on Hulu in the US starting August 22.

Final Destination Bloodlines (HBO Max)

One of the biggest movies of the year makes its streaming debut to kick off August with Final Destination Bloodlines. The latest sequel in the horror franchise that is now 25 years old is widely viewed as the best, earning a 93% "Certified Fresh" score on Rotten Tomatoes. Focusing on a family, the characters learn that them being marked for death is something that has been lying in wait for generations. While the crazy deaths are a highlight as always, the movie also serves as one of the final performances from horror legend Tony Todd, so be sure to give a tip of the cap to him if you watch.

Stream Final Destination Bloodlines on HBO Max in the US starting August 1.

Freaky Tales (HBO Max)

It's been a big year for Pedro Pascal with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Eddington, Materialists and The Last of Us season 2, but one movie of his you may have missed from this year is Freaky Tales. Set in 1987 Oakland, Calif., Freaky Tales answers the question of what happens when an NBA star, a corrupt cop, a female rap duo, teen punks, neo-Nazis and a debt collector collide. Written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (the duo behind Captain Marvel), it's flown under the radar, but audiences who have seen it have enjoyed it, based on the 89% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Stream Freaky Tales on HBO Max in the US starting August 8.

The Friend (Paramount Plus)

This one is for all the dog lovers out there, as the breakout star of The Friend is the Great Dane Bing, who plays the central pooch in the movie, Apollo. The human star of the movie is Naomi Watts, who plays an English professor who unexpectedly is tasked with caring for Apollo after his owner and her mentor dies, and has to figure out if and how the dog can fit into her life. While it is a SPOILER, if anyone is on the fence about this movie, wondering if the dog dies or not, I will assure you that while this is a dramedy, Apollo makes it through A OK.

Stream The Friend on Paramount Plus starting August 25).

The Monkey (Hulu)

Similar to Pedro Pascal, 2025 has been a big year for Stephen King, as The Life of Chuck, The Institute and soon The Long Walk have all been adapted for the screen. But my personal favorite from these King offerings this year is the absurdly fun The Monkey. Theo James stars as twins whose lives have been tormented for years by a toy monkey that has been a part of a number of surprising deaths over the years. When the monkey resurfaces, they have to figure out how to stop it before someone else they love dies. Like Final Destination Bloodlines, if you're a fan of outrageous, gory deaths, then this will be a must-watch.

Stream The Monkey on Hulu in the US starting August 7.

Mother! (Paramount Plus)

Mother! is one of the craziest movies I've ever seen, and I loved it. Darren Aronofsky uses the story of a woman (Jennifer Lawrence) whose life is turned upside down when her poet husband (Javier Bardem) gets a group of fervent fans at the house they are remodeling. From there, the movie draws parallels to the environment, religion and fanaticism in a psychological horror. It certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a fascinating piece of work from Aronofsky, and a committed performance from Lawrence.

Stream Mother! on Paramount Plus in the US starting August 1.

My Oxford Year (Netflix)

On the opposite end of the spectrum from Mother! is the new Netflix romance movie My Oxford Year. Sofia Carson stars as an American student at Oxford whose life takes a surprising turn when she meets a local boy, played by Corey Mylchreest. Dougray Scott and Catherine McCormack also star in this movie from Iain Morris (Time Bandits, The Inbetweeners). The fact that the movie was filmed on location on the Oxford Campus should also be a fun treat for viewers.

Stream My Oxford Year on Netflix starting August 1.

Night Always Comes (Netflix)

Another member of The Fantastic Four is back with another movie this month, as Vanessa Kirby stars in the Netflix original movie Night Always Comes. This one is a crime drama, with Kirby playing a woman who must confront her dark past over the course of one long night as she looks to secure a future for her and the brother she cares for. Kirby reunites with Benjamin Caron, who directed multiple episodes of The Crown (as well as Andor), for Night Always Comes.

Stream Night Always Comes starting August 15 on Netflix.

The Pickup (Prime Video)

Keke Palmer has already starred in one of the best comedies of the year in One of Them Days. Does she have another hit on her hand in The Pickup? Palmer stars alongside comedy icon Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson in this action comedy, where Murphy and Davidson are armored truck drivers and Palmer plays a criminal looking to use them to score big, though she has a bit of history with Davidson's character that should make for plenty of fun banter. Ride Along director Tim Story directs.

Stream The Pickup on Prime Video starting August 6.

The Thursday Murder Club (Netflix)

Richard Osman's best-selling murder mystery book The Thursday Murder Club is being adapted into the next big Netflix original movie. The all-star cast of Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie stars as four retirees who forgo the knitting circle and instead spend their golden years looking into cold case murders. But when one case proves to be not so cold, the group puts their skills to the test to get justice. There are five books in total in the Thursday Murder Club series, so if this one proves to be a hit, Netflix could have a new franchise on their hands.

Stream The Thursday Murder Club on Netflix starting August 28.

Wet Hot American Summer (Netflix/Peacock)

We're in the final days of summer, so what better way to spend it than at Camp Firewood? This cult classic comedy has one of the most incredible casts: Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Showalter, Marguerite Moreau, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, Molly Shannon, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, Michael Ian Black, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks and H. Jon Benjamin. Wet Hot American Summer is hilariously absurd. And if you enjoy it, Netflix has two spinoff series that it did (which reunite the cast) that you can enjoy (Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp and Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later).

Stream Wet Hot American Summer on Netflix worldwide starting August 1; also stream on Peacock in the US starting August 1.

As a big Billy Joel fan, I was excited when I had plans to finally see the Piano Man in concert in September this year. Unfortunately those plans had to be scrapped as Joel announced he was cancelling all upcoming touring dates as he recovers from a brain disorder announced in May. That just makes me more excited for the new Billy Joel documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, that premieres on HBO and streams on HBO Max tonight, July 18, at 8 pm ET/PT.

A two-part documentary (part two premieres Friday, July 25), Billy Joel: And So It Goes features in-depth, exclusive interviews with Joel, illuminating the key moments that forged his character and music for more than six decades. The official synopsis reads:

“Exploring revelatory new territory and enriched by dynamic video and performance clips from Joel’s musical oeuvre, many never before seen, the documentary gives a window into his process and chronicles his monumental successes, while diving into the hidden complexities of his life.

"From his childhood on Long Island, shaped by the absence of his father, to his first bands, the women he loved, and the colleagues and collaborators who both supported and betrayed him, Joel’s decades of songwriting mirror his rich, complicated autobiography. Sharing origin stories about such chart hits as 'Just the Way You Are,' an ode to his first love, and 'Uptown Girl,' famously about second wife Christie Brinkley, the film points to the close symbiosis between his life and art, revealing the music that transformed his career, sculpted his legacy, and saved his life.”

Part One, premiering on Friday, July 18, covers his childhood, early marriages and career up until his struggles with alcohol, complicated personal relationships and a near fatal motorcycle accident.

Part Two picks up as Joel begins to reimagine his career in various ways as he experiences new relationships and learns more about his own past, while covering up to his historic residency at Madison Square Garden.

In addition to interviews with Joel, the documentary features interviews with Joel’s former collaborator Jon Small, ex-wife and former manager Elizabeth Weber, ex-wives Christine Brinkley and Katie Lee, daughter Alexa Ray Joel, wife Alexis Roderick Joel, members of his band and fellow music legends, including Bruce Springsteen, Sting, John Mellencamp, Nas, Pink, Garth Brooks, Paul McCartney and more.

Billy Joel: And So It Goes is directed by Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Susan Lacy, who previously profiled Jane Fonda (Jane Fonda in Five Acts) and Steven Spielberg (Spielberg), and Jessica Levin, who produced Jane Fonda in Five Acts and The Janes.

To watch Billy Joel: And So It Goes, you must have access to the HBO cable channel or be a subscriber to HBO Max.

Watch the trailer for Billy Joel: And So It Goes right here to get a peek at what’s in store:

These days, it's rare for an original live-action film be both a box office success and a critical darling, but Sinners—the new Southern horror drama reuniting star Michael B. Jordan and his Black Panther and Creed director Ryan Coogler—ended up being both this summer, grossing $364.7 million worldwide and a stellar 97% Rotten Tomatoes rating since it premiered in theater on April 18. And in case you missed it when it first hit theaters, you can now experience the Sinners sensation from the comfort of your own couch thanks to Max.

Hitting the HBO streaming service on Friday, July 4, Sinners sees Jordan playing dual roles, as identical twins and World War I veterans Smoke and Stack Moore who are heading home to Clarksdale, Mississippi, after years spent working for the Chicago mob.

"Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back," reads the official movie description, per HBO. “You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home," town preacher Jedidiah Moore (Saul Williams) warns in the Southern gothic story, which was written, directed and produced by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Coogler.

"A rip-roaring fusion of masterful visual storytelling and toe-tapping music, writer-director Ryan Coogler's first original blockbuster reveals the full scope of his singular imagination," reads the critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes. The horror flick received widespread critical acclaim: Rolling Stone critic A.A. Dowd commented that the director was "swinging wide and far beyond the boundaries of franchise fare," while Wendy Ide of The Observer wrote that "Coogler's assurance and vision holds everything together."

Along with the double performances from Michael B. Jordan, the Sinners cast includes Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Omar Benson Miller, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson and Delroy Lindo, among others.

To stream Sinners, you're going to need access to Max. Current Max subscription plans include "Basic with Ads" for $9.99/month or $99.99/year (16-percent savings); the "Standard" plan for $16.99/month or $169.99/year; and the "Premium" tier for $20.99/month or $209.99/year.

Check out the official trailer for Sinners before tuning into the horror hit on Max this weekend.

Mariska Hargitay is known to TV fans as the longtime lead, Olivia Benson, on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, but now get to know the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actress-producer as a director, with her documentary debut My Mom Jayne, premiering tonight on HBO and Max.

Debuting Friday, June 27 at 8pm Eastern Time, My Mom Jayne is centered on Hargitay's complicated relationship with her mother, Hollywood legend Jayne Mansfield—the actress and sex symbol behind such mid-century favorites as Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, The Girl Can't Help It, The Wayward Bus and Too Hot to Handle—who died at the age of 34 in a horrific car crash when Mariska was only three-and-a-half years old. Hargitay was in the vehicle with her two siblings during the crash, but the children survived.

"Mariska Hargitay searches for the mother she never knew almost six decades after the Hollywood legend’s tragic death," reads the official doc synopsis, per HBO. "Through intimate interviews and an extensive collection of never-before-seen photos and home movies, she grapples with her mother’s complicated public and private legacy, uncovering the surprising layers and depth of who Jayne was, not only to her fans, but also to those closest to her."

"Featuring film clips from Jayne’s work in the 1950s and ‘60s, archival footage from her many talk show appearances and interviews, as well as striking personal footage, the film contextualizes the dazzling star power of the most photographed Hollywood celebrity of her day," per HBO. The deeply personal film also includes intel directly from Mariska’s siblings Jayne Marie Mansfield, Mickey Hargitay, Jr., Zoltan Hargitay, and Tony Cimber, as well as stepmother Ellen Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield’s press secretary Raymond “Rusty” Strait.

As for why she wanted to explore such an intimate and painful topic via documentary, Hargitay told The Hollywood Reporter: "The moment that I decided was during COVID. I had, obviously, been carrying the story with me for a long time. When I started thinking about how I don’t want to carry this anymore, I thought, “Should I write a book? Do I do a segment on Oprah? What do I do?” At the time, I was thinking this needed somebody who’s skilled and masterful at affairs of the heart, because this was such a delicate story...I don’t know that I’m a skilled enough writer [to write a book]. Documentary is just my medium. It’s a medium that speaks to me, and I love filmmaking. This is what I need to do."

Check out the official trailer for My Mom Jayne before tuning into the gripping new doc on HBO or Max.

Looking for some new movies to stream in July? Well great news, there are plenty of options across the likes of Netflix, Max, Prime Video and all of the major streaming services this month. With that said, it can be a lot to scroll through, so allow me to offer my humble services in helping you find the new movies on streaming that you are not going to want to miss.

The below list of movies are taken from the major streaming services: Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max, Netflix, Paramount Plus, Peacock and Prime Video. I'm also specifically picking movies that are new to streaming this month — in this case, these are 11 movies that are landing on one of the major streamers for the first time, or coming back to streaming services after only being available via on-demand.

So without further ado, here are my picks for the 11 movies to stream in July.

The Amateur (Hulu)

The Amateur slid a little under the radar in movie theaters, but the spy thriller starring Rami Malek did earn a "Fresh" score from critics and an 88% positive rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Those reactions point to this being a movie that likely deserves more of a look when it becomes easier to watch on streaming this month.

In the movie, Malek plays a CIA analyst Charlie Heller, whose wife tragically dies in a terrorist attack. He wants to go after those responsible, but when his superiors deny that plan, Charlie goes out on his own using his analytical and technical skills at his disposal to get his revenge.

Stream The Amateur on Hulu in the US starting July 17.

Streaming plans for The Amateur in the UK are unconfirmed; movie is currently available via on-demand.

The Assessment (Hulu)

Let's be honest, nobody likes taking tests. But what if a test decided whether or not you could have children. That's the premise of this sci-fi psychological drama that stars Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel as hopeful parents and Alicia Vikander as person running the assessment and deciding if they get to become parents.

The indie movie, which only saw a limited release in movie theaters, is officially "Certified Fresh."

Stream The Assessment on Hulu in the US starting July 19; currently streaming on Prime Video in the UK.

Billy Joel: And So it Goes (Max)

I had plans to see Billy Joel in concert this September before the Piano Man unfortunately announced that he would need time to recover from a medical condition and the concert was cancelled (bummer, but warranted). That just makes this upcoming HBO documentary about Joel more of a must watch for me (and any fan of his music).

A two-parter that will release on Max in back-to-back weeks, Billy Joel: And So It Goes explores the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting, providing never-before-seen performances, home videos, personal photographs and one-on-one interviews.

Stream Billy Joel: And So It Goes part 1 on July 18 on Max, with part 2 premiering July 25.

There's no info on a UK premiere for Billy Joel: An So It Goes at this time.

Brick (Netflix)

The language barrier on Netflix may be a thing of the past based on how many foreign language movies have become solid hits on Netflix so far this year. Whether they're watching dubbed versions or subtitles, Netflix subscribers have given movies like Exterritorial (from Germany) and Bad Influence (from Spain) their attention.

We could have the next example of that this month in Brick, another German-made movie. Matthias Schweighöfer, the breakout star of Netflix's Army of the Dead, leads this sci-fi, mystery thriller where an entire apartment building becomes encased by a mysterious brick wall, forcing the residents to find a way out.

Stream Brick on Netflix worldwide starting July 10.

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (Hulu)

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is one of the funniest sports comedies of all time. The battle between Vince Vaughn and his team of misfits and the fantastically over-the-top villain played by Ben Stiller is, as the title suggest a classic underdog story, played out in hilarious fashion.

With sports options a bit minimal at the moment, Dodgeball can help fill your competitive drive, while getting you howling.

Stream Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story on Hulu in the US starting July 1; currently streaming on Disney Plus in the UK.

Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix)

Another classic sports movie highlights July's streaming options, with Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore 2 teeing off on Netflix. The sequel to Sandler's golf comedy sees his hot-headed, long-driving character trying to reignite his golf career to help his daughter achieve her dreams.

Original cast members Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen and Ben Stiller, are back, while new to the scene are Sunny Sandler, Margaret Qualley, Bad Bunny, Travis Kelce and a number of real-life golf professionals. Can they all help recreate what made the original Happy Gilmore a fan-favorite?

Stream Happy Gilmore 2 on Netflix worldwide starting July 25.

Heads of State (Prime Video)

In the new action comedy Heads of State, a pair of world leaders have a bit more of a hand in international affairs as John Cena and Idris Elba play the US president and UK prime minister that have to stop a global conspiracy on their own. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jack Quaid and Paddy Considine also star in the movie that hopes to bring some summer fun to Prime Video's streaming lineup.

Stream Heads of State on Prime Video worldwide starting on July 2.

Mortal Kombat (Max)

Pick your preference on Mortal Kombat movies, as both the 1995 movie and the 2021 reboot return to Max in July. For, it's the 1995 movie all the way.

In a nutshell, both movies involve some of Earth's strongest fighters being tasked with saving the planet from adversaries from an other world looking to the planet over, with its fate to be decided in a series of fights known as Mortal Kombat.

The timing is good too, as a sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat is set to be released later this year. So you can use this opportunity to refamiliarize with the new movie's characters.

Stream Mortal Kombat (1995 and 2021) on Max in the US starting July 1.

Both Mortal Kombat movies are available on-demand in the UK, with no streaming plans available at this time.

The Old Guard 2 (Netflix)

It's been a long five-year wait for The Old Guard 2, the sequel to Netflix and Charlize Theron's hit action movie about immortal mercenaries. But that officially ends early in the month, with the added bonus of Theron and company taking on a new villain, played by Kill Bill icon Uma Thurman.

This is one of Netflix's answers to the summer blockbuster season, and if it can live up to the first movie it should be a pretty good one.

Stream The Old Guard 2 on Netflix worldwide on July 2.

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Max)

Max is adding a number of recent A24 movies to its library this month, including Opus and Death of a Unicorn. But the most intriguing will be On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, an international indie that has a rare 100% "Certified Fresh" score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie follows a Zambian family whose secrets come out as funeral proceedings for their uncle take place. Interested?

Stream On Becoming a Guinea Fowl on Max in the US starting July 4.

Streaming plans for On Becoming a Guinea Fowl in the UK are unconfirmed; movie is currently available via on-demand.

Sinners (Max)

What I dubbed as the first great movie of the year, Sinners arrives on streaming in July, meaning there is little excuse if you're one of the few people that has not seen this excellent entry from Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler.

A blend of horror, action and music, Sinners is expertly made, written and acted, and should play just as well on your TVs at home as it did on the big screen.

Stream Sinners on Max in the US starting July 4.

Streaming plans for Sinners in the UK are unconfirmed; movie is currently available via on-demand.

There are some great options for what to watch in movie theaters this weekend — I particularly enjoyed F1: The Movie but M3GAN 2.0 is also new — or at home, including my five favorite movies of 2025 so far. But if there’s one movie that you should absolutely stream this weekend it is Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush, which celebrates its 100th birthday on June 26.

Charlie Chaplin is one of the most iconic figures in movie history, best known for his character simply known as the Little Tramp. While also responsible for undisputed classics like The Kid, City Lights and Modern Times, The Gold Rush is arguably Chaplin’s best movie featuring some of his most iconic moments.

And you can stream The Gold Rush right now for free on Prime Video, or on subscription streaming services Max or The Criterion Channel. The movie is also streaming on Prime Video in the UK, though a subscription is required.

The Gold Rush sees the Little Tramp head to the snowy Klondike where he seeks his fortune in the hidden gold mines. However, before he can do that he must overcome the harsh weather, dangerous animals, other prospectors and loneliness.

Even if you’ve never seen The Gold Rush, you may be at least casually familiar with some of its most iconic bits. The most well known are the dancing bread rolls and Chaplin using shoe laces as a substitute for spaghetti. But there’s plenty more humor and beauty in the movie that is absolutely worth discovering.

If you’re really lucky, maybe there is a special screening of The Gold Rush at a local movie theater in your area on June 26, as screenings are taking place across the world to honor the movie’s 100th birthday. Yet for all my internet sleuthing, I could only find one confirmed screening in the US, at the Egyptian Theater in Los Angeles, where The Gold Rush was first shown on June 26, 1925. Here’s a trailer for the 4K restoration:

But thankfully The Gold Rush is readily available on streaming for the rest of us.

Now you might be asking, “what’s so great about watching a silent movie?” Watching a silent movie is truly a different experience than watching a movie today. Because you can’t just listen to the dialogue as you scroll on your phone and get the gist of the plot, you have to pay attention to what’s on the screen to understand. And Chaplin was a master storyteller in this format, serving as writer, director and editor on The Gold Rush.

I promise if you give your time and attention to The Gold Rush, you won’t be disappointed.

Stream The Gold Rush on Prime Video in the US and UK; also streaming on Max and The Criterion Channel in the US.

Max is giving people what they want, as the biggest movie of 2025, A Minecraft Movie, is available on the streaming service as of today, June 20.

A Minecraft Movie is an adaptation of the popular video game series that allows players to create almost anything in its virtual world. In the movie, a group of misfits find themselves transported into the cubic world and teaming up to save it from an evil force using their imagination. Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, Sebastian Hansen and Emma Myers star in the movie.

Audiences turned out in droves for A Minecraft Movie, powering it to a $423 million haul at the US box office, with nearly an additional $530 million from around the world. They back their dollars up with how they scored the movie on Rotten Tomatoes — an 85% positive rating from general audiences — and with all the viral trends that came about from the movie, most notably the wild cheers when the chicken jockey appears.

Critics weren’t so kind to the movie, as it earned a “Rotten” designation from them. It also divided What to Watch, with our Tom Bedford giving the movie a passing grade in his A Minecraft Movie review, and our editor saying that the movie is an example of how “Hollywood hates parents.”

Whichever way you lean, A Minecraft Movie is one of the biggest movies to stream in June, and adds to Max’s solid library of 2025 new movies. Other titles from this year streaming on Max include Mickey 17, The Alto Knights, Companion and Parthenope.

In the near future, the streamer will also add other A24 titles like On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (July 4), Opus (July 11) and Death of a Unicorn (July 25), and one of 2025’s other big hits from theaters, Sinners (date TBD).

In order to stream A Minecraft Movie on Max, you must be a subscriber to the streaming service. If you aren’t, the movie is available to rent via digital on-demand platforms; that’s the only choice for UK viewers right now, as A Minecraft Movie is not yet streaming in the UK.

If you need any final convincing to check out A Minecraft Movie, here is the trailer:

South Park once made the joke that The Simpsons had already covered about as many plotlines as you could conceive of for an animated series. Apparently, that extends to reality series too, as an upcoming new reality series on Max (soon to be rebranded as HBO Max, again), Back to the Frontier, is almost identical to an idea that The Simpsons did almost a quarter of a century ago.

Back to the Frontier, which debuts on Max on July 10, takes three families and challenges them to forgo the comforts of modern day and live as 1880s homesteaders. That’s what Homer, Marge and the kids had to do in The Simpsons season 14 episode 5, "Helter Shelter,” which has the official synopsis that reads: “The Simpsons [sic] family must participate in a reality television show in which they try to live in the same way that the families did in the 1800s.” Apparently, The Simpsons ability to predict the news extends to pop culture.

Hopefully, Max didn’t set any of the three families at the center of their series down a raging river to add excitement, as the reality TV producers did in that episode of The Simpsons.

Just to be clear, I’m not throwing any accusations that Back to the Frontier intentionally took their idea from The Simpsons. I just personally find it hilarious that we’re actually getting a real reality series that was a gag in the classic, long-running animated series (The Simpsons is heading into season 37 in fall 2025).

As for the actual show, Back to the Frontier is executive produced by Chip and Joanna Gaines and their Magnolia Network. Three families from across the country will live on land surrounded by tens of thousands of acres of wilderness, with no modern conveniences. They must live on the frontier for eight weeks, reinforcing their own shelter, raising livestock, collecting food and rationing their supplies with the goal of having enough resources that would allow them to last through the winter, while also reflecting on their own relationships with modern technology and each other.

“This series taps into something we’ve always believed — that stepping away from the noise of everyday life can bring you closer to what matters most,” said Chip and Joanna Gaines. “It is proof that no matter where you find yourself, the most important part of home is the people you share it with.”

Back to the Frontier will premiere one episode a week on Max starting Thursday, July 10. You must have a Max subscription in order to watch.

See a preview of the reality series with the Back to the Frontier trailer right here:

If you want to watch The Simpsons episode that features this kind of reality show, all episodes of The Simpsons are streaming on Disney Plus.

After becoming the first must-see TV show of 2025, The Pitt season 2 is clocking in for another shift.

The intense medical drama that quickly became a hit on HBO Max (previously just Max). According to an official release from the streamer, The Pitt has consistently been in the top three most-watched titles globally since its debut. That combined with the show’s 95% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes make it a bona fide hit. It could also be landing a handful of Emmy nominations when they are announced in July.

If you’re excited to watch The Pitt season 2, read on for everything you need to know about it, including the timeframe for when you can expect the new season to premiere.

The Pitt season 2 release date

While there is not a confirmed release date, The Pitt season 2 will premiere in January 2026, according to an official press release. Episodes are expected to release weekly, just as The Pitt season 1 did.

The first season premiered on Thursday, January 9. So if it sticks with a Thursday release, then the possible dates for The Pitt season 2’s premiere are January 8, January 15, January 22 and January 29.

You will need to be a HBO Max subscriber in order to watch The Pitt season 2 when it premieres. In the meantime, you can catch up with the entire first season on-demand on HBO Max.

If you are not currently a HBO Max subscriber and are not sure you want to add another streaming service to your monthly budget for The Pitt, you will have the opportunity to check out the series on basic cable this fall. TNT is going to air all 15 episodes of The Pitt season 1 in fall 2025 (premiere date unclear at this time), though it is expected to just about lead into The Pitt season 2’s premiere. TNT is available through traditional pay-TV providers and live TV streaming services.

Unfortunately, The Pitt is not currently available to watch in the UK.

The Pitt season 2 cast

Noah Wyle leads The Pitt as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, the head of the ER at a Pittsburgh hospital. Wyle has plenty of experience playing a doctor, as his breakout role came in the long-running NBC series ER. Wyle is also known for starring in The Librarian franchise (though not the most recent The Librarians: The Next Chapter) and Leverage: Redemption.

But the show is very much an ensemble drama. Confirmed cast members outside of Wyle include Ken Kirby, reprising his role as Dr. John Shen, as he is featured in the lone image from the second season with Wyle. A new addition has also been shared by The Wrap, with Sepideh Moafi (Black Bird) playing an as yet unnamed attending physician.

As the show follows single shifts, it stands to reason that not all of the characters we saw in season 1 might be on the shift that is the focus of the season.

Whether that is the case for Tracy Ifeachor, who played Dr. Harris, or not, another report from The Wrap revealed that she won't be returning for The Pitt season 2.

It will be curious what notable cast members from season 1 do return. Will we see any combination of Patrick Ball as Dr. Langdon, Katherine LaNasa as Dana Evans, Supriya Ganesh as Dr. Mohan, Fiona Dourif as Dr. McKay, Taylor Dearden as Dr. King, Isa Briones as Dr. Santos, Gerran Howell as Whitaker and Shabana Azeez as Javadi?

For characters like LaNasa’s Evans and Ball’s Langdon, their storylines left off very much up in the air with whether or not they’d be back at the hospital.

The Pitt season 2 plot

Like the cast, an official synopsis for The Pitt season 2 is not available at this time. What we do know is that the season will follow another shift in the hospital, depicted in real time, and according to reports it will pick up 10 months after the events of the first season, taking place over the Fourth of July weekend.

Here is the synopsis for the general show:

“The Pitt is a realistic examination of the challenges facing healthcare workers in today’s America as seen through the lens of the frontline heroes working in a modern-day hospital in Pittsburgh.”

The Pitt season 2 trailer

There is no trailer for The Pitt season 2 at this time. When one becomes available we’ll add it right here.

But this YouTube short does give you the first look at season 2:

The Pitt season 2 behind the scenes

In addition to starring in the series, Wyle is also an executive producer on The Pitt. Joining him in that role is series creator R. Scott Gemmill, John Wells (who was also a producer on ER), Michael Hissrich, Erin Jontow and Simran Baidwan. John Wells Productions produces the show in association with Warner Bros. Television.

The Pitt season 2 is filming interior scenes on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, Calif., while exterior shots are being done on location in Pittsburgh.

The loss of a loved one is devastating enough—but add a funeral home engaging in morally questionable and inhumane practices and that tragedy becomes a downright scandal. Such is the case with the Lamb Funeral Home, the family-owned mortuary in 1980s-era Pasadena that's at the center of HBO's latest true crime docuseries The Mortician.

Premiering tonight, June 1 at 9pm Eastern Time (with new episodes debuting on subsequent Sundays at the same time), the three-part documentary series "chronicles a trusted family-owned funeral home that hid behind a façade of decency and propriety to take advantage of loved ones at their most vulnerable moments," reads the official show synopsis, per HBO.

"In the early 1980s, David Sconce, scion of the Lamb family, took over the family business and sought to exploit the deceased in numerous ways to expand their earnings," the synopsis continued. Sconce was convicted for multiple crimes all stemming from his bizarre business decisions, like hiring hitmen to attack rivals and organizing mass cremations, betraying the trust of people who expected him to care for their deceased loved ones.

The darkly gripping series—which was directed by Joshua Rofé and produced by Hollywood star Jonah Hill—features an exclusive interview with Sconce, newly released from prison, which gives insight into the lucrative multibillion-dollar mortuary industry and what can happen behind closed doors. With emotional interviews with families of the victims of the Lamb Funeral Home and revelations from former employees, The Mortician hauntingly details the scandal that shook Southern California in the '80s.

To tune into the premiere episode of The Mortician tonight, as well as the next two parts of the documentary series, you're going to need access to HBO. Thankfully, the channel is available with most cable TV subscriptions. However, if you've cut the cord, you can watch live simulcasts of HBO channels via several live TV streaming service options, including Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream. You also have access to HBO programming, including The Mortician docuseries, through the network's streaming platform, Max.

Check out the official trailer for The Mortician before tuning into the premiere of the gripping new documentary tonight at 9pm ET on HBO.

Looking for some new movies to stream in June? Well great news, there are plenty of options across the likes of Netflix, Max, Disney Plus and all of the major streaming services this month. With that said, it can be a lot to scroll through, so allow me to offer my humble services in helping you find the new movies on streaming that you are not going to want to miss.

The below list of movies are taken from the major streaming services: Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max, Netflix, Paramount Plus, Peacock and Prime Video. I'm also specifically picking movies that are new to streaming this month — in this case, these are 15 movies that are landing on one of the major streamers for the first time, or coming back to streaming services after only being available via on-demand.

So without further ado, here are my picks for the 15 movies to stream in June.

The Actor (Hulu)

While The Actor made very little noise at the box office, it did seem to resonate with those who saw it, as the movie earned a 90% positive score from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. So what is this indie movie about? Based on the novel Memory by Donald E. Westlake, The Actor is a psychological drama about a man who is left for dead in a small town in 1950s Ohio, with his memory completely gone. He must figure out how to reclaim what he has lost. Andre Holland stars alongside Gemma Chan, Toby Jones and more.

Stream The Actor on Hulu in the US starting June 30; there's no UK streaming info available at this time.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (Hulu)

Beasts of the Southern Wild is a magical movie. The southern folk tale focuses on a young girl named Hushpuppy, played by Quvenzhané Wallis, who must go on an adventure to save her ill father and their bayou home as it is threatened by melting ice-caps and mythical beasts. Director Behn Zeitline has unfortunately not made a movie to rival this one (his only other feature credit to date is 2020’s Wendy, which came and went with little fanfare), but if his sole movie of note is Beasts of the Southern Wild, then he’s put his stamp on cinema with a gem that deserves to be rediscovered.

Stream Beasts of the Southern Wild on Hulu in the US starting June 1; streaming on StudioCanal Presents and ITVX Premium in UK

Before Midnight (Hulu)

To help mark the 30th anniversary of Before Sunrise, I declared the movie’s central couple Jesse and Celine, played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Deply, as the greatest movie couple of all time. That’s not just because of their magical night in Vienna, but the entire run of their relationship that we see in Before Sunset and Before Midnight. You can experience the latter on streaming again in June. Before Midnight picks up with Jesse and Celine after another nine years. They are married and vacationing in Greece with their family, but is the spark that they had in Vienna and Paris something that is built to last?

Stream Before Midnight on Hulu in the US starting June 1; streaming on Prime Video in the UK

The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (Max)

Looney Tunes were a big part of growing up for me, as I loved watching the old cartoons. Well, kids today have gotten their very own Looney Tunes original, and it’s a feature-length movie. In The Day the Earth Blew Up, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig must save the world from an alien invasion; expect wacky antics to ensue. The Day the Earth Blew Up is “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. With kids at home for the summer from school, the timing is perfect to give them something fun to watch.

Stream The Day the Earth Blew Up on Max in the US starting June 27; there's no UK streaming info available at this time.

Frozen: The Hit Broadway Musical (Disney Plus)

Fans of Frozen can watch the well known story of Anna, Elsa and Olaf in an entirely new way, as a Broadway production. Telling the same story and featuring iconic songs like “For the First Time in Forever,” “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and of course “Let It Go,” the recording of the stage production also features 12 new original songs. Disney previously had a massive streaming hit with a recording of Hamilton on Broadway, this could be something just as big.

Stream Frozen: The Hit Broadway Musical on Disney Plus worldwide starting June 20.

The Intern (Netflix)

It’s crazy to think that Nancy Meyers hasn’t made a movie since 2015’s The Intern (she was working on a project with Netflix but it was ultimately scrapped because of budget concerns). While I wouldn’t say that The Intern is her best movie (The Holiday, Something’s Gotta Give top the list for me), The Intern is a charming movie about a retiree (Robert De Niro) deciding to rejuvenate his life by becoming an intern for a startup, where he becomes a key ally and confident to the novice CEO (Anne Hathaway). It’s the easy kind of watch that you just need some times.

Stream The Intern on Netflix in the US and UK starting June 22

Jaws (Peacock)

Summer is beach season, which makes the terror of Jaws all the more palpable; don’t worry, shark attacks are not nearly as prevalent as Steven Spielberg’s breakout movie (though notably not Spielberg’s first big-screen movie) would make it seem. The all-time classic celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, so there’s no better time to watch.

Stream Jaws on Peacock in the US starting June 15; Jaws is not streaming in the UK at this time.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Hulu)

Another underrated gem from 2015 to stream this month is Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. A coming-of-age comedy with some darker tones focuses on a high schooler that befriends a classmate that has been diagnosed with cancer. A breakout movie for Olivia Cooke (who plays the titular dying girl), Thomas Mann and RJ Cyler — supported by the likes of Nick Offerman, Molly Shannon, Connie Britton and Jon Bernthal — the movie doesn’t pander to its primary teen audience, offering a mature take on growing up, connection and death.

Stream Me and Earl and the Dying Girl on Hulu in the US starting June 1; Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is not streaming in the UK at this time.

A Minecraft Movie (Max)

While we don’t have an exact date, we do know that the biggest movie of 2025 to date is coming to streaming in June, as A Minecraft Movie is set to premiere on Max. After raking in early a billion dollars worldwide and causing quite the stir in theaters (thanks in large part to the chicken jockey), the video game adaptation hits home, allowing fans to dive into the world of Minecraft once again.

An exact streaming premiere date for A Minecraft Movie is not available as of publication.

Parthenope (Max)

Parthenope the movie is much like Pathenope the character, mysterious (perhaps a bit confusing) yet quite alluring. The movie was not a big hit with most critics, but I enjoyed Paolo Sorrentino’s exploration of Naples through the years via the perspective of the titular young woman, played by newcomer Celeste Dalla Porta (read my Parthenope review for more details on why). The movie also features a brief supporting turn from Gary Oldman as famous author John Cheever. While I don’t know if it’s one of the best, Parthenope is definitely one of the most intriguing movies of the year.

Stream Parthenope on Max in the US starting June 6; there's no UK streaming info available at this time.

Presence (Hulu)

Steven Soderbergh’s other 2025 new movie, aside from Black Bag, is a haunted house movie that has also received great critical acclaim (“Certified Fresh” at 88%). Despite the solid reviews, Presence got little fanfare at the early year box office, so this is going to be the chance for the movie — starring Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan and Julia Fox — to finally find its audience.

Stream Presence on Hulu in the US starting June 3; there's no UK streaming info available at this time.

Rear Window (Netflix)

Netflix is giving legendary director Alfred Hitchcock the spotlight in June, as the streaming service is adding six of his movies, including classics like Vertigo and The Birds. But my pick of the Hitchcock movie you need to watch on Netflix this month is Rear Window. The movie stars Jimmy Stewart as a professional photographer bored out of his mind while recovering from a broken leg, who begins to watch the neighbors in his apartment complex. Things get dicey when he begins to suspect that one neighbor has murdered his wife. This is one of my favorite Hitchcock movies, and is a perfect sampling to see why he is considered one of the greatest directors of all time.

Stream Rear Window on Netflix starting June 1.

Sally (Disney Plus/Hulu)

An American icon, Sally Ride was the first American woman in space, but back on Earth things were complicated in her personal life. This new documentary, from National Geographic and Emmy-winning documentarian Cristina Costantini, reveals the sacrifices that Sally Ride made in her life, with testimony from her life-partner of 27 years, Tam O’Shaughnessy.

Stream Sally on Disney Plus and Hulu in the US starting June 17; streaming on Disney Plus in the UK as of June 17.

Titan: The OceanGate Disaster (Netflix)

Another documentary to watch on streaming in June is Titan: The OceanGate Disaster. Most will remember the tragic story of the implosion of an OceanGate submersible, the Titan, that killed all five passengers in 2023. This documentary will look at what went wrong to lead to such an outcome. This is one of two documentaries about the Titan incident, with the other being Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster.

Stream Titan: The OceanGate Disaster on Netflix starting June 11.

Straw (Netflix)

The prolific Tyler Perry has a brand new project as the director and writer of Straw, a thriller starring Taraji P. Henson as a single mother who is pushed to the brink, leading her to a shocking act of desperation. Henson is joined in the cast by Teyana Taylor, Sherri Shepherd, Rockmund Dunbar, Glynn Turman and, in one of his most profile roles in years, Sinbad.

Stream Straw on Netflix starting June 6.

Apparently, Conan O’Brien is like us, comparing himself and his travels to what others are doing. Except unlike us, Conan is more jealous of the fact that his contemporaries, Eva Longoria and Stanley Tucci, are doing less than him.

This was all taken from a hilarious bit of the Max travel show Conan O’Brien Must Go season 2, specifically in episode 3 when the former late night host/podcaster/most recent Oscar host visited Austria.

While doing a segment in the office of famous psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud, Conan got in a therapy session for himself where he vented about all the crap that he does while Longoria (in Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico/Spain) and Tucci (in Tucci in Italy) and basically just going around sampling delicious local foods. To emphasize the point, he does so while dressed in a complete Freud costume.

Unfortunately, there is no clip of the segment available online as of publication, so if you want to watch it you’ll have to do so on Max (subscription required). But if you’re in need of a good laugh I highly recommend you seek it out; I needed to catch my breath because I was laughing so hard.

To give a little description of the scene, Conan (again in a beard, wig and doing an Austrian accent) lies on an air mattress (the famous Freud couch is actually at a museum in London) and talks about what irks him most — what he sees as the gulf in effort between his travel show and that of Longoria and Tucci.

“Eva Longoria, she just goes to Mexico City and ‘oh, look at me, I’m all dressed up and I’m all pretty, and look at me. Oh, I just ate some delicious food and had a glass of wine. That’s delicious’ And cut, go back to your hotel room, it’s a five-star, Eva Longoria. Or Stanley Tucci, what the f**k? He just tastes things and says this is delicious… I feel like there’s an explosion of joy in my mouth.’ And cut, go back to your hotel room Stanley Tucci, we got it.’”

Meanwhile, he jokes he hasn’t seen his family in months, he’s forced to dress up in costumes and do crazy things like going on a trapeze then immediately off to the next country all to appease his streaming bosses at Max, which he also perfectly lambasts for dropping HBO from their name (this was filmed ahead of Max’s recent announcement that it would be going back to the HBO Max brand in the near future).

This is more part of Conan’s self-deprecating style of humor than real darts at his fellow travel show hosts, but it’s hilarious to imagine a beef between the three of them.

That’s just one of many great bits from Conan O’Brien Must Go season 2 episode 3. Among some of my other favorites from this episode are a quick trip to Liechtenstein for an unofficial and brief episode of Conan O’Brien Must Go, his banter with the descendant of the inventor of the snow globe and more great arguments with producer Jordan Schlansky.

Again, you can watch Conan O’Brien Must Go season 2 episode 3, as well as the previous episodes from season 2 and all of season 1, on Max right now.

The summer season is upon us. While the summer blockbuster movie season gets much of the hype, TV doesn't take the summer off, as there are plenty of enticing and exciting TV shows (new and returning) for people to watch as they try to beat the heat. We here at What to Watch certainly has a number of shows that we can't wait to dive into.

Along with my What to Watch colleagues Sarabeth Pollock and Terrell Smith, we have put together a list of 17 summer TV shows that we're most excited to tune in for and/or binge this summer ranging across streaming services and cable channels. All shows are premiering from Memorial Day weekend through August (even though those later shows will likely bleed a little bit into the fall TV season).

No need to keep you waiting, let's dive into the summer TV shows that we are most excited to watch this year.

Rick and Morty season 8 (May 25, Adult Swim)

The first summer TV show to premiere is none other than the latest adventures of Rick and Morty. The mad scientist, his grandson and the rest of the Smith family will once again traverse the galaxy and multiverse for our entertainment.

Rick and Morty season 7 proved that the show was capable of still being both hilarious and thought provoking despite the exit of Justin Roiland, so the expectations for Rick and Morty season 8 are sky high for the fan-favorite animated series. — Michael Balderston

And Just Like That season 3 (May 29, Max)

I never watched Sex and the City while it was airing, but I was definitely familiar with the story of four friends living fabulous lives in New York City. It was a cultural touchstone for a generation of viewers who dreamed of shoes and Cosmos and living in a luxurious apartment on a writer’s salary.

All it took for me was a week-long binge and I was hooked on the original series, so it’s not surprising that I wanted to see what happened with Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte (Kristen Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) at a different point in their lives in And Just Like That.

In And Just Like That season 3, fans will finally learn whether Carrie and Aidan (John Corbett) are going to stick to their long distance relationship, while Charlotte continues to navigate life with her teens and Miranda figures out what makes her happy. I’m ready to escape to New York this summer! — Sarabeth Pollock

Dept. Q (May 29, Netflix)

At least as of publication, I’m not sure whether or not we’re getting Slow Horses season 5 this summer (Apple TV Plus is expected to release it before the end of the year, but an exact premiere date has not been set). Thankfully, Netflix will have an enticing new series to sate my wisecracking law enforcement officer quota, as Matthew Goode stars as a Scottish detective put in charge of a new division tasked with solving Edinburgh’s toughest cold cases in Dept. Q.

Adding to the intrigue, the series is directed by the creator/director of The Queen’s Gambit, Scott Frank. Say hello to one of my Netflix binges of the summer. — Michael Balderston

Love Island USA season 7 (June 3, Peacock)

After Love Island USA season 6 left quite the impression on viewers (me included) as arguably the best in the history of the franchise, how could I not be excited for Love Island USA season 7. This summer guilty pleasure is fun to watch as unsuspecting men and women in their 20s flock to Fiji in search of love (and the monetary prize). Now ordinarily, I question all reality TV dating shows in terms of whether real romance can be found. However, Love Island USA seemingly has a pretty solid track record. Heck, the PPG couples from Love Island USA season 6 are still together if social media is to be believed.

With all that being said, season 7 has some big shoes to fill. While Ariana Madix is returning to hosting duties, a whole new crop of Islanders will be front and center, and they have the hard task of entertaining fans like their season 6 predecessors. —Terrell Smith

Stick (June 4, Apple TV Plus)

Does Apple TV Plus have another Ted Lasso on its hands? Too soon to tell, but Stick has a few things going for it that the comparison could prove apt.

Owen Wilson stars in the sports comedy as a washed up golf pro who discovers a young phenom and attempts to help develop his game to become a star. While the supporting cast of actors is strong (Judy Greer, Marc Maron, Mariana Treviño), the show also features cameos from some of the top golfers in the game today, as well as legendary broadcaster Jim Nantz.

I’m a golf fan, so I’m definitely interested, but Stick could have some appeal to non-golfers as well. — Michael Balderston

Ginny & Georgia season 3 (June 5, Netflix)

Ginny & Georgia season 2 ended on quite the interesting note, with Georgia (Brianne Howey) being hauled away from her marriage reception in handcuffs. In Ginny & Georgia season 3, she’s set to face off in court for the murder of Cynthia’s (Sabrina Grdevich) husband. While Georgia is in fact guilty of a mercy killing, I have a sneak suspicion she’ll once again be saved from prison. However, I just don’t know how that comes about, so I’ll be watching.

It should also prove interesting to see how Ginny (Antonia Gentry) deals with a murderous scarlett letter on her mother’s chest. The teen already had some coming-of-age issues, so trying to stand beside her mother during a criminal case of this magnitude could push her to a whole new level of stress. — Terrell Smith

The Real Housewives of Miami season 7 (June 11, Peacock)

Since The Real Housewives of Miami was resuscitated on Peacock before returning to Bravo, I’ve argued with friends that the reality TV show is arguably the second-best Housewives series on the air, behind The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. The ladies in South Beach really know how to bring the drama in a way that feels less contrived and slightly less toxic. Don’t get me wrong, the arguments among the group can be completely ridiculous at times, but that’s part of what makes the show so entertaining.

The Real Housewives of Miami season 7 could prove to be the best yet, as it appears some alliances are shifting, some romances are ending and the former girlfriend of Nicole’s fiancé Anthony has joined the cast. — Terrell Smith

The Gilded Age season 3 (June 22, HBO)

A friend’s mother recommended The Gilded Age, so I watched it and was immediately captivated. I love history, and the HBO show is like an American history book come to life — with a side of Real Housewives thanks to its high fashion and even higher drama.

The Gilded Age season 3 continues the story of the socialites living the high life in the New York City of yore. After the fallout from the Opera War, the influential families continue vying for power and influence in an ever-changing world.

Though it’s historical fiction, The Gilded Age reminds us that people in that era weren’t so different from us. They’re all trying to figure out where they fit in an ever-changing world. — Sarabeth Pollock

Ironheart (June 24, Disney Plus)

The Ironheart trailer may not be getting a lot of love over on YouTube (for reasons I won't comment on), but it’s a series on my radar this summer. Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams was thrilling to watchin her Marvel debut, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She’s the legacy of Tony Stark’s Iron Man, broaching hero status from a completely different perspective for a variety of reasons, which can add a fresh take in the MCU.

Also adding to my excitement is Anthony Ramos starring in the series as The Hood. Ramos has grown to be a bonafide star in Hollywood, having appeared in In the Heights, Hamilton and She’s Gotta Have It. So my interest is piqued in how Ramos will portray the MCU villain. — Terrell Smith

The Bear season 4 (June 25, FX on Hulu)

By the time that The Bear season 4 premieres on Hulu it will have been a year since The Bear season 3, but somehow it’s felt longer as fans of the series have patiently been waiting to find out what the review for the restaurant says and how the personal and work relationships between our favorite group of chefs turn out.

The Bear dances on the line between comedy (I definitely feel there are some genuinely funny moments, most notably from the Fak family) and drama, but one thing remains true that this is one of the best shows on TV and is a must-watch whenever new episodes are available. — Michael Balderston

Smoke (June 27, Apple TV Plus)

As we’ve highlighted a few times on this list already, crime drama fans are going to have some good options to watch this summer. Another example is the new Apple TV Plus series Smoke, which stars Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett as two investigators following in the footsteps of a pair of serial arsonists.

Best-selling author of Shutter Island, Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone, Dennis Lehane created Smoke, so at the minimum I have high hopes for the show’s writing. But Egerton has also quietly churned out consistently enjoyable projects, like Carry-On, Tetris and Black Bird. Can Smoke keep things going? — Michael Balderston

Squid Game season 3 (June 27, Netflix)

Squid Game season 3 will serve as the series’ last, so I’ll be glued to my screen, watching every episode, dubbed and all (don’t judge me for not soldiering through subtitles). I just have to know if Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) has what it takes to dismantle the deadly game.

In Squid Game season 2, the series ended with Seong pinned down and his team of rebels seemingly on their way to meet a deadly end. However, with a whole new rollout of episodes on the way, I have to believe they may find a way to survive. Plus, Seong still has his team on the outside working to find him, so perhaps a last-minute save will be in the works. — Terrell Smith

Nautilus (June 29, AMC)

I’ve never read Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, but I’m very familiar with Disney’s version featuring Kirk Douglas. The Nautilus series was meant to premiere on Disney Plus, but the deal fell through and the series eventually landed at AMC.

Nautilus is the story of Captain Nemo (Shazad Latif) and his futuristic vessel, the Nautilus. He wants revenge against the tyrannical East India Mercantile Company who stole everything from him. As their former prisoner, the East India Mercantile Company wants the Indian Prince back in custody after he not only escapes prison but steals the Nautilus as well.

To be honest, I can’t even begin to imagine how this story will come to life as a series, but I’m very excited to see it. As a science fiction fan, Verne’s story is the cream of the crop and this could be the biggest surprise of the summer. — Sarabeth Pollock

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 (July 17, Paramount Plus)

After a musical episode that tore the house down in season 2, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 is set to up the ante with bigger and bolder adventures. There’s some unfinished business to be addressed in the new season after the crew of the USS Enterprise encountered one of the most feared alien species in the universe: the Gorn.

During a special sneak peek at San Diego Comic Con in 2024, fans were treated to a clip featuring several members of the crew transforming into Vulcans for an important mission. Pike (Anson Mount) is quick to point out that there will be 4.5 Vulcans on the mission, as Ethan Peck’s Spock is half human.

What I love about Strange New Worlds is how it’s a return to the story-of-the-week format as seen in other series in the franchise. As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I love how the show honors canon while charting its own course. — Sarabeth Pollock

Wednesday season 2 (August 6, Netflix)

Wednesday had me eating out its hand (no, not Thing’s) the moment I saw Jenna Ortega doing the now infamous dance. The inaugural season of the series was creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky, but best of all, it was entertaining. I completely understand why Ortega earned an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination for the role.

I’m expecting good things from Wednesday season 2, as rumor has it (from Netflix), more of the Addams family will be showcased, including Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) who becomes a student along with Wednesday at Nevermore Academy. I suspect it will be must-watch TV (well, streaming) to see the sibling dynamic play out in school, along with how Pugsly adjusts to his new classmates and “power.” Oh, and make way for Grandmama (Joanna Lumley) as she storms the show in season 2. — Terrell Smith

Alien: Earth (August 12, FX)

In space, no one can hear you scream. But on Earth, it’s a whole different matter. With Alien: Earth, for the first time we are getting a TV series based on the legendary sci-fi franchise Alien, and to cap it all out we are switching from the usual space location to our own planet.

Noah Hawley, the Emmy-winning creator of Fargo, is certainly going to bring his own spin to the franchise, but at its heart it seems that we’re also going a number of staples — an unsuspecting crew forced to reckon with one of the most perfect killing machines and, in the mold of Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley, a tough female lead (Sydney Chandler). — Michael Balderston

Dexter: Resurrection (TBD, Paramount Plus with Showtime)

At first there was Dexter, the story of the serial killer with a strict moral code. Then came various spinoffs and a prequel, but in Dexter: Resurrection the story continues with Michael C. Hall set to return to the titular role. Following the events of 2021’s Dexter: New Blood, Dexter is back, we think. It’s hard to say because all evidence pointed to his death at the end of New Blood, yet he’s supposedly coming back for more.

Not knowing is part of the allure. These days there is so much information about new shows and there’s not much known about Resurrection at all, aside from the fact that Hall is returning and so are original series stars David Zayas and James Remar. New Blood’s Jack Alcott will once again play Dexter’s son, Harrison.

For now I'm going to do a re-watch of the original series to get ready for the new show. It’s gory, humorous, sentimental and dramatic all rolled into one. I'm eager to see what happens as the franchise continues. — Sarabeth Pollock

After the box office success behind IT and IT: Chapter Two, IT: Welcome to Derry is coming to HBO and Max this fall, just in time for spooky season. This time around, the prequel series will take fans deep into the sordid history of Derry, Maine, to discover what happened all those years ago to an idyllic small town that fell victim to a joyful, soulless monster.

Stephen King fans will recall the Pennywise the Clown originally came to life on the small screen in the 1990 classic made-for-TV miniseries featuring Tim Curry in the iconic role with memorable performances from the likes of John Ritter, Harry Anderson, Tim Reid, Richard Masur, Richard Thomas and Annette O'Toole.

Years later the story came to life again, this time on the big screen in the 2017 movie IT, which was followed quickly by the second installment, IT: Chapter Two, in 2019. It was in the two feature films that fans were introduced to Bill Skarsgård in the titular role.

Now, in IT: Welcome to Derry, the story returns to 1960s Derry (which was also featured in the 1990 version) where Pennywise has residents in a state of terror with no end in sight. Thankfully, Skarsgård will be back as Pennywise in the prequel series.

Here's everything we know about IT: Welcome to Derry.

IT: Welcome to Derry release date

There's no release date available for IT: Welcome to Derry just yet, but HBO Max said during SDCC 2025 that the series is coming in October 2025.

You can watch the series on HBO if you have a pay-TV provider that carries the premium cable channel. Or you can subscribe Max (it will probably be HBO Max again by the time the show airs) in order to watch IT: Welcome to Derry. Thankfully, you have a few options available. You can choose from one of the Max subscription options below if you don’t have a subscription already. You can also subscribe as a standalone service or add it to a Hulu, YouTube TV or Sling TV package.

IT: Welcome to Derry premise

Here's the official logline for IT: Welcome to Derry from HBO:

"Set in the world of Stephen King’s IT universe, IT: Welcome to Derry is based on King’s IT novel and expands the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the feature films IT and IT: Chapter Two."

IT: Welcome to Derry cast

Bill Skarsgård will reprise the role of Pennywise in the movie. Skarsgård is known for Nosferatu, The Crow and Castle Rock.

Joining Skarsgård in the series are Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe and Rudy Mancuso.

IT: Welcome to Derry trailer

Check out the teaser trailers for IT: Welcome to Derry as we await the full trailer.

IT: Welcome to Derry behind the scenes

Produced by HBO and Warner Bros. Television, the series was developed for television by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs.

The story is based on the novel IT by Stephen King.

Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti , Jason Fuchs, Brad Caleb Kane, David Coatsworth, Bill Skarsgård, Shelley Meals, Roy Lee, and Dan Lin are executive producers.

Fuchs wrote the teleplay for the first episode, and he and Kane serve as co-showrunners on the project.

Anyone who watched Josh Holloway’s performance as the lovable rogue Sawyer in all six seasons of Lost would have been certain that he’d become a routine fixture on the small-screen.

It’s not that Holloway hasn’t had a successful career. He was the lead in TV series Intelligence and Colony, which were cancelled after one and three seasons respectively. He had a recurring role in Yellowstone season 3. Holloway even appeared in Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol and was arguably Community’s greatest ever guest-star.

But Holloway was so captivating as the big-hearted scoundrel in Lost — going from self-centered to selfless over the show’s six season run — that it’s disappointing no other showrunner or series was able to successfully replicate what made him so appealing. Even Holloway himself recently admitted to The Hollywood Reporter that he’s been on a frustrating dry spell. That dry spell appears over with Duster, the new crime drama now streaming on Max.

Set in Arizona in 1972, Holloway portrays the hugely talented getaway driver Jim Ellis. He works for gangster Ezra Saxton (Keith David), and while he undoubtedly engages in some shady professional dealings, he is also extremely close to Izzy Reyna (Camille Guaty) and her daughter Luna (Adriana Aluna Martinez). Ellis’ life is turned upside down when Nina Hayes (Rachel Hilson), the FBI’s first Black woman agent, arrives in town and reveals that Saxton might have been responsible for Jim’s brother’s death. As a result, Ellis works with Hayes to stop the crime syndicate, all while still being funny and magnetic around Saxton and his crew. Once again, Holloway is the flawed man just trying to do what’s right.

Holloway’s opening scene in Duster immediately reveals that both his character and the show will have a swagger that fits the actor’s sensibilities. Driving the pristine Plymouth Duster the show takes its name from, Ellis effortlessly speeds around with Luna, who he delicately nicknames Peanut, all while doing jobs for Saxton and then evading chasing adversaries.

Audiences will immediately get the sense that Holloway is once again playing the long haired bad-boy, who would rather make wisecracks than raise fists, but isn’t afraid to end any fight that comes his way. Sure he’s a little bit more sun-kissed and wrinkled, but his smile still packs a punch, he lands every quip and, if the opening episodes are anything to go by, he always wakes up in bed with a beautiful woman at least 10 years his junior.

It makes sense that Duster uses Holloway so well. It’s co-created and co-written by JJ Abrams, who also co-created Lost and has since admitted he wrote Duster specifically for Holloway.

It also helps that Holloway is joined in Duster by a top-notch supporting cast. Even though she’s not yet turned 30, Hilson has appeared in the likes of Nurse Jackie, The Good Wife, This Is Us, American Horror Story and Winning Time, and she goes toe-to-toe with Holloway, while offering a more serious and determined alternative to his character. Duster is at its best when the pair are sharing a screen together, which doesn’t happen nearly as often as it should in its first episodes.

Of course, David is a bona-fide national treasure who enriches every scene and show with his presence and voice, while Corbin Bernsen is pitch-perfect casting as Ellis’ father, who just wants to keep the peace between his son and his new wife, Charlotte (Gail O’Grady). They all help to elevate Holloway and his performance, which gets increasingly thrilling as Duster twists and turns its way through its eight episodes.

Duster isn’t a perfect show. It struggles to justify some of its sub-plots and episode lengths. But Holloway’s presence and contagious good vibe will be more than enough to keep viewers hooked, even when it looks like it’s going down a dead end.

Fifteen years after audiences said goodbye to Lost’s island, it’s just wonderful to see Holloway back and being used correctly, and to no longer just be wondering what his career could have been.

New episodes of Duster premiere Thursdays on Max.

The Brutalist was one of the best reviewed movies of 2024 (WTW’s The Brutalist review called it “a cinematic classic”) and won three Oscars, including Best Actor for Adrien Brody. But the movie’s three-and-a-half-hour runtime (with an intermission included) may have scared some people off from seeing it in movie theaters. Well, with The Brutalist now streaming on Max, that hopefully will be less of an issue.

Clocking in at a whopping three hours and 36 minutes, The Brutalist follows Laszlo Toth (Brody), a visionary architect who arrives in the United States after fleeing post-war Europe in 1947. He struggles with his new life until his talents become noticed by a wealthy benefactor (Guy Pearce) who handpicks him for a major project. However, personal and professional struggles impact Laszlo’s search for the American dream. Felicity Jones also stars in this movie directed by Brady Corbet, who also co-wrote the movie with Mona Fastvold.

In addition to its three Oscar wins (Best Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Score), The Brutalist earned 10 Oscar nominations in total, highlighted by a Best Picture nom and acting nominations for Jones and Pearce as well. Throw in the 93% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and there’s little question that The Brutalist was one of the defining movies of 2024.

Yet it made just over $16 million at the US box office and just over $50 million globally. It’s a fair assumption that the running time was a factor in that. Heck, even some members of the Academy that votes on the Oscars reportedly didn’t watch The Brutalist in full because of its length, prompting a new rule.

While The Brutalist’s gorgeous visuals, epic scope and score made it something to behold on the big screen, and from my experience the runtime didn’t feel all that bad (the 15-minute intermission probably helped), I can understand some people’s apprehension of committing to that amount of time in a movie theater. Watching The Brutalist on streaming gives you more control over how you watch the movie.

Even with The Brutalist available via digital on-demand platforms, which it has been since February 18, you didn’t have that much control unless you bought the digital copy, as rentals typically require you to watch a movie within 24 hours of when you start them.

Well now, you can break up The Brutalist however you would like on Max. Watch it one go, break it up over a couple of nights, what have you.

To be clear, I don’t recommend this segmented viewing approach, especially if it’s your first time watching the movie. I’ll always advocate that a movie should be watched in its entirety in one go. But if The Brutalist runtime was what was keeping you from watching the movie that can now be mitigated.

So, again, The Brutalist is now streaming on Max (which in the near future will once again be known as HBO Max, following another rebrand). If you are not a subscriber or Max is not available where you live, then The Brutalist is available to buy or rent via digital on-demand.

Watch the trailer for The Brutalist right here:

The trailer for Spike Lee and Denzel Washington’s Highest 2 Lowest immediately got us pumped for the 2025 new movie. Part of the reason for that is it’s the first movie pairing the Oscar-winning filmmaker and two-time Oscar-winning actor in almost 20 years. The other part is that Highest 2 Lowest is Spike Lee’s interpretation of the work of another master filmmaker, Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low.

Kurosawa is one of the most revered filmmakers of all time, responsible for a number of classics that include Rashomon, Ikiru, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo and Ran. Also among those was 1963’s High and Low, a crime drama that has a 96% “Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes and ranks as the 84th best movie of all time on IMDb as voted by IMDb users.

High and Low stars frequent Kurosawa collaborator Toshirô Mifune as a high powered Tokyo businessman who is extorted when the son of his chauffeur is kidnapped by mistake (they were after his son). He works with the police to figure out if/how he can pay the ransom and find the culprit. Lee and Washington’s will follow a similar plot, but the filmmaker is calling it more of a reinterpretation than a straight remake.

If you want to try and watch Kurosawa’s original movie before you catch Lee’s version, we’ve got all the details on how to watch High and Low right now.

Where to stream High and Low

US viewers can stream High and Low right now on Max. In fact, a number of Kurosawa’s classic movies are available to stream on Max at this time, including Rashomon, Ikiru, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, The Hidden Fortress and Yojimbo.

In order to stream High and Low on Max, you must have a subscription to the platform. Max is available as a standalone service, but you can also get it as an add-on channel through YouTube TV, Prime Video and other services.

If you aren’t a Max subscriber and don’t want to sign up just to watch High and Low, the movie is also available to rent via digital on-demand platforms, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home and YouTube.

Elsewhere, High and Low is streaming in the UK on BFI Player, which is available through Apple TV and Prime Video. The movie is also available via digital on-demand.

Highest 2 Lowest is set to premiere in select movie theaters on August 22, with it then premiering two weeks later, September 5, on Apple TV Plus.

Looking for some new movies to stream in May? Well great news, there are plenty of options across the likes of Netflix, Max, Prime Video and all of the major streaming services this month. With that said, it can be a lot to scroll through, so allow me to offer my humble services in helping you find the new movies on streaming that you are not going to want to miss.

The below list of movies are taken from the major streaming services: Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max, Netflix, Paramount Plus, Peacock and Prime Video. I'm also specifically picking movies that are new to streaming this month — in this case, these are 14 movies that are landing on one of the major streamers for the first time, or coming back to streaming services after only being available via on-demand.

So without further ado, here are my picks for the 14 movies to stream in May.

Another Simple Favor (Prime Video)

A Simple Favor quickly became a fan-favorite thriller after it premiered in 2018, now seven years later Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively return to their roles as Stephanie and Emily for the anticipated sequel, Another Simple Favor. The story picks up with Emily seeking to reunite with Stephanie by inviting her to her extravagant wedding on the island of Capri. But there’s more going on than just the “I dos.” Having premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival, Another Simple Favor has gotten some solid buzz, currently sporting a “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its Prime Video debut.

Another Simple Favor premieres on Prime Video worldwide on May 1.

Black Bag (Peacock)

One of my favorite movies so far form 2025, Black Bag is a cool, stylish spy thriller from Steven Soderbergh with great performances from Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett. This is not big, explosive spy movies, it's a more subdued but riveting example of spycraft; more John le Carre than James Bond.

Black Bag debuts on Peacock on May 2.

The Brutalist (Max)

One of the most acclaimed movies of 2024 (WTW’s The Brutalist review called it a new “cinematic classic”), The Brutalist makes its streaming debut on Max this month. The movie tells the harrowing story of Laszlo Toth (Adrien Brody), an architect that immigrates to America at the end of World War Two, going through various highs and lows of the American dream as he works with a wealthy benefactor. Brody won his second Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal, while the movie won two additional Oscars (Best Cinematography and Best Original Score). While the movie has a built in intermission, the plus three-and-a-half hour runtime will likely feel more manageable for some at home.

The Brutalist becomes available to stream on Max starting May 16; no info at this time for a streaming debut in the UK

The Damned (Hulu)

One of the first 2025 new movies to be released in theaters, The Damned is now available to stream. This horror film from Icelandic filmmaker Thordur Palsson, marking his feature debut, follows a group of 19th century Icelandic fishermen who begin to be haunted after they make the difficult choice to let a foreign ship sink just off shore. Palsson makes a strong debut with this atmospheric horror movie. You can read more on the movie with my The Damned review, but it’s a solid entry that many may have missed earlier this year.

Watch The Damned on Hulu starting May 9 in the US; UK streaming release TBD

Fear Street: Prom Queen (Netflix)

Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy, based on the books from iconic horror author R.L. Stine, was a hit on the streamer in 2021, but a brand new entry is coming for fans to enjoy. Fear Street: Prom Queen sees Ariana Greenblatt, Katherine Waterston, Ella Rubin and India Fowler headline this Netflix original movie that follows an outsider that discovers she is in for one hell of a prom night.

Watch Fear Street: Prom Queen exclusively on Netflix starting May 23.

Fountain of Youth (Apple TV Plus)

Hollywood has been searching for the movie franchise to take over for Indiana Jones, could it be Fountain of Youth? John Krasinski stars as an adventurer who brings in his estranged sister (Natalie Portman) to help with his search for the mythical fountain of youth. That leads to a globetrotting experience that has all the trappings of a summer blockbuster, but is going to be available immediately to stream at home.

Fountain of Youth premieres on Apple TV Plus worldwide on May 23.

The Goonies (Max)

Want to feel old? The Goonies turns 40 in 2025. The Richard Donner-directed, Chris Columbus-written and Steven Spielberg-produced childhood classic about a group of kids (played by Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Ke Huy Quan, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green and Martha Plimpton) who go searching for a pirate’s hidden treasure and get one heck of an adventure out of it is still beloved, so there’s what better time for a rewatch than this special anniversary.

Stream The Goonies on Max as of May 1; The Goonies are streaming on Netflix and Prime Video in the UK

Heart Eyes (Netflix)

There’s definitely a horror theme with some of the major streaming titles this month, with Heart Eyes another example. Netflix is adding the horror/comedy mash-up co-written by Happy Death Day and Drop filmmaker Christopher Landon that centers on a serial killer that goes after young couples on Valentine’s Day. This was a bit of a surprise hit with critics, as the movie is “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. You can check it out on streaming if you missed it in theaters.

Heart Eyes debuts on Netflix globally on May 8.

The Last Showgirl (Hulu)

Pamela Anderson had her comeback role in 2024’s The Last Showgirl. Directed by Gia Coppola, the movie stars Anderson as a veteran showgirl who is forced to adjust her life as the show that she has been a part of for 30 years is coming to an end. Anderson was a dark horse Oscar contender for her performance (she did Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations). While that didn’t materialize, it was still one of the stories of the year to see the former Baywatch star reemerge in a big way. Jamie Lee Curtis co-stars in the movie, and also received wide praise and nominations for her work.

Watch The Last Showgirl on Hulu as of May 23 in the US; streaming on Mubi in the UK

Mountainhead (Max)

Jesse Armstrong created one of the best TV shows of all time in Succession, now he is making his feature directing debut with the HBO original movie Mountainhead, sticking with a satire of the super reach and their influence. Starring Steve Carell, Ramy Youssef, Jascon Schwartzman and Cory Michael Smith, the movie centers on four billionaire friends that reunite at a ski lodge as the world goes through an economic crisis. Will be fun to see what Armstrong brings to the table with this project.

Mountainhead debuts on Max on May 31; premieres on Sky and NOW TV on June 1 in the UK

Nonnas (Netflix)

A comfort movie about many people’s comfort food (pasta)? Yes please. Nonnas sees Vince Vaughn stars as a man who, after losing his beloved mother, decides to open an Italian restaurant where he uses actual grandmothers as chefs, bringing their passed down recipes. Lorraine Bracco, Susan Sarandon, Talia Shire and Brenda Vaccaro stars as the nonnas in this comedy that will seek to warm your heart and probably get you in the mood for Italian food for dinner.

Stream Nonnas exclusively on Netflix starting May 9.

Once (Hulu)

I was just beginning to expand my movie watching habits when Once came out, so I checked out the Irish-made indie from John Carney that starred real-life musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova as two people who meet in Dublin and find they have a special connection through music. Though it won an Oscar for Best Original Song (“Falling Slowly”), Once became even more well known when it was adapted as a Tony-winning Broadway musical, but I still hold a special place in my heart for the original movie, and highly recommend that you give it a try.

Watch Once on Hulu in the US starting May 1; not currently available to stream in the UK

Pee-wee as Himself (Max)

Pee-wee Herman became the defining character of performer Paul Reubens’ career, but there were highs and lows to that. Reubens detailed that in the new, two-part documentary that is streaming on Max this month, Pee-wee as Himself. It comes just two years after Reubens’ death, with him chronicling his life and career, along with others of his friends and peers. The documentary premiered back at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, with it currently having a 100% “Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes. Take the chance to learn more about the man behind the iconic Pee-wee Herman and watch this documentary.

Pee-wee as Himself premieres on Max May 23; UK release is TBD.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Hulu)

Emilia Perez, Flow and I’m Still Here became the international darlings of the 2025 Oscars earlier this year, so much so that that the highly acclaimed The Seed of the Sacred Fig, which was nominated alongside them for Best International Feature, was often overlooked. This political thriller from Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof centers on a judge investigating a dangerous case and how it impacts him and his family. Rasoulof was forced to flee Iran because of potential punishments by the government because of what he depicts in the movie, which is why The Seed of the Sacred Fig represented Germany (the country Rasoulof fled to) at the Oscars.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig becomes available on Hulu as of May 27 in the US; there's no info right now on how to stream in the UK

The Sugarland Express (Netflix)

While Jaws was the movie that truly put Steven Spielberg on the map as an industry-leading director, that was not his first movie. His first Hollywood movie was The Sugarland Express, a dark comedy crime drama about a woman (Goldie Hawn) who helps her husband escape prison and is forced to go on the run with a police officer as their hostage. It’s more of the type of movie that the late 60s/early 70s were known for rather than the blockbusters that Spielberg would help come to define, which is just one part of what makes it a fascinating watch.

Netflix adds The Sugarland Express to its library on May 1.

Now that the regular season has concluded, NHL fans hoping to watch the chase for the Stanley Cup need to figure out the best way to watch the 2025 NHL playoffs. After Max offered live streams for NHL on TNT games throughout the season, can you stream NHL playoff games on Max? Yes, you can.

Max offers live sports, and that will include NHL playoff games from the first round all the way through to the Stanley Cup Finals (as TNT is the broadcast home of the championship round this year). However, there are a couple of things you need to know on who can stream NHL playoff games on Max and what games are available.

First off, if you had previously enjoyed Max’s live streams of sports for free as part of a limited trial, that has come to an end. Now if you want to stream sports on Max you have to have either the service’s Standard plan that runs $16.99 per month or its Premium plans, which goes for $20.99 per month. As of April 18, a discount for each service is being offered if you sign up for a whole year — $139.99 for Standard (equates to $11.67 per month) and $169.99 for Premium ($14.17 per month).

But what about those who subscribe to Max’ Basic with ads plan? Unfortunately, live sports are not included as part of that plan. While there were previous plans to have a sports add-on option available for Basic subscribers, that has been nixed, so the only way to stream live sports on Max is if you subscribe to either the Standard or Premium tier.

As far as what NHL playoff games you can stream on Max, it won’t be every game of the playoffs. TNT (along with sister channels TBS and truTV) and splitting coverage of the NHL playoffs with ESPN. So you’ll only be able to stream NHL playoff games on Max that are airing on TNT, TBS or truTV. The good news is that, as mentioned above, that will include the Stanley Cup Finals.

Here is a look at the NHL playoff games streaming on Max this week:

Tuesday, May 20

• Florida Panthers 5, Carolina Hurricanes 2

Thursday, May 22

• Florida Panthers vs Carolina Hurricanes, game 2, 8 pm ET/5 pm PT

Saturday, May 24

• Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers, game 3, 8 pm ET/5 pm PT

Max is also going to have live streams of the 2025 NBA playoffs for those that are interested.

Conan O’Brien’s Emmy-winning travel show is back with Conan O’Brien Must Go season 2. The Max original series once again saw the former talk show host, current podcaster, comedian and all-around entertainer head off to different countries where he visited some of his international fans while also exploring the cultures and customs of the countries.

Though O’Brien stopped doing his late-night talk show back in 2021, he has remained incredibly busy building a podcast brand that is headlined by his podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, doing live shows and, most recently, hosting the 2025 Oscars. But Conan O’Brien Must Go has been one of his biggest recent hits, which has viewers excited to see where Conan is gallivanting off to this season.

For information on that and more, read on for everything you need to know about Conan O’Brien Must Go season 2.

How to watch Conan O’Brien Must Go season 2

All episodes of Conan O'Brien Must Go season 2 have debuted and are available to stream exclusively on Max in the US.

You must be a Max subscriber to watch Conan O’Brien Must Go season 2. The streaming service has both an ad-supported and ad-free tier, is available as a stand-alone streaming service or can be added as an add-on to other platforms, like YouTube TV and Prime Video.

Unfortunately, for any Conan O’Brien fans in the UK, the show is not available to stream.

Conan O’Brien Must Go season 2 premise

We’ve touched on the Conan O’Brien Must Go premise, but here’s some more detail.

On one of O’Brien’s podcasts, Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan, he talks with fans of his from all over the world. Sometimes, the fans invite Conan to come visit them in their home countries. Well, this show is O’Brien taking them up on their offer. In addition to visiting his fans, he also experiences many of the different aspects of the country’s culture, all while doing some funny bits as well.

Conan O’Brien Must Go season 2 locations

In Conan O’Brien Must Go season 1, O’Brien jetted off to Norway, Thailand, Argentina and Ireland. So where’s he heading in season 2?

This time O’Brien is traveling to New Zealand, Austria and Spain.

Conan O'Brien Must Go season 2 cast

Before becoming the host of his own travel show, Conan O'Brien was a five-time Emmy winner who began as a writer on Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons before taking over Late Night with Conan O'Brien in the early 90s. He then became the host of The Tonight Show, but that was unfortunately short-lived due to complications that are better read about here. However, he started another talk show on TBS, Conan, that started in 2010 and ran until 2021. He now is a podcaster/podcast producer and is set to host the Oscars for the second time in 2026.

While O'Brien is the only consistent figure on Conan O'Brien Must Go, some promo materials for the second season highlight some other notable names making appearances. They are the Oscar-winners Javier Bardem and Taika Waititi, as well as long-time foil to Conan, Jordan Schlansky.

Conan O’Brien Must Go season 2 trailer

Watch the official trailer for Conan O'Brien Must Go season 2 right here:

MLB Tuesday is back for another thrilling season. In 2025, the name shifts from MLB on TBS Tuesday to simply MLB Tuesday, as fans will be able to tune in on both TBS and Max. This is the 52nd year that Major League Baseball is available on TBS, continuing a longstanding tradition and expanding it into the streaming sphere.

This year's lineup includes World Series runners-up from 2023 and 2024 as the Arizona Diamondbacks face off against the New York Yankees. The Yankees and the New York Mets will each appear in four MLB Tuesday matchups in the first half of the season and the champion Los Angeles Dodgers will make their MLB Tuesday debut in June.

MLB has released the first half of the MLB Tuesday schedule for the 2025 season and we have everything you need to know about it below.

How to watch MLB Tuesday

TBS is available with most cable TV subscriptions. If you've cut the cord you have several live TV streaming service options so that you can catch the weekly action. Some of your options include Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV.

If you'd like to watch the action on Max then you'll need a subscription to the streaming platform and you can find several options below.

MLB Tuesday: game matchup for June 24

The next MLB Tuesday game is June 24 between the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets.

MLB Tuesday time

The June 24 game between the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets begins at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT, with pregame coverage beginning at approximately 6:30 pm ET/3:30 pm PT.

MLB Tuesday schedule

Here's a look at the MLB Tuesday schedule for the first half of the 2025 season. Note that with teams marked with an asterisk (*) the telecast will be available in the indicated participating team market, on a non-exclusive basis.

• April 1: Arizona Diamondbacks at New York Yankees, 7:05 pm ET/4:05 pm PT
• April 8: Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT
• April 15: Cleveland Guardians at Baltimore Orioles*, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT
• April 22: Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT
• May 6: San Diego Padres at New York Yankees, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT
• May 13: Boston Red Sox at Detroit Tigers, 6:30 pm ET/3:30 pm PT
• May 20: New York Mets at Boston Red Sox, 6:30 pm ET/3:30 pm PT
• May 27: Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies, 6:30 pm ET/3:30 pm PT
• June 3: Cleveland Guardians* at New York Yankees, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT
• June 3: New York Mets at Los Angeles Dodgers*, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT
• June 10: New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals*, 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT
• June 17: San Diego Padres* at Los Angeles Dodgers, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT
• June 24: Atlanta Braves* at New York Mets, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT

In the 90 Day universe, Tell All reunion specials have a tendency to become rather explosive, and the 90 Day: The Last Resort season 2 Tell All is so far fitting that mold.

After part one aired on March 31, even with the interactions between Natalie & Josh and Ariela & Bini, the most jaw-dropping moment came courtesy of Jasmine, Gino and Rob. Leading up to part one airing, TLC had already teased an explosive exchange between Jasmine and Rob, but I still don’t think I was quite prepared to see all that unfolded.

It all started when Jasmine, the last cast member to walk on stage, surprised her fellow castmates and host Shaun Robinson by showcasing her pregnancy. Gino didn’t look thrilled by the surprise, which wasn’t a shocker to me, given that moments later Gino revealed he’s not the father of Jasmine’s baby, rather her boyfriend Matt is. Poor Gino claimed to be heartbroken, as he wanted a child with Jasmine, but she previously told him no.

Shaun then turned to Rob and recalled that he told Gino he would live to regret having an open marriage with Jasmine, which has led to their separation and her subsequent pregnancy. Rob firmly believed Jasmine brought the idea of an open marriage to Gino so she could lay the groundwork to eventually be exclusive with Matt.

Jasmine took exception to Rob’s theory, noting she doesn’t care about his opinion. When she asked if she needed to explain herself to him, he rudely mocked her accent and claimed she should explain herself to the world. She responded by calling him a clown, and he countered by calling her a five-letter word that rhymes with “more.” The room got silent, and Jasmine displayed her well-known temper and threw a shoe at him (she missed).

Security flocked to the stage. As Rob continued to stand by his comment, she threw out some NSFW allegations about him, which he refuted. Gino chimed in with a few insults of his own toward his soon-to-be ex, even calling her that previously mentioned five-letter word. Despite security managing to tame things for a moment, things between Jasmine and Rob got riled up again when he simply looked in her direction, and she again became enraged. She threw another shoe at him, and this time he took the shoe and threw it into the New York streets (after he unsuccessfully tried to break it). Take a look at the exchange below if you've yet to witness it.

With all that being said, whose side am I taking in this matter? It may shock some, but I can’t take either side. On one hand, I loathe anyone being publicly shamed for their sexuality, so I wasn’t a fan of what Rob called Jasmine. Furthermore, even if he doesn’t like her, for the sake of her pregnancy and unborn child, he could have pretended to be cordial and not been so incendiary with his commentary. It’s not like everyone on the stage and viewers at home didn’t already know he had a strong opinion of Jasmine already. Plus, it was in poor taste to mock Jasmine’s accent.

On the other hand, Jasmine over the years has been somewhat of an agent of chaos at Tell Alls. I’ve seen her lose her cool several times before, whether that be yelling at Gino, Ed or another cast member. She wasn’t exactly innocent in this recent exchange with Rob. While he took things to another level with the name-calling, she made it abundantly clear she didn’t like Rob, respect his opinion or attire and she kept throwing heels at him.

I also have to mention that while Gino isn’t perfect and guilt-free by any means, I do tend to feel bad for him in this equation. On screen, it’s often portrayed as if Jasmine bulldozes over Gino and his opinions. As their marriage fell apart, he looks like he may have gotten the short end of the stick. Rob, I believe, was trying to stand up for Gino on some level, but again, he was overzealous and out of order.

Considering this was all only part one of the Tell All, I’m left wondering how the cast made it through the entirety of the recording.

The 90 Day: The Last Resort season 2 Tell All continues on Mondays on TLC, and becomes available to stream on Max and Discovery Plus.

Actor Jon Hamm is certainly no stranger to Hollywood, and he’s continuing on with his legacy career with the brand-new series, Your Friends & Neighbors. Having starred in one of WTW’s greatest shows of all time, Mad Men, there’s great anticipation that the new drama will be incredibly enticing with Hamm’s dynamite acting in the mix. Hopes are so high for the show, that Apple TV Plus has already renewed it for a season 2 before season 1 even aired. If you’re still on the fence about watching, then perhaps knowing that Jonathan Trooper, the creator of Warrior, See and Banshee, is behind Your Friends & Neighbors will push you over the edge.

Here’s everything we know about the Jon Hamm show.

Your Friends & Neighbors release date

Your Friends & Neighbors premieres on Apple TV Plus on Friday, April 11. Those interested in watching the drama need a subscription to the streaming service. Currently, the streaming platform offers a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. With a subscription to Apple TV Plus, you also have access to other Apple originals such as Severance season 2, The Morning Show season 3, Shrinking season 2 and more.

Your Friends & Neighbors cast

Again, Jon Hamm leads the show’s cast as Andrew Cooper. Hamm has earned several Emmy nominations over the course of his career, which include nominations for The Morning Show, Fargo, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Mad Men (actually winning for Mad Men in 2015).

Hamm is joined in Your Friends & Neighbors by Amanda Peet (Dirty John) as Mel Cooper, Olivia Munn (The Newsroom) as Samantha 'Sam' Levitt and Hoon Lee (Warrior) as Barney Choi.

Your Friends & Neighbors plot

Here is an official synopsis of the series:

"After being fired in disgrace, a hedge fund manager still grappling with his recent divorce, resorts to stealing from his neighbors’ homes in the exceedingly affluent Westmont Village, only to discover that the secrets and affairs hidden behind those wealthy facades might be more dangerous than he ever imagined."

Your Friends & Neighbors trailer

Check out the trailer for the brand-new drama below.

Looking for some new movies to stream in April? Well great news, there are plenty of options across the likes of Netflix, Max, Prime Video and all of the major streaming services this month. With that said, it can be a lot to scroll through, so allow me to offer my humble services in helping you find the new movies on streaming that you are not going to want to miss.

The below list of movies are taken from the major streaming services: Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max, Netflix, Paramount Plus, Peacock and Prime Video. I'm also specifically picking movies that are new to streaming this month — in this case, these are 11 movies that are landing on one of the major streamers for the first time, or coming back to streaming services after only being available via on-demand.

So without further ado, here are my picks for the 11 movies to stream in April.

Babygirl (Max)

Nicole Kidman’s buzzy erotic workplace drama Babygirl finally hits streaming this month. In the movie Kidman plays a CEO that begins a questionable relationship with an intern (Harris Dickinson), leading which ultimately questions perceived power dynamics. I found the movie darkly funny and at the same time often a bit uncomfortable, which is why it definitely divided viewers. You can now see where you fall with this A24 movie from last year.

Babygirl premieres on Max on April 25; a UK streaming release is not confirmed.

Bonnie and Clyde (Netflix)

Perhaps one of the most influential movies ever made, Bonnie and Clyde helped usher in a new era in Hollywood that put more power into the hands of directors and actors rather than studios. But it was only able to accomplish all of that because the movie itself is incredible. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway star as the titular real-life bank robbers, while recognizable faces like the late Gene Hackman and Gene Wilder appear in supporting roles. Violent and edgy, Bonnie and Clyde remains a must-see for any major movie fan.

Bonnie and Clyde starts streaming on Netflix April 1.

G20 (Prime Video)

Viola Davis is in her action hero phase. After starring in the historical action epic The Woman King, Davis shows she can kick butt in a dress as well, playing the US president who puts her military training to use when terrorists take over the G20 Summit. Also in the Prime Video original movie are Anthony Anderson and The Boys’ actor Anthony Starr.

G20 debuts on Prime Video on April 10.

Havoc (Netflix)

Gareth Evans directed two of the best action movies of the century in The Raid: Redemption and The Raid 2, and now he has Netflix money and Tom Hardy leading the way in his latest, the action crime movie Havoc. Hardy plays a detective that must fight his way through the criminal underworld to rescue a politician’s son after a drug deal gone wrong. Timothy Olyphant and Forest Whitaker also star in the movie that hopefully is a fast-paced, bloody good time.

Watch Havoc exclusively on Netflix starting April 25.

Her (Paramount Plus)

Her is the latest sci-fi movie where we have reached the year that it depicts, 2025. While we don’t have everything shown to us in Her, amazingly the Spike Jonze movie may be one of the closest depictions of the future to how things actually turned out. Watch it to see what I mean, meanwhile you’ll undoubtedly be swept up in the movie’s unconventional relationship between Joaquin Phoenix and the Scarlett Johansson-voiced AI Samantha that, surprisingly, is one of the better love stories in a while.

Her streams on Paramount Plus starting April 1.

History of the World Part I (Hulu)

Mel Brooks knows it’s good to be the king, as he is without question one of the kings of comedy thanks to his brilliantly funny movies, including History of the World Part I. For a long time the title was part of a Mel Brooks joke — that there would at some point be a sequel — but that did become a reality as Hulu made History of the World Part II as a limited TV series event. Now you can watch both Part I and Part II all in one place.

Hulu adds History of the World Part I on April 1.

The Order (Hulu)

Fan favorites Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult star in the underrated 2024 movie The Order. The crime drama is based on a true story from the 1980s, where an FBI agent and his team try and stop a group of domestic terrorists in the Pacific Northwest. The Order is “Certified Fresh” with an impressive 92% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, while fans also gave it the thumbs up, with the movie officially being “Verified Hot” on the site.

The Order debuts on Hulu on April 18; streaming on Prime Video in the UK now.

Pets (Disney Plus)

In the running for comfort watch of the month is the new Disney Plus documentary Pets. Bryce Dallas Howard directed the movie that explores the relationships between humans and their pets. So whether you’re a dog person, cat person or something a bit more exotic, this could be one for you.

Stream Pets exclusively on Disney Plus as of April 11.

The Return (Paramount Plus)

Christopher Nolan is tackling all of The Odyssey in 2026, but Ralph Fiennes decided to focus on a particular section of the famous tome in the 2024 movie The Return. Fiennes plays Odysseus after he has gone through his 20 year journey to get back home following the Trojan war. But much has changed in his home and he is not recognized and weakened from his trials. He must rediscover his strength to reclaim his home.

Watch The Return on Paramount Plus starting April 21.

Small Things Like These (Hulu)

WTW’s Small Things Like These review called the Cillian Murphy movie a smaller movie than the actor’s prior project, Oppenheimer, but one that still “cries to be seen” and is a “triumph of subtlety.” Based on the novel of the same name by Claire Keegan, Murphy stars as an Irish coal worker who discovers disturbing secrets being kept by the local convent that also reveals memories of his own past. Emily Watson also stars and gives an acclaimed performance.

Small Things Like These premieres on Hulu April 8.

Widows (Hulu)

For the life of me I don’t know why Widows wasn’t a bigger hit when it came out. From director Steven McQueen, it’s a thrilling crime drama about a group of women brought together after they’re left in debt following the death of their criminal husbands. It falls on them to pull off a heist in order to clear their slates. Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Erivo lead the way, while they’re joined by a stellar supporting cast that includes Colin Farrell, Daniel Kaluuya, Brian Tyree Henry, Robert Duvall, Carrie Coon and Liam Neeson. This really is a perfect blend of entertainment and artistry from McQueen.

Watch Widows on Hulu as of April 1.

Docu-comedies have provided quite the must-watch experience in recent years, with a recent example being The Curse. Nathan Fielder's The Rehearsal season 2 comes to continue the trend.

The first season of The Rehearsal debuted in 2022 to much fanfare among critics. In fact, the first season is “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 95%. So if you’re someone who hasn’t tuned into the show, you may want to put it on your must-watch list and prepare for the brand-new episodes.

Here’s everything we know about The Rehearsal season 2.

The Rehearsal season 2 release date

The Rehearsal kicks off its six-episode season 2 on Sunday, April 20, on HBO at 10:30 pm ET/PT. The season premiere also becomes available on Max at 10:30 pm ET. At the moment, we don’t have information about a UK release date, but once we have more we’ll pass along the update.

The Rehearsal is an HBO original, so those in the US need a subscription to the premium channel to watch the show live on TV. The series also streams on Max.

The Rehearsal season 2 plot

Here is an official synopsis of the second season:

"The Rehearsal follows one man’s journey to reduce the uncertainties of everyday life. With a construction crew, a legion of actors, and seemingly unlimited resources, Fielder helps ordinary people prepare for life’s biggest moments by ‘rehearsing’ them in carefully crafted simulations of his own design.

"In season two, the urgency of Fielder’s project grows as he decides to put his resources toward an issue that affects us all."

The Rehearsal season 2 cast

As previously mentioned, Nathan Fielder headlines the series, in addition to being the writer, director and executive producer. Fielder is a familiar face in Hollywood having been spotted in projects like The Curse, Nathan for You, The Disaster Artist and The League. He’s also earned Primetime Emmy nominations for How to with John Wilson and Who Is America?

The Rehearsal season 2 trailer

A trailer has not yet been released for the new season, but HBO has debuted a teaser clip. Check out the video below.

If you rely on John Oliver to catch you up with some of the biggest stories going on with Last Week Tonight, then you’ll have to find a new source for your news this week, as Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 12 is not airing a new episode on Sunday, March 23.

Traditionally debuting between 11 and 11:30 pm ET/PT on HBO and streaming simultaneously on Max, there will be no Last Week Tonight episode airing at all on March 23, instead, reruns of The White Lotus season 3 will air in Oliver’s usual spot. (You can always stream previous Last Week Tonight episodes on Max if you want). But why is Last Week Tonight taking a break?

Oliver announced at the end of the March 16 episode that they would be off this week, but no explanation was given. The show does take these occasional breaks throughout the season. Sometimes they’re for holidays or perhaps an extended hiatus for a break in the middle of its run (a typical season runs from February to November). With no clear holiday occurring this week (unless you count March Madness), this may just be a break after airing for five straight weeks. Or maybe they’re working on a story or bit that’s a little bigger.

As for when the next episode of Last Week Tonight is going to air, the good news is that fans won’t have to wait long. This is a one-week break, as Oliver informed viewers again on the March 16 episode that they would be back on March 30.

Last Week Tonight has become acclaimed for its blend of comedy and deep dives into various issues that impact Americans and others around the world. So far in season 12, Oliver has given detailed reports on the first few weeks of President Trump’s second term in office, content moderation on Facebook, tipping practices and laws, ICE detention facilities and sports betting.

When Last Week Tonight returns, if you want to watch you either need to have access to HBO’s cable channel through a pay-TV provider or be signed up for Max. As mentioned, a Max subscription will also allow you to watch previous episodes and seasons of Last Week Tonight.

While 2025 new movie releases are in full swing (in fact, we’re almost a quarter of the way through 2025; crazy), many of the best 2024 movies are making their way to streaming, allowing viewers to play catch up on anything they missed. Such is the case with one of the best yet frustratingly hardest-to-find movies of last year, Colman Domingo’s Sing Sing, which is now streaming on Max.

Hailing from A24, Sing Sing stars Domingo as an inmate who helps lead a theater program inside New York’s Sing Sing prison that is meant to help with their rehabilitation as they experience the transformative power of art. Based on a real-life program, the movie’s cast features many former inmates who participated in the program, including Clarence Maclin.

Sing Sing was one of my top 10 movies of 2024. But if you need more concrete evidence of its acclaim, it has a 97% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for three Oscars, though somehow it was snubbed for Best Picture. All of that makes it confounding why it took so long for Sing Sing to become so easily available to watch.

Despite initially premiering in movie theaters in the summer of 2024, Sing Sing was not made available to watch on-demand at home for the rest of 2024. It was given a re-release in theaters after it earned its Oscar nominations, but to go four-plus months from release to being made available even to just rent at home is surprising with how quickly many movies hit on-demand these days.

As frustrating as that is, we should be happy that Sing Sing is now available to stream. Of course, you must have a Max subscription to watch it there, but Sing Sing is also available to buy or rent via digital on-demand platforms in the US (Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Google Play, YouTube). For UK viewers, Sing Sing is streaming on Prime Video as well as being available on-demand.

Sing Sing is just the latest notable 2024 Oscar movie to be available to stream on Max. On Max you can watch Best Picture nominee Dune: Part Two and Best Animated Feature winner Flow. While no date has been announced, Max is also expected to be the streaming home of The Brutalist, starring Best Actor winner Adrien Brody, when the time comes.

But I highly recommend that you check out Sing Sing now that it is available on Max. Check out the Sing Sing trailer below for a preview:

The getaway driver is a classic movie/TV archetype, from Burt Reynolds' Smokey and the Bandit to Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver. Well we’ve got a new addition to that club with Josh Holloway behind the wheel in the HBO Max original series Duster.

HBO Max (previously just Max), in addition to being the streaming home of acclaimed HBO series, has created some great original TV shows of its own in recent years. Among my personal favorites are Hacks, Tokyo Vice and The Pitt. Duster looks like a cool, fun entry to the lineup, but how will it stack up with other HBO Max standard bearers?

That’s the big question, but for all the other questions you may have about Duster — from when it premieres to who else is starring in the show — we’ve got everything you need to know directly below.

Duster next episode

All episodes of Duster are now streaming exclusively on HBO Max, so a subscription is required to the streaming service.

At this time we have no information about a UK release date for Duster.

Duster cast

Former Lost star Josh Holloway headlines the Duster cast as the getaway driver at the center of the story. In addition lost, Holloway starred in Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, in the TV series Colony and on a season of Yellowstone.

Also starring in the series are Rachel Hilson (This Is Us, Love, Victor), Keith David (The Princess and the Frog, The Thing), Sydney Elisabeth (The Last O.G.), Greg Grunberg (The Fabelmans), Camille Guaty (The Rookie), Asivak Koostachin (Montana Story), Adriana Aluna Martinez (first TV show) and Benjamin Charles Watson (Designated Survivor).

Duster plot

Here is the official synopsis for Duster:

“Set in the 1970s Southwest, Duster explores the life of a gutsy getaway driver for a growing crime syndicate that goes from dangerous to wildly, stupidly dangerous when a tenacious young agent comes into town hellbent on taking his crime family down.”

Duster was created by LaToya Morgan, who also serves as the showrunner. Morgan’s experience includes writing for The Walking Dead, TURN: Washington’s Spies, Parenthood and Shameless. She wrote the first two episodes with J.J. Abrams.

Duster trailer

Take a look at what's ahead this season on Duster with this trailer:

Get another look at the new series with this behind-the-scenes feature:

Duster behind the scenes

In addition to helping write the first two episodes, J.J. Abrams is an executive producer on Duster along with Rachel Rusch Rich from Bad Robot. LaToya Morgan is also an executive producer for TinkerToy Productions. Rounding out the executive producers on the show is Steph Green, who also directs the first two episodes of the series.

The show is made in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Ellen Pompeo’s Good American Family is now available to stream on Hulu, making it quite the feat on two fronts. Not only does the series mark the first major role for Pompeo outside of Grey’s Anatomy since she first put on the scrubs as Meredith Grey in 2005, but it also comes on the heels of three seasons of the popular ID docuseries, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, available to stream on Max. The latter is important to note as both Good American Family and The Curious Case of Natalia Grace cover the same subjects —- Natalia Grace and the Barnett family.

I’ve watched my share of documentaries over the years, and The Curious Case of Natalia Grace is by far one of the most memorable I’ve ever seen. Not to make light of anything discussed in the show, but the drama that unfolds has more twists and turns than The Young and the Restless, Beyond the Gates or any other soap you can think of. I literally couldn’t anticipate what was happening from one scene to the next and was stunned with every episode. The doc had me completely glued to the screen, yet confused as to what I should believe.

In season one, the overarching saga is told of how Natalia came to live with her adoptive family and offers a few stories as to how that family deteriorated. Noticeably though, while there are those in the doc who refute some of the claims made by Michael Barnett and question his behavior, the episodes largely reflect his perspective of events. You don’t hear from Natalia and you don’t hear from Kristine Barnett.

When I thought the story couldn’t become even more of a roller coaster ride, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks came out and I was again gobsmacked. Natalia counters many of the claims made about her, Michael makes some more shocking statements and Natalia and Michael have a face-to-face discussion for the first time in years. The second installment ends with a huge surprise that pushed producers to crank out an unexpected third season of the series.

The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter zeros in on Natalia and her time trying to move past her experience with the Barnetts. I won’t spoil anything here, but let’s just say that unfortunately, her story didn’t get less complicated initially. However, she does have a few big wins.

All in all, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace is definitely worth a watch if you’re committed to viewing the entire run of Good American Family. With Good American Family loosely inspired by what transpired with Natalia and the Barnetts, it’s nice to have something “more concrete” to compare the fictionalized account to. Heck, you may even find the documentary is more compelling.

Good American Family is now streaming on Hulu, and The Curious Case of Natalia Grace is available on Max.

The White Lotus season 3 sees a new batch of ultra-wealthy guests heading to a luxury hotel on the sunny shores of Koh Samui in Thailand.

But, once again, they're about to see their trip of a lifetime descend into a living nightmare as the series opens with a flash forward where we see at least one character meet a grisly end.

The holidaymakers this time include successful businessman Timothy and his family, while actor Jaclyn has brought her two best friends to the resort for a much-needed girls' catch-up. Then there is free spirit Chelsea, who arrives with her tetchy boyfriend Rick. But as each resort guest finds their holiday thrown off course, who will make it home from the vacation in one piece?

Here is everything that happens in The White Lotus season 3 episode 5...

The fifth episode picks up right where the fourth ended, with Gaitok realizing someone has taken the gun from his security hut. He searches everywhere and then has the idea to watch the CCTV to see who took it, and it doesn't take long to work out it was Tim.

Meanwhile, Tim is at dinner with his wife, Victoria and daughter Piper, but as Piper tries to tell them she has decided to come and live in Thailand at the meditation center when she graduates, Tim's mind is totally consumed with the fact he has lost all his money and it heading for jail. Victoria and Tim are shocked to learn there is no thesis and that Piper asked to come to Thailand under false pretenses. While Tim is quietly confused, Victoria is fuming and tells her daughter she can't be a Buddhist as she comes from a Christian family.

Meanwhile, Gaitok is looking for Tim to try and get the gun back, but hotel manager Fabian catches him in the restaurant and asks why he isn't in the security booth. He lies and says he is there to watch Mook's evening performance, so Fabian says he can stay for a few minutes but then must get back.

On Chloe's boat, the gang is heading to the full moon party and Saxon is still on a mission to get his little brother to lose his virginity. He thinks Chloe will be the right woman for Lachlan, while he is going to try his luck with Chelsea. Meanwhile, inside the boat, the women are talking about the brothers and Chloe seems to have a soft spot for Lachlan, while Chelsea admits she is a romantic at heart and would never cheat on Rick.

Speaking of Rick, he has landed in Bangkok and is on a mission to find Khun Jim Hollinger (Sritala's husband) - after his mother told him on her deathbed that he was the one who killed Rick's father.

In town Kate, Laurie and Jaclyn are getting to know Valentin and his friends. There is plenty of flirting going on and when Valentin asks Laurie to dance she happily says yes. They all have fun as they down shots and Laurie is on a mission to get as drunk as she possibly can.

Fabian corners Belinda and asks if she is enjoying her exchange. She says she is and he tells her that one of his regulars has been asking after her. She knows he means Gary (or Greg as we know him) and she is rattled when Fabian tells her how much information about her he has given Gary. She ponders on what he has told her and later returns to see Fabian and tells him everything about Gary, admitting she doesn't know what to do. She tells him that Gary is dangerous and they have to call the police, but he admits he is having trouble following her story and she could be mistaken. She is stunned when he says they shouldn't be speculating about guests and that she should focus on her job.

Meanwhile, Victoria is still trying to get her head around the fact Piper wants to spend a year at a monastery, and takes Tim's silence about the whole thing as shock over the news, not realizing he has much bigger problems on his mind.

As Tim excuses himself to go to the bathroom, Gaitok follows him and asks if he has the gun. Tim denies all knowledge and walks off. Back in their room, Victoria tells Piper they are going to the monastery the next day to meet the people who run it, as she is worried it is a sex cult. Piper is incredulous over her mum's sheltered opinions and wonders why Tim doesn't seem bothered by her news.

In Bangkok, Rick is in a fancy hotel where he meets an old friend while Chelsea tries to call him from the full moon party but he doesn't answer. He is shocked when his friend orders a camomile tea at the bar and explains he has found religion and has been sober for 10 months. His friend brings him a bag, telling him inside is what he asked for... and he hopes he knows how to use it.

At the party Chloe buys drugs, but Saxon says he doesn't take drugs and refuses, while Lachlan grabs one and downs it. Saxon is shocked and tells him he needs to be on his A-game tonight if he wants to sleep with Chloe. In the end Chloe, Lachlan and Chelsea bully Saxon into taking the pill.

At the nightclub, Laurie, Jaclyn and Kate feel awkward when a woman comes over with her friends and starts arguing with one of Valentin's friends about the fact he has been dancing with other women. They decide to leave and continue their drinking at the villa, inviting Valentin and his friends to join them. Laurie and Jaclyn are keen, but Kate is adamant it isn't a good idea and she just wants to go to bed.

At the hotel, everyone gets in the pool apart from Kate, and soon more drinks are flowing and everyone is having a great time.

In contrast, Piper is in her room meditating, while her parents go to bed, and Victoria talks about how one thing can happen that changes your life forever, meaning Piper's decision to move to the meditation center, but Tim is thinking about the fact he has lost their fortune and is heading for jail.

Belinda is terrified that Gary will try and silence her after she recognized him and tells Pornchai about it over a drink in her room. He is much more understanding about it than Fabian and tells her he will stay with her tonight to keep her safe. Belinda is terrified when she hears the noise again in her room, but when Pornchai investigates, it isn't Gary - it is a huge lizard hiding behind her wardrobe.

In Bangkok, Rick's friend tells him about how he moved to Thailand becasue he liked the women, and he was out of control, partying and taking home a different woman every night. But then he realized that this life couldn't continue and he wondered if he was obsessed with women because he wanted to be one. Rick is speechless as his friend goes on to explain how his obsession with women was what made him turn to Buddhism, and that being sober is easy, but being celibate is the hard bit. As they part ways, Rick asks his friend to keep the following night free for him as he needs his help with something. His friend says he owes him, so will do as he has asked.

At their villa, Kate is trying to get rid of Valentin and his friends as the party winds down... but Laurie is disappointed when they leave. Everyone heads to bed, but once they are asleep, Jaclyn gets a text from Valentin and he is at the door to the villa. She goes to find him and sneaks him into her bedroom.

In Belinda's room, she is awkward as Pornchai asks which bed he should sleep in after promising to stay over and protect her, but soon they are kissing and the bed situation is forgotten.

As Chelsea, Saxon, Chloe and Lachlan get back to the boat after the full moon party, it is almost getting light. Chloe has set her sights on Lachlan and tells Chelsea that if Gary found out she had slept with someone else, he would kill her, and she truly believes he is capable of murder.

Back in Bangkok, Rick looks in the bag that his friend gave him and takes out a gun. He calls Chelsea back but she is on the boat, doing kissing dares with her friends.

Back in Tim and Victoria's villa, Tim has the gun and is writing a suicide note to his family. As his sons party on the boat, Tim is about to take his own life and just as he is about to pull the trigger Victoria comes out to find him and asks what he is doing. He hides the gun and she asks what is wrong but he fobs her off about not being able to sleep so she goes back to bed. Once she has gone, Tim prays, asking god to show him the way and tell him what to do.

The White Lotus season 3 airs in the US on Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO and Max. In the UK new episodes land on Sky Atlantic and NOW every Monday.

Let me just state this first and foremost — I absolutely adore Hacks. Jean Smart is a treasure and has deserved every trophy she has picked up for playing Deborah Vance. The show’s odd couple relationships (both Deborah & Ava and Jimmy & Kayla) are some of the best on TV. The writing is brilliant and after where things left off last season, I can’t wait for Hacks season 4 to premiere on Max on April 10, as revealed in the first official trailer for the new season.

With that said, there is one thing I can’t help but think would make Hacks even better: imagine if it aired on HBO.

I’m not saying that anything about the show that we’ve enjoyed for three seasons, which has won nine Emmys (including Outstanding Comedy Series for season 3) and is one of Max’s most prestigious and popular titles, would (or should) change with the switch in networks. This is purely a nostalgia factor for me as what playing on HBO meant, and still means for many shows.

One of the most coveted spots on the TV weekly calendar this century has been Sunday nights on HBO. That is where shows like The Sopranos, Band of Brothers, Sex and the City, The Wire, Game of Thrones, True Detective, Veep, Curb Your Enthusiasm (all of which are on WTW’s best 100 TV shows of all time list) aired. Currently, Sunday on HBO is dedicated to the latest seasons of beloved shows The White Lotus season 3 and The Righteous Gemstones season 4, reaffirming that the night is still a prime booking.

Over the last 25-plus years, Sunday night on HBO has been an institution. Now to say those shows wouldn’t have succeeded if they didn’t air Sundays on HBO is probably a stretch, but once the Sunday night brand was established, that became where HBO debuted the shows it thought could become cultural touchstones. And obviously, many of them did.

Now, let’s imagine a fun alternate universe where Hacks does air as an HBO Sunday show. The Hacks season 4 premiere would be pushed a few days to Sunday, April 13, where it would be paired with the premiere of The Last of Us season 2 (and The Righteous Gemstones season 4). That would be appointment TV.

Hacks is acclaimed critically and beloved by many as it is. There are also plenty of streaming exclusive shows that have reached a similar kind of cultural clout as HBO’s best shows, like Stranger Things on Netflix, Ted Lasso on Apple TV Plus, The Bear and Only Murders in the Building on Hulu.

And yet, I can’t help but imagine how all of that may be elevated for Hacks if it was known as an HBO show that was streaming on Max, versus a Max exclusive.

Oh well, be it Sunday or Thursday (or whenever I have the time since that is the plus of streaming), I’ll be watching Hacks season 4 and probably enjoying every minute of it.

Watch the Hacks season 4 trailer directly below.

To watch Hacks season 4 when it premieres April 10, you must have a Max subscription.

The White Lotus season 3 sees a new batch of ultra-wealthy guests heading to a luxury hotel on the sunny shores of Koh Samui in Thailand.

But, once again, they're about to see their trip of a lifetime descend into a living nightmare as the series opens with a flash forward where we see at least one character meet a grisly end.

The holidaymakers this time around include successful businessman Timothy and his family, while actor Jaclyn has brought her two best friends to the resort for a much-needed girls' catch-up. Then there is free spirit Chelsea, who arrives with her tetchy boyfriend Rick. But as each resort guest finds their holiday thrown off course, who will make it home from the vacation in one piece?

Here is everything that happens in The White Lotus season 3 episode 4...

The fourth episode opens with Jaclyn leaving a voicemail for her boyfriend, who isn't returning her calls. She asks him to ring her back, but she doesn't sound very hopeful.

Belinda is speaking to her son, Zion, on the phone, he has just finished his final exams and is at the airport ready to fly out and meet her in Thailand. She is excited to see him, and when she hangs up she nears the odd tapping noise in her room again that she also heard the night before.

Tim is still struggling with the enormity of his money laundering fallout that is playing out at home, and his family still has no idea what he is hiding. He takes more of his wife, Victoria's anti-anxiety medication, and when she asks the kids if someone has stolen some as she knows they're missing, they all deny it and Tim keeps quiet.

Rick and Chelsea are having dinner and they talk about the fact he is going to Bangkok that night and won't make it onto Gary and Chloe's boat trip. Chelsea cries about the fact Rick is abandoning her and won't tell her why, and he relents and agrees to go on the boat before his flight that evening.

Jaclyn, Kate and Laurie are having breakfast and, missing her boyfriend and cross he isn't ringing her back, Jaclyn tells her friends they should skip yoga and pool lounging that day and find somewhere with a bit more excitement. They ask health mentor Valentin if there is somewhere with music and dancing, and he says he knows exactly where they should go and promises to organize a car for them.

Elsewhere Gaitok's meeting with his boss takes a surprise turn when he tells him there has been an increase in crime on the island and he now wants him to carry a gun. It is clear Gaitok's not overly happy about this, especially when his boss tells him to practice at the shooting range that evening after work when Gaitok had promised to watch Mook dancing in the after-dinner entertainment slot.

Amrita corners Rick after breakfast and asks him if he would like another session, but he turns her down. She tells him he has touched her heart and she knows that he can turn his life around, and he seems surprised.

The Ratliff family arrives for their trip with Gary and Chloe and introductions are made. When Victoria asks Gary what his line of work was before he retired, he is evasive, clearly not wanting to share. Chloe is thrilled they have guests and shows them to the bar as Chelsea and Rick arrive, who are shocked to see the boat is so huge.

Tim pretends he needs to use the bathroom but instead sneaks downstairs on the boat to find Victoria's handbag. He takes more of her medication before stealing the lot and putting it in his pocket.

At the beach club, Jaclyn's hopes of letting her hair down fall flat when she realizes that everyone else at the resort is over retirement age. She is fuming that Valentin has recommended this place to them and tells Kate and Laurie to get their stuff, becasue they're leaving!

On the boat Gary is getting drunk while his guests party, and Piper takes her brother, Lachlan to one side, telling him she needs his backup later becasue she is going to tell their parents at dinner that after she graduates she is moving to Thailand to stay at the meditation center. She says she is going to live there for at least a year, and Lachlan is upset that she lied to them all about wanting to come to Thailand to interview a monk for her thesis when really it was to scope out the meditation center and move there. As they're talking, Saxon catches Lachlan's eye and beckons him over. He is on a mission to get his little brother to lose his virginity and points out some women he thinks he should flirt with. Soon Lachlan is doing card tricks and impressing all the women.

Meanwhile, Victoria is worrying about Tim, telling him that he is acting strangely, not realizing that he is taking her medication and then drinking heavily at the same time. She goes to find her handbag and is shocked to see her tablets have gone.

Rick is his usual cagey self as other guests on the boat try and talk with him, and Chelsea has had enough of his grumpiness and takes him to one side. He eventually opens up when she asks him why they are in Thailand and he admits he's there becasue the man who owns the hotel - Khun Jim Hollinger (Sritala's husband) - murdered his father. He explains that he thought Jim was going to be here, but he's had a stroke and is in a hospital in Bangkok. He tells Chelsea that he never got the chance to know his father, but that he was a good man and came to Thailand to help locals stop Americans from taking their land. One day he went missing and was never seen again, but Rick's mother told him it was Jim who killed him. Chelsea is shocked and asks if he wants revenge by killing Jim, but Rick says he doesn't know.

Laurie, Kate and Jaclyn go back to The White Lotus and find Valentin, telling him the place he recommended was rubbish and that he needs to take them somewhere better. They drag him out with him, even though he is meant to be working, and he takes them into town. As he heads off to get his friends to join them at a beach club, Jaclyn notices everyone in the street has water pistols and soon they are being soaked by the local kids.

Belinda talks to Pornchai about the fact she recognizes Gary (or as she knows him - Greg) from the night before, despite the fact he claimed not to know anyone called Tanya. Later, in her room, Belinda is still being bugged by the feeling something isn't right with Gary, who she is convinced is Tanya's husband. She googles Tanya and is stunned to learn she's not only dead but also died in mysterious circumstances in Sicily. She is also horrified to read a news report about the fact Greg is wanted for questioning in connection with Tanya's death, but that he has failed to get in touch with the authorities.

As the boat trip ends, Tim and Victoria can't wait to get back on dry land, but Lachlan and Saxon tell their parents they are staying on the boat as they are sailing to another island with Chloe for a full moon party. Piper is cross that Lachlan won't be there when she tells her parents about her move to the meditation center but her brothers head off for the party anyway. Chelsea tries to stop Rick from going to Bangkok, convinced he is going to do something stupid when he finds Jim, but he won't listen and tells her to go to the full moon party with Chloe. Chloe is thrilled when Chelsea returns to the boat, especially becasue Gary refused to come to the party as he had 'something to sort' at home.

At the beach party Valentin arrives with his friends and Kate, Jaclyn and Laurie are happy their day finally seems to be looking up.

Tim is struggling at dinner when Victoria talks about what a good man he is in comparison to the tax dodgers and conmen that were on the boat trip. He makes his excuses to leave the table and goes to ask Pam for his phone back out of the safe. She tries to change his mind, but soon realizes he isn't going to be swayed, and when he turns it on it pings continuously with missed calls and messages.

Tim calls his lawyer and he is fuming to find out his business partner has struck a deal with the police and has told them everything. His lawyer tells him he should also make a deal but Tim doesn't want to as it means he will never work in finance again if he is linked to embezzlement and fraud. Tim tells his lawyer that he tried to move some cash around the night before, but his lawyer tells him they are well beyond that and the police will have frozen his assets already and that being linked to fraud is the least of his worries right now. Tim's lawyer tells him that he is likely to lose everything, including his house, and is facing at least a few months in federal jail.

At the security office, Gaitok is looking at the gun he needs to learn to use when Mook turns up in her traditional dance costume and looks a million dollars. She asks him about his meeting but he is evasive and offers to walk her to the stage for her performance. But he forgets to lock the gun away and leaves it out on the desk in the security office.

As Tim gets off the phone with his lawyer he yells at him that he would rather be dead than tell his family they're poor and that he is going to jail. As he hangs up Tim sees the gun that Gaitok left out, and when Gaitok gets back to the office he panics when he finds it gone.

At his huge house on the beach, Gary is looking up Belinda on social media, knowing that she has worked out who he is and could report him to the police. As he scrolls through her social media he sees a picture of her with her son, Zion, and is clearly plotting something bad.

The White Lotus season 3 airs in the US on Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO and Max. In the UK new episodes land on Sky Atlantic and NOW every Monday.

Looking for some new movies to stream in March? Well great news, there are plenty of options across the likes of Netflix, Max, Peacock and all of the major streaming services this month. With that said, it can be a lot to scroll through, so allow me to offer my humble services in helping you find the new movies on streaming that you are not going to want to miss.

The below list of movies are taken from the major streaming services: Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max, Netflix, Peacock and Prime Video. I'm also specifically picking movies that are new to streaming this month — in this case, these are 12 movies that are landing on one of the major streamers for the first time.

So without further ado, here are my picks for the 12 movies to stream in March.

Anora (Hulu)

Hot off winning Best Picture at the Oscars, Anora is coming to streaming, likely giving more people the chance to watch Sean Baker and Mikey Madison’s lauded movie. A Cinderella-esque story follows Anora, an exotic dancer and escort that gets swept up in a whirlwind romance with the son of a Russian oligarch that leads to a quick marriage. But when her new husband’s parents find out about the marriage, she must fight to keep it from getting annulled.

Anora premieres on Hulu on March 17; a UK streaming release is not confirmed.

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (Netflix)

There is a definite passionate fanbase for the Gerard Butler and O’Sheak Jackson Jr. crime franchise, and now that can potentially grow some more as 2025 new movie Den of Thieves 2: Pantera starts streaming on Netflix this month. The story picks up a little more than a year after the original, with Butler’s Nick tracking Jackson’s Donnie to Europe, where he is setting up a major diamond heist. But Nick isn’t there to take Donnie down, instead he wants in on the score. And with the original Den of Thieves streaming for free on Tubi and Prime Video, you can stream both movies to get excited for the already in development Den of Thieves 3.

Den of Thieves 2: Panthera debuts on Netflix March 20.

The Electric State (Netflix)

The filmmakers behind two of the biggest movies of all time, the Russo brothers, hope they have another blockbuster on their hands in The Electric State. We won’t be judging that in terms of box office, as this is a Netflix exclusive movie, but the scope of this world where a girl goes searching for her missing brother in a land of robots feels as big as summer tentpoles and is backed up by an A-list cast that includes Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Stanley Tucci and more.

The Electric State premieres on Netflix on March 14.

Exhibiting Forgiveness (Hulu)

An indie movie from 2024, Exhibiting Forgiveness was mostly overlooked by general audiences, but those that saw it loved it, as evidenced by the movie’s 95% “Certified Fresh” score from critics and 92% positive score from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Now Hulu subscribers can discover the movie starring Andre Holland as an artist whose life gets derailed when his estranged father comes back into his life.

Exhibiting Forgiveness lands on Hulu on March 18; no streaming details for UK at this time.

Heretic (Max)

Hugh Grant has long been a charmer in romantic comedies, but in Heretic he uses those skills to creep us the heck out as he plays a man who attempts to test the faith of two Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) that come knocking on his door. Grant earned some serious Oscar buzz for his performance, while the twisty story was a critical hit and another buzzy title from A24.

Watch Heretic on Max starting March 7; available via digital on-demand in the UK.

Holland (Prime Video)

Things are not all right in Holland, as Nicole Kidman finds out in her new Prime Video original movie. While everything may seem quaint in this small Michigan town that bears the name of the iconic city in the Netherlands, Kidman’s Nancy soon begins to realize that a dark secret exists, and she intends to get to the bottom of it. Gael Garcia Bernal and Matthew Macfadyen also star.

Prime Video debuts Holland on March 27.

Moana 2 (Disney Plus)

Moana 2 was supposed to be a Disney Plus original series, but Disney made the pivot to turn the sequel to the animated classic into another movie and were rewarded with $1 billion at the global box office. But now Moana 2 heads to Disney Plus, allowing families to rewatch or discover for the first time the latest adventure featuring Moana and Maui.

Stream Moana 2 on Disney Plus as of March 12.

Number One on the Call Sheet (Apple TV Plus)

“Number One on the Call Sheet” on a movie set means that you are the primary star of that project. It’s a career benchmark for all, but as the who’s who of leading Black men and women taking part in this two-part documentary detail, the impact of being number one for them can be even more meaningful. Among the actors and actresses taking part in the documentary are Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Idris Elba, Viola Davis, Michael B. Jordan, Cynthia Erivo, Morgan Freeman, Whoopi Goldberg, Denzel Washington and Tesas Thopson, among plenty more.

Number One on the Call Sheet premieres on Apple TV Plus March 28.

O’Dessa (Hulu/Disney Plus)

Stranger Things star Sadie Sink trades the Upside Down for a futuristic rock opera in the Hulu original movie O’Dessa. In it Sink plays a farm girl that heads to a dangerous city where the power she wields from her singing may be the only thing that can save the day from a villainous leader. Kelvin Harrison Jr., Murray Bartlett and Regina Hall also star in this movie that looks to blend punk and apocalyptic dystopia in intriguing ways.

Hulu launches O’Dessa on March 20; on Disney Plus in the UK

The Outrun (Netflix)

Saoirse Ronan did not earn an Oscar nomination for her role in The Outrun, but many thought she deserved to, including us as evidenced in our The Outrun review. Either way, Ronan’s performance as a recovering alcoholic who returns to her home in Scotland’s Orkney Islands as she attempts to come to terms with her past.

Watch The Outrun on Netflix starting March 18.

Sing Sing (Max)

One of my top 10 movies of 2024, Sing Sing is an emotionally powerful story of inmates taking part in a program where they put on plays to help their rehabilitation. Colman Domingo earned an Oscar nomination for his lead performance, while his co-star Clarence Maclin (who actually participated in the program the movie is inspired by) has every right to say he was snubbed for an acting nomination (though he did receive one for being part of the writing team for the movie). The movie also was surprisingly snubbed for a Best Picture nomination. Find out why I think these were major snubs when it hits streaming.

Sing Sing lands on Max on March 21.

Wicked (Peacock)

The third highest-grossing movie in the US in 2024 and the fifth highest-grossing movie at the worldwide box office, winner of two Oscars and nominated for 10 in total, the phenomenon that is Wicked finally becomes available to stream this month. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star as Elphaba and Glinda in this prequel that reimagines the iconic characters of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good from The Wizard of Oz. Both the theatrical version of the movie and the sing-along version are going to be available, allowing you to try and match Erivo’s “Defying Gravity” performance note for note.

Stream Wicked on Peacock as of March 21; no official streaming plans for UK at this time.

The White Lotus season 3 sees a new batch of ultra-wealthy guests heading to a luxury hotel on the sunny shores of Koh Samui in Thailand.

But, once again, they're about to see their trip of a lifetime descend into a living nightmare as the series opens with a flash forward where we see at least one character meet a grisly end.

The holidaymakers this time around include successful businessman Timothy and his family, while actor Jaclyn has brought her two best friends to the resort for a much-needed girls' catch-up. Then there is free spirit Chelsea, who arrives with her tetchy boyfriend Rick. But as each resort guest finds their holiday thrown off course, who will make it home from the vacation in one piece?

Here is everything that happens in The White Lotus season 3 episode 3...

The third episode opens with Victoria having a dream that she is at the beach by her house back in the US, and she is walking into the sea at night as a tsunami comes from nowhere, crashing over her. She wakes to find Tim on the phone secretly whispering, but she still doesn't know about his money laundering dramas going on at home.

At breakfast, Piper suggests that her mom's dream might be foretelling something bad is going to happen, while Tim looks quietly panicked. Tim's phone keeps on ringing at the table, which annoys Piper as there is a phone ban at the resort, but it gets to the point where he can't ignore it and rushes off to answer, leaving everyone worrying something is wrong. It is Tim's assistant on the phone who tells him the FBI has arrived at his office and is looking for him.

As he is getting his breakfast, Rick sees hotel owner, Sritala, in a meeting and goes to gatecrash, wanting to get more information on her trip to Bangkok later that day. He pretends to be a producer and says that he would like to set her up with someone who would like to cast her, she is flattered and gives him her card. When he gets back to the table, Chelsea quizzes him on what he was saying and he tells her it is none of her business and that he is going to Bangkok the following day. Chelsea is miffed and asks what she is meant to do while he is gone, to which he rudely replies maybe she can find another sugar daddy to sponge off.

Kate, Laurie and Jaclyn are also having breakfast when Valentin, the health mentor, comes to remind them about their treatments for the day. The women flirt with him and once he has left, Jaclyn tells Laurie she should have a holiday fling with Valentin, which Laurie scoffs at.

As Sritala leaves breakfast, resort security officer Gaitok sees her and she thanks him for his bravery in the robbery the previous day. He tells her it is no problem and that he loves working for her and her husband, Jim, and that if she ever needs another bodyguard then he would be up for the job.

Pam arrives to see Tim and his family, and while Saxon is more concerned about the blender that she has brought so that he can make protein shakes, Tim is secretly panicking about what the FBI might find at his office. The rest of the family is oblivious to his turmoil, and Victoria is thinking about nothing other than her next massage. Pam lets slip that Victoria has booked some posture correction therapy for Lachlan, and he isn't impressed. With Tim ignoring his phone, Terry from their office, where Saxon also works, starts calling Saxon's phone, so in a desperate moment to stop his son from answering their phones and finding out what he has done, Tim suggests everyone puts their devices in Pam's bag that she will lock away for the duration of the holiday like she suggested when they arrived. Piper thinks it is a great idea, but Saxon is fuming, and it takes some ego fluffing from Tim to get his son to part with his phone and laptop.

Pornchai tells Belinda that they are going to have dinner later that evening, but first, she is going to meet the rest of the resort's spa staff and learn more about their treatments.

While Gaitok tells Mook that he has offered to go to Bangkok with Sritala and she seems impressed, Rick goes for another counseling session with Amrita. He tells her that this isn't his sort of thing, but she eventually gets him to open up and he talks about his father being a good man but that he himself has done some bad things in his life.

Saxon tells his younger brother Lachlan that now they haven't got their phones all week, he is going to make it his mission to make sure Lachlan loses his virginity this week. Lachlan seems unimpressed, but he is even more unimpressed when he goes to his posture session and he is told he has defensive body language.

By the pool, Chloe tells Chelsea that her boyfriend Gary barely talks to her about his ex-wife and that all she knows is that she was depressed and took her own life by walking out into the sea and never coming back. Rick arrives and tells Chelsea he is going into town, and she runs after him - meanwhile, Saxon jumps onto her now vacant sunlounger and introduces himself to Chloe.

In town, Rick buys a joint and drags Chelsea to a snake show, but he feels sorry for all the poisonous snakes in the cages and lets them all out of the tanks. But when Chelsea comes to see what he is doing, she is bitten by a venomous snake and the people at the snake sanctuary race her off to the hospital while Rick is left to follow behind in a panic.

Thankfully Chelsea is okay after being bitten by a cobra, and at dinner that evening Chloe points out Chelsea has had two brushes with death in the last two days. Chloe jokes that perhaps Chelsea and Rick shouldn't come on Gary's boat trip tomorrow as they might bring bad luck.

Back at the resort, Victoria tells Tim he looks tired and convinces him to take one of her sleeping tablets.

At dinner, Kate, Laurie and Jaclyn talk about Laurie's healing session with Valentin that day. Kate says she doesn't believe in the healing side of things and reveals that she goes to church every weekend with her family and has done so ever since they moved to Texas. Jaclyn is shocked by this revelation and asks if it is weird that she has to mix with Texans who all voted for Trump, and it comes out that Kate votes Independent and her husband is a Republican. The atmosphere around the table gets very awkward as Trump is mentioned again and everyone just focuses on eating their dinner in silence.

Belinda and Pornchai have dinner together and she tells him how much she is enjoying Thailand, and that she was depressed before she arrived at the resort becasue her boss died in terrible circumstances and that a rich woman who was going to fund her business flaked when she met a man. She is, of course, talking about Tanya, and then she suddenly realizes that she knows the man she recognized at the bar the night before and that it was Greg, Tanya's husband, or Gary, Chloe's boyfriend as we know him in this series.

Belinda approaches Gary at dinner where he is with Chloe, Chelsea and Rick, and says she knows him from The White Lotus in Maui... he is shocked to see her and pretends he doesn't know her. She asks if he is called Greg and was married to someone called Tanya, and he denies it and says his name is Gary. Belinda makes her apologies, but it is clear that she knows he is lying.

Victoria and her kids have dinner, but Tim isn't there becasue he is still out cold after taking a sleeping pill.

At the entrance to the hotel Gaitok's boss tells him to be in for 7 am the following day as he has a meeting with the hotel manager. Gaitok is worried he is in trouble but his boss won't reveal what it is about and tells him to be on time.

Later that evening Rick leaves a voicemail for someone called Frank and tells him he is coming to Bangkok the next day - he says he needs his help with a few things and asks him to call him back.

Pornchai walks Belinda back to her room after dinner and he is a bit drunk and comments that he hopes she has good dreams of him. She is bemused by his flirting and goes into her room, but while she is indoors she gets spooked when she hears a strange noise.

Kate also hears something outside her room and it is Laurie and Jaclyn are talking about the fact she clearly voted for Trump and they're not sure how she could have changed so much.

In his room, Tim tracks down Victoria's stash of sleeping pills and takes another one before going back to bed. Victoria asks him if something is wrong, but he fobs her off and doesn't tell her about the money laundering.

The White Lotus season 3 airs in the US on Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO and Max. In the UK new episodes land on Sky Atlantic and NOW every Monday.

It's March, which means it's time to celebrate Women's History Month. The What to Watch team is looking to the entertainment world to applaud the contributions of women, compiling a list of great female-led movies and TV shows of the past year, which includes some 2025 Oscar and Golden Globe nominees

As told by the US Census Bureau, this special time of reflection and celebration has its roots in 1857 and 1908, when women laborers protested unfair working conditions and fought for equal rights. Commemorating the occasions, in 1910, March 8 became International Women's Day. Women's Week became official in 1978 and the Women's Month we've come to know came into place in 1987.

With all that being said, check out our list of great female-led performances in new movies and shows from April 2024 to March 2025.

Movies

Anora

Anora earned Mikey Madison a well-deserved Best Actress Oscar nomination. She does an incredible job portraying an American stripper who is propositioned into marriage by the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch, who wants an American Green Card. However, once his mother gets involved, their rushed marital bliss spirals out of control, with her having to make some daring moves.

Anora is available to rent on-demand or view in theaters.

Challengers

Zendaya continues to be quite the chameleon in Hollywood, transforming into an array of characters for various projects. In Challengers, she plays a woman passionate about tennis, literally volleying her love between two best friends turned rivals. Her performance was simply captivating, and it was perhaps only eclipsed by the twists and turns of the plot.

Challengers is streaming on Prime Video.

Emilia Pérez

Emilia Pérez has become the latest darling of the movie industry, with Zoe Saldaña emerging as the movie's crown jewel, evidenced by her Golden Globe, BAFTA and Critics' Choice Award wins, and her Oscar nomination. The film is a nuanced crime musical that shows Saldaña as a hot-shot attorney who helps a Mexican cartel boss transition into the lovely Emilia Pérez. It's worth noting that Selena Gomez and Karla Sofía Gascón have also earned rave reviews for their roles.

Emilia Pérez is streaming on Netflix.

The Substance

"Don't call it a comeback." As Demi Moore truly has been in Hollywood for years. However, The Substance is arguably the meatiest and most impactful role she's had since the classic Ghost. In The Substance, she portrays a celebrity who is being cast aside due to her age, so she remedies that by taking a black-market drug to access her version of the fountain of youth. Unfortunately for her, things take a chaotic turn. The movie holds up a mirror to society's obsession with the aging process.

The Substance is available to rent on-demand.

Wicked

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo spearheaded one of the biggest movies of 2024 and what has become the highest-grossing film based on a Broadway musical with Wicked. The duo not only blew viewers' socks off with their vocal chops, but they once again proved they're phenomenal actresses. Plus, their chemistry on screen is remarkable. They're certainly deserving of all the nominations they've acquired.

Wicked is available to purchase on-demand or view in theaters.

TV shows

Agatha All Along

We had high hopes for Agatha All Along prior to its release based on Kathryn Hahn's incredible performance in WandaVision. So imagine our excitement when the new series lived up to the hype and Hahn was even more exceptional. Let's just hope Marvel and Hahn soon give fans what they want... a season 2.

Agatha All Along is available on Disney Plus.

High Potential

One of the breakout new shows of the Fall 2024-2025 season has been High Potential. Based on the French television series HPI, High Potential follows a brilliant single mother of three who goes from cleaning lady to police consultant, as she works with detectives to solve cases that would otherwise remain a mystery without her help. If you were a fan of Monk, this show may be up your alley.

High Potential is available on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.

How to Die Alone

Despite Hulu opting not to renew the series after its freshman run, we stand by the fact that How to Die Alone was one of the best new comedies of 2024, and Rothwell had us seated for each episode. Her portrayal as a millennial wrestling with issues of self-identity, romance and loneliness certainly made viewers think about their own station in life, and yet, how she handles the various situations thrown her way was still funny to watch unfold. Let's hope another streamer picks up the series for a season 2.

How to Die Alone is available on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.

Matlock

You can't go wrong with anything featuring the legendary Kathy Bates, and Matlock is no exception. She deserves all the nominations starting to pour her way, as the show is certainly deserving of what she claims is her last role in Hollywood. Talk about going out with a bang. The series balances incredible wit and charm with edge-of-your-seat twists that make this drama a must-watch. While we aren't sure how many seasons the show will run, we're begging the powers that be they allow it to run for a good while.

Matlock is available on Paramount Plus.

Nobody Wants This

Kristen Bell has developed a knack for delivering charming sarcasm on the small screen, and she does it again in Nobody Wants This. The clever rom-com, which could have easily been a movie, shows her falling for someone who wouldn't usually be her type and lives a radically different lifestyle. It's fun to watch her navigate their differences in what is our favorite role from her since The Good Place. We can't wait for Nobody Wants This season 2.

Nobody Wants This is available on Netflix.

While admittedly not a fan of the Boston Celtics, as a fan of the NBA, I greatly respect the team’s remarkable legacy and look forward to learning even more about it in the new documentary, Celtics City.

As it stands now, the Celtics have more NBA championships than any other franchise and have had some of the sport's greatest players wear a green jersey, ranging from the incomparable Bill Russell to the legend that is Larry Bird to the current roster which includes recent NBA champions like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. So what can you look forward to seeing in the brand-new docuseries?

Here’s everything we know about Celtics City.

Celtics City release date

Celtics City premieres on Monday, March 3, at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. We don't have word yet when the series may air in the UK, but as more information becomes available we'll pass along the update.

Celtics City is an HBO original, so those in the US need a subscription to the premium channel to watch the show live on TV. HBO is a part of many cable/satellite TV packages. The series also streams on Max, and there are several options to choose from for would-be subscribers of the streamer. With a Max subscription, you can also access live NBA games when they are televised on TNT.

Celtics City plot

Here’s the official synopsis of Celtics City:

"Celtics City chronicles the remarkable saga of the Boston Celtics, the NBA’s winningest and most storied franchise, from its founding as one of the league’s original teams all the way to its triumphant 2024 championship – along the way delving into the fierce rivalries, defining moments, and societal forces that have shaped the organization’s enduring legacy.

"Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and over 80 interviews with past and present Boston Celtics legends – from Bob Cousy and Larry Bird to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown – the series captures the scope of the team’s influence, weaving together the personalities, battles, tragedies, and triumphs that have defined the franchise across more than seven decades of American history.

"Moving between past and present, each episode of the series examines not just the many eras of the franchise’s history, but also rivalries with the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and others; the relationships and loyalty shared by teammates; and the weight and expectations that come with carrying on a tradition that transcends the game. The series also explores the Celtics’ significance in the ever-changing landscape of Boston – a city with a complex social history impacted by racial tensions that the Celtics, led by figures like Bill Russell, confronted head-on."

Celtics City cast

Here are many the personalities featured in the series:

Former and current NBA players

• Larry Bird
• Robert Parish
• Tom “Satch” Sanders
• Jaylen Brown
• Jayson Tatum
• Al Horford
• Danny Ainge
• Bob Cousy
• Jerry West
• Wayne Embry
• Pat Riley
• Don Nelson
• Don Chaney
• Spencer Haywood
• Charlie Scott
• Bill Walton
• Cedric Maxwell
• M.L. Carr
• Kevin McHale
• Quinn Buckner
• Paul Pierce
  Rick Carlisle
• Dee Brown
• Brian Shaw
  Xavier McDaniel
• Antoine Walker
• Doc Rivers
  Kendrick Perkins
• Kevin Garnett
• Glen Davis
• Ray Allen
• Rajon Rondo
• James Worthy

NBA executives and coaches

• Joe Mazzulla
• Brad Stevens
• Rick Pitino
• Jan Volk
• Chris Wallace
• Wyc Grousbeck
• Rich Gotham
• Steve Pagliuca

Celtics family members

• Nancy Auerbach Collins
• Randy Auerbach
• Karen Kenyatta Russell

Celtics fans

• Donnie Wahlberg
• Bel Biv DeVoe

Celtics City trailer

Check out the trailer for the series below.

Valentine’s Day may be in the rearview mirror, but that doesn’t mean romance has to end, especially when you consider my favorite romance movie of the last quarter-century is now in the Max streaming library — Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Love & Basketball. I’d go so far as to say that it’s even better than some of the most popular films of the genre (including The Notebook and Fifty Shades of Grey).

For those of you who aren’t as familiar, Love & Basketball follows the epic romance of Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) from young teens into adulthood. As they go through highs and plenty of lows, and even when the pair aren’t together, they find themselves forever connected through their mutual adoration of basketball. And if you haven’t guessed, Monica and Quincy’s love for the sport is a beautifully crafted metaphor for their feelings for each other.

To date, despite all of the remarkable work both Lathan and Epps have done in Hollywood over the years (like the Best Man films and series for Lathan, and House for Epps), Love & Basketball will forever be their standout work in my eyes. Even though this is a Hollywood production, the actors do a fantastic job of capturing how complicated it can be to figure out love with another human being. Between reflecting the level of difficulty required to being vulnerable with another person, the balancing act of selfish ambition and sacrificial compromise, the requirement of forgiveness and just the overall patience it requires to pursue a happily ever after, under Prince-Bythewood’s direction, Lathan and Epps deserve all the rave reviews.

It’s also worth noting that beyond Lathan and Epps, the movie sees pretty memorable performances from Hollywood legends Alfre Woodard and Debbi Morgan, some appearances from Regina Hall and Gabrielle Union and Kyla Pratt taking on the role of a young Monica.

If you still need a little nudge to check out this gem of a movie, then perhaps knowing it’s Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 85% score (with WTW even naming it one of the best Black movies of the last 25 years) will help. Additionally, you can check out a trailer for Love & Basketball below.

Again, Love & Basketball is now streaming on Max. So whether you’re interested in watching for the first time or eager to watch it again as the movie celebrates a quarter of a century, you’ll need a subscription to the streaming platform. With a subscription, you'll also have access to other content such as the recently raved-about Luther: Never Too Much and The White Lotus season 3.

Missed seeing acclaimed singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles during her Broadway run in Waitress: The Musical? Good news, theater buffs: the Tony- and Grammy-nominated stage show recently got the big-screen treatment with a live-capture version starring Bareilles as a pregnant and unhappy housewife in the South. And starting today, February 14, you can witness the Broadway phenomenon from the comfort of your own couch thanks to Max.

Based on the 2007 romantic comedy Waitress (which starred Keri Russell as our titular server), Waitress: The Musical centers on Jenna Hunterson, a waitress and expert pie maker stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage.

"When a baking contest in a nearby county offers her a chance at escape, Jenna fights to reclaim a long-forgotten part of herself," reads the show's synopsis, per Warner Brothers. "Through the support of her fellow waitresses and an unexpected romance, Jenna begins to find the courage to take a long-abandoned dream off the shelf. Waitress celebrates the power of friendship, dreams, the family we choose and the beauty of a well-baked pie." A delicious mix of tart and sweet, Waitress is a winsome and whimsical watch but one powered by the strength of resilience, friendship and seriously great pop songs.

Speaking of — not only does two-time Grammy winner Sara Bareilles star as Jenna, but the musician also composed music and wrote lyrics for the show, earning nominations for the Tony Award for Best Original Score and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. In the filmed musical, Bareilles is joined by Waitress' complete 2021 encore run cast, including Christopher Fitzgerald in his Tony-nominated performance as Ogie, Drew Gehling as Dr. Pomatter, Charity Angél Dawson as Becky, Caitlin Houlahan as Dawn, Eric Anderson as Cal, Dakin Matthews as Joe, and Joe Tippett as Earl.

To tune into the live-capture Waitress: The Musical film, you're going to need access to Max. Currently, Max plans include the Basic with Ads option for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year; the Standard subscription (allowing 30 downloads on the go) for $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year; or the Premium plan for $20.99 per month or $209.99 annually.

Watch the official trailer for the filmed version of Waitress: The Musical above before turning into the theatrical event beginning today, February 14 on Max.

Bookie season 2 wrapped up its eight-episode run on Thursday, January 30, making all 16 episodes of the Sebastian Maniscalco and Chuck Lorre comedy series available to stream exclusively on Max. But is there more on the way? Is a Bookie season 3 happening?

Created by Lorre and Nick Bakay, Bookie follows Danny (Maniscalco), who runs an illegal sports book in Los Angeles, along with his business partner Ray (Omar J. Dorsey). Together they deal with degenerate gamblers and other eccentric characters that make up his family, co-workers and friends. The series also stars Jorge Garcia, Andrea Anders, Vanessa Ferlito and Rob Cordry.

While the show hasn’t received the awards recognition of Max originals like Hacks, Bookie has a 90% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is a personal favorite among the current slate of Max shows. But what are the odds that we’re going to get a Bookie season 3?

What’s the status of Bookie season 3?

As of publication, we just don’t know. Max has not made an official announcement about the show’s future since it aired the season 2 finale. That’s not any reason to panic right now, as it took a few weeks for Max to pick up Bookie for season 2 after the first season concluded. If Bookie gets renewed, Lorre and Bakay definitely left the door open for more stories to tell in a future season (SPOILER alert if you aren’t caught up with season 2).

It was a busy finale for Danny, as he and Ray caught up with banker Gregory (Bob Clendenin) in Panama after he absconded with their money. While their plans got a little complicated by the Boston bookies Mickey (Kevin Chapman) and Lou (Zack Ward), they got their money back in the form of diamonds and were set to move forward with a new partnership with mega bookmaker Nick Quatrani (Paul Ben-Victor), who also tipped them off on how Walt (Corddry) was screwing them over and allowed them to deal with it.

Things at home are a little more unsettled. While Danny and Sandra (Anders) still appear to be good, it’s his houseguests and neighbors that are causing Danny problems. That includes his mother-in-law Wendy (Dale Dickey) still living with them and now cop Carl (Toby Huss) moving in next store. Meanwhile Ray seems cornered by his baby’s mother Janelle (Selina Kaye) now pregnant with their second child and his grandmother (Arnetia Walker) pushing him toward marrying Janelle.

But the big bombshell comes in the final moments of the season, when Mickey and Lou reappear. Danny and Ray remind them that they are off limits because of their affiliation with Nick, but as it turns out, Nick is dead, and while unsaid, it seems pretty clear that these two had something to do with it. So do Danny and Ray work for Mickey and Lou?

Here’s hoping we get answers to those storylines with a Bookie season 3. We’ll update this page as info about the show’s future is revealed.

The last 25 years in Hollywood have seen some truly remarkable Black stories front and center on the screen. From thoughtful period pieces to heart-wrenching dramas to nuanced comedies to blockbuster thrillers, the last quarter century has been a great one for the Black diaspora in theaters.

In honor of February being Black History Month in the US, and given its 2025, I’ve taken on the difficult task of coming up with a list of the 25 best Black movies of the last 25 years. Not only that, but I’ve ranked the movies until I was able to determine which one of them was the greatest. To give you a little insight into the process, I went beyond just my subjective opinion and looked at each movie’s reviews from other critics, performance at the box office and overall cultural impact.

So without further ado, let’s jump right into it.

25-21

25. The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Only one of two animated movies on the list, The Princess and the Frog earned its spot largely based on the history it made and its cultural significance. The movie featured Disney’s first Black princess, and the symbolism of that for many young Black girls at the time, and even today, is too remarkable to ignore. Beyond what it meant for people to see Tiana’s story unfold, the movie was a hit among critics, was a box office success and earned two Oscar nominations (for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song).

Where to watch: stream on Disney Plus

24. Girls Trip (2017)

With the brilliant casting of Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish, and the direction of Malcolm D. Lee, Girls Trip for many was a surprise hit. I didn't see it coming either, but when I watched the comedy I was immediately sold as it’s incredibly funny. Others clearly agreed given its performance among fans. As shared by Forbes, Girls Trip is “the first film produced, written and starring African-Americans to break the $100 million+ mark.” A cinematic accomplishment for sure, and one that leaves several wondering if the upcoming sequel will reach such heights of success.

Where to watch: rent via digital on-demand in the US; stream on NOW or Sky Go in the UK

23. Baby Boy (2001)

Writer, producer and director John Singleton is someone who never missed when it came to telling culturally relevant and impactful Black stories, going back to 1991's Boyz n the Hood. Baby Boy is the raw coming-of-age tale of Jody (Tyrese Gibson) as he's forced to grow up and become a man. Whether it's him realizing that he can't take Yvette (Taraji P. Henson) for granted or that he's no longer his mother's responsibility as an adult with two kids, Jody's journey is one that many can learn from in some way (even if it's a cautionary tale). Plus, Baby Boy served as a rite of passage of sorts for many Black millennials.

Where to watch: stream on Hulu in the US; rent via digital on-demand in the UK

22. Straight Outta Compton (2015)

Straight Outta Compton was a massive hit when it landed in theaters. The story of the legendary rap group N.W.A. was a grittier musical biopic, which was well received by fans, propelling it to set a record as the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time upon its release (a record since broken by Bohemian Rhapsody). Critics also adored the movie and it went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. While it left a lot of the group's history on the cutting room floor, what was shown was still captivating to watch.

Where to watch: stream on Max in the US; rent via digital on-demand in the UK

21. Training Day (2001)

From an acting perspective, Training Day certainly deserves its spot on the list. Denzel Washington was simply incredible in this spirited role, as evidenced by the Best Actor Oscar he received. For many, the line “King Kong ain't got sh*t on me,” still strikes a chord as one of the best movie quotes to date. The movie was also a hit at the box office and is in the bowels of Hollywood history as one of the best examples of corrupt onscreen cops.

Where to watch: stream on Peacock in the US; stream on Prime Video in the UK

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20. Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)

Fred Hampton is a name that should be more widely known among Americans, and thanks to Judas and the Black Messiah, the story of the former Black Panther Party member was told to a broad audience on screen. Well, his story and that of William O’Neal, the FBI informant also at the center of the movie. While Judas and the Black Messiah didn’t do big numbers at the box office (it was released in 2020 when theaters were shut down), it was a huge hit among critics, earning a Best Picture nomination from the Oscars and wins for Daniel Kaluuya for Best Supporting Actor and H.E.R., Dernst Emile II and Tiara Thomas for Best Original Song.

Where to watch: rent via digital on-demand in the US and UK

19. Barbershop (2002)

Barbershop may not have received much attention from the Golden Globes or Oscars, but no one can deny its legacy in culture. The Ice Cube and Cedric the Entertainer-fronted comedy has become a staple for many in the Black community, with several memorable moments like when Jimmy (Sean Patrick Thomas) shaved a patch in the young boy's head, when Terri (Eve) threw a fit over her missing apple juice or when Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer) said the wild comment about Rosa Parks. It should also be noted that Barbershop was a hit in theaters, is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and has spawned several sequels.

Where to watch: stream on Prime Video in the US; rent via digital on-demand in the UK

18. Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Hotel Rwanda was certainly on the chilling side, as it chronicled an account based on the Rwandan genocide. The movie brought awareness to the traumatic events that occurred during the Rwandan Civil War of the 90s while also drawing attention to the then-active genocide taking place in Darfur. Beyond the powerful story, the acting from leads Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo was impeccable, earning them both Oscar nominations.

Where to watch: stream for free on Tubi, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV and Prime Video in the US; not available in the UK at this time

17. Precious (2009)

Based on the novel Push by Sapphire, Precious wound up placing a spotlight on the incredible talent of director Lee Daniels, lead star Gabourey Sidibe and supporting actress Mo’Nique, who wound up winning an Oscar for her role. The trio did a phenomenal job of bringing to life the heart-wrenching dark tale of the titular character Precious, and the movie as a whole showcased the power of Black indie films.

Where to watch: stream on Tubi and Hulu in the US; stream on Prime Video in the UK

16. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse may be an animated movie, but it shouldn’t be underestimated as its storyline is impeccable. While most television and movie representations of Spider-Man focus on Peter Parker, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse zeroes in on the Afro-Latino Miles Morales’ version of the character, which gives a freshness to the superhero tale. Critics loved it as well, which is why the movie earned an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film. By the way, the sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, was also a great watch and nominated for an Oscar.

Where to watch: rent via digital on-demand in the US; stream on Netflix in the UK

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15. Dream Girls (2006)

Dream Girls has it all. Aside from starring the one and only Beyoncé, EGOT-winner Jennifer Hudson (earning her Oscar for her role in this movie), Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx and Hollywood legend Eddie Murphy, the picture is one of the best theatrically released musicals in the last 25 years. It also did justice on the big screen to the 1980s Tony-Award-winning Broadway play of the same name. While many millennials were too young to see the play during its initial run, the movie rendition proved to be quite the cinematic feat. Additionally, the soundtrack is rather remarkable as well.

Where to watch: stream on Paramount Plus in the US and the UK

14. Fruitvale Station (2013)

Ryan Coogler is one of the most distinguished directors of the 21st century, and Fruitvale Station was his grand introduction to Hollywood and movie audiences. The biographical story of Oscar Grant and his deadly encounter with the Bay Area Rapid Transit Police Department was powerful to watch unfold. That’s due to a combination of Coogler’s writing and direction and standout performances from Octavia Spencer and Coogler’s frequent collaborator, Michael B. Jordan. While Fruitvale Station was shut out at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes, the indie drama proved to be a darling of the film festival circuit, claiming awards at Cannes, Sundance and more.

Where to watch: stream on Max in the US; stream on Prime Video in the UK

13. The Woman King (2022)

The Woman King has a lot going for it. It features a stellar performance from the incomparable EGOT winner Viola Davis and the plot focuses on an elite group of women warriors in the 19th century fighting to prevent the West African kingdom of Dahomey from being ransacked by colonizers. Upon its release, it served as an anomaly in Hollywood as there aren’t many female-led action movies, let alone ones with Black leads. The ultimately triumphant storyline was a hit among moviegoers and critics, and it earned Davis another Golden Globe nomination.

Where to watch: stream on Hulu in the US; rent via digital on-demand in the UK

12. Creed (2015)

Creed served as Coogler’s second feature and again saw him pairing his directing talent (he was also a co-writer on the movie) with the acting chops of Jordan. The project pivoted the focal point of the Rocky cinematic world from Rocky to Apollo Creed’s son, Adonis; which was a smart move, since Adonis’ background was quite different from Sylvester Stallone's character and culturally relatable to many in the Black community. Given that both critics and fans enjoyed the nostalgic, yet fresh, story, it should be no mystery why Creed was followed by Creed II and Creed III.

Where to watch: stream on MGM Plus and Prime Video in the US; rent via digital on-demand in the UK

11. King Richard (2021)

Serena Williams is arguably the greatest athlete of the 21st century and Venus Williams is without question one of the best tennis players to pick up a racket. Given King Richard is the story of how their father Richard Williams raised his young girls to take the tennis world by storm, how could the movie not be on this list? To add, Will Smith gave the performance of a lifetime as Richard, earning him the Best Actor Oscar. Additionally, it would be a mistake not to mention that Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor's performance, and she once again validated our claim that she is due way more accolades and flowers for her talent.

Where to watch: stream on Max in the US; stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK

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10. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

If Beale Street Could Talk had too many things going for it not to be an amazing movie. It’s an adaptation of a novel by highly-acclaimed author James Baldwin, the script was adapted by Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins and the movie has A-list talent (Regina King, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Colman Domingo and Teyonah Parris). Thankfully, If Beale Street Could Talk lived up to the moment, even if the ending was quite disheartening to watch. Additionally, I was very happy to see King walk away with her first Oscar for her portrayal as a supportive mother and protector.

Where to watch: stream on Plex (for free) and Hulu in the US; rent via digital on-demand in the UK

9. American Gangster (2007)

Another standout Denzel Washington performance yields another standout movie. Washington portraying real-life former kingpin Frank Lucas in American Gangster was a sight to see, as up until that point, there weren’t many “sophisticated” stories about Black Americans in the underworld on the big screen. While the story is ultimately a rise-and-fall affair, audiences around the world enjoyed the cinematic rollercoaster. And kudos to the legendary Ruby Dee for accumulating an Oscar nomination for her contributions to the movie.

Where to watch: stream on MGM Plus in the US; rent via digital on-demand in the UK

8. Ray (2004)

Ray is the greatest Black biopic of the last 25 years, and with good reason. Jamie Foxx’s Oscar-winning role as the Grammy-winning Ray Charles was mesmerizing. Foxx not only delivered vocal chops that surprisingly left many questioning if it was Foxx or Charles singing in the movie, but the actor also nailed Charles’ mannerisms. Kerry Washington and Regina King also deserve a lot of credit for why Ray was solid from start to finish, as Foxx playing off of both actresses was near perfection.

Where to watch: rent via digital on-demand in the US; stream on NOW in the UK

7. Selma (2014)

Selma is a reminder of the history of voting rights for Black Americans. It reflects the story of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches that were far from easy. Director Ava DuVernay stayed true to form, and provided a realism to the sequence of events that were heart-wrenching to watch, yet made you feel appreciative of the sacrifices made during the Civil Rights Movement. In terms of performances, David Oyelowo was pretty spectacular as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Oscar-winning song by John Legend and Common (“Glory”) seemed to place a bow on the already nice cinematic present.

Where to watch: stream on Paramount Plus in the US; rent via digital on-demand in the UK

6. Love & Basketball (2000)

Love & Basketball may not have the glitz and glam of some of the award-winning movies on this list, but it’s one of, if not the, top romance drama of the last two-plus decades and deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as movies like Notebook (I’d argue Love & Basketball is better). Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps' passionate love story that uses basketball as a clever metaphor is just captivating. Plus, the duo has tons of on-screen chemistry that makes you fall in love with their performances. The only downside to Love & Basketball is perhaps it wasn’t longer and a comparable sequel wasn't made.

Where to watch: rent via digital on-demand in the US and UK

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5. Hidden Figures (2017)

Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe came together to tell the not-so-often publicized history of Black women’s contributions to The Space Race. Hidden Figures went beyond being just informative, as it wound up becoming an inspiration for countless young Black Americans to pursue STEM interests. Furthermore, from an entertainment perspective, it checked the major boxes and left many with that classic “feel good” sentiment. It’s possible Hidden Figures could have won one of the three Oscar nominations it earned if it wasn’t up against stiff competition that year (two of which will get into shortly).

Where to watch: rent via digital on-demand in the US; stream on Disney Plus and Netflix in the UK

4. Get Out (2017)

Jordan Peele’s brainchild was simply brilliant and a testament to his creativity. Upon its release, Get Out’s box-office success made Peele the first Black director and writer to score over $100 million and the first Black writer to win Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards. The popularity of the movie and the adoration it received in terms of gold hardware are all warranted, as Get Out is just that good. Although it was marketed as a horror movie, the obvious satire is what made Get Out work, as it played off the age-old race dynamics in America. Daniel Kaluuya also did a fantastic job in the lead role to make the story come to life, and his iconic expression (seen above) has become the “gif” that keeps on giving.

Where to watch: rent via digital on-demand in the US and the UK

3. Moonlight (2016)

Moonlight earns its spot on the list with history supporting its claim. It’s the first movie with an all-Black cast to win Best Picture at the Oscars, and the first with an LGBTQ+ theme. Not only that, but the gritty journey of Chiron growing up as he wrestled with a troubled home life and his sexuality, provided some nuance for the big screen as this spectrum of Black gay identity was not previously seen on this level. The script was a major feat for writers Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney, and the movie shined a big light on the talent of Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes, Jharrel Jerome, André Holland, Janelle Monáe and Mahershala Ali (who won an Oscar for his role).

While Moonlight certainly made inroads on the diversification of Black representation in Hollywood, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that a movie has yet to follow in its footsteps in terms of theme, something many people who enjoyed the movie have to look forward to in the future.

Where to watch: stream on Kanopy or rent via digital on-demand in the US; rent via digital on-demand in the UK

2. Fences (2016)

With two of the greatest actors of all time partnering together in Oscar-winning Denzel Washington and EGOT-winning Viola Davis, it should come as no surprise that Fences ranks high on the list. The two superstars further cemented their monumental legacy with the movie, showcasing Tony-winning writer August Wilson’s work. Washington portrayed a family man who was hard to love, often bumping heads with his son and disregarding his wife’s feelings. Davis on the other hand, starred as a woman trying to support her son while dealing with her husband’s unsavory ways.

Fences may not have had high-action sequences or unbelievable plot twists, but it still had plenty of riveting scenes. Take for instance Davis’ “the same spot as you” scene where she breaks down in tears as she argues she’s been right there by her husband’s side as he tries to excuse his missteps. Another powerful moment was Denzel’s monologue as he argued with God. It’s no wonder the movie received a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars, Washington a Best Actor nomination and Davis wound up winning for Best Supporting Actress.

Where to watch: stream on Paramount Plus in the US; rent via digital on-demand in the UK

1. Black Panther (2018)

That’s right, Black Panther is the best Black movie of the last 25 years. From a box office standpoint, it earned the title as the top-grossing superhero movie of all time in the US (a record since broken by Avengers: Endgame) and one of the most profitable movie ever. It packed out theaters for weeks and sparked a craze of fans greeting each other with “Wakanda forever” for months. The movie was a testament to the fact that Black stories can draw massive crowds. While Black Panther was not the first Black superhero movie (there’s Blankman, Meteor Man, Hancock, Blade and more) it achieved an impact at the box office and in culture that its predecessors weren’t able to.

Then there’s the on-screen cinematic feats. Emmy nominees Letitia Wright and Michael B. Jordan, Oscar winners Daniel Kaluuya and Lupita Nyong'o and the legendary Angela Bassett had fantastic chemistry with Mr. Black Panther himself, Chadwick Boseman. They paired remarkably well together from start to finish as they told a unique story of a king/superhero coming into his own as a protector and defender of his people. Additionally, although Black Panther was mainly filmed in Atlanta, the powers that be did such a great job creating the fictional country of Wakanda, that viewers bought into it being a real place. Oh, and don’t think I forgot about the Oscar-winning job Ruth E. Carter did on costume design. Carter’s win was one of three for the movie, making Black Panther the first Marvel movie to win an Oscar.

All in all, Black Panther leaves an exceptional legacy in the first quarter of the 21st century, so it will be interesting what films walk in its footsteps. Will any of them manage to top it?

Where to watch: stream on Disney Plus in the US and the UK

Looking for some new movies to stream in February? Well great news, there are plenty of options across the likes of Netflix, Max, Peacock and all of the major streaming services this month. With that said, it can be a lot to scroll through, so allow me to offer my humble services in helping you find the new movies on streaming that you are not going to want to miss.

The below list of movies are taken from the major streaming services: Disney Plus, Hulu, Max, Netflix, Paramount Plus, Peacock and Prime Video. I'm also specifically picking movies that are new to streaming this month — in this case, these are 12 movies that are landing on one of the major streamers for the first time or returning to a streamer's library after being offline entirely or only available to rent via digital on-demand.

So without further ado, here are my picks for the 12 movies to stream in February.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Peacock)

Movie fans have loved watching the adventures in love of Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones over the years, so there’s definitely a good level of excitement for Zellweger to reprise her role with Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy; and in time for Valentine’s Day. Now a widow and single mom, Bridget goes about reigniting her love life, which gets a fresh spin when she is pursued by a much younger man (Leo Woodall) and her children’s science teacher (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Franchise staples Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Celia Imrie, Shirley Henderson and James Callis are all back with Zellweger for this latest Bridget Jones sequel.

Premieres on Peacock Thursday, February 13, in US; releasing exclusively in UK cinemas on February 13

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Max)

Audience acceptance of international cinema, particularly movies not in English, has seen a big surge in recent years. But even prior to Parasite winning Best Picture, there would be those occasional international breakouts, perhaps none as big as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Ang Lee’s beautiful martial arts epic made $128.5 million in the US and won four Oscars. If you haven’t seen it, or if you haven’t seen it in a while, it’s back on streaming for your convenience in February.

Premieres on Max Saturday, February 1, in US; streaming on BFI Player in the UK

The Grand Budapest Hotel (Hulu)

Wes Anderson is one of the most idiosyncratic filmmakers working today; you know instantly when you’re watching one of his movies. While he has made a number of great movies throughout his career, for my money his best is still The Grand Budapest Hotel. Ralph Fiennes is brilliant as the eloquent concierge at the center of the story (it should have won him his elusive Oscar in my opinion), but so is the rest of the massive ensemble, while Anderson’s meticulous designs have never been better. To cap it all off, the movie is both hilarious and poignant for times gone by and standing up to oppression. It’s one of the best movies of 21st century.

Premieres on Hulu Saturday, February 1, in US; streaming on Disney Plus in the UK

In the Summers (Hulu)

If you like finding hidden gems on streaming, In the Summers is the movie for you in February. The story follows siblings Violeta and Eva, who every summer go to spend time with their loving but unpredictable father in New Mexico. Over the course of four summers, they experience all of their father’s flaw, limitations, passion and tenderness. Though little seen, In the Summers was an acclaimed 2024 movie, with a 92% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes and earning nominations from Gotham Awards and the Film Independent Spirit Awards recognizing the first-time director Alessandra Lacorazza and actor/rapper Residente.

Premieres on Hulu Saturday, February 1, in US

Kingsman: The Secret Service (Peacock)

Believe it or not, Kingsman: The Secret Service is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025. The action comedy is both a send up and loving nod to classic spy movies (most notably the James Bond movies), but it also is just a whole lot of fun. The movie was the breakout role for Taron Egerton, while the supporting cast of Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Sofia Boutella and Samuel L. Jackson are all on their games. It may be 10 years old, but Kingsman is just as much fun now as it was when it first came out.

Premieres on Peacock Saturday, February 1, in US; streaming on Disney Plus in the UK

Malcolm X (Max)

February is of course Black History Month in the US, so what better time to watch one of the best movies from the brilliant Spike Lee and one of the greatest actors ever, Denzel Washington, about the life of iconic Civil Rights leader Malcolm X. Malcolm X is Lee’s magnum opus, with a runtime to match, but one that it more than earns thanks in large part to Washington, who commands the screen as he gives one of his more memorable performances.

Premieres on Max Saturday, February 1, in US; streaming on Prime Video in the UK

The Nice Guys (Netflix)

The buddy cop movie is a classic movie genre, and one of the best examples of this in recent memory is the incredibly entertaining movie starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, The Nice Guys. The pair play private investigators in 1970s Los Angeles who are forced to team up to solve a murder and missing persons case that has ties to a larger conspiracy. There are memorable supporting turns from Angourie Rice and Margaret Qualley, but the duo of Gosling and Crowe is fantastic. Sadly it was underseen in its initial run, but I urge you to give it a try now.

Premieres on Netflix Saturday, February 1, in US;

Piece by Piece (Peacock)

Morgan Neville is one of the most acclaimed documentary directors working right now, and Pharrell Williams is one of the most influential musicians/producers of the last 25 years. They teamed up to chronicle Williams’ journey, but opted to tell the story through LEGO animation, giving Piece by Piece a fun twist to the documentary field. While it missed out on an Oscar nomination this year, Piece by Piece is “Certified Fresh” and should be a must watch for music fans everywhere.

Premieres on Peacock Friday, February 7, in US

Sly Lives! AKA The Burden of Black Genius (Hulu)

While Piece by Piece depicts a modern music figure, new documentary Sly Lives! AKA The Burden of Black Genius focuses on an iconic musician that may not be as well known to modern audiences — Sly and the Family Stone. Detailing the life and career of one of pop music’s most influential artists and hailing from Questlove, founding member of The Roots and an Oscar-winning documentarian (Summer of Soul), Sly Lives! is one of the buzziest titles that screened at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and one general audiences won’t have to wait long to see for themselves.

Premieres on Hulu Thursday, February 13, in US; premieres February 13 on Disney Plus in the UK

They Were Expendable (Max)

I’m going way back with this pick, the John Ford movie They Were Expendable starring John Wayne, Robert Montgomery and Donna Reed from 1945. This World War Two movie follows the various missions of a squad of PT boats for the US Navy at the start of the war. They Were Expendable is one of the best war movies ever made in my opinion, thrilling and emotional, and showing the mastery of Ford and the ability of Wayne to play roles beyond a cowboy.

Premieres on Max Saturday, February 1, in US; available via digital on-demand in the UK

We Live in Time (Max)

If you're up for a weepy Valentine’s Day movie, then We Live in Time arrives on streaming at the perfect time. The 2024 movie stars Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, with the movie telling the story of their relationship, jumping to different points throughout. You can read my We Live in Time review for my complete thoughts, but in summary, Garfield and Pugh are great together and the movie has many moments that will win you over as well as make you tear up.

Premieres on Max Friday, February 7, in US; available on digital platforms from February 17, in UK.

When Harry Met Sally… (Paramount Plus)

If you’re in the mood for a more upbeat romantic movie, then When Harry Met Sally… is the pick for you. One of the greatest romantic comedies of all time, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan star as the titular couple, following their relationship as friends over many years, but as they grow closer can their relationship survive if they take things to the next level? Funny and sweet, the movie has proven to be a favorite across generations. Plus, with fact we're getting a When Harry Met Sally reunion for the Super Bowl, there’s no better time to rewatch this great love story.

Premieres on Paramount Plus Saturday, February 1, in US; streaming on Prime Video in the UK

Medical shows have been around for decades, but there’s always something that sets the great ones apart. Looking for wartime drama with heart and humor? M.A.S.H. Kid genius becomes kid doctor? Doogie Howser, M.D. Steamy hospital drama? Grey’s Anatomy. Realistic, visceral inside look at the workings of the emergency department and the doctors who work there? ER.

But this year in particular we've been treated to a bevy of new medical TV shows — Doctor Odyssey, Brilliant Minds, Doc, The Pitt and St. Denis Medical. I watched all five of the medical dramas released as part of the 2024-2025 TV season and it’s no surprise that they all offer something completely different.

Every single show on this list is fantastic in its own right, but one stood out because it’s wholly unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and I can’t wait to see more. Find out which show that is and how I ranked the rest of the best new medical shows on TV this year below.

1. Doctor Odyssey

With its alluring mix of medical intrigue and interpersonal drama set on board a luxury cruise liner, Doctor Odyssey reeled me in right away. In a lot of ways, the show reminds me of the first season of Grey’s Anatomy, where the drama between the characters is just as interesting as the medical cases. (Remember the opening credits for the first season of Grey’s? That’s what I’m talking about!)

Joshua Jackson is Dr. Max Bankman, a physician whose battle with COVID leads him to seek out greener pastures, or in this case, bluer waters. He takes a job aboard The Odyssey, working alongside physician’s assistant Avery (Phillipa Soo) and nurse Tristan (Sean Teale). There are entitled passengers suffering from life-threatening maladies, thrilling theme weeks (Quackers Week, anyone?) and even a throuple between the main characters that has led to (gasp!) a pregnancy.

Doctor Odyssey is at the top of my list because it offers everything I look for in a medical drama, with a nice little fantasy twist to set it apart from the rest of the pack. It also doesn’t take itself too seriously but is still rooted in reality… kind of. Doctor Odyssey is the perfect intersection of medical drama and guilty pleasure entertainment.

Doctor Odyssey returns with new episodes on Thursday, March 6, on ABC. The first half of the season is streaming on Hulu in the US, Disney Plus in the UK.

2. Brilliant Minds

I’ll take a Zachary Quinto-fronted medical drama any day, especially when he’s not evil (a la American Horror Story: Asylum). Based on the true story of Dr. Oliver Sacks’ groundbreaking work, Brilliant Minds is the story of Dr. Oliver Wolf (Quinto), a brilliant neurologist diagnosed with face blindness.

What makes Brilliant Minds so special, and so watchable, is the cast’s chemistry. Instead of focusing on Dr. Wolf, it’s Wolf’s interns who provide the heart of the story. Despite his brilliance as a physician, Wolf has trouble interacting with people and it’s his interns who make up for all of his shortcomings.

Medical dramas with strong supporting casts aren’t new, but the undeniable chemistry of the cast, coupled with interesting medical cases and doctors who will go to the ends of the earth to help their patients, make Brilliant Minds stand out.

Brilliant Minds is available to stream on Peacock in the US; it is not currently available in the UK.

3. The Pitt

I didn’t watch ER as it was airing but I did catch reruns when I was old enough to understand the heady medical drama. The Pitt, given its roots with the same team behind ER, has the same heavy feel to it. There’s no doubt it’s the most realistic medical drama this season, with its true-to-life medical cases, unflinching graphics and an often maddening peek behind the curtain of the big business problems impacting modern medicine, including insurance companies, staffing shortages and exhaustion.

Unlike ER, though, The Pitt takes place over the course of a single shift, making it virtually impossible to dive into the characters’ personal stories other than whatever comes up in the course of the day. So while The Pitt is a fantastic, realistic medical drama that offers a very realistic look at life in the emergency room, it’s missing the personal drama that gave ER so much heart.

The Pitt streams Thursdays on Max in the US; not currently available in the UK.

4. Doc

Doc is based on an Italian drama and is the story of a very talented doctor whose career takes a turn after she suffers a brain injury. When we’re introduced to Dr. Amy Larsen (Molly Parker) before her accident, she’s gruff and stern and the bane of her colleagues’ existence. Fast forward to post-accident Amy and everything has changed; suddenly, she’s lost eight years of her life and must cope not only with learning how to be a doctor again, but that her life in the present day is very different from what she remembers.

As medical dramas go, Doc is less medical and more drama. It makes sense given that Amy isn’t able to be the doctor she once was — at least, not right away. It’s an interesting angle and it’s easy to invest in the show after the pilot episode, which is why I’m eager to see where this journey leads.

Doc airs Tuesdays on Fox, with episodes available to stream the following day on Hulu. Not currently available in the UK

5. St. Denis Medical

Of the five medical shows so far this season, St. Denis Medical is the only sitcom. Fans of The Office will be very familiar with the mockumentary-style setup; in this case, a camera crew is documenting the overworked staff at an Oregon hospital. Wendi McLendon-Covey is Joyce, the executive director of St. Denis Medical Hospital, who is trying to hold things together at the hospital for the patients, and the staff.

Like The Pitt, St. Denis Medical is very true-to-life when it comes to dealing with staff shortages and exhaustion. As a sitcom, however, St. Denis Medical is a comedy through and through, so if you’re looking for a serious medical drama this probably isn’t the show for you, but if you’re in the mood for some laughs, then St. Denis Medical is just what the doctor ordered.

St. Denis Medical airs Tuesdays on NBC, with new episodes available to stream on Peacock the following day. Not currently available in the UK.

The Pitt episode 3 unfolds between 9 am and 10 am, and begins where the last episode ended — with Whitaker (Gerran Howel) giving CPR to his patient Milton, but to no avail. After 10 minutes, Robby (Noah Wyle) tells Whitaker to pronounce Milton dead. He initially refuses, but after another minute, Whitaker finally accepts that Milton is dead.

Collins (Tracy Ifeachor) is forced to recognize a reality of her own when the Nepalese woman whose leg was crushed by a train asks when Collins is due to give birth. This startles, Collins, who didn’t think she was showing, and prompts her to change her cardigan. It seems this is something she still wants to hide, including from Robby, as their history remains complicated and unsaid.

What else will the medical staff of the Pitt try to tackle? Here’s our recap of The Pitt episode 3.

Whitaker takes a minute

Whitaker tells King (Taylor Dearden) Milton was his first patient to die. In a debrief, Whitaker says Milton shouldn’t have been in the hall when he went into cardiac arrest. But Robby notes there was nothing that suggested they should have been monitoring him, with Collins and Langdon (Patrick Ball) backing up Robby and Whitaker’s treatment. Robby tells Whitaker no doctor on the planet could have caught Milton’s heart attack, meaning it wasn’t his fault. Robby pats Whitaker on his back and tells him he’s doing great.

Even so, Robby asks Dana (Katherine LaNasa) to keep an extra eye on Whitaker; he doesn’t want Milton’s death to throw him off his game. Dana is surprised that Robby thinks Whitaker has game, but Robby believes Whitaker deserves the opportunity to find out.

Slow-Mo

Robby asks Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) why she’s spending so much time with Joyce, the sickle cell patient? She should be seeing two patients an hour, not just one.

Mohan brushes off that her nickname is Slow-Mo, but Robby scolds her, saying she wastes time and money on unnecessary tests, she’s missing out on working on other patients and she’s keeping sick patients waiting too long. He tells her if she can’t be quicker, she should look into another position. Mohan promises to be quicker.

Then when a scared Whitaker takes too long to pick his next patient, Mohan helps him, saying he needs to confront his fears and treat the one who is most likely to die. The pair head off to treat the next patient together.

Patient updates

A quick summary of the other goings on in the Pitt. Javadi (Shabana Azeez) subtly quizzes Langdon about McKay (Fiona Dourif), hoping for answers regarding her ankle bracelet. He doesn’t have any. Javadi is then is put on the sport by Santos (Isa Briones), who apologizes for calling her Crash, but ultimately asks if she could get a letter of recommendation from Javadi’s mother, Eileen (Deepti Gupta), for surgery. That looks unlikely, as Santos clearly still infuriates Javadi.

One of the new patients of this episode arrives with a nail in his chest. They can’t take it straight out, otherwise he’ll die. They have to perform surgery to open his chest and take the nail out as smoothly as possible. Santos excitedly watches and contributes to the gory surgery. When the patient is wheeled away for additional surgery, Santos boasts to King she just held a beating heart in her hand.

King, meanwhile, asks Kiara (Krystel V. McNeil) for an update on Tyler, the kid who overdosed on cannabis gummies. Kiara says he’ll be fine. The parents are a different question. While Tyler won’t be taken away from them, they might need counseling.

After Robby gives Jack’s (Shawn Hatosy) letter to the sister of the patient he couldn’t save overnight, McKay asks Robby for an update on David, the kid who was found with a list of women’s names from his school that he wanted to hurt. She wants Robby to do more to find him, but David didn’t go to school, so one is sure where he is. What Robby can do is ask Theresa (Joanna Going), David’s mother, to try to remember the names on the list.

Acceptance

Robby tells Nick’s parents they are conducting another test to confirm if their son is indeed braindead. When he’s still unresponsive, there’s only one more test they can do, regarding the blood flow to Nick’s brain. If that comes back negative, then he’s dead.

Elsewhere, an unconscious Jenna arrives at the hospital. Javadi can’t find her pulse, but suddenly Jenna rises up. Jenna reveals she took half a Xanax. It turns out, Nick and Jenna knew each other, with Jenna saying Nick gave her the drugs. Nick’s dad calls Jenna a liar and blames her for Nick’s death.

Later, when they’re alone, Nick’s parents finally understand what Robby is saying, and they sadly accept that Nick is dead.

Another difficult situation remains with Mr. Spencer, who is still unconscious with an intubator in his mouth, even though he signed a do not resuscitate order. His daughter Helen (Rebecca Tilney) wants Robby to do more procedures to keep her father alive, but Robby says each one will be more invasive. When Mr. Spencer struggles again, Robby says the only way to stop his pain is to take out the intubator. Helen knows that will kill him, so she briefly refuses. She ultimately accepts her dad’s fate when Robby reminds her that her father will no longer be in any pain.

The Pitt streams exclusively on Max, with new episodes releasing on Thursdays.

During a weekend headlined by winter weather, I decided to venture into the streaming world to see what was new to watch and settled on the new series The Pitt, available on Max. As an avid watcher of medical dramas, I wanted to see what the latest series in the genre had to offer, and boy I’m glad that I did.

I had high hopes for tuning into the first two episodes, as The Pitt is produced by super TV producer John Wells. For those who don’t know, Wells produced both The West Wing and ER, not only two of the best dramas to ever hit network TV (both are on WTW's 100 best TV shows of all time list), but also two of my personal favorites. There's another ER connection, as The Pitt is headlined by a former star of the Emmy-winning series, Noah Wyle. In the new series, he's the head doctor of the trauma unit.

Even with the overlap in genre, producing and on-screen talent, I didn't expect ER to birth a “TV baby” in The Pitt almost 16 years later. But that’s exactly what has happened, which I frankly appreciate. In a TV and streaming landscape full of medical comedies and dramas that follow similar formulas depending on the seriousness of the show, it’s refreshing, yet nostalgic, to see The Pitt follow in its predecessor’s footsteps. ER had a lot to offer in its heyday that I miss.

Part of what made ER such a phenomenal show and kept it on the air for all those years was the fact that the storylines were rooted in traumas. Sure, great medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy, House and other new entry to the genre Doctor Odyssey also have their foundations in medical crises, but the ones offered on ER usually slanted to the more common diagnoses rather than rarities and anomalies. Yet they were no less heart-wrenching and captivating to watch.

Another aspect of the ER allure was that while viewers followed the personal stories of the doctors, the hospital drama was always more exciting to see. Don’t get me wrong, I love rooting for "showmances" just like the next guy, but there are occurrences when romance overshadows the original premise of the series. While that’s not always a bad thing, ER was able to strike a good balance.

These points lend to my final one about the realism of ER. Now admittedly toward the final seasons of the series, the plotlines sometimes teetered on unbelievable fiction. However, by and large, the stories were ones that you could unfortunately find happening to hundreds of thousands of people across the US, which made the show as a whole relatable.

Having said all of that, The Pitt has the qualities that made ER successful, at least from an initial take. In the first two episodes, Dr. Michael Robinavitch (Wyle) and his team saw several emergencies ranging from a severely broken leg, a terrible burn, a possible gallstone patient, a gunshot victim and more. These aren’t “abnormal” medical occurrences, and yet, I was still glued to my screen.

While only a few episodes of The Pitt have been released, I’d venture to say that romance isn’t at the forefront. So far, I’ve seen no characters on a date, in bed with each other or even attempt to steal a few kisses. While there is some obvious flirting going on here and there, and perhaps some romantic history between Dr. Robinavitch and Dr. Collins (Tracy Ifeachor), love has remained in the background.

Lastly, having talked about the drama with a few viewers, I know the realism element is there as they have been able to relate to some of the medical issues already shown. That may be why some aren’t up for naming The Pitt one of the better new shows of the TV season, but again, it's why it’s scoring major points with me.

So consider this my official glowing recommendation to watch The Pitt on Max if you haven’t already locked in. Additionally, if you’ve never watched ER, the series is streaming on both Max and Hulu.

Guy Fieri is a Food Network staple. The beloved celebrity restaurateur and author with his big hair and even bigger personality is known for shows like Best Bite in Town, Guy's Grocery Games, Tournament of Champions and the show that started it all, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Now he has an all-new show on Food Network: Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise.

Guy is loading up his family to set sail on a journey to Flavortown aboard the Carnival Mardi Gras. The cruise is a celebratory trip in honor of son Ryder's high school graduation.

Here's everything we know about Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise.

Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise release date

Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise premieres Friday, January 31, at 9 pm ET/PT on Food Network. The show will also be available to stream same-day on Max.

We don't have a premiere date for UK viewers but as soon as more information is available we'll have it for you right here.

Food Network is widely available as part of cable packages. If you've cut the cord, you can find the channel through several streaming platforms including Sling, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo TV, Philo and YouTube TV.

Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise premise

Here's the official synopsis of Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise from Food Network:

"Guy Fieri, his wife Lori, and his sons Hunter and Ryder are taking to the seas on the Carnival Mardi Gras to celebrate Ryder’s high school graduation in Guy’s Ultimate Family Cruise. The adventure sets sail on Friday, January 31^st at 9 pm ET/PT on Food Network and streams same day on Max as the Fieris, along with a crew of their closest family and friends, depart from Port Canaveral, Florida, for an epic celebration packed with delicious eats, excitement, and some friendly competition along the way. The one-hour special showcases mouthwatering meals across The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and the Carnival Mardi Gras itself, highlighting a world of flavor – like Peking Duck, an Indian smorgasbord, Teppanyaki and a Bahamian feast.

"From epic snorkeling adventures to an exhilarating ride on the cruise ship’s very own at-sea roller coaster, this trip is packed with unforgettable excursions and great memories. Plus, Guy takes viewers behind the scenes of Guy’s Pig and Anchor, the only spot smoking real deal barbecue and brewing craft beer at sea. He also gives Ryder a lesson in Burger 101 at Guy’s Burger Joint and hosts a pizza-making showdown for the ages between the families. It’s a dynamite celebration on this next-level family vacation!"

Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise cast

Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise features celebrity chef Guy Fieri, his wife Lori and their two sons, Hunter and Ryder. The family has been featured over the years on several of Guy's shows, most notably during the pandemic when he filmed directly from his home.

Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise trailer

We don't have a trailer for Guy's Ultimate Family Cruise but as soon as one is released we'll have it for you right here.