Streaming services are beginning to ramp up their libraries ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. New movies hitting streaming this week include Heartlandon Netflix and Being Heumannon Apple TV. Both services also have new shows premiering this week. Netflix’s offering is a Y2K-inspired psychological thriller, while Apple TV’s is a heist series.
As for other shows to watch, Hulu has an exhilarating British show back for the second half of its season. As for Prime Video, fans will head back to Middle-earth for more adventures. Finally, my top selection is a Peacock drama starring two Emmy-nominated actresses. All five shows can be streamed in the U.S.
The Body
Teenage angst in Catholic school
The Bodyhas only been out for one day, and it’s already finding a way into my algorithm on social media. It has all the ingredients for a viral show—pulpy premise, outrageous melodrama, and a fresh ensemble cast. It’s no wonder many viewers, including younger millennials and teenagers, have The Body on their radar this November.
Set at a Catholic high school, The Bodyintroduces the Lions, the high school dance team made up of some of the school’s most popular girls. During a Halloween party, the Lions decide to conduct an initiation ritual with one of the new members. After a drug-induced night, one of the girls falls into a coma. The team begins experiencing unexplained and somewhat supernatural occurrences, which causes the town to panic. Don’t be surprised if this show catches fire in popular culture.
All episodes ofThe Bodyare now streaming on Netflix.
12 12 12
Cop vs. robber
I’m all for as many projects inspired by Michael Mann’s Heat,a masterful thriller now streaming on Netflix, as possible. In Apple TV’s 12 12 12, Anthony Mackie steps into Al Pacino’s role, while Jamie Dornan follows in Robert De Niro’s footsteps. Jack Strickland (Mackie) is a disgraced FBI agent. Paul Galvin (Dornan) is a career criminal. Galvin and his crew plan a heist involving a bank vault in Zurich.
The show then evolves into a battle of wits as Strickland tries to catch Galvin after the heist. The show’s title is based on the three timelines surrounding the crime: 12 months to plan, 12 hours to execute, and 12 days to escape capture. Will there be a scene as exciting as the shootout in the Los Angeles streets? Probably not, but I’ll settle for a European cat-and-mouse thriller.
The first two episodes of 12 12 12 premiere on Apple TV on Nov. 13. One episode will air weekly through Dec. 25.
Rivals season 2 part 2
The battle for television supremacy
With a title like Rivals, you’re obviously going to get some fierce competition. In this series based on Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles, the titular rivals are Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Tony, Lord Baddingham (David Tennant). The rivalry centers on a battle for control of independent television between Tony’s established company, Corinium Television, and Rupert’s upstart company, Venturer.
If Rivals was just a show about rival television properties, it wouldn’t be worth a watch. However, it turns up the drama by adding messy romantic affairs, vicious betrayals, and cutthroat power moves. It’s the romance of Bridgerton combined with the corporate drama of Succession.
The first three episodes ofRivalsseason 2 part 2 are now streaming on Hulu. Episodes will release weekly through Dec. 2.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3
War wages on
Don’t beat yourself up if you forget what happened in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The season 2 finale aired on Oct. 3, 2024, so even the Tolkien diehards are bound to forget some things. As a refresher, the three things you should know going into season 3 are that Sauron is no longer in disguise, the Stranger is Gandalf, and the Balrog has awakened.
Obviously, there’s more to remember, but I think you’ll be fine if you understand those three plot points. As for season 3, Sauron’s armies are waging war on Middle-earth as the Dark Lord attempts to forge the One Ring in Mordor. Meanwhile, the Elves, Dwarves, and Men must band together to stop Sauron from conquering Middle-earth. Plus, watch out for Númenor, which will eventually play a major role in the conflict with Sauron.
The first four episodes ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 3 are now streaming on Prime Video. Episodes 5-6 air on Nov. 18, and episodes 7-8 premiere on Nov. 25.
The Good Daughter
A family’s fight for the truth
When it comes to crime dramas, you can’t go wrong with a good old-fashioned “murder in a small town” premise. My mind immediately goes to True Detective season 1 and Mare of Easttown, two excellent crime dramas you can finish in one weekend. The Good Daughter is cut from a similar cloth as those two shows.
Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy play sisters Sam and Charlie Quinn. As kids, Sam and Charlie’s mother died in a home invasion in their small town of Pikeville, Georgia. Sam left Pikeville to practice law in New York City, while Charlie stayed behind to practice law alongside her father (Brendan Gleeson) in Pikeville. After Charlie witnesses a violent shooting at a school, Sam returns to investigate the attack. As the sisters piece together what happened, they must confront the grief and trauma they’ve carried since their mother’s murder.
All episodes ofThe Good Daughterare now streaming on Peacock.
Shows I have my eye on at the moment
Shows come in all forms, including documentaries. One of the top documentaries on Netflix is Taken: Natalee Holloway. It’s a true crime docuseries, so prepare to be scared and moved. If dramas are more of your speed, check out Black Doves,which returns for a new season on Netflix.
