What’s new to streaming? And what’s worth watching?Credit: Composite: Mashable / Images: Universal Pictures / Apple TV / Magnolia Pictures / Netflix / Netflix
Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that’s before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!
Don’t be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We’ve got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you’re seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we’ve got you covered there, too.
16. Alley Cats
“I didn’t laugh once.” Critics don’t have much praise for Ricky Gervais’ new Netflix animation comedy series, Alley Cats. Following a group of stray cats through various shenanigans, the series sees the “be offended if you want” comedian once criticized for “anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes,” voicing feline protagonist Gus. Considering the dreadful sneak peek Netflix gave viewers, don’t expect comedy gold. — Shannon Connellan, Senior Editor
Starring:Ricky Gervais, Tom Basden, Andrew Brooke, David Earl, Kerry Godliman, Jo Hartley, and Diane Morgan
How to watch:Alley Catsbegins streaming on Netflix on Aug. 7.
15. The Last House
French filmmaker Louis Leterrier is known for helming action films like The Incredible Hulk, The Transporter,and Fast X.So, what can we expect from The Last House?
Well, it begins like a family drama. Greta Lee, and Wagner Moura star as a married couple, gearing up to head out for get a Christmas tree with their two kids. But the house has other ideas. It won’t let them go. They can’t open doors or windows, or even break the latter to escape. And neither can their neighbors.
What’s going on? That’s the mystery at this movie’s core. But be warned, it’s bleak stuff. And if you’re not into reminiscing about how the COVID lockdown could have been worse, you might want to pick another house to watch. —Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor
Starring:Greta Lee, Wagner Moura, Riley Chung, and Emma Ho
How to watch:The Last Housedebuts on Netflix on Aug. 7.
14. Monsters of God
Eric Goode is back again with another true-crime series that all about animal lovers, who take their devotion to strange extremes.
Goode previously brought to streaming Tiger Kingand Chimp Crazy,which both centered on animal collectors, who at best were eccentric, at worst were criminals, endangering the lives of others’ — including the animals in their care. Now, Goode’s got a new nest of kooky characters with Monsters of God, which focuses on exotic reptile smuggling.
But don’t be fooled by the flashy trailer and it’s hard rock soundtrack. I’ve seen the first two eps of this doc series. And while I’ll grudgingly admit that Tiger Kingand Chimp Crazyare as addictive as they are problematic, this one is chiefly boring
How to watch:Monsters of Godis now streaming on HBO Max.
13. The Strangers: Chapter 2
Director Renny Harlin returns with another grisly entry in The Strangersfranchise. The premise is creepy: masked strangers break into a cabin to torture and kill its inhabitants.
Well, traumatized Maya (Madelaine Petsch) survived her first brush with this terrible trio of home invaders. And here’s round 2, where she’ll seek to uncover the why of it all. But “does there have to be a why?” If audiences are turning up or tuning in, not really. Nihilism is pretty much the point for this horror series. -K.P.
Starring: Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso, Froy Gutierrez, Ema Horvath, and Ella Bruccoleri
How to watch:The Strangers: Chapter 2debuts on HBO Max on Aug. 7.
12. Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks
HBO’s long-running Hard Knocks series has delved into the lives of NFL players, coaches, staff, and their families for decades, and this season, it’s finally the Seattle Seahawks’ in focus. Though they said no to to the show in 2013, the reigning Super Bowl champions are front and centre in the documentary series, including head coach Mike Macdonald
How to watch:Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawksis now streaming on HBO Max.
11. Let’s Marry Harry
Harry Jowsey has careened from Too Hot to Handle to Perfect Match and now gets his own Netflix dating competition series with Let’s Marry Harry. Executive produced by Call Her Daddy‘s Alex Cooper through her production company Unwell, the Bachelor-style series sees Jowsey looking for long-term love among 20 potential fiancées, asking advice from his friends Amanda Kloots, Georgia Hassarati, and Sonny Henty. And no, this is not the same as the 2014 dating show I Wanna Marry Harry, which involved a fake Prince Harry and a whole lot of question marks. — S.C.
How to watch:Let’s Marry Harryis now streaming on Netflix.
10.LifeHACK
After scoring good reviews out of SXSW, LifeHackis now coming to digital.
Four tech-savvy teenagers team up to low-key steal from bitcoin wallets in a clever phishing scam. And they’re making bank with no one noticing — until the estranged daughter of one of their victims threatens to expose them. In exchange for her silence, she wants them to pull off their biggest cyber heist yet — against her estranged father, a tech billionaire.
Critically heralded, topical, and enticing, will you give LifeHACKa go?
Starring:Georgie Farmer, Yasmin Finney, Roman Hayeck-Green, James Scholz, Jessica Reynolds, and Charlie Creed-Miles
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How to watch:LifeHACKis now available for rent or purchase on digital.
9. My Life With The Walter Boys, Season 3
Things are tense with the Walter Boys, with the return of show-runner and creator Melanie Halsall’s dramatic series, based on Ali Novak’s novel. Nikki Rodriguez returns as Jackie, who’s been torn between brothers Cole (Noah LaLonde) and Alex (Ashby Gentry). Everyone’s still reeling from the My Life With The Walter Boys Season 2 finale, when confessions of love were finally made and said declarations were very much overheard. However, the confrontation was interrupted with an emergency, so in Season 3, we’re looking at some real chats. Especially as Elliot (Naveen Paddock) just rocked up, interning for Jackie’s Uncle Richard (Alex Quijano). Rodeos, race cars, and relationship drama abound. — S.C.
Starring:Nikki Rodriguez, Noah LaLonde, Ashby Gentry, and Alisha Newton
How to watch:My Life With The Walter Boys, Season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.
8. Yeti
Directed and Yetioffers some chills that’ll help you cut through the summer heat. And you can probably guess at what it’s about
Set in Alaskan territory in 1947, this paranormal period piece centers on a rescue mission with family ties. When heralded explorers Merriell Sunday Sr. and Hollis Bannister go missing, their grown children children will set forth to find them. But what they find instead is a mighty cryptid with a big capability for violence
Starring: Brittany Allen, Eric Nelsen, Jim Cummings, Christina Bennett Lind, Linc Hand, William Sadler, and Corbin Bernsen
How to watch:Yetibegins streaming on Shudder on Aug. 7.
7. Sterling Point
Created by Megan Park (My Old Ass), Sterling Pointis Prime Video’s new fish-out-of-water-coming-of-age tale with young romance and family drama in spades. We meet Annie Jacobson (Ella Rubin), a 17-year-old New Yorker who spent her summer focused on college applications. Annie’s twin brother Connor (Keen Ruffalo) is unlike his sister (though they’re both deadpan as hell), namely spending his summer in various flings. News arrives that Annie and Connor’s estranged grandfather Gordon has died, though the twins haven’t seen him since their adoptive mother died. Their inheritance? A collection of handwritten letters and cards, hidden from the twins. Oh, and property, on a small island in Canada named Sterling Point. Family truths and new chapters await there for Annie, as she meets a tight-knit community who knew Gordon well, while she never did. — S.C.
Starring:Ella Rubin, Amélie Hoeferle, Jay Duplass, Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie, Keen Ruffalo, Bo Bragason, and Daniel Quinn-Toye
How to watch:Sterling Pointis now streaming on Prime Video.
6. One Hundred Years of Solitude, Pt. 2
Gabriel García Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, one of the great literary feats of the 20th century, saw its first adaptation in 2024, a series that charted the classic story’s first 50 years — the Colombian author never sold the rights for a film adaptation; his family estate worked with Netflix to develop the 16-episode, Spanish-language TV series. Now, the second part is here, with 7 episodes set to hit the streamer this week, and a feature-length finale coming at the end of August.
Based on the 1967 masterpiece and adapted by writer and playwright José Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries), the series follows seven generations of the Buendía family. It’s all set in the town of Macondo, a fictional town based on Aracataca, García Márquez’s hometown, founded by José Arcadio Buendía (Diego Vásquez) and Úrsula Iguarán (Marleyda Soto). What follows is decades of history, both personal and political
Starring: Claudio Cataño, Diego Vásquez, Marleyda Soto, Viña Machado, Loren Sofía, Janer Villarreal, Akima, Moreno Borja, and Ruggero Pasquarelli
How to watch:One Hundred Years of Solitude, Pt. 2is now streaming on Netflix, with the finale set for Aug. 26.
5. The Shards
Ryan Murphy meets Bret Easton Ellis in FX’s The Shards, and the results are as lavish and bloody as you’d expect. Based on Ellis’s 2023 novel of the same name, the series is a fictionalized retelling of Bret’s (Igby Rigney) senior year of high school. It’s Los Angeles, 1981, and Bret and his friends are charging towards adulthood through a haze of sex, drugs, and parties. However, the arrival of new student Robert Mallory (Homer Gere) threatens to upset the equilibrium of their tight-knit group, as does the rise of a serial killer known as the Trawler.
What follows is bloody and ridiculous, in true Murphy fashion. If you’re craving a stylized (if silly) summer thrill ride with great ’80s needle drops, this will surely sate your thirst. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
Starring:Igby Rigney, Homer Gere, Graham Campbell, Hayes Warner, Wes Bentley, and Kaia Gerber
How to watch:The Shardsis now streaming on Hulu.
4. Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour
Icons of music and movies collide in this supersized concert film, as Billie Eilish teams up with James Cameron to bring her sold-out Hit Me Hard and Softtour to movie theaters — and now to streaming.
The film offers up a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Eilish’s life on tour, as well as electrifying footage of her performances, all captured in 3D. Whether you want to hear more about Eilish’s creative process (she co-directed the film with Cameron) or just headbang along to “bad guy,” Hit Me Hard and Softpromises to be “The Greatest” treat for the superstar’s fans this summer.*
Starring:Billie Eilish, James Cameron, and Finneas O’Connell
3. You, Me & Tuscany
Seeking a summery, sweet romantic comedy? Then you’ll love You, Me & Tuscany.
Marry Medirector Kat Coiro pairs Regé-Jean Page and Halle Bailey in an enemies to lover plot set amid the fragrant vineyards of Italy. She’s an American and aspiring chef, who has no money, no prospects, and a broken heart because of her mother’s death. He’s a cranky Tuscan local, who loves a good sandwich and his family. So, when she pulls a While You Were Sleeping,pretending to be engaged to his brother, he’s suspicious. But whatever the white lie between them, they can’t resist the romance blossoming under the Tuscan sun.
Inmy review, I cheered, “You, Me & Tuscanywill be loved by rom-com fans for its sincere appreciation of the subgenre. From a familiar framework and a traditionally romantic Tuscan setting, Engle creates a vivid world of love and family that is absolutely enchanting. Coiro brings this fantasy romance to life with a crackling cast and a keen eye for both whimsy and comedy. And Bailey and Page are a sensational match, spinning an enemies-to-lovers tale with passion and panache.”
Starring:Halle Bailey, Regé-Jean Page, and Marco Calvani
How to watch:You, Me & Tuscanydebuts on Peacock on Aug. 7.
2. Maddie’s Secret
Comedian John Early makes his directorial debut in this campy love letter to melodrama. Early stars as Maddie Ralph, a rising food influencer with a troubling secret. Studded with comedians and performed with a disarming adoration for this misunderstood subgenre, Maddie’s Secretis funny and surprisingly touching.
As I wrote in my review out of the Toronto International Film Festival, “John Early is brilliant and sly with Maddie’s Secret. Remarkably, as a first-time feature director and star, Early manages the balance of comedy, drama, and empathy with aplomb.”*
Starring:John Early, Kate Berlant, Eric Rahill, Kristen Johnston, Claudia O’Doherty, Conner O’Malley, Vanessa Bayer, and Chris Bauer
How to watch:Maddie’s Secretis now available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.
Best of streaming this week: Ted Lasso,Season 4
Three years after its third and supposedly final season, Ted Lassois back for another round, this time with Ted (Jason Sudeikis) coaching Richmond’s new women’s team. Ted’s not the only familiar face returning. Expect to see more of Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), Keeley Jones (Juno Temple), Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt), and Leslie Higgins (Jeremy Swift) as well.
While I was initially skeptical about more Ted Lasso, especially after its lackluster third season, the first four episodes of Season 4 won me over. Its focus on women’s sports breathes new life into the series, recapturing some of the Season 1 magic that came with Ted getting to know everyone at Richmond. As I wrote in my review, “the joy the show builds around the Lady Greyhounds made my eyes misty, in much the same way that seeing a young girl in a WNBA or NWSL jersey does. It’s awesome to watch incredible athletes break barriers, to see people build a long-lasting love of women’s sports, and to highlight both these great things on a show as big as Ted Lasso.” — B.E.
Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, Juno Temple, Sarah Niles, Anthony Head, Toheeb Jimoh, Cristo Fernández, Kola Bokinni, Billy Harris, and James Lance
How to watch:Ted Lasso,Season 4 debuts on Aug. 5.
(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.
Shannon Connellan is Mashable’s Senior Editor, General Assignments, based in London. She has been Mashable’s UK Editor (and still manages the illustrious UK team) and Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives searching for Exit 8. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about entertainment, tech, social good, science, culture, and Australian horror, and loves to nerd outwith movie stars, filmmakers, and TV creators.
Belen Edwards is an Entertainment Reporter at Mashable. She covers movies and TV with a focus on fantasy and science fiction, adaptations, animation, and more nerdy goodness. She is a member of the Critics Choice Association and the Television Critics Association, as well as a Tomatometer-approved critic.
Kristy Puchko is the Entertainment Editor at Mashable. Based in New York City, she’s an established film critic and entertainment reporter who has traveled the world on assignment, covered a variety of film festivals, co-hosted movie-focused podcasts, and interviewed a wide array of performers and filmmakers.
