It’s been a great week for TV show fans. Indeed, no fewer than five (!) new series and returning fan-favorites have landed on the world’s best streaming services over the last few days. Viewers who prefer long-form storytelling have got plenty to watch this weekend, then.
There’s nothing particularly exciting on the new movies front, but we’ve padded out this week’s streaming list with an animated offering and documentary that might be of interest. So, read on to see if you should add either or both of them to your watchlist. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
Squid Game season 3 (Netflix)
Squid Game season 3 is the final installment of the smash hit K-Drama, because all things do need to come to an end.
My colleague Tom power called it “a nail-biting and poignant last hurrah” in his Squid Game season 3 review, so fans should expect one of the best Netflix shows to go out with a bang.
Squid Game‘s main show might have ended, but its legacy will live on. Season 3 finale spoilers notwithstanding, it appears the games will continue in-universe. Netflix is also readying us for season 2 of real-world reality series Squid Game: The Challenge, too. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
Ironheart (Disney+)
Marvel’s latest live-action TV Original Ironheart has had a complicated development cycle. It was conceived as a movie, reworked into a show, has been ready to go for almost two years, and is now seemingly being rushed out of the door in two chapters comprising three episodes apiece. Read my ronheart release schedule article and exclusive on why it’s taken so long for Ironheart to come out for more details.
Still, I think its long-overdue Disney+ debut was just about worth the wait. My Ironheart review will tell you more about what I liked (and didn’t like) about it. Based on the common consensus around this MCU TV Original, though, Ironheart might struggle to book a spot on our best Disney+ shows list – and that’s coming from someone (i.e. me) who didn’t loathe it! – TP
The Bear season 4 (Hulu/Disney+)
Now that we’ve got those appetizers out the way, it’s time for the main course – in my opinion! – and that’s the return of The Bear, aka one of the best Hulu shows (in the US) and best Disney+ shows (internationally).
I’ve been patiently waiting for The Bear season 4 for a year now, so season 4’s premiere on Hulu and Disney+ is a big deal for me. I haven’t watch every episode yet, but what I’ve seen so far is another captivating installment.
The new season has a packed menu filled with standout performances, heart-pounding tension, and lots of chaos for good measure. Does it answer all five of our burning questions? Make sure to tune in to have it all laid out on the table for you. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
Countdown (Prime Video)
Amazon’s Countdown (not to be confused with its UK gameshow namesake) is a new crime series on Prime Video. Unfortunately, it’s terrible 33% critical score (at the time of publication) on Rotten Tomatoes means it definitely won’t be joining our best Prime Video shows guide. Well, unless audiences make it a massive hit, anyway.
Supernatural alumnus and The Boys star Jensen Ackles leads the cast as an LAPD detective brought onto a covert task force to track down the murderer of a Department of Homeland Security officer. Episodes 1 to 3 are out now and new chapters will air weekly. If you need an action-packed pick me up, this might scratch that itch. – LB
Smoke (Apple TV+)
This latest Apple TV Original falls short of our best Apple TV+ shows round up. Indeed, its current Rotten Tomatoes critical rating of 68% means it won’t book a spot on the aforementioned list, but at least it’s a better-received crime series than Countdown.
In it, we follow a detective and an arson investigator who work together to stop two serial arsonists, with Taron Egerton leading the cast. There’s nine episodes to dive into, and the first two are available right now. New entries arrive every Friday, too, so, if you’re in need of an intense weekend watch, Smoke might just provide that on Apple TV+. – LB
The Day the Earth Blew Up (Max)
If you didn’t catch Porky Pig and Daffy Duck’s big screen outing at a theater near you earlier this year, it’s finally available to stream on Max stateside.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is a high-stakes film that sees two of the most unlikely Looney Tunes characters try to save the world after uncovering aliens using bubble gum to control everyone’s minds.
One of June’s final new Max movies has been a hit with families and animation fans that love the franchise, with many praising it as a fun buddy comedy that takes us back to its more whackier days. That’s all, folks, but keep an eye out for it on our best Max movies list, too! – AS
Enigma (Max)
When Zackary Drucker’s transgender documentary premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, it was instantly snapped up by HBO Documentary Films – and with good reason.
Drucker is known for shining a light on trans history and is behind the award-winning documentary The Stroll, which provided an intimate look at trans sex workers living in New York’s Meatpacking District. So, it’s great to see her return with a new powerful story.
This time, she focuses on the stories of iconic models Amanda Lear and April Ashley, who performed at an underground Paris nightclub called Le Carrousel during the 1950s. Expect plenty of behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, and archival footage from their lives. – AS
For more streaming recommendations, read our guides on the best Netflix movies, best Max shows, best Prime Video movies, and best Paramount+ shows.
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