As we retreat into air-conditioned spaces this summer, The Bear, Bridgerton, and House of the Dragon welcome us to the couch with brand new seasons. We’ve rounded up a fresh list of 19 utterly enthralling shows to binge-watch across streaming platforms.
SUSPENSEFUL THRILLERS
Presumed Innocent
Jake Gyllenhaal stars in this twisty courtroom drama that hooks you from episode one. It follows a family man and prosecutor who finds himself in the hot seat when he’s accused of a crime he insists he didn’t commit. Packed with suspense and surprising turns, you’ll question every character’s motives until the end.
Number of seasons: 1 (currently week-to-week)
Where to watch: Apple TV+
The Night Manager
Not to be confused with The Night Agent, another show we recently suggested, The Night Manager has flown under the radar since its release in 2016. This sleek and seductive spy thriller follows the suave Jonathan Pine, played by Tom Hiddleston, as he infiltrates the inner circle of a dangerous arms dealer. The stellar cast includes Hugh Laurie as the slick villain and Olivia Colman as the tenacious intelligence operative.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Sling, Amazon Prime, and others
Your Honor
If this show is new to you, it’s also new to Netflix, so you’re ready to binge. Set in New Orleans, Your Honor is a heart-pounding legal drama where every choice has a consequence. Bryan Cranston plays a respected judge who’s thrown into a moral tailspin when his son is involved in a hit-and-run that ties back to a crime family. Things continue to unwind in mindblowing ways for two intense seasons.
Number of seasons: 2
Where to watch: Netflix, Paramont+
SCI-FI, FANTASY, DYSTOPIAN
Dark Matter
I cannot stop recommending this show to anyone who will listen. Apple TV is creating sci-fi masterpieces these days (we’re waiting patiently on Severance and Silo to return!). Dark Matter is a mind-bending thriller series based on the blockbuster book by Blake Crouch. It follows a physicist, professor, and family man abducted into an alternate version of his life. This show is can’t-look-away mesmerizing and touches on the limitlessness of quantum mechanics and superposition. Check out the trailer.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Apple TV+
House of the Dragon
The epic prequel to Game of Thrones is in its second season. House of the Dragon follows the fiery history of House Targaryen and the battle for the Iron Throne. The show is fraught with power struggles, profound family betrayal, and dragon-fueled drama.
Number of seasons: 2 (currently week-to-week)
Where to watch: Max
Fallout
Fallout is a must-watch for anyone who loves a good post-apocalyptic wasteland romp! We’re dropped into a wild, irradiated world where survival is a daily struggle. The show is filled with quirky characters, bizarre mutants, and tons of action based on the iconic video game franchise.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
DRAMAS
Apples Never Fall
Apples Never Fall is a captivating family drama based on Liane Moriarity’s novel of the same name. The star-studded show follows the Delaney family, whose shiny, tennis-centered life starts to unravel when the matriarch goes missing. This blend of suspense and drama will have you reflexively clicking “next episode.”
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Peacock
Eric
Set in grippingly aesthetic 1980s New York City, Eric follows a brilliant, desperate, and troubled puppeteer, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, grappling with his inner demons and the disappearance of his young son. This dark, psychological journey is a must-watch for fans of intense, character-driven stories. It’s weird and topical in the best ways.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Netflix
Expats
Expats is a visually vibrant yet thematically bleak drama about a diverse group of expatriates reveling in their cushy Hong Kong lives. Nicole Kidman grips you from the first scene as you question everything and everyone surrounding a strange, traumatic family event. We’re hoping this debut season stirred up enough buzz for a second.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Under The Bridge
This dramatized series is based on an actual crime that ravaged a town on Vancouver Island in British Columbia in 1997. Fourteen-year-old Reena Virk went to join friends at a party and never returned home. Seven teenage girls and a boy were accused of her savage murder, and nothing is as it seems. Riley Keough (Elvis‘s granddaughter) and Lily Gladstone star in this gripping retelling.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Hulu
Baby Reindeer
This one comes with many thematic trigger warnings, but I predict it will sweep up awards — it’s that good. Baby Reindeer is a gripping psychological drama based on the true story of Richard Gadd, who created and stars in the series. It follows his real-life experience of being stalked, unraveling the unsettling journey that ensues and past events that got him there. This is a deep dive into the darker side of human connections.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Netflix
DRAMEDIES & ROM COMS
Hacks
Hacks is a sharp and uproarious comedy that follows the unlikely collaboration between an iconic Las Vegas comedian, Deborah Vance (played by Jean Smart), and a young, down-on-her-luck writer, Ava. The pair navigate generational clashes and creative challenges as they try to rejuvenate Deborah’s career.
Number of seasons: 3
Where to watch: Max
One Day
A little cheesy? Yes. Completely binge-able for rom-com lovers? Also yes. Over two decades, One Day follows a pair of best friends from their fancy British school years into their young adult careers and winding European adventures. It’s got laughs, heartbreak, and the classic friends-maybe-lovers trope that doesn’t come across as stale.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Netflix
Palm Royale
Palm Royale is a retro-glam feast for the eyes. We’re plopped smack dab amid high society and the ornate luxury of Palm Beach in the 1960s. Kristin Wiig, Laura Dern, and Allison Janney lead a cast of social climbing country clubbers and wanna-be interlopers. Where the plot loses your interest, the clothes and setting pull you back in.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Apple TV+
PERIOD/HISTORICAL DRAMAS
Shogun
Shogun is a brilliantly acted epic historical drama that plunges you into 17th-century Japan. Cosmo Jarvis plays an English sailor shipwrecked in Japan, navigating the intricate and dangerous landscape of samurai, politics, and culture clashes. With its stunning visuals and gripping storyline, this series has something for anyone ready to read subtitles.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Hulu
A Gentleman in Moscow
A Gentleman in Moscow is a captivating drama about Count Alexander Rostov, played by Ewan McGregor, who is sentenced to house arrest in a luxurious Moscow hotel during Russia’s tumultuous 1920s. Based on Amor Towles’ fabulous novel of the same name, the series is a charming and richly detailed look at the Count’s unexpected adventures and deep connections within the hotel’s walls.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Paramont+
Bridgerton
An obvious addition to any “shows to binge-watch” list, The Ton’s got it all. In its exhilarating third season, gentle readers delight in the budding romantic tension between Penelope Featherington and her friend Colin as the entire community attempts to unmask the queen of gossip, Lady Whistledown.
Number of seasons: 3
Where to watch: Netflix
DOCUMENTARIES
America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Great for Bravo lovers (you won’t see any of those shows on this list), this reality docu-series follows the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (deemed “DCC”) from auditions through the last game of the 2023 season. It’s an intriguing peek behind the curtain at the country’s most competitive, well-known dance squad and the football industry in general.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Netflix
Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult
This docu-series shows serious mastery of the slow reveal. It begins as a young woman outlines a close relationship with her sister and their shared love of dancing, which led the pair to Los Angeles to pursue a career in dance. The relationship was severed when her sister was taken in by an alleged religious cult with close ties to … TikTok dance videos? It’s a wild ride, and you’ll be surprised where it goes.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Netflix
Perfect Wife
By the end, this three-episode mini-docuseries had me completely enthralled, confused, and mind-blown. Many remember the disappearance of the California “supermom” Sherri Papini, which made national news. Perfect Wife delves into what really happened to Sherri after she seemingly vanished into thin air.
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Hulu
Enjoy these shows to binge-watch this summer!
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