Join The Community
Welcome back to our weekly guide to the best new shows and movies! If you've been stuck trying to find something exciting to watch, then this list is here to help you out.
We've scoured all of the best streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, and more, to find the hottest new shows and the most exciting movies. This week, we have the long-awaited return of Wednesday, the new season of King of the Hill after a 15-year break, plus the latest gruesome instalment in the Final Destination franchise – and that's just for starters! There's something for everyone here.
Wednesday season 2
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix
We've been waiting a long time for the second season of this goth-tastic spin-off from The Addams Family, but it's finally time to head back to Nevermore Academy. The first season saw Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) expelled from her regular school and sent to a private school for monstrous outcasts, where she quickly became embroiled in a murder mystery. Wednesday season 2 is set to complicate matters further as Wednesday's brother, Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), also enrolls at Nevermore, just as things get even more dangerous at the school.
As has become a tradition for Netflix's most popular shows, Wednesday's second season is being released in two parts. The first four episodes are available to stream from – when else? – Wednesday, August 6. The second half of the season will follow in September.
Wednesday makes our list of the best Netflix shows.
King of the Hill season 14
Available: UK/US
Where to watch: Hulu (US), Disney Plus (UK)
This is the first set of new episodes from Mike Judge and Greg Daniels' beloved animated sitcom in 15 years, and it feels so good to have Hank, Peggy, and the gang back. So what have the Hills been up to in the intervening years? Well, it turns out that Hank and Peggy have been living in Saudi Arabia (albeit in a corporate bubble) for the last few years. A lot has changed while they were away, with Hank (Judge) now having to grapple with everything from electric cars to fruity beers.
With most of the original voice cast returning, this is a treat for long-time fans. Time may have passed and the characters have certainly aged (a rarity in ongoing animations like this), but the show's heart and comic voice is still firmly in place.
The Pickup
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson star in this action comedy from Tim Story, the director of Ride Along. Murphy and Davidson play Russell and Travis, a pair of mismatched drivers, hired to do what seems like a routine cash pickup job. It's not long, however, before they get caught up in a robbery led by Keke Palmer's Zoe. She wants the two drivers to help her pull off a big heist – and threatens to kill Russell's family if he refuses.
If that sounds a bit intense, don't worry – The Pickup is primarily a comedy, though the action sequences are still impressive. Murphy and Davidson have strong chemistry, and there's a solid supporting cast including Eva Longoria, Marshawn Lynch, and MMA fighter Roman Reigns.
Check out our list of the best movies on Amazon Prime Video.
Platonic
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Apple TV Plus
Seth Rogen's gradual conquest of Apple TV Plus (following The Studio) continues apace, with the second series of this charming romantic comedy. Platonic follows Sylvia (Rose Byrne) and Will (Rogen), two former best friends who fell out when Sylvia revealed that she didn't like Will's wife. Now divorced, the two have tentatively restarted their friendship, which brings its own set of complications as Sylvia's husband Charlie (Luke Macfarlane) grows jealous of the time she spends with Will.
Platonic's first season was a charming and funny celebration of friendship between a man and a woman that didn't resort to teasing a will they/won't they dynamic between the two characters. Despite Charlie's fears, the two lead characters really are "just" friends – a refreshing and rare dynamic on a TV show. With a strong supporting cast, it's great to see this show back for another 10 episodes.
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Disney Plus
The third season of this animated comedy brings more feel-good laughs and hot-button topics. For those who haven't seen the show, this is a spin-off of The Proud Family – an animated comedy that ran on The Disney Channel in the early '00s. That show followed Penny Proud, a 14-year-old discovering the challenges of life for the first time, and overcoming them with the help and support of her loving friends and family. This revival is very much more of the same, but updated for our present moment, and takes in issues that effect teenagers in today's world.
The new season promises "international escapades, WILD adventures, and fantastical stops packed with hilarity, heart, and, most of all, discovery." It's also a nostalgic treat for fans of the original, with many of the original voice cast returning once more.
Final Destination: Bloodlines
Available: US
Where to watch: HBO Max
The latest instalment of the Final Destination franchise is also one of the most fun. As ever, you don't so much watch these movies as squirm uncomfortably in your seat as the anticipation builds up over how and when the characters will be inevitably be offed in spectacular – and usually quite silly – fashion. In Bloodlines student Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) has visions of a tragedy from 1968 that never took place. As she investigates, she begins to realize that they may be the key to saving her friends and family.
After taking a few years off, the Final Destination franchise seems to have returned stronger than ever. It was a hit at the box office and also one of the best received by fans and critics. Now you can enjoy it safely from the comfort of your own home.
Find out why we called the film an "intricate thrill ride" in our Final Destination: Bloodlines review.
Looking for something else to watch? Check out our list of the best movies on Disney Plus.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
