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The long weekend is almost upon us, and you know what that means: an extra day to watch all the new shows and movies hitting streaming. It's a packed weekend for new releases, so you're going to need those extra 24 hours.
Alongside returning seasons of long-running shows (Rick and Morty season 9), climactic movies for long-running shows (Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War) and brand new shows (Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed), there's also a mostly maligned Bradley Cooper movie – the perfect opportunity to decide for yourself!
The Boroughs
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix
The latest show executive-produced by Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers, The Boroughs shares a great deal in common with their Netflix smash hit, but with one key difference: 60 years, give or take. Because, instead of adolescents running around fighting otherworldly threats, The Boroughs centers on the residents of a retirement community, who have their world turned upside down by a dangerous entity beyond their comprehension.
Starring the always-reliable likes of Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Bill Pullman and Geena Davis, this could well fill the Stranger Things-shaped hole in your heart. The 8-episode season is available to stream in full now.
See what else we recommend with our guide to the best shows on Netflix.
Rick and Morty season 9
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max and Hulu (US)/HBO Max (UK)
The once-untouchable animated series has had its ups and downs (mainly downs, of late), but trust us when we say this is the year you should give Rick and Morty another chance. Opening with a surprise resolution to a very long-running storyline, Rick and Morty season 9 is an unexpected return to form, even if it doesn't have a Pickle Rick-level "certified banger."
In other words, if you checked out on Rick and Morty years ago, now is the perfect time to get back on the wagon (as Rick falls off his). The premiere episode is streams from 11am EST on May 24.
Check out our guide to the best HBO Max shows for more essential viewing.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Apple TV
The name of the game on Apple TV is quality over quantity, and Maximum Pleasure Guranteed is the latest example of that winning approach. Starring Orphan Black and She-Hulk's Tatiana Maslany it's about a divorced fact checker who gets caught up in a murder mystery – that old chestnut.
Maslany is a powerhouse performer, as anyone who's seen Orphan Black could attest, so Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is a must-watch on her involvement alone. The first two episodes are streaming on Apple TV now!
Our list of the best Apple TV shows is packed with quality entertainment.
Jack Ryan: Ghost War
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Prime Video
A feature-length follow-up to the four-season Prime Video show, Jack Ryan: Ghost War, strangely, takes a page out of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol's playbook by setting much of the action in Dubai. Though, unsurprisingly, John Krasinski isn't scaling the Burj Khalifa in this one.
Krasinski doesn't just return in front of the camera; the Quiet Place mastermind also co-wrote the screenplay for Ghost War. It's a thrilling, global, espionage adventure. Your dad will definitely love it.
See what else we recommend with our guide to the best movies on Prime Video.
Ladies First
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix
Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike star in this satirical fantasy comedy about a male chauvinist who finds himself in a world where gender norms have been reversed, and women hold all the power. Imagine that!
It's inspired by the 2018 French film I Am Not An Easy Man, and while the premise has a certain high-concept appeal, the real draw here is the unlikely pairing of Pike and Cohen – the latter playing it straight(er) than he's generally known for. He's got to do something before his inevitable return as Mephisto in the MCU, anyway.
Check out our guide to the best Netflix movies for more great viewing.
Is This Thing On?
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Disney Plus
This Bradley Cooper-directed, Will Arnett-starring comedy-drama about a New York comic going through a divorce was inspired by the life of English stand-up comedian John Bishop, which is sure to inspire a few "huhs" from anyone familiar with Bishop's comedy.
Even divorced from the bizarre real-life inpsiration, Is This Thing On? wasn't particularly warmly received upon release, disappointing given Cooper's successful reimagining of A Star Is Born. But it's rare that the ever-reliable Arnett is elevated to leading man status, and the Arrested Development/Lego Batman star doesn't drop the ball.
Check out our picks of the best Disney Plus movies for more great viewing.
Our guide to the best Hulu movies is full of cinematic gems.
