6 TV and Streaming Shows You Should Binge-Watch in June
This month, we've got vampires, spies, dragon-riders, chefs, airbenders, and a Los Angeles detective with a knack for tracking down missing people.
Chefs, spies, and Airbenders are among the popular characters returning in must-see TV shows in June. They are joined by an L.A.-based private eye, sexy French vampires, and a dysfunctional dynastic family of dragon riders. From The Original Beef of Chicagoland to the continent of Westeros, here are the six streaming series you should catch up on before they continue this month.
Interview with the Vampire (AMC)
What it is: Based on the best-selling novels by Anne Rice, this gothic horror series chronicles the life and undeath of Lestat de Lioncourt, who was turned into a vampire in the late 18th century. The first two seasons of the series follow the events and perspective of the first book. The show has been retitled Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat for Season 3, which is based on the second installment, and it returns with new episodes on AMC starting Sunday, June 7.
Why you should watch it: While the movie version of Interview with the Vampire was a huge success in the ‘90s, the award-winning and very highly acclaimed TV series does a better job of adapting the source material with a lengthier runtime and greater LGBTQ+ representation. At the same time, it’s loose enough with the original text to keep it fresh. With season 3 giving fans a proper screen version of The Vampire Lestat, now’s the time to play catch-up.
Where to watch: AMC+ and Netflix (subscription, Seasons 1-2); buy on Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Google Play, and Apple TV
Commitment: Approx. 12.5 hours (for Seasons 1-2)
Sugar (Apple TV)
What it is: Colin Farrell stars in this mystery series inspired by classic film noir detective stories but offering a modern twist on the genre. The plot of the show’s first season involves a big Hollywood producer (played by L.A. Confidential’s James Cromwell), whose granddaughter has disappeared. Sugar: Season 2, which sees its title character investigate another missing persons case, premieres on Apple TV on Friday, June 19.
Why you should watch it: With its cast consisting of multiple Oscar-nominated actors, including Farrell, Cromwell, and Amy Ryan, Sugar is worth watching for the whole ensemble. Farrell holds it all together, though, as the gumshoe hero, and he’ll really be the only piece moving on to Season 2. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Fernando Meirelles (City of God) helming more than half of the first season is a big reason to watch as well.
Where to watch: Apple TV (subscription, Season 1)
Commitment: Approx. 5 hours (for Season 1)
The Agency (Paramount+)
What it is: Based on the hit French TV series The Bureau, this spy show stars Michael Fassbender as a CIA case officer, codename “Martian.” At the start of the first season, he is forced to abandon both a six-year undercover mission and a longtime lover (Jodie Turner-Smith) and return to London, where his romantic life complicates his professional life. Season 2 of The Agency premieres in full on Paramount+ on Sunday, June 21, with 10 new episodes.
Why you should watch it: Fassbender shows fans what it would have been like for him to play a gritty James Bond in this thrilling series comparable to The Americans and filled with the usual psychological intrigue of the spy genre. He’s also surrounded by an amazing all-star cast, including Turner-Smith, Richard Gere, Katherine Waterston, John Magaro, Dominic West, and fellow Oscar nominee (and actual James Bond franchise actor) Jeffrey Wright.
Where to watch: Paramount+ (subscription, Season 1); buy on Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Google Play, and Apple TV
Commitment: Approx. 8 hours (for Season 1)
House of the Dragon (HBO)
What it is: The first of many planned Game of Thrones spinoffs, this fantasy prequel series takes place hundreds of years before the events of that flagship George R.R. Martin adaptation. House of the Dragon, which is partly based on the fictional history book Fire & Blood, chronicles the lead-up to a brutal war of succession following a split in the reigning House Targaryen. The third season premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, June 21.
Why you should watch it: After many fans were dissatisfied with the end of Game of Thrones, this Emmy-winning show made the franchise exciting again with its complex civil war plot and twisted family relationships. Of course, the primary draw is its spectacular action sequences centered around dragons, which don’t disappoint. Neither does Matt Smith, whose performance perfectly captures the necessarily slimy and grimy tone of Martin’s universe.
Where to watch: HBO Max (subscription, Seasons 1-2); buy on Prime Video, Fandango at Home, and Apple TV
Commitment: Approx. 19 hours (for Seasons 1-2)
The Bear (FX)
What it is: The Bear is a high-drama comedy series set mostly in the kitchen of a Chicago eatery. Focused on both the risky business and the artistic passion of the restaurant world, the show depicts the intense working conditions and the cohesion of a staff led by an ambitious but emotionally complicated chef. The fifth and final season premieres in full on FX and FX on Hulu on Thursday, June 25, with eight new episodes.
Why you should watch it: One of the most acclaimed and talked-about shows of this decade, The Bear has become a yearly viewing event with its full-season drops every June since 2022. Last month, the show also surprised fans with a bonus standalone prequel episode. The Bear has made award darlings and now movie stars out of so many of its cast members, most notably Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. And yes, it is often funny.
Where to watch: Hulu (subscription, Seasons 1-4, plus a single bonus episode)
Commitment: Approx. 23.5 hours (for Seasons 1-4, plus a single bonus episode)
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Netflix)
What it is: Remaking the beloved animated series of the same name as a live-action fantasy show, Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the titular character in his effort to master his ability to bend all four elements and his quest to save the world from the Fire Nation. Along the way, he is also pursued by an exiled prince hoping to regain his honor. The second season of the adaptation premieres in full on Netflix on Thursday, June 25, with eight new episodes.
Why you should watch it: Like many live-action remakes of animated properties, this series’ appeal began as mostly a faithful curiosity for fans of the original, but it’s also a brightly entertaining version that will equally delight newcomers. Filled with family-friendly action and fantastic visuals, this show (definitely not to be confused with the much-maligned film adaptation) is more of a companion to, rather than a replacement for, its source material.
Where to watch: Netflix (subscription, Season 1)
Commitment: Approx. 7 hours (for Season 1)
Thumbnail image by HBO
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