Two of Netflix’s biggest titles are returning this month for a summer binge — and that’s just the half of it! With the reboot of Veronica Mars on Hulu, the final season of Suits on USA, and Sarah Jessica Parker still charming away on HBO, there’s plenty to keep us busy in front of the small screen. Catch up on it all below.
What it is: After reaching household-name status and everygirl envy on Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker makes her way back to prestige TV’s small screen with Divorce, where she stars as Frances, a middle-aged mother and beleaguered wife to Robert (Thomas Hayden Church), who, after having an affair, realizes they’d both be better off without having a ring on it.
Why you should watch it: Parker has always been a fine actress, and she puts her well-practiced on-screen skill set to excellent use here, mining creator Sharon Horgan’s (Catastrophe) emotionally hefty and darkly humorous scripts with empathetic aplomb. Season 3 premieres July 1 on HBO.
Where to watch it: Amazon, FandangoNow, Google Play, HBONow, Microsoft, Vudu
Commitment: Approx. 9 hours (for the first two seasons)
What it is: A dark mystery overtakes a rural Indiana town when the young Will Byers goes missing and a young girl with a shaved head and telekinetic abilities appears. Something sinister and supernatural has come out to play — and that’s just the pilot! So buckle up.
Why you should watch it: It was the synth-laden soundtrack heard ’round the world three summers ago when Stranger Things dropped out of nowhere onto Netflix and took us all by storm. A back-to-form Winona Ryder, career-best David Harbour, and breakout stars by way of all its kids (but particularly Emmy nominee Millie Bobby Brown) are pitch-perfect and paired with plenty of ’80s-era horror nostalgia to make you want to watch this series again and again — and there ain’t nothin’ strange about it. Season 3 streams July 4 on Netflix.
Where to watch it: Netflix
Commitment: Approx. 17 hours (for the first two seasons)
What it is: Set in 1763 London, Hulu’s Harlots charts the lives of sex workers in two warring brothels, one led by Margaret (Samantha Morton) and the other by Lydia (Lesley Manville). The series, from creators Alison Newman and Moira Buffini, is a period drama inspired by the true-life accounts documented in The Covent Garden Ladies by Hallie Rubenhold, but don’t let its nonfictional nature bore you: Harlots is more juicy than dry.
Why you should watch it: Harlots is so much more than a show about sex — in fact, that subject is met with less titillation and more sterile professionalism. It instead subs in rich and complex characters, mostly women, and a backdrop that allows for explorations of gender and class in 18th century England. Furthermore, Oscar nominees Morton and Manville get the chance here to showcase just why they’re both widely considered British acting royalty. Season 3 premieres July 10 on Hulu.
Where to watch it: Amazon, Hulu
Commitment: Approx. 12 hours (for the first two seasons)
What it is: Created by the late John Singleton, Eric Amadio, and Dave Andron (the latter of whom serves as showrunner), Snowfall follows in the footsteps of other FX dramas like Atlanta in that it tells the story of an ostracized community in ways that we haven’t seen before — this time by dramatizing the rise and breakout of the first crack epidemic in 1984 Los Angeles and its greater impact on American culture at large.
Why you should watch it: As riveting as it is eye-opening, this street crime series pulls no punches in its portrayal of the drug trade and its implications in both micro and macro spheres. Startling performances from its ensemble of relative newcomers also bring us into a world that until now has been left off narrative television — and they keep a hold on us there. Season 3 premieres July 10 on FX.
Where to watch it: Amazon, FandangoNow, Google Play, Microsoft, Vudu
Commitment: Approx. 15 hours (for the first two seasons)
What it is: Fans of period drama from the other side of the pond will have plenty to sink their teeth into with Grantchester. All is not as it seems in the series’ titular village, and clergyman Sidney Chambers (James Norton of the excellent Happy Valley) is caught in the middle, balancing his faith and obligatory duties while investigating a series of crimes in the area.
Why you should watch it: Based on James Runcie’s book series and adapted for the screen by Daisy Coulam, this U.K. transfer from ITV has drama to spare. While at face value it may seem like the prim and proper British drama, underneath this clerical collar are festering secrets and dark pasts that bubble to the surface over the course of Grantchester’s hour-long episodes. Each season is only six installments, so there’s plenty of time to binge and catch up before season 4 premieres July 14 on PBS.
Where to watch it: Amazon, FandangoNow, Google Play, Microsoft, Vudu
Commitment: Approx. 15 hours (for the first three seasons)
What it is: Creator Aaron Korsh struck gold in 2011 with this popular legal drama — and it’s got nine acclaimed seasons to prove it! The premise is simple: Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) is a law school dropout and brilliant fraudster who, upon impressing New York City’s top closer, Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), lands a job as Harvey’s associate despite not having a license to practice law. But Mike proves that he’s up to snuff, and together he and Harvey work to keep his sordid past and illegitimacy a secret.
Why you should watch it: Suits came into the international spotlight in recent years thanks to a new royal named Meghan Markle, but if that wasn’t reason enough for you to catch up on this USA Network affair, we’ve got a few more for you. The series works because it’s in on its own fun, and its high concept rags-to-riches premise rings true thanks to the chemistry of Adams and Macht. It’s a steep order to binge eight seasons, of course, but the show’s two charming leads and a formidable supporting cast have kept us coming back for more. Suits’ ninth and final season premieres July 17 on USA. (Fittingly, its new spin-off series, Pearson, also premieres that night on USA.)
Where to watch it: Amazon, FandangoNow, Google Play, Microsoft, Vudu
Commitment: Approx. 94 hours (for the first eight seasons)
What it is: Creator and star Catherine Reitman plays the leader of a central group of friends and working moms as they make the transition from maternity leave back to office life.
Why you should watch it: Being a mom is a full-time job paid in sleepless nights, dirty diapers, and, of course, unconditional love. Pair the laundry list of responsibilities that come with that job with a salaried 9-to-5, however, and tragic comedy is sure to ensue. That’s where Reitman comes in, translating it all for this semi-autobiographical sitcom. The Canadian series has already aired three seasons across the border; season 2 is finally making it to Netflix in the U.S. July 25.
Where to watch it: Netflix
Commitment: Approx. 6.5 hours (for the first season)
What it is: Jenji Kohan’s runaway (but locked-up) Netflix hit is ensemble work at its finest, following the day-to-day lives of the ladies of Litchfield Penitentiary and exploring the diverse crimes that got them there.
Why you should watch it: Inspired by Piper Kerman’s (here Piper Chapman, played by Taylor Schilling) real-life account of her arrest and imprisonment for drug-related money laundering, this hour-long dramedy opens up to include the equally heartbreaking (and often humorous) biographies of fellow inmates played by Emmy winner Uzo Aduba, Laverne Cox, Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne, Samira Wiley, and others. From season to season, Orange — revolutionary and acclaimed for its on-screen diversity — becomes more and more timely, tackling everything from trans rights to gender equality to Black Lives Matter. Its seventh and final season streams July 26 on Netflix.
Where to watch it: Netflix
Commitment: Approx. 68 hours (for the first six seasons)
What it is: Set in the fictional town of Neptune, California, Veronica Mars follows the criminally charming Kristen Bell as our titular hero who cracks mounting mysteries as a high schooler and self-started private investigator.
Why you should watch it: Veronica Mars is a CW cult classic from the early 2000s with an especially impassioned fanbase (its 2014 feature film was fully funded on Kickstarter) — and there’s no better time than now to see what all the hype is about. Its long-awaited fourth season returns July 26 on Hulu.
Where to watch: Amazon, FandangoNOW, Google Play, Hulu, Microsoft, Vudu
Commitment: Approx. 48 hours (for the first three seasons)
What it is: They say misery loves company, and The Letdown has that in spades, charting the ups and downs of being a first-time mother through the eyes of Audrey, a woman trying to keep her head above water while being more than “just a mom.”
Why you should watch it: This Australian comedy from creators Alison Bell and Sarah Scheller (the former of whom also stars) finds the pitch-black humor in newborn motherhood with the richly dry humor and self-deprecation native to its home country. Season 2 streams in full July 31 on Netflix.
Where to watch: Netflix
Commitment: About 3 hours (for the first season)
There isn’t a whole lot to choose from on the subscription streaming services this week, but we do have three Certified Fresh selections, including Richard Linklater’s Oscar-winning coming-of-age film, a little seen period drama starring Robert Pattinson, and of course, Netflix’s revival of Gilmore Girls. After that, we’ve got several new releases available for rental or purchase. Read on for the full list.
Richard Linklater’s critically-acclaimed, generation-spanning drama, in which Ellar Coltrane literally grows up onscreen, also stars Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke.
Available now on: Netflix
Robert Pattinson and Berenice Bejo star in this period drama about the fussy, manipulative son of an international diplomat living in France during World War I.
Available now on: Netflix
Nearly a decade after the original series ended, Netflix reunites Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel (as well as the rest of the cast) as Lorelai and Rory Gilmore for four feature-length episodes of this fan favorite drama.
Available now on: Netflix
This apocalyptic action-horror film from South Korea follows a group of passengers on a commuter train fighting to survive a zombie outbreak.
Available now on: iTunes
Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter star as the young Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson in a romantic drama that follows the couple around Chicago on their first date.
Available now on: Amazon, FandangoNOW, iTunes
Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant star in this lighthearted true story about the woman who famously became an opera singer despite her less than angelic voice.
Available now on: Amazon, FandangoNOW, iTunes
Oakes Fegley, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Robert Redford star in this remake of the Disney film about a young orphaned boy lost in the wild who befriends a dragon and tries to keep him secret from the local townsfolk.
Available now on: Amazon, FandangoNOW, iTunes
Ruby Barnhill and Mark Rylance star in this Disney adaptation of the Roal Dahl novel about a young girl who becomes friends with a giant and helps him stop a group of other giants who eat humans.
Available now on: Amazon, FandangoNOW, iTunes
This week on streaming services, we’ve got an animated hit, an Oscar-nominated sports drama, well-received films from Spike Lee and the Coen brothers, a few underseen indies, and some worthy TV. Read on for the full list.
Ben Whishaw voices the titular talking bear, who arrives in London after stowing away on a boat and is taken in by the Brown family. Unfortunately, he also draws the attention of a devious taxidermist.
Available now on: Netflix
This suspenseful drama follows an ultra-orthodox scholar in Jerusalem who experiences an awakening in his body after a near-death experience and begins to question his path in life.
Available now on: Netflix
This French-Belgian period romance centers on a love affair between two women amidst the rise of feminism in 1970s France.
Available now on: Netflix
The CW’s sci-fi drama follows a group of imprisoned teens who are returned to Earth from a space station, years after the planet has been devastated by nuclear war.
Available now on: Netflix
This French-Portugese drama, based on the Polish novel of the same name, follows the eccentric inhabitants of a bed and breakfast.
Available now on: Netflix
Denzel Washington and Ray Allen star in Spike Lee’s drama about a prison inmate who attempts to convince his talented son to play basketball for the governor of New York’s alma mater in exchange for an early release.
Available now on: Netflix
George Clooney and Frances McDormand lead an all-star cast in the Coen brothers’ crime comedy about a pair of fitness center employees who attempt to extort money from a CIA analyst on the outs when they discover his unpublished memoirs.
Available now on: Netflix
Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone star in this continuation of the Rocky franchise, which finds the iconic screen boxer taking Apollo Creed’s son under his wing.
Available now on: Amazon Prime
This period crime drama series from the UK follows an Anglican priest who forms an unlikely partnership with a local detective.
Available 11/17 on: Amazon Prime
Louis C.K. and Kevin Hart lead an ensemble voice cast in this animated tale about a jealous Jack Russell terrier who must befriend his owner’s new dog when the two of them find themselves stuck in the streets.
Available now on: Amazon, FandangoNOW, iTunes
