Curious about what to watch next? Overwhelmed with choices? Check out our TV and movie recommendations for this week below. You can also skip down to your favorite TV streaming service to see what new TV series and movies to watch or use our simple tool to help you identify the perfect show for you at the bottom of this page.
What to Watch | TV
Pray, Obey, Kill | HBO, HBO Max | Documentary, true crime
Docuseries premiere, Monday, April 12: Need another murder documentary in your life? Because Pray, Obey, Kill, about an execution in a small Swedish village in 2004, has it all: religious symbolism, love triangles, creepy video footage, and a nanny who receives text messages from God to go forth and stab. Behind it all is a leader who calls herself “The Bride of Christ,” which somehow isn’t the show title. For fans of Making a Murderer, Murder Among the Mormons, and Wild Wild Country.
Big Sky | ABC, Hulu | Drama, thriller
Spring premiere, Tuesday, April 13: One of the fall season’s surprise hits—well, not really, since the competition was scarce—returns after two months off. Big Sky follows a series of kidnappings along a remote Montana highway while showing off some Twin Peak-sy quirks and zero qualms against killing off major characters unexpectedly. The final episodes of season 1 not only race to capture the road kidnapper, but also introduce more Big Bads. For fans of Bloodlines, Fargo, and Twin Peaks.
Mare of Easttown | HBO, HBO Max | Drama, thriller
Drama series premiere, Sunday, April 18: Returning to the HBO small screen for the first time in 10 years, Kate Winslet stars as Mare Sheehan, a small-town Pennsylvania detective. As with all private investigators in downbeat murder shows, Mare’s brilliant detective skills are offset by a distraught personal life, but she still has a missing-person case to solve and messy buns to wear immaculately. Also starring Guy Pearce, Julianne Nicholson, and Jean Smart. For fans of The Bridge, The Killing, and True Detective.
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What to Watch | Movies
Into the Beat | Netflix | Drama, romance
Movie premiere, Friday, April 16: The story is all-American familiar—a teen ballerina gets wrapped up in hip-hop dancing and a cute hip-hop dancer—but Into the Beat is a German production, so don’t mind the English dubbing. Will ballerina Katya throw away years of classical training to follow her new dance passion? Do her stern parent even understand true love? How many dance montages are too many? Answers to be revealed. For fans of Honey, Save the Last Dance, and Step Up.
Monday | VOD | Drama, romance
Movie premiere, Friday, April 16: Sure, you’ll believe Sebastian Stan as a superhero with a metal arm in Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but how about as an American DJ spinning at resorts across Greece? Yeah, kind of a stretch. When Mickey (Stan) meets Chloe (Denise Gough), an American lawyer on holiday, sparks fly and their whirlwind romance becomes a permanent vacation against gorgeous scenery. . .until it doesn’t. For fans of 500 Days of Summer, Ibiza, and Safe Haven.
The Rookies | VOD | Action, drama
Movie premiere, Friday, April 16: Originally released in China in 2019, The Rookies teams up an extreme-sports athlete, a cop, a scientist, and a doctor to take down a terrorist organization because why not? Milla Jovovich also stars in this live-action cartoon that’s more about visceral action than coherent plotting, but The Rookies is fast fun as long as you don’t think too hard about it. For fans of Kingsman: The Secret Service, Mission: Impossible, and Space Sweepers.
Our top TV and movies picks
Universal advice on what to watch for all people at all times is impossible, but we’ve assembled some of our current TV and movie favorites that we think you might dig (if not, give us yours—we’re cool with that).
What to watch on Netflix
Netflix is the 8,000-pound gorilla of streaming, a content cannon that generates more original shows and movies than even TV professionals like us can keep up with. Not everything that comes after the big “N” (dun-dun!) is top-shelf entertainment—ever seen The I-Land or Fuller House?—but Netflix’s batting average is still pretty impressive.
What TV shows are on Netflix?
Bridgerton | Comedy, drama | For fans of Dickinson, Gossip Girl, Outlander
Cobra Kai | Comedy, drama | For fans of Into the Badlands, The Karate Kid, Kingdom
Dead to Me | Comedy, drama | For fans of Barry, Fargo, Weeds
The Queen’s Gambit | Drama | For fans of The Crown, Mad Men, The Undoing
The Umbrella Academy | Action, drama | For fans of The Boys, Deadly Class, Doom Patrol
What movies are on Netflix?
Enola Holmes | Comedy, drama | For fans of Knives Out, Sherlock Holmes, A Simple Favor
The Irishman | Drama | For fans of Boardwalk Empire, GoodFellas, The Sopranos
The Old Guard | Action, sci-Fi | For fans of The Boys, Highlander, Watchmen
The Trial of the Chicago 7 | Drama | For fans of Erin Brockovich, Primal Fear, The Social Network
The Wrong Missy | Comedy | For fans of Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates, We’re the Millers, Why Him?
What to watch on Hulu
Hulu has broken away from Netflix’s shadow in recent years as a competitive original content producer—in quality, at least; no one can keep up with Netflix’s quantity. The addition of FX on Hulu, a joint venture that streams FX shows the day after broadcast and provides original FX exclusives to Hulu (like sci-fi thriller Devs), is a new premium milestone in streaming TV.
What shows are on Hulu?
The Great | Comedy, drama | For fans of The Crown, Reign, The White Queen
The Handmaid’s Tale | Drama, sci-fi | For fans of Big Little Lies, Outlander, The Walking Dead
Mrs. America | Drama | For fans of Big Little Lies, Mad Men, Succession
Solar Opposites | Animation, comedy | For fans of Futurama, Resident Alien, Rick and Morty
Woke | Comedy | For fans of Atlanta, Broad City, Dear White People
What movies are on Hulu?
Happiest Season | Comedy | For fans of Booksmart, The Half of It, Love Simon
Into the Dark | Anthology, horror | For fans of Channel Zero, The Twilight Zone, Twin Peaks
Nomadland | Drama | For fans of Call Me by Your Name, The Rider, Songs My Brother Taught Me
Palm Springs | Comedy, sci-fi | For fans of Back to the Future, Bridesmaids, Groundhog Day
Run | Drama, horror | For fans of Flowers in the Attic, Mommy Dearest, Room
What channels are on Hulu Live?
Hulu has serious on-demand content, but Hulu + Live TV ups the game with a livestreaming TV channel lineup that works like cable (without the cable). In addition to local channels like FOX and NBC, Hulu + Live TV also features Bravo, ESPN, FX, Syfy, TNT, and over 50 more.
What to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Prime Video, Amazon’s on-demand streaming service, is home to thousands of new and classic movies, but it’s also making waves with its original shows and films. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel hit first, and recent originals The Boys, Hunters, and Upload have earned some critical nods.
What TV shows are on Amazon Prime Video?
The Boys | Action, drama | For fans of Daredevil, Doom Patrol, Watchmen
Fleabag | Comedy | For fans of Better Things, Broad City, Killing Eve
Hunters | Action, drama | For fans of Grindhouse, The Man in the High Castle, Watchmen
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Comedy | For fans of Fleabag, Gilmore Girls, Younger
The Wilds | Drama, mystery | For fans of Dare Me, Lost, The Society
What movies are on Amazon Prime Video?
I’m Your Woman | Drama | For fans of American Hustle, The Kitchen, Thelma & Louise
One Night in Miami | Drama | For fans of Ali, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Malcolm X
Sound of Metal | Drama | For fans of Her Smell, James White, Whiplash
Suspiria | Drama, horror | For fans of Black Swan, Final Destination, The Grudge
The Vast of Night | Drama, sci-fi | For fans of Close Encounters, Super 8, War of the Worlds
What channels are on Amazon Fire Stick?
Amazon’s Fire TV streaming devices, which include the Cube and the Stick, have hundreds of channels (a.k.a. apps) available for on-demand and livestreaming TV. Prime Video is in the mix (of course), as are Netflix, Hulu, HBO, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Philo, Pluto TV, and plenty more.
What to watch on HBO
HBO is synonymous with “prestige TV,” cranking out critical favorites and cultural phenomena year after year—Game of Thrones and Curb Your Enthusiasm probably couldn’t have happened anywhere else. HBO’s new streaming counterpart, HBO Max, is taking it to the next level.
What TV shows are on HBO?
Euphoria | Drama, teen | For fans of 13 Reasons Why, Pretty Little Liars, Skins
Lovecraft Country | Drama, sci-Fi | For fans of The Magicians, Penny Dreadful, Watchmen
Perry Mason | Drama, mystery | for fans of Boardwalk Empire, Goliath, True Detective
Succession | Drama | For fans of Arrested Development, Billions, Mad Men
Watchmen | Action, drama | For fans of The Boys, Jessica Jones, Titans
What movies are on HBO?
Birds of Prey: Harley Quinn | Action, drama | For fans of Joker, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman
The King of Staten Island | VOD | Comedy, drama | For fans of The Big Sick, Lady Bird, Punch Drunk Love
Joker | Drama | For fans of American Psycho, Batman, Suicide Squad
Ford v Ferrari | Drama | For fans of Ad Astra, Dunkirk, Rush
The Invisible Man | Drama, horror | For fans of The Babadook, Halloween, Us
What to watch on HBO Max
HBO Max is HBO’s new streaming-only service, featuring movies and TV series you can’t get on HBO (or elsewhere), as well as exclusive Max Originals (like Ridley Scott’s Raised by Wolves and Seth Rogan’s An American Pickle). It costs the same as regular HBO and is available on most streaming devices.
What TV shows are on HBO Max?
The Flight Attendant | Comedy, mystery | For fans of Barry, Dead to Me, Killing Eve
Doom Patrol | Action, drama | For fans of The Boys, Titans, Watchmen
Harley Quinn | Animated, Comedy | For fans of Batman Beyond, Birds of Prey: Harley Quinn, Suicide Squad
Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults | Documentary | For fans of The Jinx, Seduced, The Vow
Search Party | Comedy, drama | For fans of Bored to Death, Dead to Me, You’re the Worst
What movies are on HBO Max?
An American Pickle | Comedy | For fans of Back to the Future, Knocked Up, This Is the End
Class Action Park | Documentary | For fans of Boys State, The Last Dance, Making a Murderer
The Little Things | Drama | For fans of The Bone Collector, Seven, Zodiac
Locked Down | Drama | For fans of Locke, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Ocean’s 11
The Witches | Comedy, fantasy | For fans of Into the Woods, Harry Potter, Hocus Pocus
What to watch on Disney Plus
Disney+ arrived on the streaming TV scene in December 2019 and became the service to have overnight. With an overwhelming library of Disney classics, the Star Wars, Marvel, and Simpsons universes, and original hits WandaVision and The Mandalorian, Disney+ is a steal at $7.99 a month.
What TV shows are on Disney Plus?
Encore! | Reality | For fans of Glee, High School Musical, Queer Eye
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series | Comedy, musical | For fans of Glee, High School Musical, The Office
The Mandalorian | Drama, sci-fi | For fans of The Expanse, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars
Muppets Now | Comedy | For fans of The Muppet Show, The Office, Sesame Street
WandaVision | Comedy, drama | For fans of Avengers, Bewitched, Black Mirror
What movies are on Disney Plus?
Artemis Fowl | Fantasy | For fan of Lemony Snicket, Maleficent, Pan
Black is King | Musical | For fans of Black Panther, The Lion King, School Daze
Hamilton | Musical | For fans of Django Unchained, Dreamgirls, Evita
Magic Camp | Comedy | For fans of Camp Rock, Dodgeball, The Mighty Ducks
Soul | Animated, fantasy | For fans of The Book of Life, Coco, Inside Out
What to watch on Peacock
NBCUniversal’s on-demand streaming service Peacock has three plans: a free, ad-supported tier with 7,500 hours of available content; a $4.99-a-month tier with 15,000 hours of content (with ads); and a $9.99-a-month tier with the same 15,000 hours of content and no ads. Peacock is also the exclusive streaming home of NBC classics The Office, Parks & Recreation, and 30 Rock.
What TV shows are on Peacock?
A.P. Bio | Comedy | For fans of Community, Corporate, Vice Principals
Brave New World | Drama, sci-fi | For fans of Altered Carbon, Snowpiercer, Westworld
Departure | Drama, mystery | For fans of 24, Lost, Manifest
Intelligence | Comedy | For fans of Archer, Community, The IT Crowd
Yellowstone | Drama, western | For fans of Justified, Longmire, Sons of Anarchy
What movies are on Peacock?
Psych 2: Lassie Come Home | Comedy, mystery | For fans of Psych, The Mentalist, Sherlock
Reservoir Dogs | Action, drama | For fans of Fight Club, Pulp Fiction, Snatch
Trolls World Tour | Animated | For fans of The Croods, How to Train Your Dragon, Trolls
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? | Documentary | For fans of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Free Solo, RBG
Zombieland | Action, comedy | For fans of 28 Days Later, Happy Death Day, The Walking Dead
Bill Frost has been a journalist and TV reviewer since the 4:3-aspect-ratio ’90s. His pulse-pounding prose has been featured in The Salt Lake Tribune, Pacific Northwest Inlander, Coachella Valley Independent, Salt Lake City Weekly, and many other dead-tree publications (see BillFrost.tv). In addition to being a Senior Staff Writer at CableTV.com, Bill is a Senior Writer and streaming TV columnist at SLUGMag.com. By night, Bill cranks a Flying V with his band at the bar.
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