What to Watch
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has us all watching a lot more TV, and chances are you’re running out of shows and movies to watch.
Curious what to watch next? Use our simple tool above or skip down to your favorite TV streaming service to see what new TV series and movies to watch during your quarantine.
What to watch on TV
TV recommendations are like forgotten Chainsmokers playlists: everybody has one, and they all stink. Universal advice on what to watch for all people at all times is impossible, but we’ve assembled a few of our current favorites we think you might dig (if not, give us yours—we’re cool with that).
Best TV series right now
Better Call Saul | AMC, Netflix | Crime, drama | For fans of Breaking Bad, Ozark, The Sopranos
Fargo | FX, Hulu | Crime, drama | For fans of Better Call Saul, Justified, True Detective
Lovecraft Country | HBO, HBO Max | Drama, sci-Fi | For fans of The Magicians, Penny Dreadful, Watchmen
The Umbrella Academy| Netflix | Action, drama | For fans of The Boys, Deadly Class, Doom Patrol
What We Do in the Shadows | FX, Hulu | Comedy | For fans of Ash vs. Evil Dead, Baskets, Flight of the Conchords
What movies to watch
Movie recommendations are just as divisive, if not more so, than TV recommendations—you could be out as much as $20 with one bad video-on-demand (VOD) misstep (ahem, Trolls World Tour). We’re confident in our picks of recent movies to stream; however, feel free to disagree.
Best movies streaming right now
Ava | VOD | Action, drama | For fans of Atomic Blonde, Columbiana, John Wick
Bill & Ted Face the Music | VOD | Comedy, sci-Fi | For fans of Back to the Future, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Hot Tub Time Machine
The King of Staten Island | VOD | Comedy, drama | For fans of The Big Sick, Lady Bird, Punch Drunk Love
Mulan | Disney+, VOD | Action, drama | For fans of Kill Bill, Mulan (1998), Wonder Woman
Sputnik | VOD | Action, sci-Fi | For fans of Alien, Annihilation, Arrival
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?
Cheer | Reality, sports | For fans of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Dare Me, Last Chance U
Cobra Kai | Drama | For fans of Into the Badlands, The Karate Kid, Kingdom
Lucifer | Drama, supernatural | For fans of American Gods, Preacher, Supernatural
Ozark | Crime, drama | For fans of Breaking Bad, Narcos, The Wire
Stranger Things | Drama, supernatural | For fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Channel Zero, The X-Files
What movies are on Netflix?
Extraction | Action, drama | For fans of Band of Brothers, Inglorious Basterds, Saving Private Ryan
The Devil All the Time | Crime, drama | For fans of Cape Fear, There Will Be Blood, Winter’s Bone
Enola Holmes | Drama, mystery | For fans of Gone Girl, Knives Out, Sherlock Holmes
The Old Guard | Action, sci-Fi | For fans of The Boys, Highlander, Watchmen
The Wrong Missy | Comedy | For fans of Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates, We’re the Millers, Why Him?
Best Netflix series
BoJack Horseman | Animated, comedy | For fans of Archer, Rick & Morty, South Park
Dead to Me | Comedy, drama | For fans of Barry, Fargo, Weeds
Never Have I Ever | Comedy, teen | For fans of The Mindy Project, PEN15, Sex Education
Ratched | Drama, mystery | For fans of American Horror Story, Castle Rock, Hollywood
Space Force | Comedy, sci-Fi | For fans of Avenue 5, The Office, The Orville
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 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
Ramy | Comedy | For fans of Insecure, Master of None, Unorthodox
Shrill | Comedy | For fans of Fleabag, High Maintenance, Portlandia
Woke | Comedy | For fans of Atlanta, Broad City, Dear White People
What movies are on Hulu?
Big Time Adolescence | Comedy | For fans of Booksmart, Dazed & Confused, Superbad
The Binge | Comedy | For fans of Friday, Pineapple Express, The Purge
Into the Dark | Anthology, horror | For fans of Channel Zero, The Twilight Zone, Twin Peaks
Palm Springs | Comedy, sci-fi | For fans of Back to the Future, Bridesmaids, Groundhog Day
Parasite | Horror | For fans of The Host, The Purge, Snowpiercer
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
Hanna | Action, drama | For fans of Nikita, Into the Badlands, Warrior Nun
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Comedy | For fans of Fleabag, Gilmore Girls, Younger
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan | Action, drama | For fans of Designated Survivor, Homeland, Person of Interest
What movies are on Amazon Prime Video?
Blow the Man Down | Drama, mystery | For fans of The Big Lebowski, Fargo, A Simple Plan
Brittany Runs a Marathon | Comedy | For fans of The Big Sick, Booksmart, The Hustle
Suspiria | Drama, horror | For fans of Black Swan, Final Destination, The Grudge
Troop Zero | Comedy | For fans of Meatballs, Moonrise Kingdom, The Way Way Back
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 NOW got HBO into streaming, and the 2020 arrival of HBO Max has taken it to the next level.
What TV shows are on HBO?
Euphoria | Drama, teen | For fans of 13 Reasons Why, Pretty Little Liars, Skins
I May Destroy You | Comedy, drama | For fans of Chewing Gum, Sex Education, Tuca & Bertie
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark | Docuseries| For fans of The Jinx, Making a Murderer, Unsolved Mysteries
Perry Mason | Drama, mystery | for fans of Boardwalk Empire, Goliath, True Detective
Watchmen | Action, drama | For fans of The Boys, Jessica Jones, Titans
What movies are on HBO?
Bad Education | Drama, history | For fans of Bombshell, I Tonya, The King’s Speech
Birds of Prey: Harley Quinn | Action, drama | For fans of Joker, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman
Ford v Ferrari | Drama | For fans of Ad Astra, Dunkirk, Rush
Jojo Rabbit | Comedy, drama | For fans of Inglorious Basterds, Thor: Ragnarok, What We Do in the Shadows
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, but it isn’t yet available on Roku or Amazon Fire streaming devices.
What TV shows are on HBO Max?
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
Love Life | Comedy, drama | For fans of Girls, High Fidelity, Sex and the City
Raised by Wolves | Drama, sci-fi | For fans of Altered Carbon, The Expanse, Snowpiercer
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
DC Universe movies | Action, drama | For fans of Aquaman, Justice League, Wonder Woman
The Lord of the Rings movies | Action, drama | For fans of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, Mortal Engines
Unpregnant | Comedy | For fans of Due Date, Juno, Thelma & Louise
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 hit The Mandalorian, Disney+ is a steal at $6.99 a month.
What TV shows are on Disney Plus?
Becoming | Docuseries | For fans of Biography, The Last Dance, Who Do You Think You Are?
Diary of a Future President | Comedy, Drama | For fans The Politician, My So-Called Life, The Wonder Years
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
What movies are on Disney Plus?
Artemis Fowl | Adventure, comedy | For fans of Lemony Snicket, Pan, Percy Jackson & the Olympians
Black is King | Musical | For fans of Black Panther, The Lion King, Pose
Frozen 2 | Animated, musical | For fans of Beauty & the Beast, Frozen, The Little Mermaid
Hamilton | Drama, musical | For fans of John Adams, Kinky Boots, Rock of Ages
Onward | Animated, comedy | For fans of Brave, How to Train Your Dragon, Toy Story
What to watch on Peacock
NBCUniversal’s new Peacock on-demand streaming service 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 will also soon be the exclusive streaming home of The Office and Parks & Recreation.
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. In addition to his CableTV.com work, 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.
