We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: not all weekends are created equal when it comes to new movies and TV shows arriving on streamers. This weekend, in fact, might be the most underwhelming for some time, with its selection of new additions made to look even more lackluster by the absence of a bona fide blockbuster.
Still, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing worth watching over the next few days. Among the returning series are some intriguing original movies, brand new shows and thought-provoking documentaries, not to mention a much-anticipated animated spin-off to one of Netflix’s most popular properties. If you missed out on Cruella, too, it's now available to stream for all Disney Plus users.
Below, we round up seven of the biggest new arrivals on the likes of Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max this weekend.
Clickbait (Netflix)
Netflix’s newest eight-part drama focuses on the race to find family man Nick Brewer (Adrian Grenier), who is abducted in a crime with a sinister online twist. His captor exploits the public’s unhealthy obsession with voyeurism, basically, by claiming he’ll kill Brewer if his live-streamed ordeal hits a certain threshold of views.
It’s an interesting premise, one which critics have labelled “unsophisticated but highly bingeable,” so there should be some thrills here, at least, even if the social commentary is a little unsubtle.
We can’t yet vouch for the accuracy of the title, though.
Now available to stream on Netflix
The Other Two season 2 (HBO Max)
Season 2 of the acclaimed Comedy Central series finds a new home on HBO Max this weekend, once again focusing on the two adult siblings (Drew Tarver and Heléne Yorke) who are outshone by their much younger pop star brother (Case Walker).
New episodes see Molly Shannon’s Pat basking in her newfound limelight as a daytime talk show host, while new guest stars including Bowen Yang, Zosia Mamet, Ian Ziering, Debi Mazar and Jordana Brewster join the hilarity.
Two episodes will stream each week across five consecutive Thursdays. UK viewers will likely find the show on E4 in the near future, though a broadcast date hasn’t yet been confirmed.
Now available to stream on HBO Max in the US
See season 2 (Apple TV Plus)
By most accounts, season one of See – the Jason Momoa-led sci-fi series about a band of sightless tribesmen – wasn’t great. An over-reliance on gore and a convoluted narrative meant neither critics nor audiences warmed to the show, though that hasn’t stopped Apple releasing a second season on its ever-improving streamer.
This time, though, Hollywood man-of-the-moment Dave Bautista joins the cast as Baba Voss’ estranged brother, Edo, who has captured Baba’s daughter, Haniwa. Evidently, then, some sibling rivalry is on the cards, which should mean we’ll get to see Drax battle Aquaman, at least.
Incidentally, the show has also been renewed for a third season, so perhaps this second outing really is a major improvement on the first.
Now available to stream on Apple TV Plus
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The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (Netflix)
Given the immense popularity of Netflix’s The Witcher series, it makes sense that the streamer commissioned an animated spin-off show ahead of season 2’s arrival in December.
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf focuses on the origin story of Geralt's mentor and fellow witcher, Vesemir, who must leave his everyday monster-slaying ways behind to confront a dangerous new power rising on the Continent.
Interestingly, the show acts as both a prequel to season 1 of the mainline Witcher series and a taste of what to expect from a character set to play a big part in its upcoming sophomore season.
Now available to stream on Netflix
Vacation Friends (Disney Plus, Hulu)
We’ve all made friends on holiday who we secretly wish we’d never see again, and Vacation Friends taps into that awkward sentiment by having oddball couple John Cena and Meredith Hagner unexpectedly turn up to the wedding of two ‘friends’ they met on a boozy vacation in Mexico.
Yvonne Orji and Lil Rel Howery star as the unwilling recipients of Cena’s typically-brash advances, which make for some less-than-friendly encounters in the real world beyond the resort.
Critical reception has been pretty cold on this one, to say the least, but if you’re a fan of the former wrestler’s brand of humor, you’ll likely find something to enjoy here.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus in the UK and Hulu in the US
Mosquito State (Shudder)
Nobody likes mosquitos, but nobody dislikes them quite as much as Mosquito State’s protagonist, Richard, who finds swarms of the blood-sucking insects breeding in his apartment.
Naturally, the young Wall Street data analyst must find a way of eradicating the pests before enduring a psychological meltdown and, as you’d expect from a Shudder original, things don’t go too well.
This one’s been described as “Cronenberg meets Kafka,” which is an analogy that has us more intrigued by Mosquito State than we’d care to admit.
Now available to stream on Shudder
Fernando (Amazon Prime Video)
As usual, we like to end our weekly round-ups with some fact-based drama, and this week’s non-fiction arrival documents the glistening career of Spanish Formula One driver Fernando Alonso.
As you’d expect, the five-part series combines race footage, behind-the scenes clips and exclusive interviews to paint a portrait of one of the most popular sportsmen on the planet.
Don’t expect The Last Dance-level drama here, but Formula One one fans will surely find lots to like in this tell-all feature on Alpine’s El Nano.
Now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video
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