A sizzling lineup of new TV shows and movies awaits you to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime Video and other top streaming services.
Leading the slate is the finale of "House of the Dragon" season 2, which has upped the stakes on the Targaryen civil war. The debuts category includes the British teen mystery drama "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" and the animated superhero tale "Batman: Caped Crusader." And making their returns are the Rob Lowe comedy "Unstable" for season 2 and the beloved favorite "Futurama" for season 12.
On the movie side, you can stream theatrical hits "A Quiet Place: Day One" (with a digital purchase) and "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" (with a Hulu subscription). Here's our guide on what to watch this weekend.
New TV
'House of the Dragon' season 2 finale (HBO)
Fire has ravaged and blood has been shed in the second season of the "Game of Thrones" prequel, and it's all culminating in what should be a whopper of a finale. Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) has recruited three more dragonriders to her side, and she's ready to take on the Greens. But she still has to contend with a big, dangerous question mark in the form of her husband-uncle, Daemon (Matt Smith). Will he and his army support her or will he try to take the crown for himself? In King's Landing, as Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) still remains bedridden, Prince Regent Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) is ready to burn everything down, much to the disquiet of his mother, Dowager Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke). This civil war is about to get nastier — and with dragons involved, deadlier.
Airs Sunday, August 4 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max
‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ (Netflix)
Holly Jackson’s popular novel is the basis for this BBC adaptation, which aired to great acclaim in the U.K. last month and is debuting on Netflix. Pip Fitz-Amobi (Emma Myers) is a 17-year-old true crime enthusiast living in a small town in England. Under the guise of a school project, she sets out to investigate the murder of popular high school girl Andie Bell by her boyfriend Sal Singh, who later died by suicide. Pip is convinced that Sal was innocent and the true perpetrator is still out there, so she teams up with Sal’s younger brother Ravi (Zain Iqbal) to find the truth.
Streaming now on Netflix
‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ (Prime Video)
The 1990s-era “Batman: The Animated Series" is much venerated by fans, so they should be happy that its co-creator, Bruce Timm, is behind this new cartoon. The character is taken back to his post-Depression roots, noir pulp tone and Art Deco visuals (no cell phones or computers in existence). Wealthy scion Bruce Wayne is just starting his vigilante career as Batman at a time when Gotham City is troubled by criminals running amok and the police department running corrupt. As heroic as his crusade to clean up the city is, Batman’s actions lead to deadly, unforeseen consequences.
Streaming now on Prime Video
‘Unstable’ season 2 (Netflix)
The Lowe family biz gears up against in the second season of this workplace comedy. Brilliant, but narcissistic biotech mogul Ellis Dragon (Rob Lowe) narrowly avoided being removed from the board of his own company and ousted rival Jean (Christina Chang) … then blew up her car. In season 2, Ellis will face the consequences of his actions. He also devises a series of challenges and mind games for his son Jackson (John Owen Lowe) in his own twisted version of “Succession.” But a newcomer (Lamorne Morris) may have other ideas for the future of the company.
Streaming now on Netflix
‘Futurama’ season 12 (Hulu)
More adventures for Fry, Leela, Bender, Professor Farnsworth and the gang in season 12 of the beloved animated comedy, including birthday party games to the death, the secrets of Bender's ancestral robot village, A.I. friends (and enemies), impossibly cute beanbags, and the true 5 million-year-old story behind the consciousness-altering substance known as coffee. Plus, the series will circle back around to the season 7 finale (one of several “series finales”) to explore the next chapter in Fry and Leela’s romance.
Streaming now on Hulu
New movies
‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ (PVOD)
This prequel to “A Quiet Place” flashes back to the before times — before the aliens invaded, before survivors had to remain absolutely silent lest they provoke the monsters to attack them. Samira (Lupita Nyong'o) is a terminally ill cancer patient who joins a hospice outing to Manhattan. Meteors fall from the sky, bringing extraterrestrial creatures who begin a savage killing spree. Soon, humans discover that the aliens are drawn by noise, but a completely quiet evacuation is nearly impossible. Sam joins up with English law student Eric (Joseph Quinn) to find a way off the island, but encounter numerous obstacles in their way.
Streaming now with purchase on Amazon or Apple
‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ (Hulu)
The fourth installment in the rebooted “Planet of the Apes” franchise is set 300 years after the events of the previous film. Several generations have come and gone since Caesar’s reign, and apes are the dominant species. Humans have devolved into unintelligent and speechless animals. But Caesar’s pacifist teachings are now mostly forgotten, and the apes have divided into territorial tribes. When a young chimpanzee Noa (Owen Teague) encounters a human woman, Mae (Freya Allan), he embarks on a harrowing journey that leads him to a coastal clan’s brutal leader, Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand).
Streaming now on Hulu
'Maxxxine' (PVOD)
The third installment in Ti West's film series, following "X" and "Pearl," sees Mia Goth reprise role as Maxine Minx. In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star Maxine finally gets her mainstream break when she lands a coveted role in a horror movie directed by Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki). But a killer is hunting young starlets in Maxine's circle and she becomes a person of interest to two LAPD detectives (Michelle Monaghan and Bobby Cannavale) and a private investigator (Kevin Bacon) with a mysterious client. As Maxine seeks answers, her past comes back to haunt her.
Streaming now with purchase on Amazon or Apple
‘Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color’ (Netflix)
Earlier this year, the latest entry in the “Godzilla” film canon surprisingly, and deservedly, won the Oscar for visual effects. “Godzilla Minus One” maintains a high 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes and finally arrived on Netflix a couple of months ago. Now, a black-and-white version is streaming on the platform. But this isn’t a case of just adding a filter to the existing film; each shot was refined individually. Director Takashi Yamazaki told the L.A. Times that he believes “Minus Color” is scarier than the original “because it feels like it's happening in real life.”
Streaming now on Netflix
