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WhatToWatch
WhatToWatch
Entertainment
Tom Bedford

New on Netflix March 16-22: 7 (and a half) expert-picked shows, specials & movies

Sea Shimooka in Netflix's 3 Body Problem.

Netflix subscribers have a busy week of streaming ahead of them, because multiple anticipated new shows and movies from the world's biggest streamer all debut this week. Not sure what to watch? Don't worry, our streaming expert is here to pick out the must-watch new Netflix Originals.

Our weekly Netflix round-up this week is looking at new originals being added to the streamer between Saturday, March 16 and Friday, March 22, with everything new being considered: TV shows, movies and streaming specials.

We haven't seen the new additions ahead of time, so we can't guarantee that these will all end up on our ranking of the best Netflix shows. But they've all been picked out by What to Watch's streaming expert as being entries with lots of buzz behind them, perhaps due to being adaptations of popular books, returning series with lots of fan anticipation, or having big-name cast or crew.

This list includes reality shows, sci-fi thrillers, true crime, sporting competitions, dramas based on a true story, stand-up comedy and more, so there will be something for everybody.

So let's find you something new on Netflix that you'll enjoy...

Young Royals season 3 & Young Royals Forever

  • Swedish drama & making-of documentary release on Monday, March 18
(Image credit: Netflix)

The final season of Netflix's Swedish royalty drama Young Royals arrives on the same day as a making-of documentary for the show (that's the 'and a half' mentioned in the title of this article).

Young Royals is about a young prince who goes to an all-male boarding school, where he falls in love with another student... which is all thrown into jeopardy when he becomes next in line for the throne, and has lots of responsibilities thrust upon him.

At the same time as Young Royals season 3 debuts, you'll also be able to stream Young Royals Forever, a making-of special about the popular Swedish romantic drama that follows the production of the final season. Some of season 3 hit Netflix a week ago, but the season finale as well as Forever will arrive on Monday, March 18.

Physical: 100 season 2

  • Korean endurance competition show returns on Tuesday, March 19

After the first season of Physical: 100 proved a surprising smash hit on Netflix when it came out in 2023, it was only time before a second season of the show came out.

Physical 100: season 2 Underground, to give it its full title, will see 100 top-form athletes compete in a series of gruelling tests. If they fail, they'll be knocked out, and only one can claim the sparkling cash prize at the end of the event. In season 2, the activities will all take place in a mine, hence the name.

Unlike in its first season, Physical: 100 will release in one big binge-watchable batch of episodes on Tuesday, March 19. You won't need to wait for new episodes to release as you did last year!

Brian Simpson: Live from the Mothership

  • Stand-up comedy special arrives on Tuesday, March 19
(Image credit: Netflix)

This week's Netflix comedy special comes from Austin, Texas' Comedy Mothership club, with Brian Simpson giving his second stand-up performance for the streamer (after a half-hour slot on the anthology stand-up show The Standups.

Simpson is set to talk about the rules of masculinity, as well as his learning to love his "inner hater", and presumably a lot more. Netflix stand-up specials tend to be about an hour long.

Homicide: New York

  • True crime docuseries exploring NYC cases lands on Wednesday, March 20
(Image credit: Netflix)

Each episode of Homicide: New York will document an infamous murder case that took place in New York City. With interviews from the police and legal figures who cracked the cases, the episode will explain what happened and how the murderer was caught.

The five episodes of Homicide: New York will land on Wednesday, March 20; expect Homicide: Los Angeles later in 2024.

3 Body Problem

  • Globe- and time-hopping sci-fi show debuts on Thursday, March 21
(Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix has been teasing its big-budget TV adaptation of Chinese novel "The Three-Body Problem" for nearly four years now; created by the Game of Thrones showrunners and boasting a big cast of known names, this is going to be a must-watch for sci-fi fans.

Spanning many countries and time periods, 3 Body Problem is about an astrophysicist who makes a startling discovery that leads to the laws of nature starting to bend and break around her. Slowly, it becomes clear that this is a big threat to humanity that may come from beyond the stars.

Given that 'The Three-Body Problem' is just one book in a longer trilogy called 'The Rememberance of Earth's Past', this could prove to be a multi-season show if fans stream it enough. All of the episodes of 3 Body Problem land on Netflix at the same time on Thursday, March 21.

Shirley

  • Historical political movie releases on Friday, March 22
(Image credit: Glen Wilson/Netflix)

Netflix's latest historical movie adapts a real story about race and politics in America, from the distant year of 1972.

Shirley is a biopic about Shirley Chisholm, who was eventually the first Black congresswoman and also ran for President back in the 1970s. As you can imagine, she had to get over lots of adversity to get to that point, and that's what the movie is all about.

You can watch Shirley on Netflix from Friday, March 22. It's playing in select theaters in certain countries one week prior too.

Buying Beverly Hills season 2

  • Real estate reality competition returns on Friday, March 22
(Image credit: Netflix)

We venture to the balmy LA climate in Buying Beverly Hills season 2, which returns us to Mauricio Umansky's unimaginatively-named real estate agency The Agency as the real estate mogul and his daughters try to sell more luxury homes.

In Buying Beverly Hills, we follow as the agents of The Agency try to survive in the competitive field of luxury real estate, while also juggling personal and professional relationships. We pick back up with Umansky as he's facing down difficulties in his marriage, so clearly it's not going that well.

You'll be able to watch Buying Beverly Hills season 2 on Netflix from Friday, March 22.

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