Just like every week before it, there are plenty of new movies and shows to catch on the world’s biggest streamers this time around – but there’s one hit series that’ll hope to rule them all this weekend.
That’s right, The Rings of Power, the most successful Amazon TV Original of all-time, is back for its highly anticipated second season. Based on what our reviewer said, it sounds like it’s worth catching the high fantasy series’ sophomore season, too, but you’ll need to read on to find out why that’s the case.
Nonplussed about Prime Video‘s take on The Lord of the Rings? Six other absorbing TV series and films are set to make their debuts (or have already done so) on the world’s best streaming services before Sunday evening arrives. So, hop to it, dear reader!
The Rings of Power season 2 (Prime Video)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I liked The Rings of Power season 1. It wasn’t perfect, but Amazon’s Lord of the Rings prequel show was a fantastical feast for the eyes, with melodrama, horror-imbued moments, high-stakes action, and reams of fantasy to be captivated by.
Ever since The Rings of Power season 2 was first announced, then, I’ve been eager for one of the best Prime Video shows‘ return. Thankfully, the near-two-year wait has been worth it, with The Rings of Power‘s second season being the thrilling and faithful TV adaptation I’ve wanted all along (and I suspect many Tolkien fanatics have, too).
I’ve been covering the series extensively in recent time, so check out our Rings of Power tag page for exclusive insights from its showrunners and cast. I’ll continue to write about it for, well, as long as I’m allowed to, so stick with TechRadar for all of your Middle-earth needs.
Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
Only Murders in the Building season 4 (Hulu/Disney Plus)
Only Murders in the Building is back and seemingly bigger than ever, with the hit Hulu show’s newest installment (it’s also available on Disney Plus internationally) already earning an impressive 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
This time, the unlikely and much-loved trio of Mabel (Selena Gomez), Charles (Steve Martin), and Oliver (Martin Short) are back to try and figure out who killed their beloved friend and Charles’ long-time stunt double Sazz, so season 4’s story could arguably be their most personal case yet. They’re also jetting off to Los Angeles because someone’s keen to turn their podcast into a movie, which means we’ll be reunited with Meryl Streep’s Loretta Durkin, too. Huzzah! So, make sure you tune back into one of the best Hulu shows and best Disney Plus shows, especially if you’re a true crime connoisseur.
Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
Terminator Zero (Netflix)
Judgment Day is finally upon us, which means that you can now stream Terminator Zero on Netflix. If you’re fan of James Cameron’s cyborg assassin sci-fi saga – and let’s be honest, why wouldn’t you be – then you’re in for a treat, because the new show goes back to the original movie’s horror roots. In fact, its creator Matt Tomlin reveals that it’s “a faithful adaptation” to the sci-fi franchise after digging into the original source material.
Indeed, you won’t see any Arnold Schwarzenegger-type characters with leather jackets and Harley Davidsons in this adaptation, and Sarah Connor won’t be back either. Instead, in this R-rated animated series, when Skynet goes rogue and starts to unleash Armageddon, humanity looks to a lone female freedom fighter called Eiko to save the scientist Malcolm Lee. Swapping out LA for Tokyo, Terminator Zero has the potential to not only be one of the best Netflix anime, but also one of the best Netflix shows.
Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
Kinds of Kindness (Disney Plus / Hulu)
Yorgos Lanthimos is one of the biggest directors flying the Greek Weird Wave – a film movement described by Collider as examining authoritarian power structures in weird and wonderful ways – flag high. And, after watching his most recent collaboration with Emma Stone in Poor Things, which was a colorful, whirlwind odyssey delight, I’m very excited to see what they’ve got in store next. The pair had also worked together on The Favourite, which just so happens to also be joining Hulu in September, so you’ve got two more great movies to stream after you’re done with Kinds of Kindness.
Speaking of Lanthimos’ latest endeavor, it wouldn’t make our best Hulu movies and best Disney Plus movies lists because of its 72% Rotten Tomatoes score, meaning it just falls short of criteria for inclusions. That won’t stop me from streaming it this weekend, though. I’m a fan of anthologies as a tool for storytelling because of how it can piece together a complex theme or sparse narrative, and the triptych fable about a man without choice, a woman’s search for a prodigious spiritual leader, and a policeman’s missing wife at the centre of Kinds of Kindness sounds perfect for it.
Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
Kaos (Netflix)
Kaos is a dark comedy series that puts a contemporary reimagining of Greek mythology. In it, three humans start to discover their connections with each other and an ancient prophecy, all while they grapple with corrupt Greek gods.
The ever-so-charming Jeff Goldblum playing an emotionally unstable Zeus, the Greek God of Thunder? Sign me up! Although I don’t know much about Greek mythology, this sounds like an enjoyable twist on the subject. Who knows, maybe I’ll learn something new and it’ll become one of the best Netflix shows.
Grace Morris, entertainment writer
The Watchers (Max)
The Watchers, a new supernatural horror, is ready to stream on Max, so fans of the genre will be eating good this weekend. It’s the directorial debut from Ishana Night Shyamalan, who is following in her father’s footsteps to deliver scares. Whether or not she’s inherited his love of insane twists and turns is a mystery, and you’ll have to watch (no pun intended) to find out more and see if it’s worthy of our best horror movies list.
The movie follows Mina (Dakota Fanning), a 28-year-old artist who becomes trapped in a vast, untouched forest in Ireland. While there, she is stuck with three strangers who are stalked by mysterious creatures every night, i.e. the titular “Watchers”, who she must keep herself safe from. Taking plenty of inspiration from folklore, this is one to watch if you like your horrors rural and ominous. Keep an eye out to see if it joins our best Max movies guide shortly.
Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
K-Pop Idols (Apple TV Plus)
Apple TV Plus is giving us a backstage pass into the world of K-Pop stardom with their new docuseries K-Pop Idols. The six-part documentary offers a close look at the intense reality of being in an industry that demands perfection with much-loved artists Jessi, CRAVITY and BLACKSWAN.
While I don’t listen to K-Pop music, I’m aware of the talent, craft, and determination the performers put into their show-stopping performances. It’s an interesting world that I’m keen to learn about and I’m looking forward to being mesmerized by the idols’ gift on putting on a stunning show on Apple‘s streaming platform. We’ll have to wait and see if it makes it onto our best Apple TV Plus shows list.
Grace Morris, entertainment writer
For more streaming recommendations, read our guides on the best Paramount Plus shows, best Prime Video movies, best Paramount Plus movies, and best Apple TV Plus movies.
