5 best new shows to stream this week
New shows to stream this week on select providers (Prime Video, Apple TV+, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+):
Dead Hot (18 August) – best new shows to stream on Prime Video
Cast: Bilal Hasna, Vivian Oparah, Olisa Odele
Genre: Mystery/Comedy
Format: 6 episodes
5 years ago, Elliot came home to find his soulmate Peter had vanished – with nothing left behind but his finger in a puddle of blood. Still living with Peter’s twin Jess, they don’t know if he ran away, was kidnapped or worse.
Elliot tries moving on, and after a magical date with wonderful Will, that seems possible. But when shit hits the fan, Elliot and Jess know they need to find out the truth.
What happened to Peter? This queer, amateur-detective romp promises to be a new addictive watch as twists and turns only create more questions for Elliot and his friends.
Invasion Season 3 (22 August) – best new shows to stream on Apple TV
Cast: Golshifteh Farahani, Shioli Kutsuna, Shamier Anderson
Genre: Sci-fi
Format: 10 episodes
Invasion follows an alien invasion through different perspectives around the world. In season three, those perspectives collide for the first time, as the series’ main characters are brought together to work as a team on a critical mission to infiltrate the alien mothership.
This critically acclaimed series had a quiet start on Apple TV+, but its popularity has exploded – for all the right reasons.
While it is definitely a slow burn, Invasion stands out for its character-driven storylines, focusing on the human experience during an alien invasion, rather than solely on the spectacle of the event itself.
Peacemaker Season 2 (22 August) – best new shows to stream on HBO Max
Cast: John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma
Genre: Sci-fi/Comedy/Action
Format: 8 episodes
This is the continuing story of Peacemaker – a self-centred yet (somehow) heroic man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it.
Season 2 follows Christopher Smith (AKA Peacemaker) as he struggles to reconcile his past with a newfound sense of purpose – and continues to kick evil dude’s asses in his misguided quest for ‘peace’.
As in season 1, John Cena really makes the anti-hero his own, and is a delight to watch. James Gunn (Superman) has confirmed that all the events of this season are canon in his new DC Universe, so if you’re following along keenly, you won’t want to miss Peacemaker season 2 on HBO Max.
Long Story Short (22 August) – best new shows to stream on Netflix
Cast: Lisa Edelstein, Paul Reiser, Abbi Jacobson
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Format: 10 episodes
The creator of BoJack Horseman has returned with a new animated series. Long Story Short follows a family over time, tracing the journey of siblings from childhood to adulthood (and back again).
As a long awaited follow up to BoJack, we may be setting expectations too high with Long Story Short. It’s better viewed as its own thing, though the similarities are definitely there. They’re both animated dramedies for adults that deal with heavy, complex life moments and the emotions that follow them.
Just don’t go in expecting talking horses and cats. If anything Long Story Short will be a pared-down, slice of life comment on the nature of family – a lot more focussed and intimate than BoJack ever was.
Twelve (23 August) – best new shows to stream on Disney+
Cast: Don Lee, Park Hyung-Sik, Seo In-Guk
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Format: 8 episodes
This high-concept South Korean series sees a group of heroes, each embodying one of the 12 zodiac signs, battle to defend the Korean Peninsula from malevolent spirits.
The heroes, each given their own powers to protect humans, are soon reborn as 12 angels. Led by the tiger angel Tae San, the 12 angels fight a bloody battle against Asura, the king of demons.
But Asura has a complicated back story: he was apparently hated by God and banished to the demon world – and he believes his actions will protect the earth, not threaten it.
With slick visuals and a punchy, action-driven narrative, Twelve is certainly a series worth checking out.
