What's new to streaming this week? (Nov. 15, 2024)
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When it comes to streaming, viewers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television within each one!
Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services trying to determine what to watch! We've got your back whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, animation, and more.
But if you're seeking something brand spanking new (or new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.
SEE ALSO: The best Netflix TV shows of 2024 (so far)
Mashable's Entertainment Team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of this week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Craving something Christmassy, be it heartfelt or horny? Hankering for high-octane action, in cars or mobility scooters? In need of some knee-slapping good comedy, either dark as coffee or light as champagne? Even if you're seeking a daring musical or a classic dramedy series newly ready to pull you down a rabbit hole, we've got what you're looking for.
Here's what's new on streaming, from worst to best.
10. Bad Sisters, Season 2
The Garvey sisters are back for Season 2 of Sharon Horgan's black comedy/drama about a family going to murderous lengths to protect their sister from her abusive husband. Season 1 was unique for its structure, which swapped the traditional whodunnit for a howdunnit, showing us the dead body of John Paul (Claes Bang) before steadily revealing through flashbacks what actually happened to him.
Season 2 moves on from this device, which means the show no longer has quite the same hook — and it does suffer for it. But as I wrote in my Mashable review, there are still reasons to watch.
"There are many good things about Bad Sisters that are still there in Season 2. The characters are just as much fun, the blend of drama and black humour is effective, and the writing is as sharp as ever. The new characters, too, bring a fresh tension to the mix, and there are still plenty of twists that are hard to see coming." — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor
Starring: Sharon Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Sarah Greene, Eve Hewson, Eva Birthistle, Owen McDonnell, Michael Smiley, Fiona Shaw, Thaddea Graham, and Barry Ward
How to watch: The first two episodes of Bad Sisters are now streaming on Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping weekly after that.
9. Emilia Pérez
French filmmaker Jacques Audiard has previously wowed critics with dramas like Rust and Bone, A Prophet, and The Sisters Brothers. Now, he traverses daring new terrain with a musical with a telenovela plotline. Its story begins with a cartel boss (transgender telenovela star Karla Sofía Gascón), who is looking to leave a life of crime behind and become the woman she's always believed she could be. This means transitioning through medical procedures, faking her death, and changing her name to Emilia Pérez. However, the film that bears her name also weaves in the dramatic journeys of the women around her, including her oft-stressed lawyer (Zoe Salda?a), the wife she leaves behind (Selena Gomez), and her new love interest (Adriana Paz). Passionate and provocative, it's a musical that dances to its own beat.
In his Mashable review out of Cannes, Siddhant Adlakha wrote, "The Spanish-language Cannes title not only won Audiard the Jury Prize — the festival's third most prestigious accolade — but it was also awarded the Best Actress trophy to not one but four of its central performances, each of which brings a unique thoughtfulness and passion to the screen... Above all else, the film's four leading ladies are perfectly attuned to Audiard's volatile mixture of operatic emotion and naturalistic cinematic influence. The result is a dazzling, dramatic high-wire act that's always fun to watch, and is frequently invigorating, too." — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor
Starring: Zoe Salda?a, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz
How to watch: Emilia Pérez is now streaming on Netflix.
8. Ally McBeal, Seasons 1- 5
Before there was Carrie Bradshaw, there was Ally McBeal.
Earlier this year, the Emmys paid tribute to the smash hit that was David E. Kelley's legal dramedy Ally McBeal with a reunion sketch that brought back the cast, the dancing, and the unisex bathroom. It's been 27 years since she first shimmied to that rockin' theme song in a now-iconic mini-skirt and blazer. Now we can finally revisit all five seasons of this award-winning series. Or — if it's new to you — jump on in and see what all the fuss was about, from the dancing baby to the redemption of Robert Downey Jr.
Calista Flockhart stars as the eponymous single female lawyer who fights for justice, feminism, and love for 112 episodes. Her colleagues are outrageously eccentric, brazenly horny, snarlingly intense, and wonderfully funny. Embrace the wildness, romance, and very '90s brand of fashion and feminism that is Ally McBeal. — K.P.
Starring: Calista Flockhart, Robert Downey Jr., Jane Krakowski, Greg Germann, Lisa Nicole Carson, Lucy Liu, Peter MacNicol, Portia de Rossi, Courtney Thorne-Smith, and Vonda Shepard
How to watch: Ally McBeal is now streaming on Hulu.
7. An Almost Christmas Story
Director David Lowery chiseled his reputation on dramas that range from slow-burn romances (Ain't Them Bodies Saints) to the mind-bendingly surreal (The Green Knight). Now, as a follow-up to his (admittedly underwhelming) live-action adventure Peter & Wendy, he presents an animated holiday short film that's studded with stars.
An Almost Christmas Story begins with an owl fledgling named Moon (Cary Christopher), who accidentally ends up being swept away from his father (Jim Gaffigan) and familiar forest home to the center of New York City, thanks to being caught up in the chosen Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. With distinctive animation that recalls wood carvings and other handmade crafts, this 21-minute short film offers a heartwarming tale of friendship, community, and goodwill in cold times. — K.P.
Starring: Cary Christopher, Estella Madrigal, Mamoudou Athie, Jim Gaffigan, Natasha Lyonne, and John C. Reilly
How to watch: An Almost Christmas Story premieres on Disney+ on Nov. 15.
6. Twisters
Glen Powell summer turns into Glen Powell fall with the release of Twisters on Peacock. In this sequel to 1996's Twister, directed by Minari's Lee Isaac Chung, brilliant meteorologist Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones, Normal People) crosses paths with tornado wrangler Tyler Owens (Powell) during a record storm season in Oklahoma. The result is a rollicking ride of a disaster flick, powered by pulse-pounding storm chasing and a healthy dose of Powell's megawatt charisma.
SEE ALSO: 'Twisters' review: Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones try to recapture lighting in a bottle
However, while I have a sunny outlook on the film — I can't help it that I'm a Powell fan! — others may be in for a rougher forecast. As Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko wrote in her Twisters review, "Sure, Twisters throws plenty of storm action at audiences, pitching in fireworks, flames, and even ripping a movie theater to shreds for good measure. But none of this touches down if you don't feel invested in the characters. Edgar-Jones' and Powell's characters are too two-dimensional to hook us. [Anthony] Ramos is kicked to the sidelines with a haphazard sinister business subplot. And the most dynamic characters are treated as little more than window dressing for a plot that's so close to the original Twister I marvel it was (re)made at all." — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Kiernan Shipka, and Katy O'Brian
How to watch: Twisters begins streaming on Peacock Nov. 15.
5. Silo, Season 2
Graham Yost's gripping adaptation of Hugh Howey's post-apocalyptic book series returns for a second season, following the fate of 10,000 people trapped in an underground silo for reasons unknown. The shows first outing, which saw engineer Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) investigating a murder, was described by Mashable's Belen Edwards in her review as an introduction to a "mysterious, painstakingly realized new world."
"It [...] swaps blockbuster pizzazz for the darker, moodier trappings of prestige TV, like a non-linear timeline complete with many, many flashbacks," she wrote. "In these ways, Silo acts as both a return to and a progression from the YA dystopias I devoured as a teen — so it should come as no surprise that I devoured it eagerly now. Despite my occasional frustration with its chronology, Silo proves to be an engrossing and rewarding watch, one that devoted fans of dystopia and sci-fi will relish." — S.H.
Starring: Rebecca Ferguson, Steve Zahn, Tim Robbins, Common, Harriet Walter, Chinaza Uche, Avi Nash, Alexandria Riley, Shane McRae, Remmie Milner, Clare Perkins, Billy Postlethwaite, Rick Gomez, Caitlin Zoz, Tanya Moodie, and Iain Glen
How to watch: Silo Season 2 premiers on Apple TV+ Nov. 15, with episodes streaming weekly.
4. St. Denis Medical
For the workplace sitcom obsessives among us, NBC's St. Denis Medical is a promising addition to the genre. Created by Justin Spitzer (American Auto, Superstore) and writer Eric Ledgin, this mockumentary-style comedy follows the lives of overworked nurses and doctors working at an Oregon hospital. From surgeries to stab wounds to systemic failures, this crew has seen it all — and they're still keeping it together. Mostly.
SEE ALSO: Does 'St. Denis Medical' have TV's next Jim and Pam?
On top of some inspired hospital hijinks — like the world's worst operating room playlist — St. Denis Medical boasts an extra-promising ensemble, including frazzled head nurse Alex (Allison Tolman), brash director Joyce (Wendi McLendon-Covey), and disgruntled doctor Ron (David Alan Grier). Rounding it out are bro-y trauma surgeon Bruce (Josh Lawson), and nurses Val (Kaliko Kauahi, Superstore), Serena (Kahyun Kim), and Matt (Mekki Leeper, Jury Duty). Already gelling like gangbusters in the show's first few episodes, could their chemistry reach the levels of other stellar mockumentary casts, like those of The Office, Parks and Recreation, and Abbott Elementary? Time will tell, but for now, St. Denis Medical is off to a winning start. — B.E.
Starring: Wendi McLendon-Covey, David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Mekki Leeper, Kahyun Kim, and Kaliko Kauahi
3. Hot Frosty
With Spooky Season behind us, no one can blame you for looking ahead to the festive fun of Christmas movies. Netflix is kicking off its holiday slate in November, with a selection of new and freshly charming holiday rom-coms. And this week, they've debuted our favorite of the batch: the absurd yet undeniably enchanting Hot Frosty, which, yes, is about a snowman who transforms into a real man.
SEE ALSO: The best Christmas movies now streaming on Netflix
Mean Girls' Lacey Chabert and Schitt's Creek's Dustin Milligan headline this tale of girl meets snowman. Not only is this playful movie festooned with festive flair like Christmas cookies, a holiday festival, and chipper songs, but it also boasts a playful shopping montage, allusions to Terminator and Pretty Woman, and plenty of opportunities for its buff leading man to be shirtless. (The cold never bothered him anyway.) As I wrote in our Watch of the Week review: "There's a sincere pleasure in slipping down the ludicrous slide that is Hot Frosty's premise, in which a hot, naive, but very sweet man is the perfect Christmas wish — for [its romantic heroine] and for any of us who may need a bit of comfort from a cold, cold world." — K.P.
Starring: Lacey Chabert, Dustin Milligan, Katy Mixon Greer, Lauren Holly, Joe Lo Truglio, and Craig Robinson
How to watch: Hot Frosty is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Thelma
Need a feel-good movie? Then our top pick for you is this barrage of sunshine out of Sundance 2024. Written and directed by Josh Margolin as an ode to his beloved grandmother, Thelma plays like Mission: Impossible — if it followed a 93-year-old grandma who kicks butt and takes names.
Academy Award–nominee June Squibb stars as our eponymous action-comedy hero. After being duped out of some big bucks on a telephone scammer, this no-nonsense nonagenarian sets forth on a quest to get vengeance — and her money back! Along the way, she'll commit a string of petty crimes, like stealing a mobility scooter (or getaway ride) from her dear friend Ben (Shaft's Richard Roundtree). Meanwhile, her adoring family (Fred Hechinger, Parker Posey, and Clark Gregg) frantically search to stop her before she gets hurt! But fret not. Thelma is old-school fun that never mocks its retiree leads and always keeps comedy firmly in the scooter seat.
As I wrote in Mashable's review out of Sundance: "In the end, Thelma laughs at the absurdity of aging, not the elderly.... These heroes might fall, but like Tom Cruise, they'll get up again, perhaps inspiring us as they rise. Bolstered by some cheeky action tropes, including twists, chases, gunplay, and even an explosion, Thelma is more than a winsome romp. It's a real thrill." — K.P.
Starring: June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree, Parker Posey, and Clark Gregg
How to watch: Thelma begins streaming on Hulu Nov. 15.
1. Fast and Furious: 1 - 6
There's a slim chance, possibly an inch, possibly a mile, that you haven't seen the Fast and Furious films. But the good news? The first six films are coming to Netflix, ready for you to NOS-boost your way into some of the finest action films of all time (fight me). Look, we love all 10 films. but these first six have literally more grounded storylines, equally innovative and mind-blowing stunts, and the same sublime cast. And these are the six films released in star Paul Walker's lifetime, before his death in 2013.
You're in for 2001's superb franchise-starter The Fast and the Furious; the underrated, music video-like sequel 2 Fast 2 Furious; the fan-favorite spinoff, Tokyo Drift; the completely fine Fast & Furious; the absolute banger of a heist film Fast Five; and the ultimately heartbreaking Fast & Furious 6.
Cancel your plans, live a quarter mile at a time, and watch all six in a row. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Devon Aoki, Lucas Black, Sung Kang, Luke Evans, Gal Gadot, Dwayne Johnson, and Elsa Pataky
(*) denotes a blurb has been lifted or modified from a prior TV preview.
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