Ready for a weekend of relaxing in front of your TV? You've got plenty to choose from if you are. Three of the world's best streaming services – Netflix, Prime Video, and Max – will engage in an almighty TV series showdown as new seasons of their wildly successful shows Bridgerton, The Boys, and House of the Dragon make their debuts.
If you're not a fan of steamy period dramas, satirical superhero series, or bloody high fantasy, though, don't fret. There are some fascinating new movies and a crime thriller show to entertain you instead. So, what are you waiting for? Read on to see what you'll be streaming over the next few days.
The Boys season 4 (Prime Video)
Oi, you! Yeah, you. Did you know Prime Video's diabolically fun and ultraviolent superhero series – one of them, anyway – is back on our screens? Well, now you do, sunshine. The Boys is *ahem* back in town with its eagerly anticipated fourth season, and it sees the dysfunctional titular group continuing their increasingly desperate crusade to bring Homelander, The Seven, and Vought International to their knees. Or, at the very least, winging it in the most comedically violent way possible.
The Boys season 4's first three episodes are out now, and you'll want to read our review of The Boys' fourth season to see if it continues one of the best Prime Video shows' hot streaks on your telly box.
Watch The Boys season 4 on Prime Video. New episodes air weekly.
House of the Dragon season 2 (Max)
Almost two years after it redeemed HBO's Game of Thrones universe in the eyes of many, House of the Dragon makes its exciting return on Max (in the US) with its eight-episode second installment. Set immediately after its predecessor's emotionally stunning finale, House of the Dragon season 2 finds Westeros on the brink of a devastating civil war – known as The Dance of the Dragons – as Houses Targaryen and Hightower continue to fight over the Iron Throne.
Is one of the best Max shows' sophomore seasons still worth watching? You'll need to read our spoiler-free review of House of the Dragon season 2's first four episodes to find out. House of the Dragon season 3 is officially in development, too, so this won't be the end of the hit series, whatever your thoughts on its next chapter are.
House of the Dragon season 2 premieres on Max (US) on Sunday, June 16, and Sky/Now TV (UK) and Foxtel/Binge (Australia) on Monday, June 17. New episodes air weekly.
Bridgerton season 3 part 2 (Netflix)
Bridgerton season 3 got off to a royally good start when its first batch of episodes arrived on May 16. Now that volume 2 has been released in full on Netflix, you can immerse yourself in even more high-born scandals and risqué romance.
Without spoiling anything from season 3 part 1, Bridgerton's latest chapter reunites us with Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) as they continue to navigate the aristocratic world of love, familial loyalty, and Lady Whistledown's gossip sheets. Expect part 2 to draw in millions more viewers and cement Bridgerton's place as one of the best Netflix shows around.
Watch Bridgerton season 3 part 2 in full on Netflix.
Ultraman Rising (Netflix)
Netflix has given us some really great family-friendly animated films – especially over the summer months (that's winter, for Australians) – in recent years. With Ultraman: Rising, one of June's new Netflix movies, the streaming giant will hope to achieve similar levels of success.
Christopher Sean voices Ken Sato, a Japan native and US baseball star who's forced to return to his island home to assume the superhero mantle of Ultraman amid numerous monster attacks. However, when Sato inadvertently becomes the adoptive father of a 35-foot tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju, he's not only charged with keeping Tokyo safe, but also protecting said baby monster from falling into the wrong hands. One to add to our best Netflix movies list? We'll see how Ultraman: Rising performs first.
Watch Ultraman Rising on Netflix.
Presumed Innocent (Apple TV Plus)
"I did not kill her". If you take anything away from Apple's new legal thriller series Presumed Innocent – a TV remake of the Harrison Ford-starring 1990 movie and 1987 novel of the same name – it's that Jake Gyllenhaal's protagonist didn't commit the crime he's accused of.
Or so he says. The suspense-filled Apple TV Plus drama sees Gyllenhaal's Rusty Sabich, Chicago's chief deputy prosecutor, installed as the main suspect in the horrific murder of Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve) – Sabich's co-worker who he was having an extramarital affair with.
Based on its 78% critical and 84% audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes, Presumed Innocent is off to a captivating start on the streamer. Expect to see it on our best Apple TV Plus shows list shortly.
Watch Presumed Innocent on Apple TV Plus. New episodes air weekly.
Monkey Man (Peacock)
Originally set to stream exclusively on Netflix before Jordan Peele snapped up the rights to release it in theaters, Monkey Man (out now on Peacock) has – through no fault of its own – been regularly compared to the John Wick movies.
With its hard-hitting and violent action, plus its vengeance-driven narrative, it's easy to see why, but simply calling it a John Wick clone is a disservice to Dev Patel's feature film directorial debut (he also stars in it, by the way). Indeed, it might tell the tale of a son's quest to get revenge on the people responsible for his mom's death years prior, but with its sociopolitical commentary, mythos-steeped themes, and wildly ambitious fight scenes and camerawork, Monkey Man is a stunning action flick in its own right.
Origin (Hulu)
Arriving five months after its theatrical release, the acclaimed Ava DuVernay-directed biographical drama Origin will aim to reach a wider audience following its underperformance at the global box office.
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor plays Isabel Wilkerson, the first Black journalist to win the Pulitzer Prize for her investigative endeavors. One of June's new Hulu movies, Origin follows Wilkerson's globe-trotting journey as she pens her second book – Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, which was published in August 2020 – while simultaneously contending with a personal tragedy.
With its 82% critical and 97% audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes, Origin clearly deserves to be seen by more people. Now that it's out on Hulu (in the US), there's no excuse not to check it out. One to add to our best Hulu movies guide in the near future.
For more streaming recommendations, check out our guides on the best Disney Plus movies, best Paramount Plus shows, best Netflix shows, and best Prime Video movies.
