Tag: streaming

Apple’s iPad and MacBook lineup just got some nice upgrades
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 74, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, sorry in advance for my terrible TV taste, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)

This week, I’ve been reading about Bybit, Walmart, and sports analytics; devouring the first season of Running Point and the seventh season of Drive to Survive; listening to Scam Inc and Tested; obsessing over my progress in Fantasy Hike; getting the hang of Tiny Wings again; and making a lot of pancakes for a toddler who suddenly won’t eat anything else.

I also have for you a couple of exciting new Apple products, some fun stuff to watch this weekend, the return of a legendary social media platform, and much more. Plus, I’m an idiot. More on that in a minute. Let’s dig in.

(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What are you into right now? What are you playing / reading / watching / downloading / building / eating with toast this week? Tell me everything: installer@theverge.com. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, tell them to subscribe here.)
The new MacBook Air. The MacBook Air is probably my longest-running default recommendation. If you just want a laptop, no follow-up questions, get an Air. This one’s faster and has a better webcam, and I even like the pale blue here. And it’s cheaper! A miracle!

The new iPad. The new iPad Air got all of Apple’s attention this week, but I think the new base model is the bigger deal. This is the iPad I’d tell most people to buy — I wish it had gotten a bigger chip bump, but this’ll still do iPad things nicely. And $349 is the right price.

Split Fiction. I need more gamer friends, because wow does this game look like a fun co-op. It looks like Blade Runner and Tron. There’s a company called Radar. There are puzzles and fights and — seriously, who wants to play a lot of this with me? Like, right now.

Daredevil: Born Again. I always liked the old Daredevil series and Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock. As ever with Marvel TV, this one sounds a little uneven in its execution and requires an annoying amount of lore knowledge, but I still enjoy watching some kickass crime fighting. And there’s plenty of it.

The Nothing Phone 3A. Nothing might be the most interesting company in smartphones right now. It’s doing really cool, unique stuff, and it seems to be really starting to dial in its cameras. I particularly like the new Essential Space feature that collects and organizes all the photos, screenshots, and other stuff your phone accumulates all day.

“Technology isn’t fun anymore.” In this video, Drew Gooden puts words to what I think a lot of people are feeling about the state of technology right now. I don’t agree with all of it, but it’s a pretty solid argument — and raises a lot of questions about why we feel so disillusioned with the state of things and what better would even look like.

Twitter: Breaking the Bird. A four-part CNN series, starting on Sunday, about how Twitter got big, changed the world, and screwed up a million ways along the journey. I know this story pretty well, but I’m still fascinated to see how this series tries to make sense of it all.

Deli Boys. I swear I’ve been seeing ads for this show in my feeds for, like, a decade. But it seems to be funny and timely — a comedy, a crime show, and a critique of capitalism? As ever, give me more fun half-hour shows. I’m in on this one.

Palworld for Mac. Pokémon with guns continues to be a thing, and it’s now available on any Mac with at least an M1 chip. It sounds like crossplay doesn’t work, though, so make sure you have Mac friends to play with.

Digg. Right now, the new Digg is just a landing page and a signup list. But having spent some time with the folks bringing it back (including original creator Kevin Rose), I’m excited to see what new ideas about online community might turn into over time.
This week is Installer 74. Until about six minutes ago, I thought it was Installer 75, which meant it would have been time for me to share my own homescreen, as I do every 25 issues here. Since I am terrible at counting, I neglected to find someone else to share their homescreen in this space. (This is the kind of week I’m having. Send good vibes.)

Anyway! It turns out there are no actual rules around here, so we’re jumping the gun a week — and since so many of you liked seeing Charlie Harding’s computer screen a couple of weeks ago, I’m going to show you mine. So here is a (mostly) unfiltered look at what’s happening on my computer right now:

The computer: a base model M4 Mac Mini, which I bought last fall. It does not have enough USB-C ports, but I love it nonetheless.

The wallpaper: The 1984-era Macintosh wallpaper that comes with MacOS Sequoia. I have it in gray — I like it better in other colors, but then the screen reflection gives my face a sort of sickly hue. So it’s gray.

The apps: Mimestream, Messages, Fission, Downie, Signal, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Spotify, Things, Calendar, 1Password, Notion Calendar, Notion, Anybox, Arc, MyMind, Craft, Slack, NotePlan, App Store, Loopback, Settings, iPhone Mirroring, VLC, Apple Frames, Vocaster Hub, Quicktime, Chrome, TextEdit.

I use most of these apps on a daily basis. (I have no idea why Calendar is here. I never use Calendar.) A bunch of them — Fission, Downie, VLC, Loopback — are for various podcasting-related things. I use Notion for all my project management stuff and NotePlan for my day-to-day tasks and notes. Once a week or so, I debate switching everything into Craft just because the app is so lovely (but still just a feature or two away from what I need).

MyMind and Anybox are for storing links, images, and other stuff I might want or need later, and everything else is pretty self-explanatory. I really recommend downloading desktop versions of all your messaging apps; I am now the world’s fastest texter because I’m hardly ever texting from my phone.

I go through phases with my computer. I’ll let the desktop and downloads folder get really messy, then spend an hour organizing and deleting things. I’ll let my dock get unwieldy and then organize it all at once. Sometimes I’m a religious one-app-at-a-time person, and other times I open so many windows on my 27-inch screen that I can barely read them all.

But mostly, honestly, I live in the browser. I’ve been using Arc for years (I use Chrome because our podcast-recording software likes it better, but for nothing else) and perpetually have between three and eight windows full of tabs. It’s bonkers, but it’s the only way I know.

My most important recent upgrade has been going all-in on Raycast. I use it for opening apps, managing windows, changing settings, accessing apps, and much more. It took me a while to really start using it like a power user, and it’s still not the most user-friendly tool out there, but it has made a huge difference in how efficiently I use my computer.

Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you’re into right now, as well! Email installer@theverge.com or message me on Signal — @davidpierce.11 — with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week. For more great recommendations, check out this post on Threads and this post on Bluesky. (But I think I’m about done with Threads, so pretty soon it’ll just be Bluesky.)

“You should check out the Feeeed app. Probably the best representation of a timeline app I’ve seen to date.” — Daniel

“Fountain pens. Who knew?! In a world full of Notions — which I use and love — I wanted an analog outlet for my brain dumps and light journaling. That led me to this TWSBI pen and this ink. The pen has a piston mechanism that makes it super easy to suck up ink. Love the feeling of the nib on paper. And don’t get me started on how cool ink bottles can be. Good times.” — Austin

“Moonbound by Robin Sloan. Highly recommend it. It’s like Ursula K. Le Guin writing about Thundarr the barbarian crossed with Narnia.” — Joe

“Working at a computer all day and reading on my phone all evening really strains my eyes. I’ve downloaded the LookAway app for Mac to actually enforce my optician’s advice of resting my eyes, and it’s worth every penny. My eyes feel a lot more comfortable at work now. For my reading, I’ve bought a Boox Palma with the FeedMe app using Feedbin as an RSS service — the verdict is still out on how much it’ll help my eyes, but it’s a really interesting device.” — Tom

“I’ve found CheapCharts, a great app to track when Apple movie prices are discounted. I’ve got myself some real bargains and reduced the low-level stress of switching streaming services off and on.” — Chris

“Five Books, if you want some non-obvious books on a subject for serious reading.” — Astrid

“I started using Bend 26 days ago after it was mentioned in The New York Times. The streak nature has me hooked, and the five-minute wake up routine is a low hurdle with a defined time limit so I know when to get on with my day. Good luck on getting more flexible!” — Sean

“I wanted to put a quick shout out for the series Six Nations: Full Contact on Netflix. Think DTS but for rugby. And for the uninitiated, rugby is often described as the NFL without pads.” — Alex

“To cope with the US’ continued descent into unitary religious authoritarianism, I’m doing what any sane person would and starting the Horus Heresy series of Warhammer 40k books!” — Luis

“SonoPhone and SonoPad. These apps blow away the Sonos app.” — Tony

“I can’t believe y’all haven’t posted anything about Pantheon, the animated series on Netflix! I actually just discovered it myself, but it’s in its third season, and it’s an amazing futuristic techy thriller. Check it out!” — Erik

A weird thing about TikTok is that the algorithm is so diverse and so specific that there aren’t a lot of shared experiences on the platform. That means that when I say the sentence, “I can’t believe how invested I got in the Zach vs. Danny cup game battle,” a few of you are going to get really excited and the vast majority are going to have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about.

The short version: it’s two brothers competing to see who can win a TikTok game, in which you toss a ball into a line of cups the fastest. (This link is a complete and total spoiler of the whole thing.) It’s both incredibly boring and absolutely riveting, and I have checked TikTok for updates every single day for nearly six weeks. And now I’m wondering how many equally awesome things are happening on other corners of the internet. If there’s something online that you’re outrageously, unnecessarily, and embarrassingly invested in, I want to know about it. And good news: Zach and Danny are back at it again. And you’ve barely missed anything.
March 9, 2025
The 23 Best Shows on Amazon Prime Right Now (March 2025)

While Netflix is busy pumping out more series than any one person could watch (probably), some of the best shows are on Amazon Prime Video. Trouble is, navigating the service’s labyrinthine menus can make finding the right series a pain. We’re here to help. Below are our favorite Amazon series—all included with your Prime subscription.

For more viewing picks, read WIRED’s guide to the best movies on Amazon Prime, the best movies on HBO’s Max, and the best movies on Netflix.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.

Invincible

Mark Grayson inherited the incredible powers and abilities of his father, Omni-Man—only to learn dear old dad wasn’t a paragon of justice but the vanguard for an alien invasion. The newly dropped third season of Invincible finds Mark not only still struggling to escape his father’s shadow, guiding his younger brother to use his own burgeoning powers responsibly, but also drowning in a world of murky politics, pushed toward darker, tougher choices to keep Earth safe. A brilliantly animated adaptation of the hit Image comic book by writer Robert Kirkman and artists Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley, Invincible’s more mature take on superheroes allows it to do something Marvel and DC characters rarely do: grow up.

The Man in the High Castle

This adaptation of sci-fi master Philip K. Dick’s novel about a world in which the Nazis won the Second World War was one of Amazon’s first forays into original content. The world-building is stunningly done—a divided, alternate-reality 1960s America never seemed so plausible—but be warned: There might be just a touch too much present-day resonance for some viewers.

The Rig

Back for its second season, sci-fi thriller The Rig finds the surviving crew of isolated North Sea oil rig Kinloch Bravo forcibly relocated to The Stac, an even more remote facility in the Arctic. While most are desperate for answers and a way home, the team’s loyalties are tested as the sinister Pictor corporation seeks to use them to unearth something ancient and powerful from the sea floor. While The Rig doesn’t even aspire to subtlety when it comes to its ecological metaphors (one character even says, “If you keep punching holes in the Earth, eventually the Earth’s going to punch back”), it’s all brilliantly shot to make use of both the claustrophobic settings and the terrifying expanses and underwater pressures of the ocean. With the material elevated by a phenomenal cast of Game of Thrones and Line of Duty veterans, including Iain Glen and Rochenda Sandall—and bolstered further by the addition of the always-watchable Alice Krige in season 2—The Rig is far more than the guilty pleasure it might otherwise be.

Cross

Aldis Hodge steps into the shoes of Washington, DC homicide detective Alex Cross in Prime’s new series based on James Patterson’s long-running series of crime novels. However, unlike the streamer’s other thrillers Bosch and Reacher, Cross doesn’t directly adapt any of Patterson’s books—a risky move, but one that largely pays off, allowing this eight-episode first season to chart an unpredictable journey as Cross faces off against a twisted murderer who models each of his kills on another serial killer. Already renewed for a second season, Cross is a strong addition to Prime’s roster of crime dramas.

Citadel: Diana

Amazon tried to make a splash with its $300 million spy thriller Citadel in 2023, but only half-succeeded. The Richard Madden- and Priyanka Chopra-starring action series was entertaining enough—and rode high on Prime Video’s most-watched lists—but didn’t exactly set the world alight. However, it did establish a sprawling shared universe, with rival organizations Citadel and Manticore engaged in a globe-spanning cold war setting the stage for international spin-offs. Citadel: Diana is the first, an Italian outing focusing on Diana (Matilda De Angelis), a woman out for revenge after her parents are killed, and drawn into the spy-fi underworld with violent results. Gorgeous location shoots, bone-crunching fight choreography, and, most importantly, a tighter focus help Diana improve on its parent series.

The Legend of Vox Machina

Bawdy, gory, and absolutely not for kids, The Legend of Vox Machina follows the eponymous adventurers’ guild—consisting of gunslingers, druids, and the requisite horny bard—as they grow from a motley crew of usually-drunk mercenaries into unexpected heroes for the realm of Exandria. The newly arrived third season continues the team’s battle against the Chroma Conclave, a horrifyingly powerful collective of dragons. It’s a quest that sends them on a small diversion to Hell itself. Adapting the hit Critical Role—the livestreamed Dungeons & Dragons sessions of some of the biggest voice actors in animation and gaming—this exquisitely animated fantasy takes things in unexpected directions that keep things fresh for new or returning viewers alike. A love letter to D&D that’s also unafraid to poke fun at the classic RPG, it’s one of the most original adult animated shows on Prime.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Tapping into The Lord of the Rings creator J. R. R. Tolkien’s sprawling history of Middle-earth, The Rings of Power is set millennia before the events of the core books (or films, which is really where the visual language of this adaptation comes from), detailing the major events of Tolkien’s Second Age. While the first season was a slow burn, dwelling on the fractious politics of the era, the second ratchets up the pace considerably. From Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) trying to prevent the ascension of Dark Lord Sauron (Charlie Vickers) to the long-awaited introduction of fan-favorite character Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear), the new season feels far richer and deeper than before. It remains a feast for the eyes too, with the stratospheric budget apparent in every frame, from quiet moments in luxuriant shires to cinematic battles between armies of Orcs and Elves. For sheer high fantasy spectacle, there’s little else to rival this streaming right now.

Batman: Caped Crusader

The first new solo Batman animated series in a decade, Caped Crusader harkens back to Batman: The Animated Series from the 1990s, with showrunner Bruce Timm returning to the Dark Knight and Hamish Linklater voicing Bruce Wayne/Batman in an ode to the late, great Kevin Conroy. Unlike rival ‘90s revival X-Men ’97, though, this isn’t a continuation but rather a wholly distinct take allowing for fresh interpretations of the iconic hero’s rogues’ gallery and allies—look out for drastically different takes on the Penguin and Harley Quinn in particular. Leaning heavily into a 1930s aesthetic that evokes Batman’s earliest comic book origins, this manages to be nostalgic and provocative at once—a fantastic outing that takes DC’s original urban vigilante back to his gritty pulp noir roots.

The Boys

Superheroes are meant to represent hope and optimism—the best of us, given outsize form. In The Boys, adapted from the darkly satirical comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, they’re a reflection of humanity’s worst—greed and unrestrained power, marketed to a gullible public by vested corporate interests, operating without restraint and leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. Enter Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and his associates The Boys, gleefully dispatching “Supes” who’ve gone too far, often in extraordinarily violent ways. Unfortunately, the newly dropped fourth season finds the team in disarray, fractured by Butcher’s own lies, right as the world needs them most. Arch-manipulator Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) is close to the Oval Office, while the sadistic, psychotic Homelander (Antony Starr) is planning a superhuman uprising. Probably Amazon’s goriest show, The Boys stands as a pertinent examination of the abuses of power, all wrapped in superhero drag.

Fallout

Maybe the end of the world is the secret sauce to making a great video game adaptation—between The Last of Us and now this spectacular interpretation of Bethesda’s postapocalyptic RPG series, we’re living in an unexpected golden era for the form. Yet unlike HBO’s bleak but beautiful world, Fallout taps into the source material to craft an apocalypse with a very different feel, one dripping in cracked Americana, black comedy, razor-sharp social satire, and just a little bit of camp. Its greatest strength, though, lies in how it doesn’t directly adapt any one of the core Fallout games. Instead, it perfectly channels their tone and feel, focusing on a core trio—naive Lucy (Ella Purnell), born and raised in a subterranean vault; driven Maximus (Aaron Moten), a recruit in an army seeking technology from the old world; and the Ghoul (Walton Goggins), a centuries-old bounty hunter mutated into a nigh-immortal zombie when the bombs fell—to showcase just how brilliantly twisted this nuclear wasteland really is.

Three-Body

No, you’re not on the Netflix list—Prime Video has its own distinct adaptation of Cixin Liu’s The Three-Body Problem. This take, originally released for Chinese audiences back in 2023, faithfully adapts Liu’s award-winning novel of humanity’s first contact with an almost unknowable alien species and the impact that their impending arrival on Earth has on humanity. Hopping between time periods, a galactic mystery unfurls after nanotech specialist Wang Miao (Luyi Zhang) is called in by detective Shi Qiang (Hewei Yu) to investigate a global spate of suicides among scientists, with the ominous phrase “Physics doesn’t exist” being the only link between the deaths. Although Three-Body is a bit softer than Netflix’s 3 Body Problem when dealing with some aspects of the story—notably anything related to China’s Cultural Revolution—a hearty 30-episode run allows for far more space to explore Liu’s complex themes and vast roster of characters. The pacing may take some getting used to for viewers more accustomed to western TV, and it’s subtitled-only, but this C-drama is out of this world.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

You likely know the concept from the name alone—a married couple operate as undercover agents, blurring the lines between their personal and professional relationship. Unlike the 2005 Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie movie, though, 2024’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith does far more with the concept. Donald Glover (who cocreated this reboot) and Maya Erskine offer much more developed takes on the mysterious characters of “John” and “Jane” Smith over the course of this eight-episode series, exploring their true identities, why they signed up for their dangerous careers, and whether their growing feelings for each other are just part of the roles they’re playing. It’s all backed up with plenty of Mission: Impossible–style action, of course, but it’s the sparkling chemistry between the show’s leads that will leave you thinking, “Brangelina who?”

Reacher

Amazon has a way with action thrillers focused on military tough guys who answer to “Jack R”—see Jack Ryan, also making this guide—and this sharp adaptation of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels continues the trend. Alan Ritchson (Titans, Fast X) stars as Reacher, a former military policeman now drifting from town to town, trying to live a quiet life but unable to avoid conflict. Season one finds him accused of a murder he didn’t commit, while the newly arrived second sees Reacher drawn into a vast conspiracy when someone starts picking off the members of his old army unit of special investigators. It’s pulpy at times, but bombastic action and surprisingly sharp dialog help it punch above its weight.

The Wheel of Time

Based on Robert Jordan’s sprawling novel series—one so vast it makes Game of Thrones look concise—this is one of Amazon’s most ambitious, and expensive, series to date. The eight-episode first season follows Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), a powerful weaver of an ancient form of magic, as she gathers five unassuming young people, one of whom is destined to either save the world—or destroy it. The second season ups the stakes, with ancient evils returning and new terrors rising—right as the only ones who can stop them are scattered around the world. A visually stunning series that blends sumptuous location shoots with cinematic effects work, this is an epic fantasy that’s improving with every episode.

Gen V

Spinning out of Amazon’s hit The Boys, Gen V follows the next generation of supes, training their abilities at the Godolkin University School of Crimefighting. In keeping with its twisted parent show, this educational establishment is less Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters and more The Hunger Games with superpowers, as students battle for glory and a chance to join premier super-team The Seven. Lead Jaz Sinclair (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) impresses as freshman Marie Moreau, a haemokinetic with lofty ambitions who uncovers dark secrets at the college that challenge her entire world view. Factor in all the poor life choices college students are famed for and some extremely creative (if often disgusting) superpowers, then allow for The Boys’ trademark ultraviolence, and one thing’s for sure—the kids of Gen V are most definitely not alright.

Jack Ryan

There’s no shortage of screen adaptations of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan books, but John Krasinski’s turn as the CIA desk jockey turned field agent gets far more room to breathe than its predecessors. The prestige political thriller charts Ryan’s rise from analyst to operative—and beyond—over four perfectly crafted seasons. The final season caps Ryan’s career with his biggest challenge yet, investigating the convergence of a drug cartel and a terrorist organization set to create an unstoppable criminal enterprise, all while juggling the CIA’s possible involvement in a political assassination in Nigeria. While the show hasn’t been without controversies—season two attracted condemnation from Venezuela’s government for supposedly condoning a US invasion of the country; big yikes there—its sharp writing, incredible performances, and cinematic action make it compelling viewing.

I’m a Virgo

A surrealist comedy with the sharp political and social edge viewers have come to expect from creator and director Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You), I’m a Virgo follows Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), a regular 19-year-old who just happens to be 13 feet tall. Raised in secrecy by Aunt Lafrancine (Carmen Ejogo) and Uncle Martisse (Mike Epps), Cootie is thrust into the limelight when his larger-than-life existence is inevitably discovered. Experiencing friendships and the outside world for the first time, gentle giant Cootie has to navigate everything from romance to the public’s reaction to a giant Black man wandering around Oakland. Oh, and did we mention Cootie’s idol, The Hero, a real-life superhero with an authoritarian streak that would put some of the worst offenders on The Boys to shame? Told you this was surreal. Do yourself a favor and watch the behind-the-scenes episodes too, tucked under Prime Video’s “Explore” tab, for Riley’s insight into each episode.

Tales From the Loop

Despite being a couple of years old, Tales From the Loop remains one of the most mesmerizing shows on Prime Video. Loosely based on the work of Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, the series blurs the line between ongoing narrative and anthology as it follows the residents of Mercer, Ohio, exploring how their intersecting lives are impacted by “the Loop,” an underground facility exploring experimental physics and making the impossible possible. Expect tales of frozen time, traded lives, and parallel worlds, all brought to life by a fantastic cast and directors—including Andrew Stanton and Jodie Foster. But it’s the visuals that really elevate this show, which captures the sublime aesthetic of Stålenhag’s work and juxtaposes neofuturism and rural communities for a world that looks and feels like almost nothing else. At only eight episodes, a visit to Mercer is brief but unforgettable.

The Devil’s Hour

When Peter Capaldi, here playing mysterious criminal Gideon Shepherd, says “my perception of time is better than anyone’s,” it’s clear that The Devil’s Hour creator Tom Moran is having a little fourth-wall-breaking fun with his former Time Lord leading man. That’s about as close as this gritty six-part drama gets to Doctor Who, though. Instead, this is a mix of murder mystery and thriller, topped off with a dash of the supernatural. The focus is on Lucy (Jessica Raine), an over-burdened social worker with an increasingly distant and troubled young son. Lucy wakes at exactly 3:33 am every morning, plagued by horrific visions, and her nightmares draw her into the orbit of police detective Ravi Dhillon’s (Nikesh Patel) investigations of a bloody murder and a child’s abduction. As she tries to figure out how the two are entangled, Lucy comes face to face with Shepherd. Raine is a phenomenally commanding lead throughout, while Capaldi’s sinister performance is one of the most chilling you’ll see on screen.

Them

This horror anthology series, created by Little Marvin and executive-produced by Queen & Slim’s Lena Waithe, sets its first season in 1950s Los Angeles and follows the Emory family as they move into an all-white neighborhood. It all goes about as well as you might expect, with Livia (Deborah Ayorinde) soon penned into their new home by the Stepford-like housewives of the area who make her life a living hell, led by ringleader Betty (Alison Pill). Outside the home, husband Henry (Ashley Thomas) faces physical assaults and harassment at work. Ayorinde and Thomas are phenomenal throughout, brilliantly portraying the mental, physical, and emotional turmoil of living under relentless threat. While the show’s portrayal of the period is tense and horrifying in its own right, the layering of some truly unsettling supernatural threats make this a frequently terrifying watch.

The Underground Railroad

Based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel by Colson Whitehead, this limited series from Moonlight director Barry Jenkins sticks pretty closely to the premise of the book. It’s a work of historical fiction that takes the idea of the Underground Railroad—the network of smugglers who helped escaped slaves flee the South—and reimagines it as an actual subway system with trains and secretive station agents.

Fleabag

You’re not supposed to like Fleabag. She’s selfish, self-destructive, and morally bankrupt. Her family is loathsome, her lifestyle is ridiculous, and her job is a joke. Yet after watching this 12-episode series, we defy you not to love her a little. This magnificent sitcom about a Londoner (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) grappling with the death of her best friend has no filter: You’ll hear her thoughts on feminism, familial tension, love, and sodomy. The first time Waller-Bridge interrupts her own dialog to shoot a disarming, conspiratorial glance to the screen, you’re hooked. Season one is a smutty yet wonderful crescendo of self-destruction driven by a cast of characters that includes Fleabag’s intensely awkward sister Claire (Sian Clifford), her selfish and pretentious stepmother (Olivia Colman), and her clueless father (Bill Paterson). The second season cheerfully bounds into blasphemy as she grapples with inappropriate (and reciprocated) feelings for a Catholic priest (Andrew Scott). It’s shocking and immensely watchable—and one of the rare cases when a series truly is as good as people say.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

What is a New York lady to do when she finds out her husband is having an affair with his dim-witted secretary? If Mrs. Maisel is anything to go by, the answer is to head to a dingy watering hole in your nightgown, do a little standup comedy, and get hauled away by the police after flashing the entire audience. Set in the 1950s, this fast-talking fashionista hides her new life as a comedian from her family and ex while battling sexism, bad crowds, and big competition. Rachel Brosnahan stars as Midge Maisel in this subtle nod to Joan Rivers’ career. With four seasons and a host of awards and nominations to its name, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is one of Amazon’s sharpest comedies.

March 2, 2025
SNL50 on Peacock is a treasure trove of comedy history
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 71, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, happy long weekend to all those allowed to celebrate, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)

This week, I’ve been reading about Alan Turing and OnlyFans and street booze and convenience stores, dusting off my Fortnite skills for the first time in a while, reading The Ministry of Time, working up the courage to make air fryer donuts, trying out a Sony ZV-1 M2 as my webcam, catching up on The White Lotus before season 3 starts, trying Anybox as a bookmarking / note-taking app, and seeing if the Simplify Gmail extension will make me like email more.

I also have for you a place to watch all the best SNL sketches, a great new pair of Beats headphones, a new drawing tablet for creators of all kinds, a fun-sounding sci-fi movie on Apple TV Plus, and much more.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who sent in music thoughts last week! I got a ton of good responses, and to be completely honest, I haven’t been able to properly read and respond to everything yet. That means next week’s gonna be a big, huge, music-setup extravaganza, and that means if you have thoughts on music services, favorite music gadgets, apps you love, a deep love for Victrolas, or anything else, you’ve still got time to tell me all about it. Hit me up!

All right, big streaming weekend ahead. Let’s do this.

(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What do you want to know more about? What awesome tricks do you know that everyone else should? What app should everyone be using? Tell me everything: installer@theverge.com. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, tell them to subscribe here.)
SNL50. I am very excited for the three-hour SNL anniversary show on Sunday, and even the concert on Saturday night, but I might be even more excited about this Peacock landing page. It’s just playlist after playlist of iconic sketches, monologues, and musical performances — you could easily spend your whole weekend just watching these clips.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. All the useful Apple-y features of AirPods Pros, but in cooler colors and with earhooks that actually keep the buds in my ears. I bought a pair in the (slightly boring but that’s the point) “quick sand” color, and I’m very happy with my purchase. I do wish the mic was a little better, though.

The Witcher: Sirens of The Deep. I haven’t really dug into the whole Witcher Netflix-verse, after hearing so many mixed things about the show. But this, an animated movie with none of the baggage but all of the cool monster-hunting, sounds like my kind of thing.

The Wacom Intuos Pro. Easily the biggest thing to happen to drawing tablets in, I don’t know, a decade? I like the idea of putting the controls at the top and making them more tactile, and I like that they’re a little smaller and slimmer, but I do wonder how many yearslong workflows are going to need some time to adjust.

The Gorge. I like the premise of this movie so much — two people on either side of a huge, deep, fog-filled gorge, tasked with protecting the world from whatever is down there, and also something something love story — that I don’t really care that the reviews aren’t great. (Or that Apple TV Plus movies mostly suck.) I’m here for this one.

Apple TV Plus for Android. And oh, look, a new way to watch The Gorge! Apple obviously timed this launch for Severance’s comeback and the upcoming MLS season, but it’s a big win for subscribers and a long overdue move from Apple.

Apple Cider Vinegar. On Netflix, this is the rare show my wife and I are equally into — about influencer culture and the lengths people will go to get likes. Along with An Update on Our Family and a few others, we’re building a deeply bleak genre here.

Is This Seat Taken? All you can play right now is a Steam demo, but this puzzler game — which is like Guess Who meets RollerCoaster Tycoon — is fun and funny and extremely easy to get lost in. It’s sucking me in the way Balatro did, which is terrifying and great.

Routine for Android. I’ve been watching Routine for a while, and it’s shaping into a really powerful (if slightly convoluted) app for notes, tasks, calendars, and more. The Android app isn’t quite fully featured yet, but it’ll get there, and it’s one to try out.
I play with a lot of gadgets. (Perk of the job.) But Sean Hollister? Sean Hollister plays with a lot of gadgets. Whether he’s toying with stuff for his awesome video series or taking things apart with wildly complicated Apple tools, I am perpetually jealous of his gadget adventures. Like, just the other day: double magnetic rings! Never seen ‘em before, want ‘em real bad!

I asked Sean to share his homescreen with us, because I figured I’d probably discover a bunch of cool new stuff that way, too. Here’s his homescreen, plus some info on the apps he uses and why:

The phone: Galaxy Z Flip 5.

The wallpaper: The bog-standard stock wallpaper. I don’t even know if it has a name.

The apps: Openvibe, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, Facebook, Reddit, NewsBlur, Yelp, Google Photos, The Verge, Slack, Evernote, MyFitnessPal, Discord, Chrome, Gmail, Google Calendar, Home Assistant, Phone, Messages, Camera, Google Maps.

You’re looking at the homescreen of an information junkie in transition — the clues are all there. First, I’m down to just 36 percent battery at 4:25PM and I’ve barely used this phone today… so I’m actively looking for my next phone.

Second, I’ve got four social media clients up top because I’ve been hedging my bets on which to keep — you might notice I’ve got notifications from X, but no X on the homescreen, because I only still follow a handful of accounts there for news! Instead, The Verge gets its own dedicated shortcut.

Third, the reason Signal and Messenger are in an ugly drawer together and Facebook has 54 unreads is because I’m trying to reduce my support for Meta after certain, ahem, societal shifts, but haven’t fully managed it yet.

The key apps on this homescreen are actually MyFitnessPal, which I’m using almost every day just as a calorie counter to actually lose weight; Evernote, where far too much of my memory lives; and Home Assistant for controlling things around my house. Of course the first two apps are getting far too bloated with unwanted features, and my smart home has a tendency to break!
Not pictured: Pokémon TCG Pocket, which I recently moved to the fifth homescreen to reduce addiction.

I also asked Sean to share a few things he’s into right now. Here’s what he sent back:
Oh, it’s catch-up season for me! I’m playing 1000xResist, which made Polygon’s best of 2024, and watching The OA, which I missed the first time around. I guess they’re similar in a way: they’re both bizarre works of science fiction with intriguing, nuanced, relatable villains.

Oh, and fairly new K-drama When The Phone Rings, whose first episode absolutely bored me until I saw how cleverly they hid the twist, and now it’s one of the more exciting ones I’ve watched. Don’t Google it if you can help it, even a one-sentence synopsis will spoil episode 1.

Meanwhile, I can’t get enough of the Game Boy modding antics of Hairo Satoh, aka haihaisb, who has repeatedly proven that everything’s better with an extra Game Boy Advance SP screen. If you’re reading this, Satoh-san, we want to interview you about how you do it!
Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you’re into right now as well! Email installer@theverge.com or message me on Signal — @davidpierce.11 — with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week. For more great recommendations, check out the replies to this post on Threads and this post on Bluesky.

“Trying to stay sane by limiting my consumption of news and screen time amidst the chaos going around. Reading The Wager from David Grann, the author of Killers of the Flower Moon. Essentially about conflicting reports of a real-life Lord of the Flies that transpires in the 1700s. Very interesting!” – Colin

“We just started watching Paradise over here and it’s fantastic.” – Jules

“As the topic of digital self-determination is more and more a topic (yes, here in Germany too), I was looking into different OSes for my mobile phone. I found a rather good working alternative to Google’s Android and iOS which is called /e/OS. It works really well, and I can still use all my apps. And they sell phones with pre-installed /e/.” – Christian

“Played a lot of this game called Hole. The name is unfortunate, but it’s cheap and a very good time.” – Sophie

“I don’t know if a lot of people care about this but Notion and TickTick have a two-way integration and it’s great!! I still feel it’s limited in functionality because I can only send one list at a time, which doesn’t make sense, and it’s limited to three lists.” – Barry

“Found some joy on the Internet this week with this video. It’s playing the Star Trek TNG theme song as if it was blaring from the Enterprise itself!” – Mike

“Recently downloaded the National Film Board app and it’s a delight. ‘Get free access to the largest collection of Canadian films online. No subscription or ads.’” – Christine

“After Instagram showed me video recordings from BBC’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue I delved into old episodes. If you appreciate British humo(u)r and can stand some musical parts, it’s gloriously fun. I am back to being the crazy person laughing out loud on public transport.” – Sinan

“I recently discovered Bear Blog, it’s a cool minimalistic blogging platform with a lot of customization and a Discovery page that feels a little like Hacker News.” – Sammie

You know what might be my favorite new-ish thing on the internet? Reddit Answers. I’ve been using it a lot recently, and I’ve found it to be a basically unparalleled system for getting lots of recommendations. “What are some great, lesser-known brands of dark chocolate” got me a long list of great ideas, with links to relevant posts and comments. “Are Bose or Sony headphones better” offered a pretty cogent back-and-forth debate. “What are the most popular conspiracy theories about Severance” sent me down an hourslong rabbit hole.

As with all AI search, my rules are simple: nothing with high stakes, no believing the answers without clicking the links. But the more I use Answers, the more I’m convinced there’s something real here. And the more Severance theories I start to believe.
February 17, 2025
The 33 Best Shows on Apple TV+ Right Now (February 2025)

Slowly but surely, Apple TV+ has found its feet. The streaming service, which at launch we called “odd, angsty, and horny as hell,” has evolved into a diverse library of dramas, documentaries, and comedies. Now, its library is so packed, we’ve declared it “the new HBO.”

Curious but don’t know where to get started? Below are our picks for the best shows on the service. (Also, here are our picks for the best movies on Apple TV+.) When you’re done, head over to our guides to the best shows on Netflix, best movies on Hulu, and best movies on Amazon Prime, because you can never have too much television.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.

Mythic Quest

Considering it’s a TV show set in the world of video games, you’d be forgiven for thinking this series—now four seasons deep—would be a clunker. It’s not. Instead, Mythic Quest is one of the best workplace comedies of the past few years. Presented in perfectly bingeable half-hour episodes, the show follows a fictional game studio known for its World of Warcraft–like MMO, Mythic Quest, as the people who make it slalom through their many quirky relationships. The writing is excellent, consistently funny and emotionally impactful when you least expect it, and the show manages to confront real issues in the industry without sacrificing laughs. If you really love it, there’s more in store: Apple TV+ plans to roll out a spinoff anthology series, called Side Quest, March 26.

Severance

Has there ever been a second season more highly anticipated than that of Severance? OK, there probably has—Game of Thrones comes to mind—but considering Severance is the show that firmly established Apple TV+ as a streaming player with its own distinct kind of edgy prestige content, the hype around the show’s second coming was intense. For those who don’t already know, a primer: Adam Scott plays Mark, a man distraught by the death of his wife who opts to undergo Severance, a procedure that divides his memories of work from those of his life at home. He’s quite happy with the setup until a former Lumon Industries coworker tracks him down when he’s out-of-office, setting off a series of events that makes him question not only Severance but the work his company does. From there, it only gets more weird and bleak with each passing minute. Tense and heartbreaking, Severance will keep you guessing and questioning the whole way through.

Silo

As WIRED noted in the wake of Silo’s release, this show is prestige sci-fi gold. Nearly two years later, that’s still true—and it is poised to get even better. Based on a dystopian book trilogy by Hugh Howey, the series focuses on a subterranean bunker—the silo of the title—where humanity has sequestered itself after the apocalypse. Some are hoping to win the chance to reproduce, some are trying to solve mysterious murders. Everyone watching is enjoying figuring out what’s going on in this underground city and what’s happening outside of it. Silo has already been renewed through season four. If you haven’t been watching, start.

The Secret Lives of Animals

Seventy-seven species. Twenty-four countries. This 10-part docuseries is all about the million-and-one ways animals are incredible problem solvers. A production of BBC Studios Natural History Unit, it does all the things good nature docs do: going underground and getting (perhaps creepily) close to some of the world’s most compelling creatures. Spiders, wood mice, frogs, and octopi—its got it all.

Disclaimer

When filmmaking legend Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity) decides to do a limited series starring Cate Blanchett, you kind of owe it to yourself to watch. Especially when, as Cuarón told WIRED, the Renée Knight novel the series is based on was so intriguing it made him want to bring his cinematic skills to TV. In the seven-part series, Blanchett plays an esteemed journalist named Catherine who is sent a mysterious novel that threatens to expose parts of her past she’d hidden for years. As she tries to investigate who wrote the book, she also must keep her own life from collapsing around her. Cuarón adapted the novel himself and directed each episode of the series, bringing his big-screen style to the small-screen world.

Shrinking

Do you enjoy In Treatment but wish it was, you know, fun? Then Shrinking may be right for you. Created by Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein—of Ted Lasso fame—and Jason Segel, the show follows Jimmy (Segel), a therapist struggling to get over the death of his wife and reconnect with his daughter and patients. That may sound like a downer, but it’s buoyed by the fact that it’s also a workplace comedy focusing on the therapy practice where Jimmy works alongside Harrison Ford’s Paul and Jessica Williams’ Gaby. Shrinking, ultimately, is about the things people do to cope, but it also features a dream team of a cast and one very memorable party scene featuring a vomit-soaked piano and a super-stoned Ford.

Slow Horses

As we wrote not too long ago, Slow Horses is the ideal show for people who want a Pizza Hut-Taco Bell-esque combination of John Le Carré–style espionage thrillers and The Office. Based around the misfits of Slough House, where MI5 agents are sent when they biff it as spies, the show effortlessly jumps from shoot-outs and car chases to quirky conversations and camaraderie. The show’s fourth season, which launched last year, is a little more subdued than the ones before, but if you’ve been sleeping on Slow Horses, now is the time to wake up.

Bad Monkey

Created by Bill Lawrence, one of the creative forces behind two other Apple TV+ zingers, Ted Lasso and Shrinking, Bad Monkey is about a one-time detective (played by Vince Vaughn) who’s hit a bit of a rough patch and is trying to get to the bottom of why someone found a severed arm. Yes, there’s a monkey, but there’s also a lot of dark humor and heart—and a look at the complex lives of more than a few Florida Men.

Sunny

Sunny is the story of a woman named Suzie (Rashida Jones) whose husband and son are lost in a mysterious plane crash. To work through her grief, Suzie is given Sunny, a domestic robot with whom she forms a unique bond as she begins to uncover what happened to her family. As artificial intelligence gets more and more ingrained in everyone’s lives, Sunny promises to hit differently now than it would at any other time.

Presumed Innocent

Just to be clear, this whodunit has been done before. Thirty-four years ago, Harrison Ford starred in the film adaptation of Scott Turow’s novel. This time around, the lead is played by Jake Gyllenhaal, and the adaptation is an eight-part limited series, not a film. Gyllenhaal stars as Rusty Sabich, a Chicago prosecutor accused of killing a colleague. A colleague with whom he was having an affair. Presumed Innocent is produced by David E. Kelley, so it has the intrigue and glossiness of his recent offerings like Big Little Lies and The Undoing, as well as the darkness and drama.

STEVE! (martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces

Putting this on the “best shows on Apple TV+” list is a bit of a cheat. Rather than a series, this two-part documentary is more like a pair of movies looking at the life and career of Steve Martin. The first part chronicles his rise in, and reimagining of, the standup comedy world. The second looks at how he went from that to the neurotic and lovable neighbor he currently plays on Only Murders in the Building, which would be his career’s triumphant second act if he hadn’t had something like 30 acts in between. Directed by Morgan Neville, who made the backup singer documentary 20 Feet From Stardom and the Fred Rogers doc Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, it’s funny, intimate, and a little surprising—just like Martin himself.

Loot

OK, so Loot isn’t exactly about MacKenzie Scott’s divorce from Jeff Bezos, but it is about a woman named Molly (Maya Rudolph) who separates from her tech billionaire husband and devotes herself to philanthropic work. Also, creators Alan Yang (Master of None) and Matt Hubbard (Superstore) were kind of inspired by Bezos and Scott’s split. With an incredible supporting cast that includes Joel Kim Booster, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, and Adam Scott, it’s a quirky comedy with a lot of heart—and the kind of thing you (probably) won’t see on Amazon Prime Video.

The Big Door Prize

With The Big Door Prize Chris O’Dowd finally got the “guy leading a show” role he was always meant for. In the series, he plays a 40-year-old high school teacher named Dusty who’s pretty content with his life until a magic machine shows up in his small town. The machine, you see, tells people their life’s potential, and as soon as folks around him start using it, everything changes. Marriages end, paths divert, and eventually Dusty must confront whether he’s happy in his own life.

The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin

Dick Turpin was a real highwayman in 18th-century England who was ultimately executed for horse theft. But the myths surrounding him are far more interesting than the facts. The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, true to its name, opts to stick with the fun stuff. Starring Noel Fielding (The Great British Bake Off) in the title role, this six-episode series presents Turpin as someone who stumbled into leading a group of outlaws and made the best of it. Enjoy the ride.

Constellation

Around here we have a theory that Apple TV+ is the new HBO. At the same time, we also wonder among ourselves whether it’s the new Syfy. After opening with a bang in 2019 with For All Mankind, it has released a steady drumbeat of trippy, spacey, timey-wimey prestige shows, from Foundation to Severance. In early 2024, it released Constellation, an eight-part thriller about an astronaut (Noomi Rapace) who returns to Earth after a disaster in space to find things are very off. Brain-bending and tense, it’s the kind of sci-fi that sucks you in.

Masters of the Air

Generally speaking, “World War II drama” and Steven Spielberg are probably enough to get anyone to click Play on this series, but it’s got a lot more than just a good elevator pitch. Based on Donald L. Miller’s Masters of the Air, this series dives deep into the lives of the 100th Bomb Group—aka the “Bloody Hundredth”—a squad of pilots tasked with risking their lives to fight Nazi Germany from the air. Spielberg and Tom Hanks serve as executive producers, and the cast features Elvis himself, Austin Butler, as well as Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan and Doctor Who’s latest Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa.

The New Look

Keeping with the World War II theme, The New Look follows Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, Pierre Balmain, and Cristóbal Balenciaga as they lay the path for modern fashion in Nazi-occupied Paris. The cast features Ben Mendelsohn as Christian Dior, Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel, and Maisie Williams as Catherine Dior, and also has a soundtrack courtesy of Jack Antonoff that’s chock full of early 20th-century music covered by the likes of Perfume Genius and Florence Welch.

Criminal Record

Starring former Doctor Who Doctor Peter Capaldi, Criminal Record follows two cops—Capaldi’s Daniel Hegarty and Cush Jumbo’s June Lenker—as they try to get to the bottom of a long-settled case. Daniel worked the case originally and got a confession; June got a fresh tip and wants him to reopen it and find out whether the man who went away for murder is actually innocent. Might sound a bit overdone, but the series also works in elements of law enforcement shortcomings and race in a rapidly-changing Britain for a series that’s about more than just one case.

Hijack

There’s this face Idris Elba does. He’s been perfecting it since he was Stringer Bell on The Wire. It’s the look of total calm even when he’s talking about the most harrowing thing you can imagine. That face gets a full workout in Hijack, in which Elba plays a corporate negotiator who finds himself trying to settle things with a group of, yes, hijackers who have taken over the flight he’s boarded to get home to his family. This series is seven episodes, roughly seven hours—the same length of the flight, and it follows the drama in the air and the political maneuvering below before attempting to stick the landing. Do stay around until the end.

For All Mankind

Long before Foundation, there was For All Mankind. A solid slice of alternate history, the show starts with a very smart premise: What if the US had been edged out in putting a man on the moon? How would the space-race rivalry between the Americans and the Soviets have played out? It’s mostly a slick, stylish, NASA-heavy period drama, but as this is from the brain of Ronald D. Moore, there are a few standout moments and episodes with attention shared around the large ensemble cast. It might be the best sci-fi show you’re not watching, and if that’s true you now have multiple seasons to catch up on.

Messi Meets America

If your home screen hasn’t made it obvious, Apple TV+ is super stoked about soccer. Messi Meets America is a six-part docuseries about all-star player Lionel Messi’s move to Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami club. Messi Mania, indeed.

Lessons in Chemistry

Based on the debut novel from science writer Bonnie Garmus, Lessons in Chemistry is the story of Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson), who gets hired to host a cooking show after she’s fired from her lab for doing science while female. Obviously, the show Elizabeth puts on ends up being about a lot more than just having dinner on the table at 6 pm, but we suggest you watch to find out just how revolutionary it is.

The Morning Show

Every streaming service needs a flashy mainstream drama with Hollywood heavyweights to pull in viewers. Apple TV+ has The Morning Show. When Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) loses her morning news program cohost Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) following sexual misconduct accusations, she gets paired up with Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon). What unfolds is a #MeToo-era drama full of TV network intrigue and Sorkin-lite dialog. In its second season, it went deep on Covid-19, and in the third season the series’ fictional network, UBA, finds itself dealing with the aftermath of a cyberattack. There’s likely a new season coming in 2025, so now’s a good time to catch up, or go back and refresh your memory.

Shining Girls

This Elisabeth Moss psychological thriller/murder mystery came out in 2022 and never really got the buzz it likely deserved. Moss plays Kirby, a woman who believes a recent Chicago murder may be linked to an attack on her many years prior. She teams with a Sun-Times reporter to investigate, but the deeper she digs the more her own reality starts to shift. Based on the book The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes, this series may seem like just another murder mystery, but its sci-fi twists put it one step ahead.

Foundation

WIRED called Foundation a “flawed masterpiece” in our review of the first season. Considering the complexities of adapting a sprawling Isaac Asimov book series, it was high praise. Starring Jared Harris as Hari Seldon, a math professor who, along with his loyal followers, is exiled for predicting the oncoming end of the galactic empire that rules over them, the show often suffers under the weight of its own massive scope. But it also features wonderful performances from Lee Pace and beautiful images inspired by the James Webb Space Telescope. If you have a soft spot for big sci-fi dramas, this Game-of-Thrones-in-space wannabe is a must-watch.

The Crowded Room

Set in the late 1970s, The Crowded Room stars Tom Holland as Danny Sullivan, a young man arrested after a grisly shooting in New York City. Following his arrest, this 10-episode limited series unfolds into a twisty whodunit as interrogator Rya Goodwin (Amanda Seyfried) tries to suss out what happened with the shooting and the peculiar events in Sullivan’s past that may have shaped how he ended up involved. Holland told Extra that the shoot for The Crowded Room, which he also produced, “broke” him, leading to him taking a yearlong hiatus from acting. Want to see why? Watch now.

Ted Lasso

On paper, Ted Lasso sounds terrible. It’s the inconceivable story of an American football coach who has never watched a game of soccer somehow landing himself a job as coach of a (fictional) Premier League club and trying to make up for his total lack of qualifications by being a nice guy. Sounds unwatchable, doesn’t it? And yet Ted Lasso has captured the hearts and minds of viewers on both sides of the pond with its large-as-life cast and irresistibly wholesome messaging, hoovering up awards in the process.

High Desert

The Patricia Arquette–aissance doesn’t get as much ink as Matthew McConaughey or Keanu Reeves did during their second comings, but it’s here—in part thanks to the rise of streaming. Between The Act and Severance, Arquette has received some of the highest accolades of her long career recently, and High Desert is no exception. While coming to terms with the death of her mother, Peggy (Arquette)—an addict—decides she wants to pick up the pieces of her life and become a private investigator. She finds an unwitting employer/sometime mentor in Bruce Harvey (Brad Garrett), but not everyone is onboard with Peggy’s career decisions—namely, her straitlaced sister (Christine Taylor). It’s an odd duck of a show, which is perfectly suited to Arquette’s ethereal acting style, allowing her to seamlessly flit between moments of tragedy and laugh-out-loud comedy, with the audiences doing their best to keep up. The all-star cast is made even more impressive by recurring appearances from Bernadette Peters as Peggy’s late mom.

Big Beasts

Look, Discovery doesn’t get to corner the market on animal documentaries—and this 10-part docuseries proves it. Featuring elephant seals, brown bears, orangutans, giant otters, and all kinds of massive mammals in between, it’s the perfect thing if you just want to escape and learn a few tidbits about nature. But the best part? It’s narrated by Tom Hiddleston, and there’s just something charming about hearing the voice of Loki talk about a bunch of different animals he could turn himself into in the blink of an eye.

Servant

Cinematically, M. Night Shyamalan can be a little hit-or-miss, but Servant, which the filmmaker executive produces and occasionally directs, is stellar. It’s about a Philadelphia couple—a chef and a news anchor—who lose a child only to have it mysteriously come back to life (maybe) with the arrival of their new nanny. (You really just need to watch the show for any of this to make sense.) Moody, freaky, and occasionally even funny, it’ll suck you in. With four seasons on the streamer, there’s plenty to enjoy.

The Essex Serpent

Claire Danes doing her best trembling-chin acting in period garb, Tom Hiddleston as a town vicar, rumors about a mysterious mythological serpent—is there anything not to love about this show? No, there’s not. The Essex Serpent, based on the novel by Sarah Perry, follows a recent widow (Danes) as she heads to the countryside in Essex to investigate a “sea dragon.” There, she meets a vicar, Will (Hiddleston), who is far more skeptical of the serpent’s existence. Lush and inviting, it’s the ideal period mystery.

Dickinson

Hailee Steinfeld is a riotous young Emily Dickinson in this half-hour show from creator Alena Smith. It was part of the original Apple TV+ lineup and quickly distinguished itself thanks to its off-kilter vision of 19th-century Amherst, Massachusetts. The first season is a set of sharp, surreal vignettes, inspired by Dickinson’s work and tracing the imagined life of the young poet, who is rebelling against her father, the town’s societal rules, and just about everything else. The second and third seasons go deeper, examining not only the poet’s life, but also the roles that race, gender, sexuality, and class played in the early days of America. If you’re a Dickinson stan, love a bit of smart queer dramedy, or just have a penchant for a modern soundtrack in a Civil War–era show, you’ll dig this.

February 12, 2025
The 43 Best Shows on Netflix Right Now (February 2025)

Streaming services are known for having award-worthy series but also plenty of duds. Our guide to the best TV shows on Netflix is updated weekly to help you know which series you should move to the top of your queue. They aren’t all surefire winners—we love a good less-than-obvious gem—but they’re all worth your time, trust us.

Feel like you’ve already watched everything on this list that you want to see? Try our guide to the best movies on Netflix for more options. And if you’ve already completed Netflix and are in need of a new challenge, check out our picks for the best shows on Hulu and the best shows on Disney+. Don’t like our picks or want to offer suggestions of your own? Head to the comments below.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.

The Night Agent

Special agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) is back, and the stakes have never been higher. While the first season of The Night Agent wove a compelling spy drama out of the idea of a mole at the heart of America’s intelligence services, the newly arrived second season takes a more global approach—Sutherland hunts down a stolen chemical weapon project, drawing him back into the orbit of tech savant and sometime love interest Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan), while Iranian diplomatic aide Noor Taheri (Arienne Mandi) offers secrets to the CIA in return for asylum, and a deposed Eastern European dictator aims to manipulate everything from behind bars. Sure, the show’s mix of politics and spook work won’t surprise genre diehards, but it weaves together its many influences—and many more plot threads—into a supremely entertaining thriller.

Asura

The four Takezawa sisters are close but have little in common. Eldest Tsunako (Rie Miyazawa) is already a widow; repressed Takiko (Yû Aoi) and rebellious Sakiko (Suzu Hirose) are always at each other’s throats; and second-born Makiko (Machiko Ono) tries to balance keeping the peace with being a housewife and mother to her own two children. Yet when Takiko learns that their father Kotaro (Jun Kunimura) may have a second, secret, family, the sisters’ bonds are put to the test as they struggle to uncover the truth. Asura is far more than a turgid family drama—it’s equal parts heartwarming and hilarious, capturing the complexities of the relationships between its quartet of protagonists. Keeping the 1970s setting of Kuniko Mukōda’s original novel allows Palme d’Or– winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters) to craft a gorgeously shot period piece that still feels incredibly timely and modern.

Castlevania: Nocturne

In the midst of the French Revolution, citizens rise up against a parasitic ruling class—but vampire hunter Richter Belmont and his magic-wielding allies Maria and Annette are more concerned with what’s literally bleeding the people dry. The first season of this grisly adult animated series saw the team coming together to face the rise of a “Vampire Messiah” prophesied to devour the sun, but the new second season ratchets up the action as the heroes team with Alucard, son of Dracula, to try to restore light to the world. Let’s just say the stakes (sorry) have never been higher. While Nocturne’s second season has some closer links to the previous Castlevania animated series, it still works perfectly well on its own, delivering high quality animation, brilliant action, and a fantastic cast of characters to sink your teeth into (sorry, again).

Sakamoto Days

Taro Sakamoto used to be the worst of the worst, a hit man par excellence, his lethal skills making him a legendary figure in the criminal underworld. Then he fell in love, got married, and retired to run a convenience store with his wife Aoi and their daughter Hana. Unfortunately, he didn’t exactly leave his old job on the best of terms, and now a cadre of killers are out for the billion yen bounty on his head. Luckily, Sakamoto’s lost none of his skills—even though he has let himself go in other areas—but can he protect his family without breaking Aoi’s strict “no killing” rule? Based on the manga by Yuto Suzuki, this comedy-action anime is a blast, and with a new episode each Saturday rather than Netflix’s usual drop-it-all-at-once model, it’s appointment viewing you won’t want to miss.

Jentry Chau vs the Underworld

You know the drill—everyday teenager learns she has superpowers and is destined to fight the forces of darkness. Except Jentry Chau (voiced by Ali Wong) is not like any other teenage girl—she’s known about the supernatural her whole life (her uncontrollable fire powers were a giveaway) and spent a lifetime avoiding it. Sent to study in Korea for her own safety, Jentry is drawn back into the mystic world after being attacked in Seoul by a jiangshi named Ed (Bowen Yang). Brought back to her home in Texas by her great-aunt, Jentry has to survive not only the formidable mogui Mr. Cheng, who intends to drain her soul and powers, but the horrors of high school, culture shock, and the pain of her own past. Taking the “high school is hell” metaphor of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, adding a dash of Gravity Falls’ mystery, and rooting it all in Asian mythology, Jentry Chau vs the Underworld is one of Netflix’s freshest animated shows in years.

Missing You

Netflix’s latest adaptation of a Harlan Coben novel sees British police detective Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar) drawn into a web of betrayal and conspiracy when she finds her former fiancé, Josh (Ashley Walters), on a dating app—11 years after his disappearance. It’s far more than a brutal ghosting though, as a missing woman was last seen with him, and Josh’s vanishing may have connections to the murder of Kat’s own father. Missing You may feel slightly padded at times—annoying when it’s only five episodes to begin with—but this twisty crime thriller is perfect viewing for the cold winter months.

Squid Game

Produced in Korea, Squid Game blends Hunger Games and Parasite with a battle-royal-style contest. Hundreds of desperate, broke people are recruited to a contest where they can win enough money to never need to worry about their debts again. All they have to do to win the ₩45.6 billion ($35.8 million) jackpot is complete six children’s games. But it’s not that simple: All the games have a twist, and very few people make it out alive. Squid Game is intense, brutal, and often very graphic, but it is also completely gripping. After the show became a cultural phenomenon in 2021, fans waited what felt like an eternity for another season. That second season finally dropped on December 26.

Queer Eye

A reformatted Fab Five return, ready to change the lives of 10 new heroes. Relocating to Las Vegas, the ninth season of Queer Eye sees Karamo, Tan, Antoni, Jonathan, and new host Jeremiah Brent—taking Bobby Berk’s seat as the design whiz—helping a retired showgirl regain her sparkle, organizing a dream wedding for new parents, and, in possibly their strangest case yet, teaching a magic dragon to shed his scaly exterior. No, really. Netflix’s most feel-good show.

No Good Deed

Take Selling Sunset and add a grisly tragicomic twist and you just about have No Good Deed. A dark comedy from Liz Feldman, creator of Dead to Me, this eight-part series starts with Lydia and Paul Morgan (Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano) putting their gorgeous home on the market, and descends into darker territory as prospective buyers go to ever more desperate attempts to get their hands on the house, nosy neighbors interfere, and the grisly history of the house itself threatens to come to light. Buoyed by a stellar cast including Teyonah Parris, Abbi Jacobson, Luke Wilson, and Denis Leary, this is a glossy, witty, and possibly only slightly exaggerated take on the brutality of the Los Angeles property market.

A Man on the Inside

The latest show from comedy mastermind Michael Schur (The Good Place, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), A Man on the Inside features Ted Danson as Charles Nieuwendyk, a retired engineering professor who’s lost all direction since his wife passed. But when private investigator Julie Kovalenko (Lilah Richcreek Estrada) needs a man of his demographic to go undercover in a retirement community to investigate allegations of resident abuse, Charles may find an unlikely new lease on life—if he can figure out how to use his smartphone, that is. Reflecting on end-of-life realities as much as it plays up Charles’ fish-out-of-water situation, it’s a show that’s equal parts poignant, melancholic, and achingly funny—and it’s based on a true story, to boot.

Black Doves

Helen Webb (Keira Knightley) is wife to the UK defense secretary, mother to two children, and bored with her picture-perfect life. Spectacular cover then, since she’s actually a spy for the mercenary organization Black Doves, selling state secrets to the highest bidder. But when her real love Jason (Andrew Koji) is killed, Helen is determined to find out who killed him and why—and her pursuit of the truth threatens both her public and private lives. Paired with assassin and old friend Sam (Ben Whishaw, in a very different spy role to his turn in the James Bond films) at the behest of stern operator Mrs. Reed (Sarah Lancashire), Helen’s obsession could have led to a dour, gritty thriller, but Black Doves bucks the grim-dark trend to serve up a pulpy, colorful outing with enough heart to balance its violence. At only six episodes (with a second season already confirmed), it’s a brisk watch too.

Arcane

Animated series based on video games can run the gamut from cheap cash-ins to half-decent if forgettable tie-ins, inaccessible to anyone but hardcore devotees. Yet Arcane stood out by making its connections to Riot Games’ League of Legends almost optional. While its central figures, orphaned sisters Vi and Jinx, are playable characters in the game, this steampunk saga of class war, civil uprising, and the people caught in between is entirely accessible. The second and final season, released in a trio of movie-length blocks of three episodes apiece, escalates the conflict between the warring factions but never loses its central focus on the fractured relationship between sisters. With a gorgeous painterly art style, strong characters, and frequently shocking story beats, Arcane is one of the best animated series in years—and it has racked up plenty of awards, including a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program, to prove it.

Cobra Kai

Picking up decades after Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence’s iconic fight at the end of the first Karate Kid movie, Cobra Kai initially follows a washed-up Johnny as he reopens the Cobra Kai karate dojo, finding new purpose after defending his young neighbor Miguel (Xolo Maridueña, Blue Beetle) in a fight. Over the course of six seasons, the stakes get higher—and frankly, increasingly, gloriously, ludicrous—as rival martial arts schools start cropping up all over California. Alliances are forged and broken with alarming regularity, and everything gears toward a global battle for karate supremacy. It’s all a little bit tongue-in-cheek, and with Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprising their 1980s roles, the show is an unabashed love letter to the classic action flicks, but thanks to some seriously impressive fights and stunt work, it’s a retro-styled delight.

Hellbound

Imagine a supernatural figure appeared and told you precisely when you were going to die—what would you do? Now, imagine if this wasn’t a one-off personal experience, and society as a whole was aware of such warnings from beyond. Forget the giant smoke demons dragging foretold victims to hell, the societal shifts are the real hook of this striking South Korean horror series from Train to Busan director Yeon Sang-ho. The first season delved into complex theological issues such as the nature of sin and justice, while the newly arrived second season takes things further with a series of very public resurrections, further shaking a world already on the brink of existential chaos. Hellbound remains one of the most innovative horror shows in years.

The Diplomat

If there’s a West Wing-shaped hole in your life, look no further than The Diplomat—a tense geopolitical thriller elevated by a superb central performance by The Americans’ Keri Russell as Kate Wyler, newly appointed US ambassador to the UK. Far from being an easy assignment in a friendly country, Kate’s role coincides with an attack on a British aircraft carrier, leaving her to defuse an international crisis while also navigating her fraying “special relationship” with husband Hal (Rufus Sewell). The second season picks up from a literally explosive cliffhanger and propels Kate into a political conspiracy—and a potential promotion to vice president. Some of the twists along the way are faintly ridiculous, but The Diplomat has become one of Netflix’s biggest hits in recent years, and a third season is already in the works.

Nobody Wants This

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: An agnostic sex podcaster and a Rabbi walk into a party … OK, it’s not quite a setup for a joke, but rather for a sharp romcom—one based, in exaggerated form, on creator Erin Foster’s own experiences. Joanne (Kristen Bell, The Good Place) is cynical and burned out on modern dating, even as it provides her material for the increasingly successful podcast she hosts with her sister Morgan (Justine Lupe). When she meets young, handsome Noah (Adam Brody, The OC), the attraction is instant and mutual—except he’s just broken up with the stereotypical Nice Jewish Girl™ his family expected him to settle down with. Yet as the pair swirl through each other’s lives, the show proves it’s less about culture clash than it is exploring what the seemingly mismatched pair are willing to change and sacrifice to make their burgeoning relationship work. With sizzling chemistry between its leads, Nobody Wants This is a romcom with an emphasis on the romance.

Heartstopper

One of the most joyful shows on Netflix returns for another school year of teen drama and heartfelt queer romance. In the long-awaited third season, things heat up between the central couple, with Charlie (Joe Locke) preparing to say three little words to Nick (Kit Connor) for the first time, while Elle (Yasmin Finney) and Tao (William Gao) try to have the perfect romantic summer before Elle starts art college. Heartstopper‘s return also sheds some of its earlier cloying tendencies, growing up alongside its talented young cast and giving them more serious material to work with, tackling more mature themes of sex, eating disorders, and gender dysphoria—all without losing the warmth and charm that made audiences fall in love with the show in the first place. The show younger LGBTQ+ viewers need now, older ones needed years ago, and one that everyone needs to watch, whatever their sexuality.

Terminator Zero

Watch the above trailer for Terminator Zero and you might think it’s merely an animated repeat of the highlights from James Cameron’s first two Terminator films—and to an extent, you’d be right. But look beyond the familiar imagery of cyborg cops hunting down innocent humans and plucky resistance fighters pushing back against AI-driven extinction, and you’ll find one of the sharpest entries in the Terminator franchise in years. The first half of this eight-episode series treads that familiar ground, with computer engineer Malcolm Lee (voiced by André Holland, English language; Yuuya Uchida, Japanese) and his children in 1997 Tokyo targeted by Skynet’s murder-bots from the future for his work developing Kokoro (Rosario Dawson/Atsumi Tanezaki), an intelligence system to rival Skynet, which he somehow knows is set to bring about Judgment Day. With only human resistance soldier Eiko (Sonoya Mizuno/Toa Yukinari) able to protect them, there’s plenty of the kinetic, visceral action that Terminator is known for. The back half, though, brings considerably more depth, tapping into the often overlooked hard sci-fi elements of the universe, exploring time travel and paradoxes alongside existentialist discussions on the nature of consciousness. The best balance of brains and brawn since Terminator II.

Baby Reindeer

Stalking is no laughing matter, which makes this dramatized—and highly controversial—retelling of Scottish comedian Richard Gadd’s own real-life experiences more than a little uncomfortable. Adapted from Gadd’s one-man stage show of the same name, Baby Reindeer follows Donny (Gadd, playing a fictionalized version of himself) after he meets Martha (Jessica Gunning) at the pub he works at. Despite claiming to be a lawyer, Martha can’t afford a drink—and a sympathetic gesture on Donny’s part opens the door to increasingly obsessive and dangerous behavior as she proceeds to infiltrate his life. It’s shockingly honest and self-aware in places—does Donny, and by extension Gadd, on some level relish the attention of his stalker? Are his occasional moments of kindness and warmth toward Martha inviting her further in? Is he using her, finding her a strange source of material for his stand-up career? A fiercely paced seven episodes, shot more like a horror movie, this Emmy-winning miniseries explores trauma and intimacy, shame and masculinity, and how society often silences the victims of abuse.

The Boyfriend

“Anyone can fall in love with anyone” is the opening narration to The Boyfriend, Japan’s first same-sex dating show—a bold and progressive statement that reflects the shifting tide of opinion in the country. Throwing nine single men together in an idyllic beach house for a summer and charging them with running a coffee truck, the over-arching concept is to see who’ll pair up, but the series is as interested in exploring the friendships that emerge between the cast as it is the romantic relationships. Unlike Western dating shows, there are no scandals, no dramatic twists, no betrayals, and the “challenges” are adorably focused on confessing feelings. The gentleness of it all adds an almost relaxing quality, with the men discussing their emotions—and the nature of being queer in Japan—earnestly. An absolutely joyful example of reality TV.

Kleo

If you’re pining for more Killing Eve, then this German thriller may be the next best thing. Set in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the series follows the eponymous Kleo (Jella Haase), a Stasi assassin imprisoned by her agency on false treason charges. Released after the fall of the Berlin Wall, she seeks revenge on her former handlers—but West German detective Sven (Dimitrij Schaad), the only witness to her last kill, may have something to say about that. As dark and violent as you’d expect given the period and the themes of betrayal and vengeance, Kleo is lightened by its oft-deranged sense of humor and a charismatic lead duo who brilliantly bounce off one another—chemistry that’s only heightened in the second season as Kleo’s pursuit of her old allies intensifies, attracting attention from international spy agencies in the aftermath of the Cold War.

Sweet Home

Based on the Korean webcomic by Kim Carnby and Hwang Young-chan, Sweet Home offers a very different vision of apocalyptic end times—rather than pandemics, disasters, or even zombies, this posits an end of the world brought about by people’s transformation into grotesque monsters, each unique and seemingly based on their deepest desires when they were human. The first season is a masterclass in claustrophobic horror, as the residents of an isolated, run-down apartment building—chiefly suicidal teen Cha Hyun-su (Song Kang), former firefighter Seo Yi-kyung (Lee Si-young), and Pyeon Sang-wook (Lee Jin-wook), who may be a brutal gangster—battle for survival. The second and third seasons explore what remains of the wider world, delving into the true nature of both monster and man—and if there’s any hope for what remains of humanity. With phenomenal effects work blending prosthetics, CGI, and even stop-motion animation for some disturbingly juddering creatures, this stands apart from the horror crowd.

Star Trek Prodigy

Paramount+’s loss remains Netflix’s gain, as the streamer’s license rescue of this great Star Trek spin-off warps into its second season. After escaping a distant prison planet and becoming Starfleet cadets under the watchful eye of Star Trek Voyager’s Admiral Janeway (voiced by the venerable Kate Mulgrew), the ragtag crew—led by aspiring captain Dal R’El and bolstered by astrolinguist Gwyndala, engineer Jankom Pog, energy being Zero, scientist Rok-Tahk, and indestructible, gelatinous Murf—find themselves cast through time on the most dangerous mission of their young lives. While aimed at younger audiences and intended as an intro to the wider Trek universe and its ethics, Prodigy packs in plenty for older Trekkers to appreciate, particularly with a slate of returning Star Trek legends voiced by their original actors. Prodigy is something of a sleeper hit, but one of the best Trek shows in years.

Supacell

One by one, five Black Londoners awaken to strange superpowers. Struggling father Andre (Eric Kofi-Abrefa) develops superstrength, nurse Sabrina (Nadine Mills) unleashes phenomenal telekinetic might, drug dealer Rodney (Calvin Demba) races at superspeed, and wannabe gang leader Tazer (Josh Tedeku) turns invisible. But it’s Michael (Tosin Cole, Doctor Who) who may be the most pivotal, realizing he can leap through time and space and learning he only has three months to save his fiancée’s life. Created by Andrew “Rapman” Onwubolu, Supacell is a show about superpowers, but not necessarily superheroes, with its fantastic cast offering up a far more realistic and human exploration of now-familiar ideas than anything you’ll find in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And the mystery of why—and how—only Black people seem to be gaining powers builds up to a more powerful punch than an Asgardian god of thunder. A smart, modern, and refreshing take on the genre.

The Good Place

After suffering an improbable and humiliating death, Eleanor (Kristen Bell) finds herself in “The Good Place,” a perfect neighborhood inhabited by the world’s worthiest people. The only problem? She’s not meant to be there. Desperate to not be sent to “The Bad Place,” she tries to correct her behavior in the afterlife, with the help of her assigned soulmate, philosophy professor Chidi (William Jackson Harper). A twist at the end of the first season remains one of the best ever, while the show’s ability to sprinkle ethical and philosophical precepts into a sitcom format is frankly astounding. With a sensational cast rounded out by Manny Jacinto, Jameela Jamil, D’Arcy Carden, and Ted Danson, The Good Place more than earns its place in the good place of TV history.

Bridgerton

Still ranking as one of Netflix’s most-watched series ever, Bridgerton is set during the Regency period in England and follows the powerful Bridgerton family as they navigate love, marriage, and scandal—with most of the latter stirred up by the gossip columns penned by the anonymous Lady Whistledown. Created for screen by Chris Van Dusen and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, this incredibly bingeable and shockingly entertaining show is based on a series of novels by Julia Quinn, with each season focusing on a different branch of the Bridgerton tree. The third and latest season sees the spotlight fall on the long-simmering relationship between wallflower Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), a pairing that threatens to reveal powerful secrets that have been bubbling away since the very first episode.

Bodkin

When American podcaster Gilbert Power (Will Forte) and his enthusiastic assistant Emmy Sizergh (Robyn Cara) descend on the sleepy Irish town of Bodkin—reluctantly aided by investigative journalist Dove Maloney (a brilliantly acerbic Siobhán Cullen, cussing out everyone who glances her way)—he thinks he’s going to crack a decades-old missing-persons cold case. What he finds is a community with absolutely zero interest in his investigation, and even less in his attempts to “connect” with his Irish roots. But before long, the villagers’ quirky behavior starts to feel stereotypical, performative even—and Power realizes the cold case may not be quite so chilly. Bodkin suffers from a slow start—give it at least two episodes before writing it off as not for you—but once this darkly comedic mystery gets going, you’ll likely be just as invested as in your favorite true crime podcast. (Just don’t take inspiration and try sleuthing any cold cases yourself.)

3 Body Problem

In 1960s China, at the height of the Cultural Revolution, gifted scholar Wenjie Ye witnesses her physicist father being beaten to death for his research, only for her to be recruited to a secret project relying on that same knowledge. Fast-forward to the present day, and physics is broken: Particle accelerators around the world are delivering impossible data, while scientists are being plagued by countdowns only they can see. Meanwhile, strange VR headsets appear to be transporting players to an entirely different world—and humanity’s continued existence may rely on there being no “game over.” Game of Thrones’ creators D. B. Weiss and David Benioff and True Blood executive producer Alexander Woo reimagine Chinese author Cixin Liu’s acclaimed hard sci-fi trilogy of first contact and looming interplanetary conflict as a more global affair. Wildly ambitious, and boasting an international cast featuring the likes of Benedict Wong, Rosalind Chao, Eiza González, and GOT alum John Bradley, Netflix’s 3 Body Problem serves up the opening salvo in a richly detailed and staggeringly complex saga.

Ripley

Perhaps best known nowadays from 1999’s The Talented Mr. Ripley starring Matt Damon, novelist Patricia Highsmith’s inveterate criminal Tom Ripley has a longer, darker legacy in print and on the screen. For this limited series, creator Steven Zaillian goes back to Highsmith’s original text, presenting Ridley (a never-more-sinister Andrew Scott of All of Us Strangers) as a down-on-his-luck con man in 1950s New York who is recruited by a wealthy shipbuilder to travel to Italy and persuade the businessman’s spoiled son Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) to return home. But once in Italy, Ripley finds himself enamored with Dickie’s lavish lifestyle—and will do anything to take it for himself. Shot in black and white to really sell its noir credentials, this is an instant contender for the finest interpretation of Highsmith’s works to date.

Girls5eva

Saving it from Peacock after two seasons, Netflix has gotten the band back together for this sharp comedy from creator Meredith Scardino. Twenty years after they split up, girl group Girls5Eva—Dawn (Sara Bareilles), Gloria (Paula Pell), Summer (Busy Philipps), and Wickie (Renée Elise Goldsberry)—find themselves back in demand after their one big hit is sampled by popular rapper Li’l Stinker (Jeremiah Craft). Turning their renewed popularity into an opportunity to reunite, the women try to gain the stardom, respect, and musical integrity they never had in their youth, even as life has taken them in very different directions. Poking fun at the absurdity of the late ’90s/early ’00s pop scene—and how little has changed since—and heightened by an almost surrealist edge in places, Girls5eva is a comedy that deserves its time in the spotlight.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

A talented young cast bring to life the tale of Aang (Gordon Cormier), the latest in a long line of avatars who can control all four cardinal elements, but is frozen in time for a century when his world needed him most. Awakened by new friends Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley), he sets about continuing his training as the Avatar in an attempt to restore balance, all the while pursued by the relentless Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu), heir to the imperialist Fire Nation that has conquered the world. Consider this a cautious recommendation—the original animated version, also on Netflix, remains superior—but Netflix’s live action Avatar remake serves up scale and spectacle, without betraying the heart of the classic show. It’s also already confirmed for two more seasons, so viewers can look forward to the complete saga without the now-familiar Netflix cancellation worries.

The Legend of Korra

If you’re still not sold on the live-action Avatar, this sequel to the original series is well worth your time. Set 70 years after the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra explores how Aang’s world has progressed after decades of relative peace. When Korra, the new Avatar, moves to Republic City to complete her training under the tutelage of Tenzin—Aang’s son, now with a family of his own—she finds herself and new friends Mako and Bolin caught in the growing tensions between element benders and the Equalist movement, who claim the unpowered are an oppressed class. As the series progresses over its four seasons, The Legend of Korra proves itself a very different beast than its predecessor, exploring political themes and social prejudices in deeper—and often darker—detail, while also expanding the more fantastic elements of the universe and revealing the origins of the first Avatar. Even more brilliantly animated, and with a unique 1920s inspired aesthetic, Korra is a show that grew up alongside its audience, and is all the stronger for it.

Beef

Ever been cut off in traffic? Ever had it happen when you’re having a really bad day? Ever just wanted to take the low road, chase the person down and make them pay?! Then—after a few deep breaths—Beef is the show for you. It’s a pressure valve for every petty grievance you’ve ever suffered, following rich Amy (Ali Wong) and struggling Danny (Steven Yeun) as they escalate a road rage encounter into a vengeance-fueled quest to destroy the other. Yet Beef is more than a city-wide revenge thriller—it’s a biting look at how crushing modern life can be, particularly in its LA setting, where extravagant wealth brushes up against inescapable poverty and seemingly no one is truly happy. Part dramedy, part therapy, Beef is a bad example of conflict resolution but a cathartic binge watch that clearly resonates—as evidenced by its growing clutch of awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Limited Series.

Loudermilk

Something of a sleeper hit for years—its first two seasons debuted on AT&T’s now-defunct pay TV channel Audience in 2017, before its third season appeared over on Amazon—all three seasons of this bleak comedy are now available on Netflix. Ron Livingston stars as Sam Loudermilk, a vitriolic former music critic and recovering alcoholic who proves almost pathologically incapable of holding his tongue when faced with life’s small frustrations—a personality type possibly ill-suited to leading others through addiction support groups. It’s dark in places, and its central character is deliberately unlikeable, but smart writing and smarter performances shape this into something of an acerbic anti-Frasier.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

Adapted from the beloved graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O’Malley, animated by one of the most exciting and dynamic studios in Japan, and voiced by the entire returning cast of director Edgar Wright’s 2010 live-action adaption, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off would have been cult gold even if it was a straight retelling of its eponymous slacker’s battles against lover Ramona Flowers’ seven evil exes. Yet somehow, in a world devoid of surprises, this packs in killer twists from the very first episode, making for a show that’s as fresh and exciting as ever. Saying anything else would ruin it—just watch.

Pluto

Think you know Astro Boy? Think again. In 2003, Naoki Urasawa (Monster, 20^th Century Boys) updated original creator Osamu Tezuka’s hugely influential “The Greatest Robot on Earth” story arc for his manga Pluto, opting for a more adult approach. The focus shifts from the heroic boy robot to grizzled cybernetic detective Gesicht as he investigates a series of murders of both humans and robots, each victim left with makeshift horns crammed into their heads. Meanwhile, Atom (Astro’s Japanese name) is recast as a former peace ambassador, effectively a propaganda tool rolled out at the end of the 39th Central Asian War, still dealing with trauma from the experience. This adaptation is not only a faithful recreation of Urasawa’s retelling, but is stunningly animated to a standard rarely seen in Netflix’s original anime productions. With eight episodes, each around an hour long, this is as prestigious as any live-action thriller the streamer has produced, and a testament to both Tezuka and Urasawa’s respective geniuses.

Blue Eye Samurai

In the 17th Century, Japan enforced its “sakoku” isolationist foreign policy, effectively closing itself off from the world. Foreigners were few and far between—so when Mizu (voiced by Maya Erskine) is born with blue eyes, nine months after her mother was assaulted by one of the four white men in the country, it marks her as an outsider, regarded as less than human. Years later, after being trained by a blind sword master and now masquerading as a man, Mizu hunts down those four men, knowing that killing them all is the only way to guarantee her vengeance. Exquisitely animated—which makes its unabashed violence all the more graphic—and with a phenomenal voice cast bolstered by the likes of George Takei, Brenda Song, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, and Kenneth Branagh, Blue Eye Samurai is one of the best adults-only animated series on Netflix.

Pending Train

Netflix: License one of Japan’s best SF dramas in years. Also Netflix: Do nothing, literally nothing, to promote it, not even create an English subbed trailer. Which is where WIRED comes in—Pending Train is a show you (and Netflix) shouldn’t sleep on. When a train carriage is mysteriously transported into a post-apocalyptic future, the disparate passengers’ first concern is simply survival. Between exploring their new surroundings and clashing with people from another stranded train car over scarce resources, one group—including hairdresser Naoya, firefighter Yuto, and teacher Sae—begins to realize that there may be a reason they’ve been catapulted through time: a chance to go back and avert the disaster that ruined the world. A tense, 10-episode journey, Pending Train offers a Japanese twist on Lost, but one with tighter pacing and showrunners who actually have a clue where they want the story to go.

One Piece

Mark one up for persistence: After numerous anime adaptations ranging from “awful” to “not too bad,” Netflix finally strikes gold with its live-action take on the global phenomenon One Piece. Despite fans’ fears, this spectacularly captures the charm, optimism, and glorious weirdness of Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga, manifesting a fantasy world where people brandish outlandish powers and hunt for a legendary treasure in an Age of Piracy almost verbatim from the page. The perfectly cast Iñaki Godoy stars as Monkey D. Luffy, would-be King of the Pirates, bringing an almost elastic innate physicality to the role that brilliantly matches the characters rubber-based stretching powers, while the crew Luffy gathers over this first season—including swordsmaster Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu), navigator and skilled thief Nami (Emily Rudd), sharpshooter Usopp (Jacob Romero Gibson), and martial artist chef Sanji (Taz Skylar)—all brilliantly embody their characters. A lot could have gone wrong bringing One Piece to life, but this is a voyage well worth taking.

The Chosen One

Based on the comic American Jesus by writer Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Kingsman) and artist Peter Gross (Lucifer), The Chosen One follows 12-year-old Jodie (Bobby Luhnow), raised in Mexico by his mother Sarah (Dianna Agron). While the young boy would rather hang out with his friends, his life—and potentially the world—changes forever when he starts exhibiting miraculous powers, attracting dangerous attention from sinister forces. While this could have been yet another formulaic entry in Netflix’s expansive library of supernatural teen dramas (the Stranger Things vibe is particularly strong), the decision to shoot on film and in a 4:3 aspect ratio make this a visual delight, unlike almost anything else on the streamer at present. There’s an English dub, but stick to the original Spanish with English subs for a better viewing experience. (Confusingly, there’s another show with the exact same title on Netflix, a 2019 Brazilian series following a trio of relief doctors in a village dominated by a cult leader—also worth a watch, but don’t get them confused!)

Alice in Borderland

When slacker Ryohei Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) is mysteriously transported to a deserted Tokyo, his keen gaming skills give him an edge navigating a series of lethal games that test intellect as much as physical prowess. Yet after barely scraping through several rounds, Arisu is no closer to uncovering the secrets of this strange borderland, or to finding a way home—and the stakes are about to get even higher. Not only are Arisu and his allies Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya), Kuina (Aya Asahina), and Chishiya (Nijiro Murakami) faced with another gauntlet of sadistic games, but they find themselves caught between rival card suit “courts” vying for power—and not everyone can be trusted.

With its willingness to kill off main characters at a moment’s notice, the first season of this gripping adaptation of Haro Aso’s manga kept viewers on tenterhooks throughout. As the long-awaited second season leans further into its twisted Alice in Wonderland imagery, expect more shocking developments in this taut thriller.

Russian Doll

In Russian Doll, Nadia has one very big problem: Time keeps breaking around her. Season one finds Nadia—played by Natasha Lyonne, who is also a cocreator on the show—dying at her own birthday party, only to wake up there over and over again, trapped in a Groundhog Day-style loop until she can unravel her personalized knot in the space-time continuum. Things only get stranger in season two, where Nadia finds herself traveling back in time to 1982 and inhabiting the body of her own mother—currently heavily pregnant with Nadia herself. Both seasons are funny and thought-provoking, reflecting on personal and generational trauma, all without overegging the potential for philosophical musing.

Lupin

Arsène Lupin, the belle epoque burglar created by French novelist Maurice Leblanc in the early 1900s, is reinvented as Assane Diop, a first-generation Frenchman with a mania for Lupin books and a grudge against the powerful forces who decades ago framed his father for a theft he didn’t commit—and led him to die in prison. Pairing drones, social media bots, and hacking skills with traditional tools of the trade like fake beards, picklocks, and quick wits, Diop hunts down his adversaries as he searches for the truth about his father’s fate. In his spare time, Diop also tries to patch together a crumbling marriage and build a better rapport with his son. Worth watching in the French original, this five-episode series’ strength lies in the dialog, the character development, and the charismatic performance of Omar Sy as Assane. The actual escapades and daring heists are beautifully choreographed, but a lot of the mechanics—how a certain piece of legerdemain worked, when an impenetrable building was infiltrated—are left to the viewer’s imagination.

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February 9, 2025