Full Breakdown
Weekend Streaming Guide: New Shows and Movies to Watch
8/9/2026, 11:13:20 AM
Core Releases and Summaries
- The Shards (Hulu) – Ryan Murphy adapts Bret Easton Ellis’s novel; set in 1981 Los Angeles, it follows a fictional teenage Ellis (Igby Rigney) at Buckley prep school as a serial killer known as “The Trawler” begins killing.
- Furious (Hulu) – An eight-episode crime drama created by Elizabeth Meriwether, loosely inspired by the 1987 film *Black Widow*. Emmy Rossum stars as FBI agent Alice Black, with Lola Petticrew as a calculating female serial killer.
- Ted Lasso – Season 4 (Apple TV) – Jason Sudeikis returns as coach of a second-division women’s soccer team. Jack Burditt serves as showrunner; the ten-episode run concludes on October 7.
- Monsters of God (HBO Max) – A five-part documentary directed by Eric Goode, produced with Goode Films, A24, and Central Pictures. It investigates the exotic-animal-smuggling trade, drawing from Bryan Christy’s 2008 nonfiction book *The Lizard King*.
- The Gates (Prime Video) – Thriller about three Black college students who become trapped in a gated community after witnessing a murder. James Van Der Beek portrays Jacob, the community’s charismatic pastor; this is Van Der Beek’s final role before his death in February 2026.
- Michael (Starz) – Biopic of Michael Jackson starring Jaafar Jackson and Juliano Valdi, with Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Joe and Katherine Jackson. The film chronicles Jackson’s rise from the Jackson 5 through the 1988 *Bad* tour.
- The Last House (Netflix) – Horror film in which a family of four is sealed inside their home, forced to survive dwindling resources and a mysterious force. Wagner Moura and Greta Lee lead as the parents.
- Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour Live in 3D (Paramount +) – Concert film co-directed and produced by James Cameron and Billie Eilish, filmed in Manchester and Phoenix, using VR-3D technology in partnership with Meta and Lightstorm Vision.
Data & Statistics
- *The Shards* holds a 55 % Rotten Tomatoes score (35 % audience, 55 % critic).
- *Monsters of God* carries a 100 % rating based on ten reviews.
- *The Gates* received a 48 % score.
- *The Last House* sits at 35 % on Rotten Tomatoes, matching the average for Netflix originals.
- *Michael* shows a split: 38 % critic score versus a 97 % audience score.
