The Last of Us - HBO Max
Picked by Digital Editor Mike Nam
The blockbuster video game series about gruff Joel and his young charge Ellie making their way across a post-apocalyptic U.S. now hits prestige television. Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) and Bella Ramsey (The Game of Thrones) fight zombie-like monsters and monster-like humans in the live-action drama hitting the streaming service on Sunday.
Sick - Peacock
Picked by Alex Vuocolo
Sick drops on Peacock Friday, so I can't vouch for it exactly. But director John Hyams usually does something interesting within the confines of low-budget, direct-to-video filmmaking. His two Universal Soldier sequels are cult classics, and Alone from 2020 is quietly one of the best thrillers of the past few years. Sick is about a woman and her best friend who are visited by a dangerous stranger while quarantining at her family's lake house early in the pandemic. As per the trailer, expect some hokey pandemic humor, but also hopefully some razor-sharp thrills.
All Creatures Great and Small - PBS
Picked by Newsletter Writer Graison Dangor
Do you like gentle period shows? Any particular affinity for the verdant, rolling hills of England’s Yorkshire Dales? It doesn’t matter; you should watch this anyway. The vibes are warm, the problems are at a refreshingly human scale, and there are a lot of cute dogs and farm animals helped by a crew of kind country veterinarians in the 1930s. By the third season, which began airing last Sunday, the once-distant war can no longer be ignored, but the first two are mostly a coming-of-age story that pleasantly blends comedy, drama, romance, and pastoral escape fantasy.
Kaleidoscope - Netflix
Picked by Reporter Lawrence Banton
Giancarlo Esposito stars as Leo Pap in this limited series focusing on a group of robbers who set out to jack one of the country's most impenetrable vaults. It happens to be owned by an old friend/enemy of Pap's, but perhaps the coolest part of the show is how you watch it. The episodes are arranged by color with each representing a different point in the story. The order in which you watch is completely up to you, so when you discuss it with friends and family, your viewpoint might be slightly different. But the story is all the same.
Behind The Attraction - Disney+
Picked by Growth Associate Keara O’Driscoll
I need to preface this by saying that I am NOT a Disney adult — just needed to get that one out of the way. But, that doesn’t mean that I can’t indulge in the magic of Walt Disney. Especially since yesterday’s announcement of price changes and perks, a trip to the happiest place on Earth sounds more enticing than ever. My latest guilty pleasure has been learning about the process behind Disney Parks’ most iconic features. The docuseries sits down with some of the Imagineers, even some who were in board rooms with Walt himself! And its executive produced by The Rock — what’s better than that!
Champaign ILL - Hulu
Picked by Sr. News Editor Dina Ross
Who says you can't go home? In this hysterical 2018 sitcom, childhood friends Lou (Jay Pharoah), Alf (Sam Richardson), and Ronnie (Adam Pally) hit the road together when Lou hits it big as a rap star. After 15 years of partying hard in luxury, Lou meets an untimely death, and Alf and Ronnie move back home to pick up the pieces. Champaign ILL was originally produced as a YouTube original, but now it's also streaming on Hulu. It has the spirit of irreverent comedies like Broad City and Derry Girls, and is a great pick for its fast-moving (though sometimes off-color) one-liners.
