There truly is something for everyone to watch this weekend. The lineup of new movies and TV shows has everything from a silly family film to a musical theater parody to a teen dramedy. The streaming gods at Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney Plus and others are so good to us.
The summer movies and summer TV seasons are well underway. This weekend brings Space Jam: A New Legacy, the update of the Looney Tunes/basketball crossover starring LeBron James. It’s open in theaters and streaming on HBO Max. Also on deck are the new musical spoof Schmigadoon!, season 2 of Never Have I Ever, the assassin thriller Gunpowder Milkshake and the true crime drama Dr. Death. Plus, Loki wrapped up its run with a season finale that raises the stakes for the entire MCU.
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That’s just the tip of the iceberg of new TV shows and specials available on broadcast and cable. If you’ve cut the cord, just sign up for one of the best cable TV alternatives for access to your favorite channels.
Here are our picks for the new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend.
Streaming now:
Schmigadoon! (Apple TV Plus)
Series premiere | Episodes 1-2 (TV-14) | Watch now
Apple TV Plus is having a great summer and it’s about to get even better, with the release of Ted Lasso season 2 next week. Before then, the streamer debuts this delightful spoof of musical theater starring Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key. They play a couple who find themselves trapped in an old-timey, parallel-universe village where the residents often break out into song and dance. The only way to escape is to cross a bridge with one’s true love — except it doesn’t work for them. Drama! The original songs reference many hit musicals, including Brigadoon, Carousel and Oklahoma. And the stacked cast draws from Broadway, so viewers are blessed with the presences of Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Aaron Tveit and Ariana DeBose.
Space Jam: A New Legacy (HBO Max)
Movie | 1 hr 55 min (PG) | How to watch Space Jam: A New Legacy
It’s best to think of Space Jam: A New Legacy less as an actual movie and more as a long commercial for Looney Tunes, the NBA and the personal brand of LeBron James. A New Legacy is a sequel to the 1996 film, which starred Michael Jordan. James proved that he has real acting chops in Trainwreck, but this isn’t quite the same kind of showcase. No, critics do not rate this movie. But if you like goofy humor and highlight-reel dunks, then Space Jam may be your jam.
Never Have I Ever (Netflix)
Season 2 premiere | Episodes 1-10 (TV-14) | Watch now
The life of a teen girl is one hell of a rollercoaster ride, filled with ups (getting a boyfriend) and downs (juggling two boyfriends). Last we saw Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), she was being kissed by the nerdy but cute Ben Gross (Jaren Lewison). But she’s surprised and excited to discover her longtime crush, Paxton Hall-Yoshida (Darren Barnet), also wants to date her. Love triangle complications ensue. Not only that, Devi is also still dealing with her family’s impending move to India and the arrival of a cool new Indian girl at school who connects with Ben. And of course, she’s still grieving her late father and listening to his saved voicemails whenever she feels emotional whiplash.
Loki (Disney Plus)
Season 1 finale | Episode 6 (TV-14) | Watch now
Time is a flat circle which has brought us around to the finale of Loki’s first season (and thanks to a brief end credits announcement, we know Loki season 2 is happening.) Fans had a right to feel some trepidation, considering how badly the finales of WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier whiffed. But Loki manages to end on an intriguing, exciting note, thanks to the introduction of a major new villain. Yes, some of the episode feels like mere table setting for upcoming movies, but it also lays the groundwork for season 2 and possibly beyond. As always, Tom Hiddleston’s charisma makes his version of Loki someone you can’t help but root for, while Sophia Di Martino has been able to match him in her portrayal of Sylvie. And while I won’t spoil it here, a new character introduced here is a very welcome addition to the MCU.
Gunpowder Milkshake (Netflix)
Movie | 1 hr 54 min (R) | Watch now
"What if John Wick starred a woman?" seems to be the pitch for this neon-lit, extremely violent action thriller. Karen Gillan stars as a badass assassin named Sam who works for The Firm, just like her mother (Lena Headey) did before her. When a mission goes wrong and she’s left to care for a young girl, Sam winds up teaming up with her mom and compatriots called Librarians (Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett and Carla Gugino) to take down the Firm for good.
Dr. Death (Peacock)
Limited series premiere | Episodes 1-8 (TV-MA) | Watch now
The popular true crime podcast Dr. Death has been adapted into a miniseries, starring Joshua Jackson as Dallas neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Duntsch. In real life, Duntsch performed routine spinal surgeries that left 33 patients dead or permanently disabled. He’s eventually stopped by two fellow physicians, Dr. Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin) and Dr. Randall Kirby (Christian Slater). The show explores not just Duntsch’s sociopathic motivations and methods, but also the breakdown in the medical system that allowed him to even operate at all.
American Horror Stories (FX on Hulu)
Series premiere | Episodes 1-2 (TV-MA) | How to watch American Horror Stories
The horror never stops — and neither does Ryan Murphy. The prolific super-producer apparently decided he wasn’t content to pump out season after season of American Horror Story; he wanted an episodic anthology spinoff, too. American Horror Stories spins a different terrifying tale, portrayed by different cast members, in each episode. The first two revisit earlier themes and characters from the flagship series. And of course, Murphy calls up some of his regular players (like Matt Bomer and Billie Lourd) to populate the new series, so it feels very much part of the AHS universe.
Fear Street Part 3: 1666 (Netflix)
Movie | 1 hr 54 min (R) | Watch now
The Fear Street movie trilogy concludes by going back to where and when it all started. Deena (Kiana Madeira) is transported to a colonial settlement in the 17th century, where they witness the beginning of the Shadyside curse. Deena inhabits the role of “witch” Sarah Fier, whose illicit relationship with pastor’s daughter Sarah Miller (Olivia Scott Welch) triggers an upswell of hysteria and violence intolerance. And when Deena returns to the ’90s, she and the other teens must find a way to fight the zombified killers that are hunting them.
Making the Cut (Amazon Prime Video)
Season 2 premiere | Episodes 1-2 (TV-14) | Watch now
Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum left Project Runway and have made it work with their new fashion design series, which returns for a second season. Ten established designers compete to be the next big global fashion brand, take home a $1 million prize and create a collection exclusive to Amazon Fashion. The contestants take on weekly challenges and the winning look will sell on Amazon. This season, Gunn and Klum are joined by two new judges, fashion designer Jeremy Scott and model Winnie Harlow. And the show is incorporating the COVID-19 pandemic, with challenges that acknowledge how fashion has become virtual in the year.
Naomi Osaka (Netflix)
Limited series premiere | Episodes 1-3 (TV-14) | Watch now
The three-part documentary about tennis superstar Naomi Osaka is an absorbing, somewhat melancholy look at the effect of global fame and success at such a young age. And it’s particularly insightful in light of Osaka’s recent withdrawal from the French Open to preserve her mental health. The doc begins with the 20-year-old Japanese player winning the 2018 U.S. Open over her idol, Serena Williams. From there, it follows Osaka as she navigates celebrity, increased expectations and questions about her racial identity (her mother is Japanese, her father is Haitian). The tennis star is candid as she considers her goals on and off the court — which resonates even more now, as she will soon represent her home country in the Tokyo Olympics.
McCartney 3, 2, 1 (Hulu)
Limited series premiere | Episodes 1-6 (TV-14) | Watch now
Music icon Paul McCartney spills the tea (and a lot of it) in this one-on-one sit-down with legendary producer Rick Rubin. Over the course of the six-episode documentary, McCartney reminisces about the Beatles — what inspired them, the stories behind certain songs and albums, and the complicated relationships they had with each other. A lot of it will be familiar to fans (the man’s been around for decades and has never been shy), but the best parts are when the pair really dig in and analyze the creative process, songwriting, playing and the general craft of music.
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