Beat the heat with streaming! This weekend brings a ton of hot new movies and TV shows to our screens, and we can watch them in the comfort of our blissfully air-conditioned rooms. Just turn on Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu and other streaming services and enjoy a cool binge.
The summer TV and summer movies seasons have officially kicked off, and this weekend sees several big premieres. In the Heights adapts Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first musical, set in the diverse Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. After the filmed version of the Hamilton stage show ruled last summer, it looks like Miranda’s music will be in our heads for another one.
- All the upcoming Marvel movies and Disney Plus shows
- New TV shows airing this month
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The newest Marvel series, Loki, is streaming now after premiering earlier this week. Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as the charming trickster, who’s caused a disturbance in the timeline after his actions in Avengers: Endgame.
Also on deck are the returns of heist thriller Lupin, the dark comedy Flack, the mystery sleuthing drama Home Before Dark and the teen LGBT dramedy Love, Victor. 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 week.
Streaming now:
In the Heights (HBO Max)
Movie | 2 hr, 23 min (PG-13) | How to watch In the Heights
Before he created the sensation Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the musical In the Heights — all the way back in his sophomore year at Wesleyan University. That’s some thesis! After graduating, he worked with director Thomas Kail to revise it and took it to Broadway, where it earned 13 Tony nominations and won a Grammy. Now, the musical is adapted into a movie (and not a filmed version of the stage show), with Anthony Ramos starring as Usnavi, a New York bodega owner who saves every penny every day as he imagines a successful future. He’s surrounded by fellow residents of the Washington Heights neighborhood, who are all pursuing their dream of a better life.
Loki (Disney Plus)
Series premiere | Episode 1 (TV-14) | How to watch Loki
Trick or treat? We won’t need to choose in the latest Marvel series, since the titular trickster is such a charming treat. Loki, the god of mischief, was last seen absconding with the Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame. That was a past version of Loki, though, since the present-day one died at the hands of Thanos. Past Loki’s antics get him in trouble with the time cops at the Time Variance Authority. Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) enlists Loki’s help to right his time-bending wrongs and save their reality from an even greater threat. Loki is one of the most entertaining characters in the MCU, constantly stealing scenes with his wit and verve. So, we’re hoping to get something fresh and creative in the line of WandaVision over the more staid and formulaic Falcon and Winter Soldier. Check out our Loki episode 1 + 2 review to get hyped for next week, and our Loki episode 1 ending explainer to learn more about what just happened.
Lupin (Netflix)
Part 2 premiere | Episodes 1-5 (TV-MA) | Watch now
The gentleman thief is back to complete his quest for vengeance — though it’s been complicated by the kidnapping of his teen son in the finale of part 1. The French-language drama follows Assane Diop (Omar Sy), who takes inspiration from the character Arsène Lupin, a master thief created by author Maurice Leblanc in his turn-of-the-century novels. Assane is seeking justice for the death of his father, wrongly accused of stealing from the wealthy, nefarious businessman Hubert Pellegrini (Hervé Pierre). In Lupin part 2, the thief sets out to rescue his son, taken by Hubert, and to complete his revenge agenda.
Flack (Amazon Prime Video)
Season 2 premiere | Episodes 1-6 (TV-14) | Watch now
The British dramedy returns for a second season (which already aired in the UK in April), which finds PR executive Robyn (Anna Paquin) still reeling from the implosion of her work and personal lives. She retained her job, but all of her friends and colleagues are set against her. Robyn says she’s sober and ready to make amends, but will Eve (Lydia Wilson) ever forgive her? Meanwhile, boss Caroline (Sophie Okonedo) faces bigger problems as a shakeup could drastically change her business. And through all of this, the team continues to keep the outrageous indiscretions of their celebrity clients firmly behind closed doors.
Love, Victor (Hulu)
Season 2 premiere | Episodes 1-10 (TV-14) | Watch now
Teen Victor Salazar (Michael Cimino) internally wrestled with his sexuality through season 1 and came out to his parents in the finale. Season 2 picks up right where the show left off, with the reactions of mom Isabel (Ana Ortiz) and dad Armando (James Martinez). Victor also has to decide how out he wants to be to his classmates and basketball teammates when the new school year starts. Oh, and there’s the matter of his new relationship with Benji (George Sear). Victor faces all of the “firsts” of young love, including deciding whether to lose his virginity.
Home Before Dark (Apple TV Plus)
Season 2 premiere | Episode 1 (TV-14) | Watch now
After intrepid young reporter Hilde Lisko (Brooklynn Prince) uncovered shocking details of the once-cold case of Richie Fife, she continues to doggedly pursue leads on where the missing man might be now. When her search hits a dead end, everyone tries to persuade her to let it go. Of course, she won’t, even though another case takes some of her attention. A mysterious explosion hits a local farm, leading Hilde to investigate a powerful and influential corporation. The health of her family and Eerie Harbor hang in the balance.
Wish Dragon (Netflix)
Movie | 1 hr, 38 min (PG) | Watch now
The animated comedy puts a twist into the traditional “genie in a bottle” tale. Din (Jimmy Wong) is a working-class student with big dreams who longs to reconnect with childhood friend Lina (Natasha Liu Bordizzo). Then, he meets Long (John Cho), a dragon capable of granting wishes, and the two set off on a madcap adventure through modern-day Shanghai to find Lina. Along the way, Din learns that when you can wish for anything, you learn what truly matters.
Coming soon:
Kevin Can F**k Himself (AMC Plus)
Series premiere | Episode 1 streams Sunday, June 13 at 3 a.m. ET
The sitcom wife is a familiar sitcom trope. She’s beautiful and smiles at all her schlubby husband’s jokes — even when they’re about her. AMC’s new show is a dark satire of the trope (and you can stream every episode a week early on AMC Plus), seemingly inspired by the comedy Kevin Can Wait and its firing of actress Erinn Hayes. Allison McRoberts (Annie Murphy of Schitt’s Creek) is gorgeous and married to a “funny,” less attractive guy named Kevin (Eric Petersen). She seems to gracefully accept his constant ribbing, until she leaves the room to face a grim reality. Then, Allison decides to revolt against the confines of her life. This time, the sitcom wife is going to get the last laugh.
Tuca & Bertie (Adult Swim)
Season 2 premiere | Episode airs Sunday, June 13 at 11:30 p.m. ET
Usually, Netflix saves cancelled shows, but this time, it’s the other way around. Adult Swim rescued the fantastic animated comedy starring Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong as, respectively, the voices of cocky, care-free toucan Tuca, and anxious, daydreaming songbird Bertie. In season 2, they’re both dealing with inner ghosts, though in very different ways. Bertie starts excavating hers with the help of a therapist, while Tuca shoves hers behind the toilet because she’s too busy dating. Meanwhile, Bertie’s boyfriend Speckle (Steven Yeun) is building a new house, which is driving him to the brink of insanity.
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