It’s Day 842 of staying at home in quarantine and it’s also (checks notes) Friday, so it's time to find out what to watch this weekend.. Like all of you, we’ve been bingeing a lot of TV and movies on all the streaming services — Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, even Apple TV Plus.
Even with so many options, do you feel like you’ve watched everything there is to watch? You haven’t. I basically watch TV as my job and even with no other outlets for entertainment, I’ve barely scratched the surface. Not only is there a vast library of content out there, new series and films are coming out Every. Single. Day.
- New TV shows: What's coming out this month
- Calendar of digital movie release dates
That’s why we have a handy guide to what to watch this weekend and next week, including our recommendations and notable highlights.
What to watch this weekend: May 8-10
Dead to Me season 2 (Netflix)
Friday, May 8 at 3 a.m. on Netflix (10 episodes)
Watch the trailer
The dramedy really lives up to its title as the second season opens with frenemies Jen Harding (Christina Applegate) and Judy Hale (Linda Cardellini) dealing with a dead body. The corpse belongs to Judy’s ex-fiancé, Steve (James Marsden) and the new season will address how he died and what they do with him.
Dead to Me is anchored by the crackling chemistry between its two leads, but the show is also tailor-made for the streaming era: Every episode ends with a cliffhanger that makes it easy to tell Netflix you want to “continue watching.”
Pitch season 1 (Hulu)
Now streaming on Hulu (10 episodes)
Watch the trailer
Missing the start of baseball season? Well, you could stay up very late and watch Korean baseball on ESPN, and you can also catch up on this delightful, canceled-too-soon dramedy. Pitch, which ran for one short season in fall 2016, stars Kylie Bunbury as the MLB’s first female pitcher and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as her catcher. The stories revolved around the sexism, aging out of professional sports and the perils of fame.
Everyone knows about the “Netflix effect,” but maybe we can get the “Hulu effect” going. As creator Dan Fogelman (also the person behind This Is Us) tweeted, “Maybe it will explode (and maybe, just maybe, we will get to make more!).” Now we’d call that a perfect game.
Becoming documentary film (Netflix)
Now streaming on Netflix
Watch the trailer
If you’re not already a fan of Michelle Obama, you should probably skip to the next part. This documentary follows the former First Lady as she travels the country to promote her memoir of the same name. Obama’s status as a star and beloved figure is evident as she greets huge, adoring crowds in every city. Becoming offers a peek at her life post-White House, and although she throws some very subtle shade at the current administration, mostly Obama “goes high.”
The interviews with Obama’s mother, brother and even a Secret Service agent just reinforce what many of us already know: This is an intelligent, capable, compassionate and extraordinary human who never sought the spotlight but made the most of it. No, she won’t run for president, but damn, we wish she would.
The Eddy (Netflix)
Friday, May 8 at 3 a.m. on Netflix (8 episodes)
Watch the trailer
All that jazz and more is the subject of this drama, which was created by Jack Thorne and landed La La Land’s Damien Chazelle to direct the first two episodes. The Eddy is the name of a jazz club in modern-day Paris, as well as a song written by bandleader Elliott (Andre Holland). The show is not a musical, though there are stirring and sensual performances of Glen Ballard’s songs.
The narrative is sprawling and encompasses everything from creative frustration to crime (yeah, crime!) to difficult family relationships. With everything going on, The Eddy almost feels like a period piece, traveling back to a time when you could watch beautiful music in dark clubs and roam city streets teeming with other people.
I Know This Much Is True series premiere (HBO)
Sunday, May 10 at 9 p.m. on HBO (episode 1)
Watch the trailer
The last couple of years introduced a new genre: Difficult Television. It consists of well-made series that tackle tough subjects. Think Chernobyl, When They See Us, Unbelievable. Like those acclaimed projects, I Know This Much Is True has top-notch bonafides: a sterling cast led by Mark Ruffalo; auteur Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine) as the showrunner and director; and bestselling source material by Wally Lamb.
Still, this is not a show for everyone. Almost every critic mentions the depth of misery present in the story. The phrases “relentlessly depressing” and “soul-crushing” were used. That said, if you can handle the emotional weight, it may be worth it to see Ruffalo’s superb dual performances as twin brothers.
More weekend highlights
Solar Opposites season 1 (now streaming on Hulu)
From the co-creator of Rick & Morty, the new animated series follows an alien family who are forced to live on Earth and figure out human culture.
Too Hot to Handle: Extra Hot: The Reunion (now streaming on Netflix)
The special gives an update on the Too Hot to Handle cast. Where are they now?
Disney Family Singalong: Volume II (Sunday, May 10 at 7 p.m. on ABC)
Katy Perry, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson and more join the roster of music stars performing in the second installment of the TV event.
Feeding America Comedy Festival (Sunday, May 10 at 7 p.m. on NBC)
Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, Billy Crystal, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler and more comedians help raise money for the hunger-relief charity.
Outlander season 5 finale (Sunday, May 10 at 8 p.m. on Starz)
Jamie desperately searches for a kidnapped Claire, while Brianna and Roger’s journey through the stones takes a surprising turn.
What to watch next week: New and notable
The Price Is Right at Night special (Monday, May 11 at 8 p.m. on CBS)
The game show’s primetime special was filmed before Hollywood was shut down. RuPaul is one of the celebrities who will “come on down” to contestant’s row.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs The Reverend special (Tuesday, May 12 at 3:01 a.m. on Netflix)
This interactive special reunites all of the cast members from the comedy, including Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski and Carol Kane. Jon Hamm guest stars as the Reverend, who’s got an evil plan to ruin Kimmy’s wedding day.
Survivor season 40 finale (Wednesday, May 13 at 8 p.m. on CBS)
The cast of all former winners will determine who outwit, outplayed and outlasted them all and deserves the title of Sole Survivor $2 million prize.
How to Get Away With Murder series finale (Thursday, May 14 at 10 p.m. on ABC)
The Shondaland drama starring Viola Davis will finally answer fans’ most burning question: Will they get away with it?
