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Welcome to Stream On, the weekly newsletter from Consequence that attempts to help you answer that eternally confounding question: What films and TV shows should you be watching?
We're looking at all the new and recent releases scattered across Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, HBO Max and more for recommendation ideas — not to mention a Blast From the Past and customized recommendations for one lucky Stream On reader!
- Liz Shannon Miller, Senior Entertainment Editor
If you’d like to continue receiving Stream On each week, click here!
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Harley Quinn Season 4 (TV)
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Developed by: Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker
Cast: Kaley Cuoco, Lake Bell, Alan Tudyk, Ron Funches, J. B. Smoove, Diedrich Bader, James Adomian, Giancarlo Esposito
Streaming on: Max
Our beloved deranged OTP is back, thanks to the new season of now-Max's fantastic animated series. Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco) and Ivy (Lake Bell) continue to navigate couple-hood with the added wrinkle of Harley switching sides to explore life as a "good guy" — however, some habits are hard to break when you're a barely reformed supervillain. If you're not familiar with the show, please enjoy our Season 3 review for a whole bunch of words about why this one is special.
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They Cloned Tyrone (Film)
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Directed by: Juel Taylor
Cast: John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx
Streaming on: Netflix
Be prepared to have all the questions as you first start watching the latest Netflix original, which is funny, twisted, and unexpected in so many ways. I honestly don't want to say too much here, because the spoiler danger is real, but John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris are, just on their own, three fantastic reasons to watch, and the film's bold aesthetic choices and smart writing are two additional ones.
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Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (TV)
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Developed by: Shofela Coker, Raymond Malinga, Ahmed Teilab
Streaming on: Disney+
The advantage of streaming platforms is that they're perfect vessels for projects like Kizazi Moto, a collection of shorts from African directors featuring fantastical sci-fi visions. It's a fascinating mix of styles, characters, and concepts, which you can watch all at once or savor individually, and either way you do it, you'll be impressed by the range of storytelling on offer.
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Created by: Neil Gaiman
Cast: Michael Sheen, David Tennant, Nina Sosanya, Doon Mackichan, Jon Hamm, Miranda Richardson
Streaming on: Prime Video
The fact that Season 2 of Good Omens exists at all is a bit of a surprise — after all, the first season did a pretty thorough job of adapting the original Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett novel, aided by an all-star cast and Gaiman's personal supervision. And, to be frank, Season 2 definitely features a lot less story, as the adventures of Crowley (David Tennant) and Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) continue in a more muted way, following the (averted) Apocalypse. However, Tennant and Sheen remain an addictive on-screen pairing (see also the comedy series Staged, currently exclusive to Britbox) and the supporting cast is solid, especially a returning Jon Hamm as the now-amnesiac angel Gabriel. Warning: Whereas Season 1 was relatively self-contained, Season 2 ends on a cliffhanger that will have you screaming for a third season. (Please let the WGA/SAG strike end soon.)
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The home screens of streaming services are always packed with the latest new releases, but we don't spend enough time appreciating how much good library content is streaming across all of these platforms.
Each week, Stream On will spotlight one less-than-new favorite (must pre-date the founding of Consequence, so 15 years or older) that deserves attention from modern-day eyes.
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Film, 1990)
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Directed by: Steve Barron
Cast: Judith Hoag, Elias Koteas, Michael Turney , Raymond Serra, James Saito, Toshishiro Obata, Sam Rockwell, Brian Tochi, Josh Pais, Corey Feldman, Robbie Rist, Kevin Clash, David McCharen, Michael McConnohie
Streaming on: Max, Tubi
Not to brag, but I have seen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and it's freakin' great. Because it doesn't come out until next week, though, maybe spend some time this weekend with the Turtles' first live-action adventure, directed with more nuance and heart than you might anticipate. For a movie ostensibly aimed at children, the first TMNT has a lot of grit to it, plus some pretty adult moments of intensity and sadness. (I always get misty during the country interlude, because brotherhood is beautiful.) Jim Henson's Creature Shop oversaw the suits that brought these ninja masters with moves like lightning to the screen, and their tactile quality holds up remarkably well. Plus, if you saw 2023's Blackberry and didn't understand the deep-cut jokes about Sam Rockwell's brief appearance in this film, this is your moment.
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Ask Liz What to Watch!
Every person has different tastes and more importantly — different streaming services. So each week, Stream On will be offering tailored recommendations for individual subscribers! To request your own personalized film and TV picks, just fill out this Google form.
This Week: Sara!
Streaming Services: Netflix, Max, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+
Recent Favorites: Extraordinary, Glass Onion, The Woman King, Ghosts (UK version), Only Murders in the Building, Abbott Elementary, Ted Lasso, Fleabag
Sara! Always a pleasure to craft recommendations for someone with clearly excellent taste. Going to start by encouraging you to explore the work of Sharon Horgan, especially her latest effort, Apple TV+'s Bad Sisters, as that might bring together a number of your interests. Another UK TV auteur to investigate is Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You (Max) being her most notable success. Along similar lines, if you appreciate stories about people who might be a little messy, I Hate Suzie (Max) features Billie Piper giving a beautifully hideous performance as a TV star on the verge of a breakdown.
A recent whodunnit that I enjoyed was See How They Run (Max), with a solid cast (second mention of Sam Rockwell in this newsletter!) and a clever take on classic Agatha Christie tales. Also, time for my latest PSA about how if you have a library card (Google "library card" and your region to find out how to get one, if you don't already) you can get free access to services like Kanopy and Hoopla — and Hoopla's where you'll find three seasons of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (also streaming on Acorn), a very charming entry in the genre. (You don't necessarily seem like someone who's passionate about stand-alone mysteries, but if mysteries-of-the-week do have some appeal, I'll also note that six seasons of Murder She Wrote are currently available on Freevee.)
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This is almost more of a reminder to myself, but prior to The Woman King, Gina Prince-Bythewood directed the Netflix original The Old Guard, which premiered very much under the cloud of the pandemic; I've been meaning to go back and rewatch it during less stressful times, because my memory is that it's an engaging genre action piece. And finally, maybe give Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens (Max) a look, in terms of character-focused comedy — it's maybe a bit sillier than the shows amongst your recent favorites, but there's enough finding-yourself pathos to keep things grounded.
We'll be back next week with more picks — in the meantime, stay safe out there, or better yet stay inside, where it’s definitely safe, and there’s so much film and TV to watch.
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