No less than six different streaming services feature in this week’s list of recommendations, which is either a welcome testament to the diversity of today’s on-demand entertainment, or a damning indictment of the industry’s saturated nature.
Leading the charge is One Day on Netflix, a new series adaptation of David Nicholls’ beloved and bestselling romance novel, while Halo and Tokyo Vice return for their second seasons on Paramount Plus and Max, respectively. Elsewhere, Prime Video gets a live-action adaptation of popular manga The Battle of Tokyo Bay, while Suncoast – a new Woody Harrelson-starring family drama – makes its way to Hulu and Disney Plus.
Below, we've rounded up the seven biggest new movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, Max, and more this weekend.
One Day (Netflix)
Having already been turned into a 2011 feature film, David Nicholls’ bestselling romance novel, One Day, gets the TV treatment on Netflix this weekend.
This 14-episode series stars Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall as Emma and Dexter; a pair of university friends who, after spending graduation night together, continue to meet for one day each year (voluntarily or otherwise).
Eleanor Tomlinson, Jonny Weldon and Tim McInnerny also star in One Day, which critics have lauded as “a flawless romcom” and “the most bingeable show of the year.” Don’t be surprised if this makes it onto our best Netflix shows list very soon.
Now available to stream on Netflix.
Halo season 2 (Paramount Plus)
The debut season of Paramount’s live-action Halo TV show was visually impressive, but it struggled to establish an identity. Halo season 2, though, looks set to right that wrong.
In this eight-episode sophomore outing, Master Chief John-117 (Pablo Schreiber) continues to lead his team of elite Spartans against the alien threat known as the Covenant. But when he discovers the Covenant’s plan to destroy humanity’s greatest stronghold – the Halo – John must fight harder than ever to ensure the survival of his species.
Sure, that all sounds a little dramatic, but the Fall of Reach (as it’s known in the video games) is one of the most heart-wrenching events in the entire Halo franchise, so here’s hoping that Halo season 2 can help the series truly establish itself as one of the best Paramount Plus shows of 2024.
Now available to stream on Paramount Plus.
The Silent Service Season One - The Battle of Tokyo Bay (Prime Video)
Amazon’s live-action TV adaptation of Kaiji Kawaguchi's popular manga series The Silent Service begins streaming this weekend.
Combining scenes from the 2023 Japanese film The Silent Service with three hours of new content, The Silent Service Season One - The Battle of Tokyo Bay depicts the unpredictable actions of nuclear submarine captain Shiro Kaieda (Takao Ohsawa), who comes to question the morality of his job.
The first six episodes of the new series – which hasn’t yet been reviewed by critics – are available to stream now on Prime Video. The show’s remaining two episodes will arrive next Friday.
Now available to stream on Prime Video.
Tokyo Vice season 2 (Max)
Sticking with the Tokyo theme, Michael Mann’s underrated HBO gangster drama, Tokyo Vice, returns for its second season on Max this weekend.
Mann himself is no longer involved as a director, but the series – which is loosely based on journalist Jake Adelstein’s 2009 memoir of the same name – once again finds Ansel Elgort’s Adelstein getting in too deep with the Japanese yakuza in 1990s Tokyo.
Tokyo Vice season 1 was undoubtedly one of the best Max shows of 2022, and critics have assured fans that season 2 remains “expensive-looking, ambitious and one of the most finely rendered urban portraits on TV.”
Now available to stream on Max.
Suncoast (Hulu, Disney Plus)
If you’re in the mood for a tearjerker this weekend, look no further than Suncoast, which is now streaming on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.
This Sundance-premiered semi-autobiographical film (from writer-director Laura Chinn) centers on a teen girl (The Last of Us’ Nico Parker) as she navigates a tricky home life with her terminally ill brother (Cree Kawa) and frequently emotional mother (Laura Linney).
Woodly Harrelson also stars in Suncoast, which critics have described as a “so-so comedy drama” that’s “reminiscent of minor-key, quirky-charming ’90s dramedies.”
Now available to stream on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.
Arctic Ascent with Alex Honnold (Hulu, Disney Plus)
The first of this week’s two documentary picks is Arctic Ascent with Alex Honnold, which is now available to stream in its entirety on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.
This three-part National Geographic series follows world-famous climber Alex Honnold as he leads an expedition across Greenland to a) investigate the impact of climate change and b) make a death-defying first ascent of the country’s 4,000-foot Ingmikortilaq sea cliff.
Ahead of the series’ February 5 streaming premiere, we spoke to Honnold about the unique challenges posed by sub-zero temperatures and melting glaciers. Suffice to say, vertigo-prone viewers should avoid this one.
Now available to stream on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.
They Called Him Mostly Harmless (Max)
True crime fans, listen up: They Called Him Mostly Harmless is now streaming on Max.
This feature-length documentary centers on the true story behind Vance Rodriguez, a hiker – nicknamed “Mostly Harmless” due to the lack of information surrounding him – whose mysterious death in 2018 sparked an amateur investigation by curious internet sleuths.
By the sounds of things, They Called Him Mostly Harmless could prove a nice alternative to the best Netflix documentaries.
Now available to stream on Max.
For more streaming coverage, check out our guides on the best Disney Plus movies, best Netflix films, new Prime Video movies, and new Max films.
