The summer is a prime time for binge-watching the hottest TV shows and streaming movies you missed earlier in the year.
There's no shortage of blockbusters on streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and Max. And noteworthy shows are returning for eager-to-watch fans seemingly by the day.
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Ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, here are some of the biggest titles that landed on streaming platforms recently. The recommendations range from sci-fi and fantasy series to grounded and intense dramas.
Here's what to watch and where to view them:
Doctor Who
The venerable British science fiction show "Doctor Who" has more than a fresh coat of paint. The 51-year-old show has two new leads — Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Millie Gibson as his companion, Ruby Sunday — and has shifted into fantasy fare. Along with aliens, the Doctor's rogue gallery has expanded to goblins and supernatural beings.
Streaming on Disney+, the new season — designated as Season 1 or 14, depending on whom you ask — wrapped at the end of June. It has a higher budget, and it shows. Its episodes trade the visual effects of BBC yore for virtual sets that makes them look more like "The Mandalorian."
The season includes a "Black Mirror"-like episode about social media and another starring Lancaster native Jonathan Groff in a story with queer themes. Like every batch of "Doctor Who" episodes, your mileage may vary between these mostly standalone episodes, but there's always something to enjoy for long-time and new fans.
House of the Dragon
After a shocking Season 1 ending, "House of the Dragon" has returned to HBO with its familiar tropes of political machinations and extreme violence. The two opposing factions of House Targaryen are barreling toward a civil war, with high emotional stakes and plenty of fiery dragons.
Emma D'Arcy leads the cast as Rhaenyra Targaryen, the princess-declared-queen dealing with the brutal murder of her young son. The ensemble also has Matt Smith returning as the unpredictable Prince Daemon Targaryen and Olivia Cooke as Queen Alicent Hightower, who was once Rhaenyra's childhood friend.
New episodes drop every Sunday on Max. Try eating a cheesesteak as you watch, though the cast members don't entirely understand what a cheesesteak is.
The Bear
One of the most prestigious TV shows right now is FX's "The Bear," which accumulated 10 Primetime Emmy Awards for its first season. The third season follows the ragtag kitchen crew of Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and others as they work in their newly opened, high-end restaurant.
The show is streaming on Hulu – be sure to binge the kitchen crew's new adventures before your friends spoil any of them. And don't be surprised if you start yelling "Yes, chef!" in response to everything after becoming obsessed with the show.
Godzilla Minus One
The character of Godzilla historically has been an allegory for nuclear warfare, and the newest "Godzilla" movie from Japan delves deep into the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and post-World War II conditions in Japan — all with the spectacle of a giant CGI monster shooting out atomic breath.
"Godzilla Minus One," the first Japanese film to win the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, is streaming on Netflix. It tells the harrowing and emotional tale of a former kamikaze pilot who has returned home to form a family but feels guilty for a run-in with Godzilla.
The film received praise from audiences and prominent filmmakers like Steven Spielberg. Now, Netflix subscribers can see what the Godzilla-sized ruckus was all about.