Welcome to the latest issue of Stream On, the weekly newsletter from Consequence that answers the eternally confounding question: What films and TV shows should you be watching? (Subscribe here!) We’re looking at all the new and recent releases from Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, HBO Max, and more for ideas — not to mention a Blast From the Past and streaming suggestions from this week’s special guest: A Thousand Blows star Malachi Kirby!
This Week’s Picks
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (TV)
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (Paramount+)
Created by: Gaia Violo
Cast: Holly Hunter, Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins, Bella Shepard, Zoë Steiner, Robert Picardo, Tig Notaro, Oded Fehr, Gina Yashere
Streaming on: Paramount+
Related Video
Why yes, I will be recommending a new Star Trek show where Holly Hunter plays the chancellor of a revived Starfleet Academy for the 32nd century, Paul Giamatti gets to play the villain, and the rest of the cast consists of comedy favorites and immediately likable young folk. I was instantly obsessed with Gina Yashere as half-Klingon/half-Jem’Hadar first officer Lura Thok, Tig Notaro is simply wonderful in her Trek return, and who among us can resist the charms of Robert Picardo?
The show might best be described as Star Trek goes to college, and there’s a little classic WB in the DNA here as a result. (It’s also technically a Discovery spinoff, which means that if you skipped that show, you’ll want to at least read up on The Burn a little.) But the core Trek values of decency and adventure are thriving, and I’m excited to see how the show evolves. Two episodes are streaming now, and while the second isn’t as sharp as the first, there are stronger installments coming down the line. Also, I’m obsessed with the way Holly Hunter sits in the captain’s chair. Truly, an icon.
Also, for any Trek fans in the mood for a binge, for the next two weeks Pluto TV will feature five channels spotlighting past series — including The Next Generation, DS9, and Voyager.
The Life of Chuck (Film)
The Life of Chuck (NEON)
Directed by: Mike Flanagan
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, Benjamin Pajak, Jacob Tremblay, Mark Hamill
Streaming on: Hulu
Y’all, I’ve restarted this blurb like four times, because figuring out how to explain The Life of Chuck in a way that captures all its nuances — without spoilers! — is damn tough. I’ve seen such polarizing reactions from so many about Mike Flanagan’s Stephen King adaptation, including folks who think it’s transcendent, folks who loved one section and not the others, and folks who thought it was just a mess. Here is what I think I can say: The story is told in three parts, and while I found the first part to be powerful but emotionally devastating, the second and third parts ultimately left me… well, still emotionally devastated, but marveling at the beauty of being alive. A wild movie for sure, but worth watching for Mark Hamill’s performance alone. Not to mention the dancing.
Riot Women (TV)
Riot Women (Britbox)
Created by: Sally Wainwright
Cast: Rosalie Craig, Lorraine Ashbourne, Joanna Scanlan, Tamsin Greig, Amelia Bullmore
Streaming on: Britbox
This new British dramedy stars an eclectic cast of older women in a story about finding a voice through rock and roll, as a group of friends assemble an amateur punk band that ends up changing all their lives. The cast mostly features new and delightful surprises to me, except for Tamsin Greig of Black Books and Episodes, now looking fantastic in her silver fox era, and there are some great musical moments here. Created by Sally Wainwright (a British drama legend thanks to shows like Gentleman Jack and Happy Valley), Riot Women skews darker in tone than I was expecting. But its characters have plenty to righteously rage about.
The Rip (Film)
The Rip (Netflix)
Directed by: Joe Carnahan
Cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins, Kyle Chandler
Streaming on: Netflix
The Rip kind of feels like a good counterbalance to the previous rec, as it’s all about testosterone — not to say that One Battle After Another star Teyana Taylor doesn’t tear up the screen in her own imitable way, but the main selling point of this new crime thriller from Joe Carnahan is the opportunity to watch Matt Damon and Ben Affleck point guns at each other. Okay, the rest of the supporting cast is also great, from Kyle Chandler (Coach!) to Steven Yeun to Catalina Sandino Moreno, and the story revolves around a team of cops who find themselves tempted by an impressive amount of stolen cash, leading to lots of big twists and surprises. Also, there is a very cute dog who is very good at sniffing out money. Love you, Wilbur.
Blast From the Past
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.
Black Dynamite (Film)
Black Dynamite (Apparition
Destination Films)
Directed by: Scott Sanders
Cast: Michael Jai White, Salli Richardson, Arsenio Hall, Tommy Davidson, Nicole Ari Parker, Phil Morris, Tucker Smallwood, Mike Starr, Nicole Sullivan , Mykelti Williamson, Bokeem Woodbine, Cedric Yarbrough, Baron Vaughn
Streaming on: Xumo (free with ads)
Okay, first things first: If you haven’t heard of the FAST streaming service Xumo before, you are not alone. At this moment, though, I’m just excited that it’s hosting Michael Jai White’s delightful blaxploitation parody film. Mimicking the aesthetics of ’70s low-budget production to a T, White starred in and co-wrote the film, which gave him a chance to show off his martial arts skills as well as his knack for deadpan comedy. It’s a good time witha great cast that was succeeded by an Adult Swim animated series as well, now streaming on HBO Max.
A Special Guest Recommends!
Liz isn’t the only person in the world capable of suggesting stuff for people to watch… So each week, Stream On will now feature picks from a special guest! Said special guest could be literally anyone from the world of entertainment — actors, writers, directors, musicians, or anyone else Liz thinks might be watching something interesting.
This Week: Malachi Kirby!
A Thousand Blows (Hulu), Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)
Who Are They? Malachi Kirby is a fantastic actor and writer who broke out big as the new Kunta Kinte in the 2016 remake of Roots, and has also made memorable appearances in the Black Mirror episode “Men Against Fire,” the Doctor Who episode “Hell Bent,” and the Small Axe installment “Mangrove.” He’s currently starring in the Hulu original series A Thousand Blows (co-starring Stephen Graham of a lil show called Adolescence, you might have heard about it) — Malachi plays Hezekiah Moscow, a character based on the real-life boxing legend/lion tamer, and the second season is streaming now!
What Do They Recommend? Malachi told me in an interview last week that he’d recently been watching a ton of Christmas movies, as research for a script he’s working on. (When I asked if he’d seen any lesser-known holiday films that might be worth checking out, he laughed and said, “There are some things that I saw that were under the radar that should stay under the radar.”)
He did then suggest the Apple TV+ series Lessons in Chemistry, starring Brie Larson and Lewis Pullman. “I really enjoyed it. I didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I did, but I really did, I got into it,” he said, adding that “I’d seen [Larson] as Captain Marvel, but it was really great to see her depict this character, for sure.”
Thank you to Malachi, and good luck with the Christmas script! A Thousand Blows is streaming now on Hulu and Disney+.
One Last One Before Bed
Finally, let’s spotlight a movie or TV show that’s not only great, but won’t take up too much of your time: Think of this section as the answer to the question “What’s something I can watch before hitting the hay, that won’t keep me up too late?” The only rule is that it has to be less than 95 minutes if it’s a movie, or less than 30 minutes an episode if it’s a TV show. Otherwise, sky’s the limit!
One Mississippi (TV)
One Mississippi (Prime Video)
Created by: Tig Notaro, Diablo Cody
Cast: Tig Notaro, Noah Harpster, John Rothman
Streaming on: Prime Video
I mentioned Tig Notaro above, as she’s a recurring cast member on Starfleet Academy, but for those who need more than a taste of her dry wit, did you know she once created and starred in a whole dang two-season dramedy? Based on Notaro’s life up to that point, One Mississippi is a fantastic series that doesn’t sacrifice humor for pathos — you know you’ve got something special on your hands when Nicole Holofcener directs the pilot.
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. We’ll update this post every Friday morning with the best to consider, and also be sure to subscribe to the newsletter as well!
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