The streamers came to play this weekend with a bevy of new movies and shows that have wreaked havoc on my social schedule.
It’s worth canceling plans to go out to watch all the great new series Netflix, BritBox, Paramount+ and more are streaming right now.
Near the top of my list is The Other Bennet Sister, BritBox’s new series that captures the charming spirit of Jane Austen.
Two shows far darker and more serious are Netflix’s Lord of the Flies adaptation and Starz’s Amadeus reimagining, which update past classics with modern storytelling techniques.
If guilty pleasure reality shows are more your thing, then get ready to sashay down the runway with the queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 11.
‘The Other Bennet Sister’ Season 1 — BritBox
We had to wait 20 years for a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, but that’s nothing compared to the 207-year gap between Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Janice Hadlow’s follow-up, The Other Bennet Sister. Now a 10-episode limited series, the story follows Elizabeth Bennet’s older sibling, Mary (Ella Bruccoleri), who isn’t as outgoing or charismatic as her sisters. She still wants love, though, and she eventually becomes involved with Mr. Hayward (Dónal Finn) and Mr. Ryder (Laurie Davidson).
In April, BritBox still reigns supreme for the best in British TV, both new and old. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Deal of the […]
May is the perfect time to watch a Jane Austen love triangle featuring characters who are far too polite to express how they really feel toward one another. Hadlow’s novel was a charmer, and the series embodies the author’s love for Austenian light comedy and romantic drama.
‘Amadeus’ Season 1 — Starz
Continuing the trend of Hollywood unnecessarily adapting feature films into serial dramas is Amadeus, a modern take on the Oscar-winning 1984 film that chronicles the heated rivalry between 18th-century composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Will Sharpe) and Antonio Salieri (Paul Bettany). Mozart is new to the music scene, but his talent is obvious to everyone, especially Salieri, who isn’t as gifted. Consumed by jealousy, Salieri vows to ruin Mozart by any means possible — and that might include murder.
Do we need a five-episode series in 2026 about two classical musical composers when the 1984 movie still holds up? Probably not, but this update is entertaining enough for viewers unfamiliar with the material to warrant a watch. Like F. Murray Abraham before him, Bettany stands out as the villainous Salieri, who gradually becomes more sympathetic than Mozart by the end of the show.
‘Lord of the Flies’ Season 1 — Netflix
William Golding’s classic 1954 novel Lord of the Flies gets the Netflix treatment in this brutal, can’t-miss adaptation that emphasizes the inherent violence that exists in all humans, even children. After a plane crash leaves them deserted on an island without adult supervision, a group of English schoolboys struggles to figure out how to survive. Ralph (Winston Sawyers) thinks they should adopt a clear hierarchy where everyone is responsible for each other’s survival, while Jack (Lox Pratt) thinks they should do what they want and not follow any orders. This difference of opinion soon erupts into a full-fledged conflict that pits boy against boy, with the losers paying with their freedom, health and, in some cases, their lives.
The Hunger Games films may have popularized the concept, but Lord of the Flies was one of the first novels to posit what it would be like to kids were left without adult supervision or any sense of law and order. The result is a harrowing look at man’s ugly nature and punctuated by cinematic storytelling and great performances by child actors who are all too convincing at playing pint-sized psychopaths. Not only does Lord of the Flies showcase just how well Netflix original shows can be, but it’s also a great advertisement for birth control.
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ Season 11 — Paramount+
Fix that wig and cinch that waist, hunty, because RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars is back for another season of charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. Last season, the long-running show changed things up with a tournament-style format that divided the 18 competing drag queens into three brackets consisting of 6 contestants, with the top 3 advancing to the final round. That change went over well with most fans, so they’re bringing it back in season 11 with a slight tweak: only 2 queens from each bracket will advance instead of 3. Oh, the shade!
Some of the notable queens competing this year include my personal favorite, Crystal Methyd, as well as Kennedy Davenport, Sam Star, Morgan Michaels, A’Keria C. Davenport, Joey Jay, Morphine Love Dion, Shuga Cain and more. RuPaul returns as the host, and she’s joined on the judging panel by celebrity guests Kate Hudson, Christina Ricci, Latoya Jackson, Cooper Koch, Janelle James and more. Who will be the next Drag Race superstar to wear the All Stars crown? You’ll just have to subscribe to Paramount+ to find out.
