I won’t lie to you guys, I haven’t been watching much television these days. A lot of the new stuff on streaming hasn’t really grabbed me, and I found myself getting one or two episodes in and just calling it quits. I found myself mostly returning to some old favorites and checking out some new-ish stuff I hadn’t had a chance to check out yet. As always, let me know what you’re watching in the comments and it may end up on a future list.
HBO Max: Sharp Objects (2018)
I watched this one when it first came out, and I’m constantly surprised by how few people have seen it. Based on the Gillian Flynn novel of the same name, Sharp Objects follows Camille Preaker as she returns to her hometown to investigate two unsolved murders. I rarely feel the need to warn people about sensitive topics, but this show features some pretty brutal portrayals of self-harm and suicide. Amy Adams gives an absolutely incredible performance as Camille, and you alternate between feeling horrible for her and just wanting her to pull it together for the folks around her. Her mother is played by the absurdly talented Patricia Clarkson, who is equal parts haunting and hateful. It’s a heavy watch, but one that grips you till its final moments. The final scene, even years later, still sends chills down my spine. If you’re a fan of Gone Girl or other smart thrillers, definitely give this a watch.
FOR FANS OF: Mare of Easttown; The Undoing; True Detective
Netflix: The Summer Hikaru Died (2025 – present)
Once about every five years or so, I find an anime that is exactly my vibe and The Summer Hikaru Died is it. Inspired heavily by Junji Ito and other horror anime like Tokyo Ghoul and Higurashi When They Cry, it follows two teenagers (Yoshiki and Hikaru) six months after one of them went missing in the mountains for almost a week. It’s soon clear that Hikaru is not what he appears to be, and hasn’t been for quite a while. This anime combines world-building elements similar to Chainsaw Man and sets up a truly creepy Eldritch horror. The slice of life moments are so quiet that it’s always startling when the show reminds you this is indeed a horror, and the combination of hand-drawn animation and CG make for a real uncanny valley design for many of its creatures. At the time of me writing this, there are only four episodes released but I have been waiting with bated breath for every new episode to drop. It’s an excellent story with spectacular visuals, and I can’t wait to see how they wrap up the first season.
FOR FANS OF: Tokyo Ghoul; Another; Higarashi When They Cry
Hulu: Dopesick (2021)
Normally, making entertainment out of real-life tragedy (especially recent) is frowned upon and often tasteless. Dopesick though is an appropriately sober and hard look at the opioid epidemic as fueled by the pharmaceutical industry. The show takes multiple perspectives in its short eight-episode run, from a doctor prescribing the drug, a young coal miner taking it for an injury, and even a sales representative for Sackler selling the drug to clients. It’s a compelling fictionalized narrative of true events, featuring an incredible cast including Michael Keaton, Kaitlyn Dever, and Will Poulter, among others. If you can stomach something moving yet equally hard to watch, Dopesick is a really well-made mini series that provides many angles on a complex and brutal piece of recent history.
FOR FANS OF: The Dropout; The Act; Unbelievable
Peacock: Laid (2024)
Comedy is not usually my cup of tea, but Laid starts us out with an incredible premise. Ruby Yao has a lot of exes. She’s dated around more than the average person, and at thirty-three, she’s starting to think she’s never going to find someone. It gets even worse though when all her exes (and the people she’s slept with) start dying. Stephanie Hsu really hams it up as the lead, and her awkward, grating persona makes you alternate between laughing and cringing. The show is clearly critical of modern dating culture and the way people (of all genders) can treat each other poorly or without thinking about others as fully fleshed-out people. This theme serves only as a soft undercurrent to the comedy, which is pretty damn funny. It was cancelled after only one season, but what we have is still a fun goofy romp that’s easy to binge in a week. Worth checking out if you’re looking for something to justify your Peacock subscription.
FOR FANS OF: Too Much; Shrill; Dead to Me
Prime Video: Shiny Happy People (2023 – present)
After taking the media circuit by storm with season one, Shiny Happy People is tackling a new topic for season two: Acquire the Fire. Following the high-octane youth meetings of the early ’90s, founder Ron Luce descended from pentecostal fervor into full-fledged violence and in some cases abuse. The documentary series covers a lot in its three episodes, interviewing victims and providing video footage of much of the story it’s documenting. Though Ron Luce and the leadership mostly declined to be interviewed, the combination of investigative reporting and documentation they provide gives a compelling, fleshed-out story of what these children went through and the way it affects them still today. For fans of cult documentaries and deep dives into fringe religious movements, Shiny Happy People is a must see.
FOR FANS OF: The Vow; Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey; Under the Banner of Heaven