With the weather getting hotter, TV tends to get singular over the summer. This is great news for reality show fans, as these shows premiere in full force, but there’s not much variety for the rest of us. Luckily there’s still lots to stream, both old and new. Here’s some of what I’ve been watching lately.
Netflix: The Four Seasons (2025 – present)
Based on the Alan Alda movie of the same name, The Four Seasons follows a group of friends whose dynamic alters suddenly one of them decides to divorce their partner and date someone much younger. This one came out of nowhere, and really surprised me with its charm and heartfelt characters. Just about every character is kind of an asshole, but in a way that feels real and relatable. Much of the story occurs offscreen with the couples only meeting together once per season, but they do a good job at filling us in on the couple’s relationships with each other and their friends without making it feel too hamfisted. If you’ve seen the movie, you know how this ends and it’s handled really well here. I still walked away hopeful, despite the show’s darker moments. It’s a sweet story about relationships, how they differ and the friends that keep us grounded.
FOR FANS OF: Nobody Wants This; Dead to Me
Paramount+: Twin Peaks (1990-91)
I’m ashamed to say that I’m a newbie when it comes to David Lynch. The first time I watched Mulholland Drive I had trouble getting into it, and felt confused during my first dive into this show because I was expecting a hard-boiled police procedural. Twin Peaks is very much not that, but it is a masterpiece in its own way. The show follows the investigation by FBI agent Dale Cooper into the murder of Laura Palmer. Right away, things are very strange and folks in town start see things they shouldn’t. I won’t give much away, but if you haven’t seen this show, watch it and keep watching it even if you don’t get it at first. Once it grabs you, it’s an experience that’s unlike any show you will ever watch. It’s dream-like, artsy and earnest in a way that’s hard to describe. I love this show and I hope you do too.
FOR FANS OF: Lost; The X-Files
Netflix: The Residence (2025 – present)
Another surprise from Netflix, The Residence follows a murder in, well, the White House. Along with the usual suspects, the Metro Police Department calls in Cordelia Cupp, a one-of-a-kind investigator and avid birdwatcher to solve the case. I avoided this one for a while because it just looked kitschy in a bad way, but the first episode really sells you on its premise. It’s over the top in a way that’s funny, but doesn’t alienate you or go too far. While the investigation takes a lot of twists and turns, it holds your interest and still drops little clues and breadcrumbs for moments to come. While it’s far from prestige television, it’s a satisfying mystery and Uzo Aduba absolutely kills in the leading role. With a second season on the way, it’s a great time to binge its quick eight episodes over the holiday weekend.
FOR FANS OF: Only Murders In the Building; Columbo
Max: Smiling Friends (2022 – present)
Where to start with this show? Smiling Friends is an Adult Swim-style adult animation unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Definitely not for kids and playing into the shocking and absurd, it follows an agency who takes on cases to make people smile. It sounds like a simple premise but what they do with it swings wildly between obscene and incredibly dark. In many of their episodes they collaborate with other animation studios and artists, so the style is ever evolving and does something new and interesting every episode. This is the kind of show that you will either love or hate by the end of the pilot, and with 10 minute episodes, it’s not a huge commitment to go and check it out.
FOR FANS OF: The Regular Show; Tuca and Bertie
Max: The Rehearsal (2022 – present)
What if you could rehearse your life before it actually happened? This is the premise of Nathan Fielder’s bonkers yet remarkably earnest reality show, The Rehearsal, where real people are able to rehearse difficult conversations, complex scenarios and life’s most complex moments in life-like sets with professional actors. The second season focuses almost completely on airline pilot safety, and it’s compelling in a way that’s unexpected and hard to describe. If you’re familiar with Fielder’s other work, his style will be familiar to you but this new season is not just entertaining but important. While still entertaining, Fielder strikes a great balance with stressing the weight of pilot and co-pilot relationships and how they affect everyone’s safety in the air. Watching this show is an emotional rollercoaster, but one I really enjoyed.
FOR FANS OF: Nathan for You, I Think You Should Leave
What are you watching this summer? Let me know in the comments!