Cannibalistic high schoolers and the return of Carrie Bradshaw – what to watch in isolation this summer
When we dreamt of summer 2022, we conjured up images of long days spent soaking up the sun at the beach, balmy nights where the only agenda is bar hopping and trips to far-flung places. However, a couple of factors are blocking us on our path to summer happiness and freedom (we’re talking about a certain infectious variant and La Niña), so that means a fair chunk of our time is, once again, spent at home. Never fear, dear readers, as we have your back and have compiled a list of must-watch summer television series. Now, all you have to do is grab the snacks, sit back and relax …
Yellowjackets – Paramount+
Arguably the best series to hit streaming services in a long time (it has a 100-percent certified fresh Tomatometre score on Rotten Tomatoes), Yellowjackets is well worth the binge for those stuck in isolation – or if you’re just craving a dose of good ol’ hearty television. The thrilling series reads like a checklist for guaranteed small-screen gold – a rag-tag team of Gen X icons (we’re talking Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci and Melanie Lynskey), a Lost-esque plane-crash story line, a killer soundtrack brimming with ’90s indie tunes and a juicy case of … high-school cannibalism. What could possibly go wrong? As you’ll see in this suspenseful time-jumping series, a whole lot.
And Just Like That… – Binge
Our favourite Manolo Blahnik-wearing ladies – except for Samantha, of course, whose absence has been well documented in the media – are back in town. This time around, instead of dealing with Post-it breakups and arrogant Russian lovers, Carrie, Charlotte and Miranda are dealing with the more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s. Although this modern revival of every single gal’s favourite show might not exactly be groundbreaking, Sex and The City fans will froth the fabulous fashion, the sassy characters and nostalgia of it all.
Station Eleven – Stan
Those who are triggered by pandemic-related content might want to steer clear of Station Eleven, but those open to exploring end-of-the-world themes will be treated to a treasure chest of grand storytelling and exceptional performances in this post-apocalyptic science-fiction miniseries. Based on Emily St. John Mandel’s The New York Times bestselling book, Station Eleven follows the survivors of a devastating flu outbreak as attempt as they try to rebuild the world. It stars Mackenzie Davis as Kirsten (in her best role since the San Junipero episode of Black Mirror) and Matilda Lawler as the younger iteration of her character, as well as Lori Petty, Himesh Patel, David Cross and Gael García Bernal.
The Tourist – Stan
Stan Original series The Tourist – not to be confused with the 2010 Johnny Depp bomb of the same name – has finally dropped and boy are we a bit excited to watch this one. Starring Irish heartthrob Jamie Dornan as a car-crash victim who wakes up in an outback hospital with amnesia, this action-packed mystery will keep you guessing. Helping out on the acting front is a stellar selection of Aussie players including Danielle Macdonald, Damon Herriman and Shalom Brune-Franklin. Plus, this true-blue thriller is the perfect excuse to get your Jamie Dornan fix whilst we wait for Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical film Belfast to be released this February.
Euphoria season two – Binge
Spoiler alert for those who haven’t watched Euphoria season one – when we last saw main character Rue (played by the otherworldly talented Zendaya), she had relapsed after her her best friend leaves on a train for the city. Season two of the highly stylised hit HBO series continues to follow Rue and her cohort of fellow Gen-Z high-school students as they struggle with drugs, love, social media and money as they come of age. The new season of Euphoria drops on Binge on Monday January 1o with episodes released weekly. We’re grabbing our glitter eyeshadow now.
Image credit: IMDB
