So, what’s everyone been watching this week? Hmmmm?
Just to get a sense of what everyone’s streaming, we’ve used data from streaming aggregator Reelgood, which gathers viewership numbers from hundreds of streaming services in the U.S. and UK. Each week, the most streamed TV shows and movies come down to a few elements — sheer buzz, a big finale, smart marketing, star power, critical acclaim, or word-of-mouth that leads uninterested people to finally watch it out of spite.
This week, it’s all about mysteries and thrillers, with Netflix’s 1899 dominating streaming alongside Where the Crawdads Sing, The Crown, The English, The White Lotus, and Don’t Worry Darling, as well as other releases in the comedy and horror realms.
But just because a lot of people are watching something doesn’t make it…good. Here they are, the 10 most streamed TV shows and movies of the week, where to watch them, and what Mashable critics thought.
1. 1899
Netflix’s 1899 has arrived, the next project from Dark co-creators Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese. Set 13 years before the Titanic‘s first and last voyage, the eight-episode mystery thriller also involves a relatively grand passenger ship — though exactly how ill-fated 1899‘s vessel is remains to be seen. Its prospects don’t look good, though.
1899 follows a ship full of European migrants sailing from London to New York in the titular year. When the crew receive what appears to be a transmission from a vessel that vanished months ago, they decide to take a detour and investigate. Unfortunately, this act of humanity quickly veers what should have been a simple seven-day trip into a disturbing, dangerous mystery.* — Amanda Yeo, Australia Reporter
How to watch: 1899 is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Where the Crawdads Sing
Delia Owens’ 2018 novel, Where the Crawdads Sing, took several literary threads – familial strife, isolation, love and betrayal – and quickly rose to prominence. Set against the backdrop of a fictional coastal town and the marshlands of North Carolina, the book was picked by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine Book Club, with Witherspoon deciding to produce the film adaptation.
Directed by Olivia Newman, the film stars Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Kya (or « The Marsh Girl », isolated by the rest of her town), who must fight for survival as she finds herself the suspect in an ill-fated murder. The film also features Taylor Swift original, « Carolina » who « wanted to create something haunting and ethereal to match this mesmerizing story ».* — Meera Navlakha, Culture Reporter
What we thought: « Beautiful shots of marshland and a solid leading performance by Daisy Edgar-Jones aren’t enough to save Where the Crawdads Sing from itself. » — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Where the Crawdads Sing is now streaming on Netflix.
3. The Crown
The Crown Season 5 is reigning on Netflix, with Imelda Staunton taking the rei(g)ns from Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II. In this season of Peter Morgan’s royal drama, as the Queen nears 40 years on the throne and the 1980s turns into the 1990s, the Royal Family navigate Prince Charles’ (Dominic West) divorce with Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) which throws the monarchy into a constitutional crisis. Diana decides to take several actions to show the public just who the House of Windsor really is, and Mohamed Al Fayed (Salim Daw) shows up with his son Dodi (Khalid Abdalla).
The series sees several changes in the cast, with Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, Claudia Harrison as Princess Anne, Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker Bowles, and Jonny Lee Miller joining the cast as Prime Minister John Major.* — S.C.
What we thought: « The ’90s were not, let’s say, a fun time for the British monarchy…However, the ’90s certainly function as a fruitful time for The Crown, which strides into this new era in Season 5 with all the elegance, poise, and self-awareness of a certain revenge dress-wearer. » — S.C.
How to watch: The Crown is now streaming on Netflix.
4. Smile
Directed by Parker Quinn, Smile follows a therapist who has a disturbing encounter with a patient who claims she can see something that isn’t there. Then, the therapist finds herself on a trail of grisly deaths that all seem to be linked together (yes, it’s got quite the It Follows style). Throw in a lot of creepy people smiling blankly at the camera and we have one heck of a nope-fest on our hands, starring Sosie Bacon and Kal Penn.* — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor
What we thought: « On its face, Smile has a terrific setup…It’s like The Ring, but instead of creepy kids, there’s a wretched grin that follows and dooms you. Sadly, this cool concept crumbles under the weight of a major screenwriting problem — our hero is the movie’s least interesting character. » — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
How to watch: Smile is now streaming on Paramount+.
5. Yellowstone
With Season 5 landing earlier in November, Kevin Costner-led Western Yellowstone certainly has plenty of material to binge. Created by Taylor Sheridan and John Lindan, the drama follows John Dutton (Costner) and his family of ranchers in Montana. The show hasn’t always been beloved by critics (the first season, in particular, got a very mixed reception) but it is undeniably popular.* — S.H.
How to watch: Yellowstone is streaming now on Peacock.
6. The English
Hugo Blick, creator of Black Earth Rising and The Honourable Woman, is back with an epic western starring Emily Blunt as English aristocrat Lady Cornelia Locke and Chaske Spencer as Pawnee ex-cavalry scout Eli Whipp. The English, a six-episode miniseries commissioned by the BBC and streaming on Prime Video, follows the two characters on a journey of revenge, redemption, and mystery.
Set in 1890, the story sees the arrival of Lady Locke in middle America, as she seeks the man she thinks is responsible for the death of her son. The series also stars Rafe Spall, Tom Hughes, Toby Jones, Stephen Rea, Ciarán Hinds, and Valerie Pachner, amongst others.* — M.N.
How to watch: The English is now streaming on Prime Video.
7. Don’t Worry Darling
One of the most talked about films of the year for multiple reasons, Don’t Worry Darling is Olivia Wilde’s second directorial outing after Booksmart, with Florence Pugh and Harry Styles in the lead — and it’s finally hit streaming.
Pugh and Styles play Alice and Jack, a married couple living in the utopian community of Victory. The men of Victory work at the top-secret Victory Project, which provides everything a family may need. But under the chic veneer of ’50s glamor lies something sinister — something that Alice will fight to uncover. Don’t Worry Darling also stars Wilde, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, and Chris Pine.* — B.E.
What we thought: « If you’ve ever seen a girl-gets-gaslit drama before (think Midsommar, Rosemary’s Baby, The Stepford Wives, Gaslight), you’ll easily clock the standard steps of a heroine being steadily belittled so she’ll doubt her own eyes. But even as the wool is pulled away from them, Don’t Worry Darling‘s calamitously rushed final act leaves us with way more questions than answers. » — K.P.
How to watch: Don’t Worry Darling is now streaming on HBO Max.
8. Spirited
The Christmas holiday film season is finally upon us and a delicious spread, from Violent Night to Your Christmas Or Mine?, is already filling up our to-watch lists. But a new Apple TV+ contender has arrived with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds’ musical comedy Spirited promising a fun and festive take on the classic Charles Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol.
When the Ghost of Christmas Past visits Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds), he immediately gives up on his stubborn Scrooge who shows no signs of wanting to be a better person. Fret not! Because the Ghost of Christmas Present (Will Ferrell) is here and determined to « fix him » against all odds. With failed hauntings and a sarcastic Clint constantly throwing Christmas Present off his game, Spirited reveals that Christmas Ghosts are, in fact, a lot like people with the pair gradually becoming friends, wing-men, and surprisingly, dance partners. Directed by Sean Anders, Spirited also stars Octavia Spencer alongside its comedy giants.* — Yasmeen Hamadeh, Entertainment Intern
What we thought: « In the end, Spirited is a good-on-paper concept that is frustratingly flubbed with lackluster punchlines, confounding cinematography coverage, and an inept execution that sours what should have been sensationally sweet and salty. » — K.P.
How to watch: Spirited is now streaming on Apple TV+.
9. The White Lotus
If you’re here for Jennifer Coolidge’s career renaissance, then you’ll be delighted that The White Lotus is back with a new season. Following up the twists and turns of a week in the hotel’s Hawaii residence, the latest trailer for the show’s second season reveals a newfound paradise in Sicily. Well, if you considers drugs, scandals, countless affairs, and a hint of murder as paradise, then The White Lotus’ Sicilian chain is just for you.
Coquettish hijinks and murderous mayhem aside, The White Lotus’ new season also includes a new cast, with Aubrey Plaza, Theo James, and F. Murray Abraham checking in.* — Y.H.
What we thought: « Season 2 of Mike White’s The White Lotus swaps Hawaii for Sicily, brings in an (almost) entirely new cast of resort guests and employees, remixes its iconic theme song, and lets loose yet another tidal wave of chaos. However, despite the makeover, The White Lotus Season 2 feels very much like its predecessor — for better and for worse. » — B.E.
How to watch: The White Lotus is now streaming on HBO with new episodes weekly.
10. The Peripheral
Based on William Gibson’s 2014 novel of the same name, The Peripheral stars Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne Fisher, a woman who tests out some new VR technology only to find herself in a futuristic new world with IRL consequences. Exec produced by Westworld creators Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, this one looks like a tense blend of The Matrix and Black Mirror. — S.H.
How to watch: The Peripheral is now streaming on Prime Video.
* Asterisks indicate the writeup is adapted from another Mashable article.
