Something to Stream Every Day this Week: ‘Better Call Saul’ Return; ‘Ms. Marvel,’ ‘Dark Winds’ Finales; ‘ZOMBIES 3’ Premiere
Something to Stream Every Day this Week: ‘Better Call Saul’ Return; ‘Ms. Marvel,’ ‘Dark Winds’ Finales; ‘ZOMBIES 3’ Premiere
In a world where there is an insurmountable amount of content to watch and an ever-increasing number of streaming services to watch it on, sometimes you need something (or someone) to just tell you what to watch on a given day. So while you certainly don’t have to take all of my recommendations, I’ve selected one thing every day this week that promises to be a worthwhile streaming option. So here are my picks for what to stream every day of the week from Monday, July 11 through Sunday, July 17, 2022.
Monday, July 11
“Better Call Saul” Season 6B Premiere | AMC and AMC+
There is nowhere else in the world of streaming that fans of quality television should be on Monday night other than at AMC or AMC+. The final slate of “Better Call Saul” episodes finally kicks off as the series wraps up what is one of the most incredible runs in television history. We all know that prequels are hard (hi “Star Wars”), but to follow up “Breaking Bad” with a show that is every bit its equal (if not better) is kind of mind-boggling.
Better Call Saul
Six years before Saul Goodman meets Walter White. We meet him when the man who will become Saul Goodman is known as Jimmy McGill, a small-time lawyer searching for his destiny, and, more immediately, hustling to make ends meet. Working alongside, and, often, against Jimmy, is “fixer” Mike Ehrmantraut. The series tracks Jimmy’s transformation into Saul Goodman, the man who puts “criminal” in “criminal lawyer”.
As Saul Goodman continues his devolution into becoming the Jimmy McGill that we know and loathe from “Breaking Bad,” undoubtedly chaos and drama will ensue. It has already been confirmed that “Breaking Bad” stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul will reprise their roles as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman at some point in the final group of episodes. So, savor what’s left of “Saul,” as shows as special as this one are few and far between.
Tuesday, July 12
“Good Bones” Season Premiere | HGTV and discovery+
The seventh season of mother-and-daughter renovation show “Good Bones” is back for its seventh season on HGTV on Tuesday, and it will be available to stream on discovery+ the same day as well. The Indianapolis team of Karen Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk are known for buying dilapidated houses in desireable neighborhoods and turning them into must-own homes, but as the real estate market has taken a hit during the pandemic, the pair has had to do a bit of pivoting for the new season.
Good Bones
Mother/daughter duo Karen Laine and Mina Starsiak transform dilapidated properties in and around their hometown of Indianapolis. Karen’s legal background and Mina’s real estate knowledge help them secure diamonds in the rough, then they enlist demo and construction help to get the houses rehabilitated on budget and transformed into stunning homes.
Not only are Karen and Mina taking on more client renovations, but — for the first time ever — they are handling a commercial renovation project as a fellow female entrepreneur has contracted them to help move her bridal shop into a new, larger location.
Mina has hinted on social media that there might currently be a little bit of familial drama between her and her mother, so it will be interesting to see if any of that spills over to the otherwise good-vibes “Good Bones.”
Wednesday, July 13
“Ms. Marvel” Season Finale | Disney+
As has been the case with nearly all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe series to debut on Disney+, “Ms. Marvel” started out with a handful of incredible episodes that ratcheted up the excitement and expectations, at least for me. While the show has continued to be one of the sterling examples of what the MCU can do on the streaming service, in recent episodes, a bit of the magic was lost — perhaps because the superheroing has increased.
From a narrative standpoint, Kamala and her mother’s trip to Pakistan makes perfect sense as the show is about exploring how history makes us who we are, but the silly, light-hearted feel of the Jersey City-set episodes has mostly disappeared, and I am missing that. This has led to a very familiar mid-season dip that fans of the Disney+ Marvel series are well-accustomed to.
Ms. Marvel
A great student, avid gamer, and voracious fan-fic scribe, Kamala Khan has a special affinity for superheroes, particularly Captain Marvel. However, she struggles to fit in at home and at school — that is, until she gets superpowers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Life is easier with superpowers, right?
However, the performances, storytelling, and overall execution have thus far made “Ms. Marvel” one of the best MCU offerings on the streaming service to date, and if Adil & Bilall — who are returning to direct the finale after helming the pilot — can recapture what made the early part of the season feel so fresh and special, “Ms. Marvel” has a chance to be at the very top of the MCU/Disney+’s upper echelon.
Also, since we know that Kamala will be joining Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau in “The Marvels” next year, it would be surprising if Captain Marvel — Ms. Marvel’s hero and namesake — doesn’t make an appearance, even if it is just in a mid or post-credits scene.
Thursday, July 14
“Resident Evil” Series Premiere | Netflix
Twenty-six years after the video game premiered, and 20 years after the first of seven films hit the big screen, the latest addition to the “Resident Evil” media empire comes to Netflix on Thursday in the form of a new series. The show takes place in a separate “universe” from the film franchise but still relies on the game’s backstory as its foundation.
Resident Evil
Years after a viral outbreak caused a global apocalypse, Jade Wesker vows to bring down those responsible while fighting to survive against the Infected.
Alternating between 2022 and 2036, the series follows twins Jade and Billie Wesker as they discover dark secrets about the Umbrella Corporation, which their father now runs. Then, in the future, the T-virus has reduced the world’s population to 15 million people and six billion cannibal, mutant zombies. The Umbrella Corporation is also now the most powerful entity in the world and is conducting a major, worldwide manhunt for a missing Jade.
Friday, July 15
“Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3” Series Premiere | Disney+
I know that this might not be the coolest pick in this week’s rundown, but if you have kids of a certain age, or you just enjoy the finer points of a made-for-TV-musical, this one should absolutely be on your radar. The original “Z-O-M-B-I-E-S” was a breakout hit for the Disney Channel in 2018 reaching 13 million viewers during its first weekend. The follow-up film, “Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2” did even better hitting 2.46 million viewers during its initial broadcast alone. Now it’s time for Round 3.
Set in the vaguely Pacific Northwest town of Seabrook, the first film sees zombies integrating the local high school for the first time with werewolves joining the clan in the sequel. At the center of the story are zombie Zed and human cheerleader Addison who fall in love, despite their star-crossed nature.
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S Movies
A Disney Channel Original Movie series about a high school where fantastical creatures of all types cohabitate, and the romance between a human cheerleader and a zombie football player.
The third singing and dancing monster spectacular will now see aliens head for Seabrook on a “mothership” voiced by RuPaul Charles set on taking over the planet. An extended version of the movie musical will premiere on Disney Channel on Aug. 12.
I mean, how could you not want to watch the movie after checking out this ridiculously fun trailer?
Watch the Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3 Trailer:
Saturday, July 16
“Nikki Glaser: Good Clean Filth” Premiere | HBO and HBO Max at 10 p.m. ET
Comedian and expert roaster Nikki Glaser has a reputation for being uncomfortably open about everything in her life; from dating to sex to nudity, nothing is off-limits for the host of FBoy Island. Her latest comedy special comes to HBO Max this weekend and is bound to be filled with water cooler moments.
In her conversational style, Glaser will discuss the most humiliating moments of her life while also explaining what it’s like to be a woman in today’s modern, often misogynistic, world. Not that this would come as a surprise, but if the trailer is any indication, this is definitely not a special that will be safe for the kids, so make sure to put them to bed before turning this one on… and maybe keep the volume down low, just in case.
Sunday, July 17
“Dark Winds” Season Finale | AMC and AMC+
One of the best shows on television that you probably aren’t watching (but kudos to you if you are) wraps up its first season on Sunday. The crime drama “Dark Winds” is set in 1971 on the Navajo reservation and follows Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police and his new deputy Jim Chee as they investigate multiple, seemingly unrelated crimes that force them to confront some deeply held secrets.
Dark Winds
This psychological thriller follows two Navajo police officers, Leaphorn and Chee, in the 1970s Southwest as their search for clues in a grisly double murder case forces them to challenge their own spiritual beliefs and come to terms with the trauma of their pasts.
Based on the Leaphorn & Chee novel series by Tony Hillerman, the show has been picked up for a second season, and since the first is just six episodes, there is plenty of time for you to catch up on this thrilling, taut, somewhat-spooky series before the finale on Sunday.