Everything That’s Streaming in August 2023

Streaming platforms are unleashing a vast library of content in August before the end of summer, giving viewers a few more blessed weeks of dissociation-by-screen before the days begin to shrivel in on themselves. Several long-running shows are coming to an end, with fans saying farewell to Physical, Archer, Reservation Dogs and Billions.

But there’s also a continuing roster of favorites like The Wonder Years reboot and Only Murders in the Building, while nerds are anticipating the debut of brand new shows like The Mandalorian spinoff Ahsoka and a Dan Harmon-fronted adaptation of popular webtoon Strange Planet. Feature films like Gal Godot action joint Heart of Stone, crime documentaries like BS High, and hip-hop memoir Ladies First provide single-serve entertainment for busy people with no time for binging. Whatever your speed or priorities, Book and Film Globe’s growing list of visual media platforms has your next favorite show in the queue.

Netflix

Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food (August 2) – It kills around 3,000 people and sickens 48 million more in the U.S. every year – and according to an alarming new documentary, the killer is coming from inside our own contaminated guts. Poisoned tells the “dirty truth” behind claims that the U.S. food supply is the safest in the world, calling out public and private failures in preventing outbreaks of foodborne illness and enforcing industry safeguards. The doc interviews families of the victims, revisits deadly bacterial epidemics and offers tips on safe grocery shopping as one unsettling message becomes clear: ethics become optional when food is a commodity. “I ate a salad, and now I have long-term health effects from it,” says one survivor. Bon appetit?

Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop (August 9) – The ladies will kick it, the rhyme that is wicked in this edifying new docuseries that pays tribute to the revolutionary women who helped shape the genre for the last 50 years. Each of the four episodes will center on different female artists and the ways in which they terraformed the culture, building a platform where Black women control and elevate their own narrative. The series includes lush music video clips and interviews with Remy Ma, Da Brat, Sha-Rock, Monie Love, Chika, Yo-Yo, Kash Doll, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Tierra Whack and more.

Painkiller (August 10) – Matthew Broderick is a pharma-villain of Shkrelic proportions in this Peter Berg-directed drama based on real events surrounding the origin and consequences of the opioid epidemic, still unfolding in real time. The limited series centers around the Sackler family, its company Purdue Pharma, and the marketing and distribution of their drug OxyContin in the mid-90s — allegedly fueling America’s painkiller addiction by intentionally misleading doctors about the drug’s addictive properties. As the Sackler family kinda sorta faces the music while retaining most of their Midas-like wealth, viewers can rage-watch corporate suits and taut young pharmaceutical reps capitalize on pain and cover up corporate malfeasance while the working class is gutted by addiction. It’s a tough pill to swallow.

Heart of Stone (August 11) – Gal Godot is leading an ambitious international spy film that aims to launch an epic action franchise to rival the Jason Bourne and Mission: Impossible films. The globetrotting thriller stars Gadot as intelligence agent Rachel Stone, who teams up with M16 agent Parker (Jamie Dornan) on a mission to protect a mysterious and powerful asset called the Heart against global threats. Directed by Peaky Blinders alum Tom Harper and filmed in Italy, London, Reykjavik and Lisbon, Godot (who did many of her own stunts) calls the project “grounded and raw.”

Also playing:

The Lincoln Lawyer Season 2 Part 2 (August 3)

Depp V. Heard (August 16)

Ragnarok Season 3 (August 24)

Visit Netflix for a full list of releases.

Hulu

Reservation Dogs Season 3 Premiere (August 2) – The third and final season of the critically acclaimed series opens with the Rez Dogs stranded in California after an epic journey to honor their friend Daniel. Back home in Oklahoma, the show’s official synopsis reads, “Elora considers the idea of college, Bear comes across a conspiracy theorist named Maximus [Graham Greene], and Willie Jack grows more invested in healing her community. Meanwhile, the aunties, uncles and elders explore their pasts and try to heal old wounds.” The all-Indigenous production team is closing out the Dogs’ story with an emotional season full of road trips, visions, boarding schools, Bigfoot, rumors, revenge and community healing.

Only Murders in the Building Season 3 (August 8) – The intrepid crime-solving trio is back to crack yet another murder case – this time under the hot lights of Broadway. Amateur gumshoe-slash-podcasters Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short) and Mabel (Selena Gomez) are on the case when Charles’ acting counterpart Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd in a returning role) is murdered on the opening night of Oliver’s Broadway production. Jesse Williams joins the cast as a documentarian interested in the case, while Meryl Streep plays a crummy stage actress with a motive to kill. Add a full cast of thespian suspects, and showrunner John Hoffman says fans can expect a twisty, dramatic tale with a generous cake soak of cross-generational charm.

Archer Season 14 (August 30) – The long-running animated comedy is wrapping up with H. Jon Benjamin voicing suave superspy Sterling Archer in a final season of wild espionage-adjacent escapades. With ever-patient agent Lana Kane (Aisha Tyler) now running the agency after their old boss is ousted, the season will revolve around Archer and his dysfunctional colleagues “finding their own way” as Lana balances profit with do-goodism while juggling marital problems off the clock. Originally slated for just ten seasons, the four-time Emmy winning show created by Adam Reed (Sealab 2021) is taking a self-proclaimed “victory lap” while fans happily strap in for one more round of chaotic spy games.

Also playing:

Demons and Saviors (August 3)

Skinamarink (August 4)

Solar Opposites Season 4 (August 14)

Visit Hulu for a full list of releases.

Amazon Prime

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (August 4) – Sigourney Weaver is *checks notes* an Australian flower farmer in a sweeping psychodrama about killing secrets and overcoming past trauma. When nine-year-old Alice loses her parents in a mysterious fire, she starts to uncover dark secrets about her family’s past after going to live with her grandmother. Raised by the women at the farm, Alice learns the language of Australian native flowers as a way to say the things that are too hard to speak. But when an unexpected betrayal sends her into the arms of a charismatic and dangerous man, she must unlearn the stories and secrets that have defined her past.

The Killing Vote (August 10) – Crowdsourced justice is the name of the game in this gripping K-drama series based on the beloved webtoon of the same name. An ace cop (Park Hae-jin) and his problematic partner (Lim Ji-yeon) must hunt down a mysterious vigilante named Dog Mask, who captures and kills bad guys based on the results of a nationwide cellphone vote, targeting criminals who have managed to evade justice. The stakes – and thrills – ratchet higher with every poll, as citizens create a bespoke moral code through their mobile devices.

Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity (August 25) – Jazz legend Wayne Shorter is getting his biographical due in a buoyant cinematic tribute from executive producer Brad Pitt. Each episode of the three-part series depicts a different period of the saxophonist-composer’s life and music as he shattered boundaries, battled adversity, and pioneered the rock-jazz fusion genre over his 60-year career. Dropping on Wayne’s 90th birthday, Zero Gravity tells the incredible story of how he became one of the most influential musicians and composers in American music.

Also playing:

Cocaine Bear (August 15)

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (August 25)

Champions (August 29)

Visit Amazon Prime for a full list of releases.

Max

BS High (August 23) – A fake Ohio high school and its football team are at the center of a new documentary that exposes an unbelievable scam at the hands of its disgraced former head coach. BS High tells the story of Bishop Sycamore High School and the Centurions football team that became embroiled in controversy following a blowout 58-0 loss on ESPN in 2021.  Head coach Roy Johnson had promised the players athletic and academic success, and reportedly exaggerated its football program status with ESPN to get onto the network, playing two disastrous games under the fake school’s colors. Soon viewers, reporters and the makers of the film uncovered the truth – with the doc capturing the emotional and legal fallout that followed.

Big Sky Kitchen with Eduardo Garcia Season 2 (August 6) – Professional chef and wild forager Eduardo Garcia creates meals drawn from his Latin and Jewish heritage using fresh, locally sourced ingredients near his gorgeous Montana log home. Whether he’s fishing for dinner, grinding wheat into pappardelle pasta, or literally crowing in his kitchen coop, Garcia is infectiously “hungry for everything life brings to the table.” The series is a nourishing, visually lush exploration of “our connection to food, culture, the environment and each other.”

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Season 2 (August 6) – A historic rivalry heats up in the second season of Emmy-nominated sports drama Winning Time, bringing the next challenging chapter for the Los Angeles Lakers. Following their 1980 title win under new owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly), the team is setting their sights on the ultimate prize – a championship win against their arch-rivals, the Boston Celtics. After all, says the title of the first episode, “One ring don’t make a dynasty.” Now the Lakers and staff will have to put their personal issues aside and hustle like never before if they want to beat Red Auerbach (Michael Chiklis), Larry Bird (Sean Patrick Small), and the rest of the Celtics. Produced by Adam McKay (The Big Short, Don’t Look Up), the biopic stars an electrifying Quincy Isaiah as young rookie Magic Johnson.

Also playing:

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the New York Jets (August 8)

Rap Sh!t Season 2 (August 10)

I Love You and It Hurts (August 17)

Visit HBO Max for a full list of releases.

Disney+

The Wonder Years Season 2 (August 17) – The classic sitcom reboot featuring a Black middle-class family in Alabama visits the big city when 13-year-old Dean (Elisha Williams) finds himself spending the tumultuous summer of 1969 in New York City. As his dad writes songs for Marvin Gaye, Dean encounters the rough city streets and befriends a warm-hearted drag performer played by Titus Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). Meanwhile back in Birmingham, Dean’s mom Lillian (Saycon Sengbloh) taps into her wild side: taking steamy boudoir photos, getting arrested during a girls’ trip, and revealing a racy college scandal. Guest stars this season include Patti LaBelle, Bradley Whitford (The Handmaid’s Tale), Malcolm-Jamal Warner (The Resident), Donald Faison (Scrubs), Phoebe Robinson (Everything’s Trash) and Jack McBrayer (Call Me Kat).

Farm Dreams (August 2) – National Geographic is strapping on the overalls for a six-part documentary series following farmer/forager Indy Officinalis as she connects aspiring farmers with experts to help them thrive in nature on their own terms. Farm Dreams plows into the world of homesteading, aqua, micro, rooftop and indoor growing, as experienced farmers share knowledge and resources to help their peers. “This is a feel-good show about turning farm dreams into reality, and showcasing the unique ways we grow our food—from kelp farms in Alaska to hydroponic tower farms in New Jersey,” says Officinalis to TV Insider. “I think we all know that for every meal we consume, we should thank a farmer, but gratitude only goes so far. In order to preserve the livelihood of farms in the US, we need to find ways to support and uplift [them].”

Ahsoka Season 1 (August 23) – Rosario Dawson returns to the Star Wars galaxy as the fierce titular heroine of fan-favorite Mandalorian spinoff Ahsoka, with the live-action limited series reaching screens amid a flood of anticipation. Written and co-produced by Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, the limited series follows former Jedi knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy after the fall of the Empire. Continuing her storyline from the The Mandalorian, Ahsoka goes on the hunt for evil Grand Admiral Thrawn in hopes that he will help her find the lost young Jedi Ezra Bridger. The series is expected to eventually join The Mandalorian and other Star Wars series for a crossover event, reportedly slated to be a feature film with Filoni directing. Ahsoka also stars Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Lars Mikkelsen, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and David Tennant voicing Huyang the droid.

Also playing:

Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 (August 2)

Rewind the 90s (August 30)

Visit Disney+ for a full list of releases.

Apple TV+

Strange Planet Season 1 (August 9) – Creator Nathan Pyle offers an animated glimpse into a peculiar world where blue aliens explore the absurdity of everyday human traditions. Based on his popular webcomic and New York Times bestselling graphic novels, Strange Planet finds its charm in simple yet fresh-eyed perceptions as the extraterrestrials encounter life in a baffling world not unlike our own. The ten-episode adult series is developed by creator, writer, and producer Dan Harmon (Rick and Morty), with Pyle serving as executive producer and featuring the voices of Cedric Yarbrough and Danny Pudi.

Physical Season 3 (August 2) – Fitness entrepreneur Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne) is facing serious competition with rival workout queen Kelly Kilmartin, played by Zooey Deschanel, as hit dramedy series Physical launches its third and final season. On the verge of a major career breakthrough, Sheila continues to empower regular women, recover from her eating disorder, and build her brand — but national TV fitness personality Kelly is threatening Sheila’s rising star and derailing her “healing journey.” The trailer finds Byrne sitting in a bathtub full of chocolate cookies, yelling “leave me alone!” around a mouthful of crumbs. It’s a long road to recovery.

Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn (August 25) – Stacks of cash. A stowaway in a disguised box. A bullet train to Osaka, and a clandestine flight to Lebanon. These are the totally bonkers building blocks for the story of ex-Nissan CEO turned fugitive Carlos Ghosn, who fled from money laundering and corruption charges in Japan in a daring escape plot that stunned the world. Once one of the top automotive chairmen and most respected executives in the world, Ghosn built a much-lauded empire with yachts, luxury cars and extravagant parties – until Japanese authorities found evidence of alleged “serious wrongdoings.” Surprisingly, Ghosn himself sits down with the documentarians to tell his side of the story from his desert sanctuary.

Also playing:

Invasion Season 2 (August 23)

Peanuts Special: One-of-a-Kind Marcie (August 18)

Visit Apple TV+ for a full list of releases.

Paramount+

Mixtape (August 1) – In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, a new documentary explores the history of mixtape culture and how the humble mixtape breathed life into the genre and launched hip-hop into the culture at large. The special features insights and back-in-the-day stories from industry heavy hitters like Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, Fat Joe, 2 Chainz, Big Boi, DJ Drama, Kid Capri, KRS-One and more. “It’s an honor to help tell the real story of the mixtape, its origins, its impact, and its on-going relevance for the culture,” says producer Tony Touch.

The Chi Season 6 Part 1 (August 4) – The critically celebrated show is elevating its story and characters with forward-building themes in season six as the Chi fam seeks to evolve in all aspects of life. Emmett’s new business partnership puts stress on his relationship with Kiesha as she works toward her own rewarding career. Brilliant gamer Kevin struggles with the youthful pitfalls of early independence, and Papa falls for an older woman while questioning his faith. Victor balances his political ambitions with a new relationship, all while Douda deals with the fallout of an unsettling murder in a bid to extend his power over the South Side. One thing’s for sure, according to the show’s official synopsis: “everyone will be tested in unimaginable ways as they calculate the risks and rewards of their next big move.”

Billions Season 7 (August 11) – In yet another series-ending season, the high-stakes game of power and money between U.S. attorney general Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and ambitious hedge-fund billionaire Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) reaches a sensational climax as the ramifications grow far beyond Wall Street. Season six saw unscrupulous business titan Michael Prince (Corey Stoll) lose a chunk of illicit change in a faceoff with Rhoades, while managing to salvage his political career. After a brief stint behind bars thanks to a fruitless legal gamble, Rhoades is back on the turf in a last bid to outmaneuver Prince and the newly-returned Axelrod. In season seven alliances are upended, betrayal takes on epic proportions, and enemies become wary friends–it’s a battle over billions with newer ammunition and wilder rules.

Also playing:

All Up In the Biz (August 11)

Never Seen Again Season 4 (August 8)

Visit Paramount+ for a full list of releases.

Peacock

Killing It Season 2 (August 17) – Unsinkable divorcee Craig (Craig Robinson) is finally thriving on his Florida farm after a tumultuous first season crammed with schemes, scams and scrapes to eke out a living. But as Craig inches toward financial solvency, one criminal-minded swamp family wants a cut of the profits in the hilarious class comedy from Brooklyn Nine-Nine producers Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici. Craig must face down extortion threats, attack alligators, “and worst of all, corporate America,” chortles the show’s official synopsis. Robinson says the 8-episode season is “the same wild rollercoaster as last year — an ambitious, complex exploration of life and pursuit of the American Dream mixed in with some of the stupidest jokes on television.” This season’s guest-packed roster includes SNL alums Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney, Katie Kershaw (Fargo), Fatimah Talia (Goliath), and Dot-Marie Jones (Glee).

Chris Fleming: Hell (August 18) – If you took a polyester Nudie suit, stuffed Weird Al and Napoleon Dynamite down each pant leg, shoved Tim Robinson into the jacket, then gave the whole lumpy mess crippling performance anxiety, you’d be watching Chris Fleming’s nerve-twanging new comedy special Hell. Filmed at the Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles, Fleming confronts his own stage fright in a string of manic musical numbers, anecdotes and sketches that platform his sharp-angled physical comedy. The comic has amassed a coterie of devoted fans with his YouTube sketch character Gayle, followed by the side-splitting 2018 standup special Showpig.

Also playing:

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (August 3)

FIFA Women’s World Cup Final (Aug 20)

Visit Peacock for a full list of releases.

STARZ

Men in Kilts Season 2 (August 11) – Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish are hitting the road again for a four-episode docuseries following the Outlander actors on a trip through the breathtaking New Zealand landscape. The stars deepen their longtime friendship through adventure as they try a series of extreme sports, learn a Māori haka, harvest honey, face down apex predators, and eat their way through the magical islands—exploring New Zealand’s connection to Scotland along the way.

Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon (August 2) – Most sentient Westerners over 30 are well familiar with the Southern-gothic bildungsroman of Johnny Cash’s life, his creative demons and moral ambivalence repolished in the tumbler of pop culture film every few years. Money, fame, women, drugs: a searching new documentary takes a distinctly spiritual angle in asking – and answering – the question: was it all worth it? As depression and drug addiction leave the iconic musician stumbling at the height of his career, he rediscovers his faith amidst the emptiness of fame. “There’s no lonelier place on earth for a man to be than separated from God,” declares the Man in Black. The doc includes never-before-heard conversations with Cash along with interviews with faith leaders, family members and music stars including Tim McGraw, Jimmie Allen, Cheryl Crow, Wynonna Judd, Marty Stuart and Alice Cooper.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (August 30) – RBF-faced indie queen Aubrey Plaza is the newest recruit to the spy genre in a balls-out adventure directed by Guy Ritchie. Elite super spy Orson Fortune (Jason Statham) must track down and stop the sale of a deadly new weapons technology wielded by billionaire arms broker Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant). Reluctantly teamed with some of the world’s best operatives (Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes and Bugzy Malone), Fortune and his crew recruit Hollywood’s biggest movie star Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) to help them on their globe-trotting undercover mission to save the world. The film’s sharply stratified 50-80 Tomatometer vs audience score says that while it’s no awards contender, it is the perfect choice for a brainless Tuesday adrena-romp.

Also playing:

Saint Laurent (August 6)

Heathers (August 11)

Visit STARZ for a full list of releases.

AMC+

Paint (August 4) – Perennially chill Owen Wilson tickles ears, eyeballs and middle-aged female fancy as caramel-voiced painter Carl Nargle in a touching story about artistic celebrity and creative decline. Nargle is a small-time Bob Ross, a local treasure with a devoted fanbase who’s been hosting a painting show on Vermont public television for decades. But Carl is dialing it in, and the station isn’t pulling in ratings. When an enthusiastic new painter (Ciara Renee) is hired to revitalize the channel and threatens to take everything and everyone he loves, Carl’s insecurities rear their heads and chaos reigns. The film also stars Michaela Watkins (Thanks for Sharing) and Wendi McLendon-Covey (Bridesmaids, Reno 911!).

You Are Here (August 8) – While the travel/memoir genre can feel overstuffed and over curated, Fear the Walking Dead star Colman Domingo takes a raw, ambivalent approach in the new series You Are Here. The award-winning artist, playwright and director brings viewers along on intimate tours of the landmarks and hidden spots that served as the stage for his life story and grounded his identity. Colman packs a bag for Savannah, Philadelphia, New York City and Chicago, revisiting the locations pivotal to his personal and artistic development and the thriving communities who lifted him up. “Maybe there’s something coming out of this pandemic where I think the way to get closer to each other is just to reveal a bit more about yourself,” Domingo told The Hollywood Reporter. “So I wanted to pull the curtain back a little bit and show you the streets that I walk.”

Lodge 49 Seasons 1 and 2 (August 1) – Cult favorite series Lodge 49 is celebrating five years since its launch by releasing both ten-episode seasons as its popularity continues to grow post-cancellation. Optimistic beach bum Dud (Wyatt Russell) finds himself at loose ends after the death of his father and the collapse of the family business, until he unexpectedly stumbles on a welcoming fraternal order that could offer him the opportunity he needs to fix his life. The show about an aimless ex-surfer in Long Beach searching for the idyllic life he lost aired from 2018 to 2019 before being axed for low ratings, but its disarming sweetness and soulful wit (the series title is based on Thomas Pynchon’s novel The Crying of Lot 49) continues to touch viewers.

Also playing:

Monica (August 25)

The Communion Girl (August 11)

The Chelsea Detective Season 2 (August 28)

Visit AMC+ for a full list of releases.