What to watch on streaming in July on Netflix, Stan, Disney, Apple, Prime and more

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE

Netflix, July 9

For many, the 1970/80s version of Little House on the Prairie was a formative TV experience of their childhood, for others, it was Laura Ingalls Wilder’s semi-autobiographical books.

The story of growing up on the 19th century American mid-west frontier, of trying to live a self-sustaining homestead life. It was hard and it was romantic, although Wilder wrote the books decades after the fact in the 1930s, so there will always be a tinge of nostalgia to the works and any adaptations stemming from them.

This updated version stars Australian actor Luke Bracey alongside an ensemble which includes Alice Halsey, Crosby Fitzgerald, Skywalker Hughes and Jocko Sims.

ELLE

Prime Video, July 1

When we met Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, we saw her as an outsider tackling the stodgy norms of old-money east coast elites, an environment that felt anathema to her sunshine-and-roses optimism.

But we had never actually seen her in her home, literal and spiritual. We will now, albeit only briefly. This six-years-earlier prequel finds Elle as a high schooler in Bel-Air, when he parents give her the bad news: they’re moving to Seattle.

A Legally Blonde prequel seemed very much in the basket of “well, this is unnecessary”, but the premise of a pink-clad Los Angeleno in Seattle at the height of 1990s grunge is, at the very least, intriguing.

THE HAWK

Netflix, July 16

At some point we’re going to have to ask if there’s a reason beyond Ted Lasso why there’s been an influx of “men using sport to make a comeback and reclaim their self respect” shows.

The latest iteration of that genre is The Hawk, which combines Will Ferrell and golf. If you’re keeping score, that’s like the third golf redemption story in a year, following Owen Wilson in Stick and Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore 2.

His character is called Lonnie Hawk, who tasted PGA glory some two decades ago and now wants to recapture those halcyon days by completing the elusive grand slam. Among his rivals now is his son, a formidable sportsmen in his own right.

The cast also includes Molly Shannon, Fortune Feimster, Chris Parnell, Jimmy Tatro and David Hornsby.

THE DINK

Apple TV, July 24

And speaking of former sports dude on the comeback trail, here’s another one! But substitute Jake Johnson for Ferrell and pickleball for golf.

In this one, which is a film, Johnson plays a former tennis pro who bites the bullet and takes up the one thing he vowed to never do: pickleball. But it’s all in the name of a good cause, to save a struggling club and maybe earn his father’s respect.

The supporting ensemble includes Mary Steenburgen, Patton Oswalt, Ben Stiller, Aaron Chen, Christine Taylor plus Andy Roddick and John McEnroe. Oh, and just to really link it to The Hawk, Chris Parnell pops up here too.

HEARTSTOPPER FOREVER

Netflix, July 17

On the one hand, this should’ve been a full fourth season, but Netflix opted instead for a feature film to close out Heartstopper, a gorgeously wholesome young adult romantic drama that relies on emotional honesty, rather than viral titillation.

But at least creator Alice Oseman, who wrote the graphic novels on which the series is based, will get one last chance to bring audiences into the world of Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke), who now face the new challenge of a long-distance relationship.

Over the years, Heartstopper has explored the excitement and pain of discovery, sexuality, first love, friendship and acceptance, and this final chapter promises that each character will get a fitting send-off.

THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND

Binge, July 9

Based on a bestseller by Elin Hilderbrand, The Five-Star Weekend assembles a formidable cast with Jennifer Garner, Chloe Sevigny, Regina Hall, Gemma Chan and D’Arcy Carden.

The story is centred on Hollis, a food blogger whose curated and crafted life comes crashing down when her husband is killed in an accident. As part of her grief process, she gathers friends from different eras of her life and invites them to a three-day weekend in Nantucket.

Everyone has their own demons and secrets but, you know, friendship, womanhood and strength through adversity! Or, so we assume.

THE WESTIES

Stan, July 12

A gritty warehouse, flat caps and a bunch of men standing upright in an imposing half-circle. It must be a gangster show!

And so it is, set in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood in the 1980s when the Irish-American Westies criminal enterprise was still a fearsome presence.

The show is centred on two men — Eamon (J.K. Simmons) and Glenn (Titus Welliver) — who have known each other since they were wee tykes, and now lead very different lives, seemingly, as a mobster and a police officer.

LUCKY

Apple TV, July 15

Writer Jonathan Tropper (a dead ringer, physically, for Tim Roth, seriously, you should google it) has been busy of late, running Your Friends and Neighbours and scripting the upcoming Ryan Gosling-led Star Wars movie. How does he have time to create a whole other TV project?

And yet he has. The series is called Lucky and it’s based on a 2021 novel by Marissa Stapley, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Annette Bening, Timothy Olyphant and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.

Lucky is a con-artist and after the spectacular failure of a big heist, she’s forced on the run, trying to survive the FBI and a crime boss.

SILO S3

Apple TV, July 3

Have there always been this many post-apocalyptic dystopian stories floating around in pop culture or is there something in the mood? You answer that.

But a hallmarks of most of these narratives is that at some point, it will reveal how the fictional world ended, which can be both satisfying and terrifying.

Silo, set hundreds of years in the future and in a 144-level underground structure, will tackle exactly that in its upcoming third season in a parallel storyline alongside the main one focused on Rebecca Ferguson’s character whose lost her memories after the previous season.

The show will also reveal exactly what happened to bring about the end times in a timeline which stars Jessica Henwick, Ashley Zukerman and Colin Hanks.

NEW ZEALAND SPY

ABC iview, July 22

Yes, thank god, the fabulous Rose Matafeo is back on our screens, it’s about frickin’ time, and she’s brought Bret McKenzie along. Good things are happening – hopefully.

New Zealand Spy is an espionage parody and the brainchild of comedian Paul Williams, who plays one of two Michaels on the show. The two Michaels and Sue (Matafeo) are the only three applicants for a five-person spy team, and based on the numbers, they’re all accepted.

Set in the 1970s, it spoofs a spoofable genre, and the best thing is the enemy is the Australian intelligence service (Aussies Andy Lee, Claudia O’Doherty and Tony Armstrong guest star). Love that so much.

STUMBLE

7plus, now

OK, so you thought the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders had game? That’s only because you haven’t met the Headlston State Junior College team. Sort of. Maybe not.

The mockumentary sitcom capitalises on the current cheerleading moment with a fictional story about an award-winning cheerleading coach who is sacked from her champion team after she’s captured on video drinking with her charges.

She takes on a job at the only place that will have her, and starts from scratch to build a squad that could take the big prize. If only one of her stars wasn’t a narcoleptic.

ENOLA HOLMES 3

Netflix, July 1

Enola Holmes is off on another sleuthing adventure, this time taking her to Malta where her wedding to love interest Tewkesbury will be disrupted by the unfortunately timed kidnapping of brother Sherlock.

The third caper in the series of streaming films sees Millie Bobby Brown return as the titular Enola along with regulars Henry Cavill, Louis Partridge, Himesh Patel and Helena Bonham Carter.

Enola Holmes may be set in the 19th century but it is thoroughly modern in vibes, and this time, writer Jack Thorne has brought on Philip Barantini, his directing collaborator from Adolescence.

RIDE OR DIE

Prime Video, July 15

When you say someone is your ride-or-die besties, you generally don’t take that be literal. But that’s what happens with Debbie and Judith, long-term friends who end up on the run together and trying to stay alive.

So, the first thing that comes out is Judith is a highly trained assassin (and as she points out, if she killed people for free, she would be labelled a serial killer), and the second is that Debbie’s no-good husband stole from the mob and now she’s a target. Shenanigans!

It really seems like this could go either way, but given that it’s an excuse to spend a couple of hours in the company of Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer, we’ll take it.

THE F WARD

Stan, July 17

The medical procedural is pulsing back with a vengeance, even in Australia. It’s not that it ever really went anywhere, but with the success of The Pitt, there’s been a renewed focus.

The F Ward is from the same makers as Bump and even features one of that show’s key cast, Ioane Sa’ula, who now plays a medical intern at the fictional Pines Hospital. The character is part of a cohort trying to make it becoming fully fledged doctors under the tutelage of Dr Gloria Wall (Anna Friel).

Challenges will be faced, mistakes will be made and they’ll all realise something about themselves, including whether they’re cut out for this tough gig.

STUART FAILS TO SAVE THE UNIVERSE

HBO Max, July 24

The Big Bang Theory had so many fans even if you probably personally don’t know any, or at least none that will own up to it. The statistics borne it out, and that’s what its producers are counting on with this third spin-off.

In the original sitcom, Stuart was the owner of the comic book shop the other characters frequented, and is also their buddy. In this adventure, dial up the geek factor to 11 because it has that word dreaded by all who prefer a single, linear narrative: multiverse.

Stuart accidentally breaks a device which unleashes a multiversal armageddon event (good job, Stuart!) and now there are multiple realities under threat. Lead Kevin Sussman is joined by other Big Bang alums Brian Posehn, Lauren Lapkus and John Ross Bowie.

THE SIMPSONS: SIMPSLEY

Disney+, July 3

The Simpsons has been debuting these “streaming exclusives” episodes as a selling point for Disney+ in the US, but it kind of makes no difference in Australia where the buttercup family are not available on any terrestrial broadcasts so it’s all only on streaming anyway.

But we’ll take them anyway, because these special episodes are trying to do something a little extra.

In this instalment, Simpsley, it’s The Simpsons takes on Patricia Highsmith with a parody of The Talented Mr Ripley, one in which Marge is recast as a con-artist who goes to Italy to convince a wealthy Seymour Skinner to return home, until, that is, she meets his housemate, Homer Simpsley.

72 HOURS

Netflix, July 24

Kevin Hart is an old man in this unleashed bachelor party comedy. Well, he’s not old-old, but his character is 40 (the actor is 46) and that is ancient to the twentysomethings whose festivities he was accidentally invited to.

It’s mayhem mayhem with stretch limos, jellyfish stings and mountains of cocaine, but can he keep up with the young’uns or will he teach them something about partying?

The rest of the cast includes Mason Gooding, Teyana Taylor, Zach Cherry, Mike Epps, Andy Garcia, Marcello Hernandez and Michael Mando.

FURIOUS

Disney+, July 27

With an experienced showrunner and creator in Liz Meriwether (New Girl, Dropout and Dying for Sex), and a lead in Emmy Rossum, there’s some promise Furious will be more than just another FBI agent hunts down serial killer bore.

The official description plays on the fact that both the agent and the killer believe they’re walking the path of the righteous, so expect some kind of “different sides of the same coin” theme.

It also stars Lola Petticrew (Say Nothing), Sccot McNairy, Quincy Tyler Bernstine and Jake Lacy.