Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Five shows to stream this week: ‘The Night Of,’ ‘The Danish Girl,’ and a vacation gone wrong

five shows to stream august 28 the night of nasir in prison
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Online streaming is bigger than ever, and with so many streaming services adding new shows and movies every week, it can be nearly impossible to sort through the good and the bad. If you need something to watch and don’t want to wade through the digital muck that washes up on the internet’s shores, follow our picks below for the best new shows and movies worth a watch.

This week: HBO’s The Night Of reaches its conclusion, a girl goes missing in New Zealand, and married painters deal with a transition.

The Night Of (finale)

the night of john turturro imago
Image used with permission by copyright holder

HBO’s limited series The Night Of has been one of the great surprises of the summer, exploring the murky labyrinth of the criminal justice system over the course of eight episodes. On Sunday, the story wraps up. The series focuses on a murder case: Nasir Khan (Riz Ahmed) is suspected of killing a young woman he picked up in his father’s cab. The evidence points overwhelmingly to him, and his only hope is a sleazy defense attorney, Jack Stone (John Turturro). Although the show starts as a whodunit, the murder mystery quickly takes a backseat to an examination of the system itself. Filmed with heavy shades of blue and green, the show has an austere look that reflects the indifferent machinery of the New York bureaucracy. The Night Of is not without problems — the murder victim is a human MacGuffin, and there is so much evidence against Nasir that it hardly seems unjust for him to be prosecuted — but the high level of craft and great cast make it worth watching despite the sometimes preposterous plot.

HBO

The Last Man on Earth

the last man on earth image
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There is no shortage of apocalyptic fiction these days. Whether by zombies, viruses, or intergalactic cataclysms, stories about the end of the world are all the rage. Few stories play the end of the world for laughs, however, so The Last Man on Earth already has that going for it. The last man in question is Phil Miller (Will Forte), who lives alone in Tuscon after a virus seemingly wipes out every other earthly inhabitant. When he finds another survivor, Carol Pilbasian (Kristen Schaal), they decide to repopulate the planet, but their distinct personalities get in the way. Forte and Schaal both play surprisingly complex characters, and have an acerbic chemistry that makes for one of the most memorable romantic pairings on television. The Last Man on Earth is a witty, surprisingly breezy portrayal of life after the end.

Amazon Hulu

Top of the Lake

top of the lake body image
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Jane Campion has a knack for choosing thematically appropriate settings. In Top of the Lake, the rugged hinterlands of New Zealand form a sort of frontier, where crime and barbarity lurk just out of sight. The show concerns an investigation by Det. Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss) into the disappearance of a Tui, a 12-year-old girl who is discovered to be pregnant. Complicating matters is that Tui’s family is involved in the drug trade in Laketop, and it quickly becomes apparent that there is more than a simple case of abuse going on. Top of the Lake’s eclectic cast of characters adds to the thrill of the case. Moss does a fine job as the lead, taking the standard damaged detective template and adding in shades of grit and weariness as she tries to succeed in a male-dominated police department. Top of the Lake is often disturbing, but fans of grim detective stories will surely appreciate it.

Amazon Netflix

L’avventura

lavventura image
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A film that helped establish Michelangelo Antonioni as one of the great directors of the 20th century, L’avventura opens as Anna (Lea Massari), her boyfriend Sandro (Gabriele Ferzetti), and her friend Claudia (Monica Vitti) go on a sailing trip. Despite sunny appearances, there are cracks in Anna and Sandro’s relationship; when she goes missing, Sandro and Claudia search for her, becoming close in the process. Although it begins with a mystery, L’avventura really is not about finding an answer. The film is more concerned with the emotional state of its characters, their angst and their attempts to cope through whatever pleasures they can find. It lacks much in the way of plot, but does not want for it; Antonioni’s beautiful, delicately crafted shots alone are worth watching.

Amazon Hulu

The Danish Girl

the danish girl alicia vikander
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Is there any actor in recent years who has played a more diverse lineup of roles than Eddie Redmayne? Since 2010 he has played a monk (Black Death), a star-crossed filmmaker (My Week with Marilyn), a theoretical physicist (The Theory of Everything), and a galactic conqueror (Jupiter Ascending). With The Danish Girl, he steps into the controversial role of Lili Elbe, a transgender painter who was also one of the first people to undergo sex reassignment surgery. Based somewhat loosely on the true story, the film follows artist Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander) and her husband Einar (Redmayne), who live and work together in Copenhagen. After Gerda asks Einar to pose for a woman’s portrait she needs to finish, he embraces the female persona that he has lived with in secrecy, Lili. The film explores Lili’s personal transformation, as well as Gerda’s struggle to cope with the upheaval of her marriage. Although Redmayne’s performance got much of the attention, Vikander is excellent here, balancing a true affection for her husband with fury at how his transition shatters their marriage. It is a complex performance that helps elevate what could otherwise have been a sedate biopic.

Amazon HBO

Editors' Recommendations

Will Nicol
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Will Nicol is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends. He covers a variety of subjects, particularly emerging technologies, movies…
10 TV shows like The Night Agent that you need to watch
Peter in a white sweater holding a gun in a scene from The Night Agent.

The Night Agent ended in explosive fashion, solidifying the action thriller’s place on the list of Netflix’s most popular shows. There’s something about the series, with its high-action intensity and unique storyline, that had fans enthralled right from the get-go.
With a second season already confirmed for the surprise hit series, fans are excited to see where a new story might take Peter (Gabriel Basso). Until then, there are shows you can check out that are comparable in nature with similar plots, pacing, and/or genres. Each of these shows will likely appeal to the same audiences who love The Night Agent.

Jack Ryan (2018-Present)

Read more
The best shows to stream for Women’s History Month
Midge and Susie sharing a drink at the bar in a scene from Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Women's History Month has been celebrated in March in North America, the U.K., and Australia since 1978, created to highlight the accomplishments and contributions of women both in history and the present day. Women have come a long way since then, but it's clear there's still a long way to go towards gender equality, pay parity, and "breaking the bias."

Chances are you might have a few educational and historical documentaries on your radar to watch this month as a reminder of how much women have done, and continue to do, for society. But there are also some wonderful shows that celebrate strong females of all kinds. Some are inspiring, others terrifying, some all-too-real, and others uplifting. We have rounded up some great TV shows worth watching this month, with options ranging from single-season miniseries to multi-season dramas, comedies, and more.

Read more
Best shows to stream for Black History Month
Regina King looking at the camera with a yellow clock behind her on a poster for HBO's Watchmen.

In honor of Black History Month, we wanted to shine a light on some of the best shows on the top streaming platforms that highlight one or more crucial elements of the Black experience. Featuring award-winning talents, these are episodic tales of community, endurance, coming-of-age struggles, and preservation against strife of all kinds. Please enjoy our curation of the best shows to stream for Black History Month, featuring titles from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and HBO.

After checking out our roundup of the best shows, you may want to dive into our list of the best movies to stream for Black History Month, along with our roundup of the best Black films on Netflix.

Read more