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.
Everyone’s watching Netflix’s huge blockbuster fantasy series, The Sandman, this week, which just dropped surprise episodes if you want even more. Some newcomers to the list are Abbi Jacobson’s remake of A League of Their Own, as well as Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever returning from Season 3. But of course, it was the Better Call Saul finale that had everyone hooked this week.
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. The Sandman
Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman is dominating streaming sessions right now. The 10-episode comic adaptation from showrunner Allan Heinberg journeys through worlds, human and otherwise, primarily hinging around the exploits of Morpheus, the Dream King (Tom Sturridge). When Morpheus is captured by mortals and his sacred objects stolen, terrible things begin to happen both in our world and realms of fantasy.
But this just means we get to meet a whole range of weird and wonderful characters, from Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death, Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer, Vivienne Acheampong as the librarian, Lucienne, Jenna Coleman as the kickass Johanna Constantine, Asim Chaudhry and Sanjeev Bhaskar as murder-bound brothers Cain and Abel, David Thewlis as the exceptionally creepy John Dee, and so many more.
What we thought: If you’ve been dreaming of a perfect onscreen version of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, you’re going to have to dream a bit longer, and a bit harder. Netflix’s take on the brilliant comic book series has its moments of excellence, but it also suffers from uneven pacing and mountains of exposition. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: The Sandman(opens in a new tab) is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Prey
Director Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator prequel still has huge buzz, after hitting Hulu. Set in 1719 in the Comanche Nation, Prey is all about Naru (Amber Midthunder), a skilled warrior and hunter whose community is threatened by an advanced alien (yep) predator. So, she sets out to confront it in one hell of a showdown.
What we thought: With spectacular action, compelling characters, and an engrossing story, Prey absolutely deserves the hype that comes with a large audience. It’s a crime that it isn’t getting a theatrical release, but do not think for a second that this is a case of a studio dumping a mediocre film direct to streaming. — B.E.
How to watch: Prey(opens in a new tab) is now streaming on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in the UK.(opens in a new tab)
3. Better Call Saul
Better Call Saul has concluded forever, with the series finale airing after six seasons. So people are naturally streaming the hell out of it. In Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad prequel, Bob Odenkirk takes on the titular role of Albuquerque lawyer Jimmy McGill aka Saul Goodman, joined by the ever-talented Rhea Seehorn as dynamite lawyer Kim Wexler, Giancarlo Esposito as formidable drug distributor Gus Fring, and Jonathan Banks as everyone’s favourite fixer Mike Ehrmantraut. Of course, along the way he meets Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), but you’ll have to watch to find out how.
