As another weekend rolls around, so does another batch of streaming recommendations from us to you. This time, it's a big week for TV, as The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 draws to a close on Prime Video, while Heartstopper returns for season 3 on Netflix. In the US, new superhero movie parody series The Franchise arrives on Max, and Yellowjackets season 1 is now available to watch on Netflix.
As for movies, new horror anthology flick V/H/S/Beyond is now streaming on Shudder, which gives the long-running horror franchise a sci-fi twist, while House of Spoils on Prime Video gives a spooky twist to the world of fine dining. Elsewhere, UK viewers can now catch this summer's steamy tennis hit Challengers on Prime Video.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 finale
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Prime Video
After six action-packed weeks, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 has come to a dramatic end on Prime Video. It's all to play for in the season finale, too, with Galadriel on the run, Arondir's fate unclear, Adar victorious, and Celebrimbor breaking down. We won't give away any more here, but the stakes have never been higher while we wait for The Rings of Power season 3.
Heartstopper season 3
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Netflix
Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor) return for a new season of Heartstopper on Netflix, and a new school year brings a whole new set of challenges in the classroom and in their personal lives. University looms, as does a certain four-letter beginning with L… The MCU's Hayley Atwell and Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey are two of the stars joining the cast for season 3, and all eight episodes are streaming now.
V/H/S/Beyond
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Shudder
Spooky season is officially underway on Shudder, and the seventh installment of the V/H/S horror franchise gives the anthology movie series a science fiction twist: per the official synopsis, "six bloodcurdling tapes unleash horror in a sci-fi-inspired hellscape, pushing the boundaries of fear and suspense." One installment was directed by The Fall of the House of Usher star Kate Siegel and written by her partner and collaborator Mike Flanagan, while another was co-directed and co-written by Barbarian star Justin Long.
House of Spoils
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Prime Video
West Side Story's Ariana DeBose stars in new horror movie House of Spoils on Prime Video. She plays a chef opening her first restaurant who's plagued by the usual issues: self-doubt, problematic investors, chaos in her kitchen – and the spirit of the former owner who haunts her every turn. Euphoria's Barbie Ferreira and Succession's Arian Moayed also star, while Jason Blum is on board as a producer.
The Franchise
Available: US
Watch now: Max
Following the ups and downs behind the scenes of the fictional superhero movie Tecto: Eye of the Storm, The Franchise follows first assistant director Daniel (Himesh Patel) and his team as they're plagued by fires, insecure actors, and the wrath of studio bosses. The cast also includes Daniel Brühl, Aya Cash, Lolly Adefope, Billy Magnussen, and Richard E. Grant. Veep and The Thick of It creator Armando Iannucci, Skyfall director Sam Mendes, and Succession writer Jon Brown are involved behind the camera.
Yellowjackets season 1
Available: US
Watch now: Netflix
Buckle up: the first season of Yellowjackets is now on Netflix. Set between two timelines, the show follows the titular high school soccer team as they fight for survival after their plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness en route to a tournament in 1996, as well as picking up with the survivors in the present day. The ensemble cast includes Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Juliette Lewis, Tawny Cypress, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Liv Hewson, and Sophie Thatcher.
Challengers
Available: UK
Watch now: Prime Video
It may be getting colder outside, but it's still tennis season on Prime Video. Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor star in Challengers, the latest movie from Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino. Faist plays Art, a tennis pro on a losing streak, whose wife and coach Tashi (Zendaya) enters him into a lowly challenger match to get his confidence back. Things don't quite go to plan, though, when Art's ex-best friend – and Tashi's ex-boyfriend – Patrick (O'Connor) ends up on the other side of the net...
For more, read our Challengers review.
If there's nothing here that tickles your fancy, then you might have to start looking into each streaming service's back catalogue, which can be a daunting task given how many titles they each host. Fear not, though... if you're a TV fan, then we've got you covered with our lists of the best Netflix shows, best Disney Plus shows, and the best Amazon Prime Video shows.
