So, what’s everyone been watching this week? Hmmmm?
Just to get a sense of the most popular movies and TV people are streaming, we’ve streaming aggregator Reelgood(Opens in a new tab), which gathers viewership numbers from hundreds of streaming services in the U.S. and UK. Each week, the most streamed watches come down to a few elements — sheer buzz, a big finale, smart marketing, star power, critical acclaim, or word-of-mouth that leads people to finally watch it out of spite.
Ellie’s joke book is an unlikely lifeline in ‘The Last of Us’
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.
Melanie Lynskey plays Kathleen in “The Last of Us”.
Credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO
It’s the one to beat, every week. The Last of Us is steadily gaining more and more viewers, with episode 4 seeing 7.5 million viewers(Opens in a new tab) on its Sunday night premiere, up 17 percent from the deeply moving third episode.
Chernobyl director Craig Mazin and The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann bring the lauded Naughty Dog survival adventure game to the screen, with a deeply moving, stunt-packed, superbly scripted, and powerfully performed television show. Pedro Pascal takes the lead as Joel Miller, a man living in a post-apocalyptic America in 2023 amidst a pandemic caused by the Cordyceps fungus, which turns regular humans into monsters. He’s tasked with bringing 14-year-old Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, across the country on a mission, but there’s more than monsters that stand between them and their destination. Fans will be especially thrilled to see how HBO’s The Last of Us masterfully weaves in the game mechanics, but they’ll have to keep on their toes for new inclusions, clues, and breadcrumbs. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
What we thought: Making a TV show that lives up to the source material is always a high bar to clear, but especially so in this case. Luckily for gamers and new viewers alike, The Last of Us leaps over it with room to spare, chasing excellence with the boundless energy of a Clicker hunting its prey. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: The Last of Us airs at 9 p.m. ET every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.(Opens in a new tab)
Angela Bassett as Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
Credit: Annette Brown / Marvel
The most anticipated film of the MCU’s fourth phase, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has finally come to streaming. Angela Bassett won Marvel’s first major solo acting award at the Golden Globes for her performance in the sequel, and has been nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress.
In the wake of King T’Challa’s death, the remaining leaders of Wakanda are forced to unite the kingdom once more and protect it from enemies trying to occupy it as their own. When a new foe from the undersea nation of Talokan (aka Marvel’s version of Atlantis) arises, T’Challa’s friends and family are forced to confront their grief, new enemy, and the Black Panther’s succession, to protect their home.* — Yasmeen Hamadeh, Entertainment Intern
What we thought: The death of Black Panther‘s leading man Chadwick Boseman means audiences will experience a deeper level of loss with this much-anticipated sequel. And co-writer/director Ryan Coogler does not run from it. While the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe epic boasts bold action sequences, globe-trekking adventure, and heroes and villains with fantastical superpowers, it is moored by mourning. And this might make Black Panther: Wakanda Forever the superhero movie for this moment. — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
How to watch: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now streaming on Disney+.(Opens in a new tab)
Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale in “Poker Face.”
Credit: Sara Shatz / Peacock
If you’re thirsty for more mystery-solving after Knives Out and Glass Onion, dive right into Poker Face, created by Rian Johnson. Natasha Lyonne plays Charlie, whose uncanny ability to tell if someone is telling the truth or not sees her hitting the road to solve different cases. — S.C.
What we thought: Poker Face cements itself as a gem in its own right. Its effective mystery-of-the week format scratches any itch you may have for puzzly goodness (and for guest stars), all while introducing a phenomenal new case-cracker in Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale. — B.E.
Where to watch: Poker Face is now streaming on Peacock.(Opens in a new tab)
Eddie Murphy as Akbar and Jonah Hill as Ezra in “You People”.
Credit: Parrish Lewis/Netflix
Black-ish creator Kenya Barris’ feature directorial debut You People has landed on Netflix starring Eddie Murphy, Nia Long, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Duchovny, Lauren London, and Jonah Hill, who co-wrote the script. The film involves a messy meet-cute between Ezra Cohen (Jonah Hill) and Amira Mohammed (Lauren London), and spirals into the couple’s many tribulations as an interracial and interfaith pair.
Amira’s parents, played by comedy legends Eddie Murphy and Nia Long, are distraught by their daughter’s decision to date an archetypal white boy, who is desperate to impress. Meanwhile, Ezra’s parents, played by legends Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Duchovny, are adamant about projecting “progressive” family — but are dropping microaggressions that they think are complements.* — Y.H.
Where to watch: You People is now streaming on Netflix.(Opens in a new tab)
Jason Segel and Harrison Ford in “Shrinking.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Ted Lasso creators Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence have a hit with their Apple TV+ dramedy Shrinking, following grieving therapist Jimmy (Jason Segel) who has trouble keeping his own thoughts about his clients to himself. Getting but not always following advice about compassion fatigue from his colleagues Gaby (Jessica Williams) and Paul (Harrison Ford), Jimmy begins to make some questionable ethical decisions in his life.
How to watch: Shrinking is now streaming on Apple TV+.(opens in a new tab)
Michelle Yeoh is up for Best Lead Actress at this year’s Oscars.
Credit: A24
One of the absolute best movies that 2022 had to offer, Everything Everywhere All at Once boasts a little bit of everything, from a deeply poignant mother-daughter tale to a gleefully silly thread involving a quirky one-hit wonder, to a romantic scene featuring hot dog fingers and a sprawling battle involving butt plugs. It’s the weirdest, most wondrous movie on this list, awing critics and audiences alike to not only earn months-long word-of-mouth buzz and resoundingly positive reviews but also a box office record, becoming A24’s highest-grossing film to date(Opens in a new tab). And it’s nominated for 11 Oscars after two wins at the Golden Globes.
Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (aka Daniels), Everything Everywhere All at Once stars Michelle Yeoh in her most exhilarating role yet: a multiverse-hopping mom, dedicated to saving all existence but especially her on-the-edge daughter (the sensational Stephanie Hsu). Having more fun with the multiverse concept than Marvel could dare, this outrageous action-comedy giddily thrusts audiences into wild alternative worlds, brandishing unexpected weapons alongside jaw-dropping fashion and wildly captivating performances from Yeoh, Hsu, and their totally game co-stars Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis.* — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
What we thought: Everything Everywhere All at Once is a tornado of a movie: dizzying, filled with turns, and peppered with eye-catching elements. Yet at the core of its frenetic swirls of allusions, action sequences, and madcap mayhem, there lies a poignant parable about this ruthlessly overwhelming age. — K.P.
How to watch: Everything Everywhere All at Once is now streaming on Paramount+.(Opens in a new tab)
7.Yellowstone
Taylor Sheridan’s western drama is into its fifth season.
Credit: Peacock
Kevin Costner-led Western Yellowstone has one of the most loyal audiences around, making the most streamed list every single week. Created by Taylor Sheridan and John Lindan, the drama follows John Dutton (Costner) and his family of ranchers in Montana. The show hasn’t always been beloved by critics (the first season, in particular, got a very mixed reception(Opens in a new tab)) but it is undeniably popular(Opens in a new tab). — S.H.
How to watch: Yellowstone(opens in a new tab) is streaming now on Peacock.(opens in a new tab)
Cate Blanchett is also up for Best Lead Actress at the Oscars.
Credit: Universal Pictures
Not just a source of puns in 2022, it’s one of the most talked about films of the last year, and with the Oscars coming up, everyone’s scrambling to see Tár. In director Todd Field’s drama, Cate Blanchett leads as Lydia Tár, lauded principal conductor of a major German orchestra, who is accused of sexual abuse.
Blanchett is up for Best Lead Actress, one of the most watched categories this year, alongside Michelle Yeoh for Everything Everywhere All At Once, Michelle Williams for The Fabelmans, Ana de Armas for Blonde, and Andrea Riseborough for To Leslie.
What we thought: Blanchett, Field, and Tár’s entire cast and crew have created a titan of a movie. It’s thorny, it’s haunting, and even though it’s two and a half hours long, every single moment is a stunningly crafted necessity. — B.E.
How to watch: Tár is now streaming on Peacock.(Opens in a new tab)
9. Cunk on Earth
Diane Morgan is Philomena Cunk.
Credit: BBC/Broke & Bones
Diane Morgan is here to misinform you as Philomena Cunk in the critically acclaimed news satire Cunk on Earth, which has just hit Netflix. After a wildly successful run in the UK, the BBC mockumentary series has premiered in the U.S., bringing with it Cunk’s signature style of fumbling, hilarious journalism. Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker is producing this ambitious history of the world by someone who hasn’t done all the reading.
How to watch: Cunk on Earth is now streaming on Netflix.(Opens in a new tab)
Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell lead “The Banshees of Inesherin.”
Credit: Searchlight Pictures
Best friends Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson) sit at the core of The Banshees of Inisherin, Martin McDonagh’s celebrated comedy. Set on a fictional island off the west coast of Ireland, the film hinges around Colm’s sudden, inexplicable decision to end the friendship. As Pádraic’s sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon) and neighbour Dominic (Barry Keoghan) attempt to patch their relationship up, Colm throws down quite the ultimatum. — S.C.
What we thought: Simply put, The Banshees of Inisherin is a fucked-up kind of fun that’ll leave you chuckling, heartsick, and a wee bit anxious. Don’t miss it. — K.P.
How to watch: The Banshees of Inisherin is now streaming on Disney+.(Opens in a new tab)
* Asterisks indicate the writeup is adapted from another Mashable article.
