Kick your feet up and grab an ice-cold beverage, for the season of watch parties has arrived. Some days are simply too hot to spend outside, so why not enjoy some great new releases on Netflix? From romance to thriller, from comedy to reality TV, there is sure to be a show for everyone’s palette this summer.
The 8 Show
Eight contestants find themselves trapped in a perplexing eight-story building, participating in a dangerous game show where they earn money as time passes. Inspired by Bae Jin-soo’s webtoons Money Game and Pie Game, The 8 Show delivers a gripping critique of capitalism’s harsh realities, unravelling the complexities of human nature under the direction of Han Jae-rim.
The 8 Show aired on May 17, 2024
Eric
Starring the critically acclaimed Benedict Cumberbatch, this emotional crime drama follows a Puppeteer in 1980s New York on a desperate search for his missing nine-year-old son. This series is a visually surreal exploration of deeper topics such as substance abuse, a broken marriage, and abandonment.
Eric aired on May 30, 2024
Hierarchy
This 7-episode series unravels the mystery behind Kang Ha (Lee Chae-min), a secretive transfer student who appears at the elite Jooshin High School without any explanation. With a student body emblematic of a strict monarchy, the prestigious school’s social order begins to crack with its new addition.
Hierarchy aired on June 6, 2024
Hit Man
From Academy Award-nominated writer/director Richard Linklater, comes Hit Man, a romantic comedy that follows a strait-edged professor (played by Glen Powell) who finds his calling by acting as a fake hitman in police stings. This movie is sprinkled with romance and tension as our hitman unsuspectingly meets his match in a potential client.
Hit Man aired on June 7, 2024
The Atypical Family
This drama series follows a family equipped with unique superpowers that suddenly disappear due to modern-day crises. A romance-fantasy filled with suspense, this K-drama takes a turn when the mysterious Do Da He walks into this supernatural family’s life.
The Atypical Family aired on June 9, 2024
Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2
The highly anticipated romantic drama will return on June 13th, finishing where they left off at a climactic cliffhanger teasing the show’s steamy will-they-won’t-they duo. Narrated by the omniscient Lady Whistledown, the final four episodes shall reveal the fate of our favourite wallflower, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan).
Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2 airs June 13, 2024
Doctor Climax
Supposedly drawn from real events, this drama series explores sex education and societal taboos in ‘70s Thailand. Centring on a dermatologist who dreams of being a novelist, the show follows his unexpected role in catalysing a sexual awakening, becoming the taboo-defying columnist – Doctor Climax.
Doctor Climax airs on June 13, 2024
Black Barbie: A Documentary
Dive into the inspiring journey of the first Black Barbie and the trailblazing women at Mattel who revolutionised the iconic doll. This compelling documentary explores how these visionary insiders reshaped the Barbie brand in 1980, highlighting the profound impact of representation on identity and imagination.
Black Barbie airs on June 19, 2024
Trigger Warning
Starring Jessica Alba as a skilled Special Forces commando, this movie follows her tumultuous journey after taking ownership of her late father’s bar. A promising unique thriller, this film blends a meaningful family story with intense action.
Trigger Warning airs on June 21, 2024
A Family Affair
A star-studded affair, this romantic comedy is led by Joey King, Nicole Kidman, and Zac Efron. Exploring the complications of love, sex, and identity, this movie shows us what happens when your high-maintenance superstar boss has a crush on your mother.
A Family Affair airs on June 28, 2024
The Whirlwind
In this fierce political drama, Kill Bok Soon’s Sol Kyung Gu goes against The World of the Married’s Kim Hee Ae in a whirlwind power clash. A tense rivalry indeed, this 12-episode series unravels the story of the Prime Minister and his deputy going against the president for colluding with the country’s most powerful and corrupt families.
The Whirlwind will air on June 28, 2024
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
Twenty years later… Eddie Murphy returns to play Detective Axel Foley in the fourth instalment of the beloved movie franchise. Alongside Bobby Abbott (played by Joseph Gordon-
Levitt), Foley does what he does best – solve crimes and cause chaos.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F airs on July 3, 2024
Exploding Kittens
In this adorably anarchic comedy, God and his nemesis are sent to Earth to live with humans in the form of talking cats. Perhaps this series is a modern-media thought experiment exploring the nuances between good and evil. Or, much more likely, it is a devilishly amusing adaptation of the popular card game by Elan Lee.
Exploding Kittens airs on July 12, 2024
The Umbrella Academy Final Season
This final season’s plot will go beyond the comics and is rumoured to draw inspiration from an unreleased comic also by Gerard Way. The main cast members, such as Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, and Emmy Raver-Lampman will return for the big eventful finale.
The Umbrella Academy Final Season airs on August 8, 2024
Emily in Paris: Season 4
Season 4 of Emily in Paris is just around the corner, bringing more chic adventures and unexpected twists. As Emily Cooper, played by Lily Collins, navigates love, career, and Parisian life after the explosive season 3 finale, fans can expect high-stakes drama, jaw-dropping fashion, and the charm that has made the series a beloved (and infamous to some) hit on Netflix.
Emily in Paris: Season 4 Part 1 airs on August 15, 2024 followed by Part 2 on September 12, 2024
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Zi Ying OngCredit
Lead Image: Bridgerton Season 3, Part 2 Trailer via Netflix