Welcome to the latest issue of Stream On, the weekly newsletter from Consequence that answers the eternally confounding question: What films and TV shows should you be watching? (Subscribe here!) We’re looking at all the new and recent releases from Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, HBO Max, and more for ideas — not to mention a Blast From the Past and streaming recommendations from this week’s special guest!

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This Week’s Picks

Relay (Film)

Directed by: David Mackenzie
Cast: Riz Ahmed, Lily James, Sam Worthington, Willa Fitzgerald, Jared Abrahamson, Pun Bandhu, Eisa Davis, Matthew Maher, Seth Barrish, Victor Garber
Streaming on: Netflix, Kanopy

This tight little thriller from director David Mackenzie was a quiet Oscar contender for Justin Piasecki’s original screenplay: Riz Ahmed stars as a taciturn fellow with an intricate system for helping potential whistleblowers with dirt on big (and dangerous) corporations. That system gets put to the test, though, when he gets a little too close with his latest client (Lily James). Beyond the twists, the fun of Relay is in the very clever way it incorporates a very real service for people with hearing or speech disabilities into the action. (Competency porn alert!) Plus, that’s a top-notch cast right there. Sam Worthington should really get more opportunities to play the baddie.

Not Suitable for Work (TV)

Created by: Mindy Kaling
Cast: Ella Hunt, Avantika Vandanapu, Will Angus, Jack Martin, Nicholas Duvernay, Jay Ellis
Streaming on: Hulu

There is just something so reliably pleasant and fun about a Mindy Kaling-created series, especially for those who enjoy a good Will They/Won’t They. Pretty much every character on Not Suitable for Work, in fact, has a Will They/Won’t They situation brewing — some of which overlap with other Will They/Won’t Theys, creating the sort of complicated relationship dynamics only possible for 20-somethings just beginning to figure out their lives. Those complicated relationship dynamics are enabled to a great degree by the young charismatic cast, with Ella Hunt and Avantika Vandanapu standing out in particular.

Hoppers (Film)

Directed by: Daniel Chong
Cast: Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Eduardo Franco, Aparna Nancherla, Tom Law, Sam Richardson, Melissa Villaseñor, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Steve Purcell, Ego Nwodim, Nichole Sakura, Meryl Streep, Vanessa Bayer, Demetri Martin
Streaming on: Disney+

Is Hoppers the first Pixar movie to include an in-world reference to the movie Avatar? Quite possibly. But the premise kinda requires mentioning James Cameron’s sci-fi epic, as Hoppers does involve humans transferring their brains to artificial creations. In this case, the artificial creations aren’t giant blue aliens but adorable robot beaver bodies. There are a few intense sequences in this aggressively cute movie, which follows a young woman using the aforementioned “hopper” technology to try to save a local habitat, but it’s otherwise pretty kid-safe… Though also wild as hell at times. I will never forget the very weird laughter in the theater that followed one big twist. Just a bunch of adults shocked into giggling.

Pillion (Film)

Directed by: Harry Lighton
Cast: Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgård
Streaming on: HBO Max

This week marks the beginning of Pride Month, and there’s no shortage of LGBTQ+-related media coming down the pipeline — including this recent A24 release that does not hold back on its depiction of the complicated relationship between young Colin (Harry Melling) and Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), who… I guess no euphemisms are necessary, he’s a straight-up leather daddy. It sounds like the home video release of Pillion is a little less graphic than the theatrical version, but that doesn’t really affect the way writer/director Harry Lighton explores the intricate connection between sex and power.

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Blast From the Past

The home screens of streaming services are always packed with the latest new releases, but we don’t spend enough time appreciating how much good library content is streaming across all of these platforms. Each week, Stream On will spotlight one less-than-new favorite (must pre-date the founding of Consequence, so 15 years or older) that deserves attention from modern-day eyes.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (TV)

Developed by: Lou Scheimer
Cast: John Erwin, Alan Oppenheimer, Linda Gary, Erik Gunden, Erika Scheimer
Streaming on: Tubi, Prime Video

It’s not looking like this week’s big-screen adaptation of the ’80s animated series is going to do that great at the box office​, which is a bummer because Masters of the Universe really is a lot of fun. Also, anyone who’s complaining about Travis Knight’s irreverent take on the source material should really revisit the animated series, which… Let’s just say that Knight and the writers might have actually been conservative in the way they adapted these characters for today — this is the finest ’80s cheese. Tubi, Prime Video, and Kanopy are also host to the 1987 Masters of the Universe, should you care to sample that, um, masterpiece.

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A Special Guest Recommends!

Liz isn’t the only person in the world capable of suggesting stuff for people to watch… So each week, Stream On will now feature picks from a special guest! Said special guest could be literally anyone from the world of entertainment — actors, writers, directors, musicians, or anyone else Liz thinks might be watching something interesting.

This Week: Kristin DiQuollo of Fred Rogers Productions!

Who Are They? The award-winning Kristin DiQuollo has had a long career working in children’s entertainment, working on the PBS KIDS animated series Cyberchase before joining the company named after the beloved host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. As a part of Fred Rogers Productions, she co-executive-produced the puppet series Donkey Hodie, and now serves as the creative director for the brand-new Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood YouTube channel. Just launched this week, the channel is set to host both full-length episodes of the classic series as well as additional content like compilations and behind-the-scenes footage — all featuring that classic Mister Rogers spirit.

What Do They Recommend? Kristin’s picked something truly close to the hearts of TV fans:

I know Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood is a comfort show for a lot of people, so in that spirit, I’ll recommend one of mine – Friday Night Lights (Prime Video, Paramount+). I love rewatching it in the fall, but with all the news of the 20th anniversary, I’m deep in a springtime binge. It’s my go-to when I want to feel warmth with a little grit, a little humor, and a lot of optimism and determination. Clear eyes, full hearts.

Can’t lose! Thank you so much to Kristin for this pick. Be sure to pay Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood a visit now on YouTube!

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One Last One Before Bed

Finally, let’s spotlight a movie or TV show that’s not only great, but won’t take up too much of your time: Think of this section as the answer to the question “What’s something I can watch before hitting the hay, that won’t keep me up too late?” The only rule is that it has to be less than 95 minutes if it’s a movie, or less than 30 minutes an episode if it’s a TV show. Otherwise, sky’s the limit!

EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert (Film)

Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
Featuring: Elvis Presley
Streaming on: Paramount+

This tribute to the King is constructed from archival footage director Baz Luhrmann encountered while working on his 2022 biopic — footage that really does help younger generations understand why Elvis Presley was one of the biggest stars on the planet for so long. Don’t expect much nuance when it comes to the darker aspects of Presley’s life (highly recommend Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla if you haven’t seen it, currently streaming on Kanopy). Instead, the focus here is on how good a live performer he was, multiple concerts edited together for a true testament to rock and roll. Two of the highlights: Watching Presley mess around with some Beatles covers, and a sequence that blends rehearsal footage with the ultimate live performance, enhancing our understanding of how the final product came to be.

We’ll be back next week with more picks — in the meantime, stay safe out there, or better yet stay inside, where it’s definitely safe, and there’s so much film and TV to watch. Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter!