So, what's everyone been watching? You can hear it can't you, the question that inevitably pops up halfway through a fancy dinner, lazy park gathering, or morning team meeting, usually leading to a heated exchange over who has or hasn't seen the latest buzzy must-watch.
Each week, the most popular streamed TV series and movies come down to a few things — sheer buzz, smart marketing and PR campaigns, star power, critical acclaim, or a slow burn, word-of-mouth phenomenon that leads uninterested people to finally watch it out of spite.
You might be the kind of person who lives and breathes for being up to date on the most watched releases of the week, so we've put together a list of them and where to watch them if you haven't already. Just to get a sense of what everyone's streaming, we've used data from streaming aggregator Reelgood, which gathers those coveted viewership numbers from hundreds of streaming services in the U.S. and UK.
But just because a lot of people are watching something doesn't make it...good. Here they are, the 10 most streamed films and TV shows of the week, where to watch them, and what Mashable critics thought.
1. The Adam Project
Ryan Reynolds is on top deprecating form in Shawn Levy's The Adam Project, a time-travelling family adventure about a man who is forced to journey back in time, joining forces with his dad and his younger self in a chaotic attempt to avert future catastrophe. Zoe Saldana, Mark Ruffalo, and Jennifer Garner all put in strong supporting performances but the real star of the show is 12-year-old Walker Scobell, who plays young Adam with a perfectly dry sarcasm that makes him an easy sparring partner for his older self. — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor
What we thought: Plot holes and worldbuilding take a backseat to charming performances and entertaining visuals that make this neat 100-movie worth a watch. — Proma Khosla, Senior Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: The Adam Project is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Severance
Channeling some serious Black Mirror energy, Apple TV+'s Severance sees Adam Scott as Mark, a man who opts for an implant that allows his work memories to be completely cut off from memories of his home life. John Turturro, Christopher Walken, and Patricia Arquette make up the impressive supporting cast. — S.H.
What we thought: Severance is a visually fascinating work of art, an enthralling mystery, and an anticapitalist takedown of toxic labor practices; it's the first must-watch Apple TV+ show of the year. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Severance is now streaming on Apple TV+.
3. The Dropout
Problematic tech entrepreneurs seem to be a popular subject matter in both film and TV at the moment. In drama miniseries The Dropout, Amanda Seyfried takes on the timely role of Elizabeth Holmes, the Theranos founder recently found guilty of fraud and conspiracy. From New Girl creator Elizabeth Meriwether, The Dropout dramatizes the creation of the blood testing business that eventually led to Holmes' downfall. — S.H.
How to watch: The Dropout is now streaming on Hulu.
5. Turning Red
One of the best animated movies of the year so far, Turning Red channels some real PEN15 coming-of-age energy to ring uncomfortably true for anyone who had a hard time through puberty — so, everyone? Chinese-Canadian teen Mei (Rosalie Chiang) had enough on her plate trying to get through early adolescence, but now a family curse that causes her to turn into a red panda at the sign of strong emotion might cause her to miss her beloved boy band 4*Town's show. It's at once a tale of teenage angst and an ode to the mums, aunties, and family members we'd be lost in our own fur without. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
What we thought: Full of fun, humor, and heart, Turning Red is a coming-of-age comedy that's as exhilarating as it is groundbreaking family entertainment. — Kristy Puchko, Deputy Entertainment Editor
How to watch: Turning Red is now streaming on Disney+.
6. Fresh
Director Mimi Cave might put you off dating for a bit after watching Fresh. Normal People star Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Noa, who has just about had it with dating apps. So when she meets Steve (Sebastian Stan), things look promising until a weekend away exposes his...tastes. The film drummed up significant buzz after premiering at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and now it's hit Hulu. — S.C.
How to watch: Fresh is now streaming on Hulu.
7. Pieces of Her
When you combine the producers of Big Little Lies and The Undoing with a Karin Slaughter best seller and the acting talents of Toni Collette, it's really not that big a surprise that people flocked to watch Pieces of Her. The Netflix thriller follows Andy (Bella Heathcote), a young woman whose perception of her mother (Collette) is suddenly altered after they're caught up in shooting during a trip to the mall. — S.H.
How to watch: Pieces of Her is now streaming on Netflix.
8. Free Guy
The combination of Killing Eve's Jodie Comer, Ryan Reynolds in peak self-deprecating form, and a fun story set in a video game world make this one a perfect popcorn muncher. From director Shawn Levy, Free Guy follows Reynold's character, Guy, as he comes to terms with his status as an NPC (non-playable character) in an open world game called Free City — and then decides to try and be free of it. — Sam Haysom, UK Deputy Editor
What we thought: Journeying through unexpected twists and turns, Free Guy can feel like a sweeping adventure flick, but it's grounded first and foremost by funny characters you actually care about. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Free Guy is now streaming on Disney+.
8. The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
Have you met Mrs Maisel yet? Amy Sherman-Palladino’s Golden Globe and Emmy–winning comedy has been running for four glorious seasons now, following the ever-charismatic Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) through her adventures in life, love, and getting her start in standup. With Season 4 out now, boasting a truly excellent Wonder Wheel scene, perhaps it's time you caught up. — S.C.
What we thought: Maisel feels caught in a time loop, treading water while it waits to start its next phase in earnest. — P.K.
How to watch: The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
9. Upload
Sci-fi dramedy Upload returned for its second season this month, transporting us back to Greg Daniels' near-future world in which humans can experience any afterlife they choose by uploading their consciousness to the cloud. Needless to say, digital heaven isn't as simple as it sounds in this Amazon Original, which fuses The Good Place with Black Mirror and stars Robbie Amell as a newly dead computer programmer and Andy Allo as his post-life guide. — S.H.
What we thought: It's similar to The Good Place, but not only because it's a high-concept comedy about the afterlife — it has that show's same faith that given the opportunity, people will want to take care of each other, no matter how many new ways we invent to to make life hell. — Caitlin Welsh, Australia Editor
How to watch: Upload is streaming now on Prime Video. (edited)
10. West Side Story
Toniiiight, toniiiight, you might want to watch this toniiiiight. Steven Spielberg's new version of the classic Broadway musical, West Side Story magnificently reinvents the beloved tale. Ariana DeBose is up for an Oscar for her incredible turn as Anita, as is Spielberg for directing, among a smattering of nominations including best picture.Yes, they should have let Anybodys sing "Cool." — S.C.
What we thought: It's cliche to say of a great film "this is why we go to the movies." But when the theater throbs with a rousing song, the audience is entranced by a star-making performance, and your body is rippling with chills from the sublime power of cinema, what else can you say? This is why we go to the movies. — K.P.
How to watch: West Side Story is now streaming on Disney+ and HBO Max.
via Zero Tech Blog