What to Look Forward to On Streaming This Week (September 11 -September 17, 2022)
After a bit of a slow week, streaming is making a comeback with a number of new and returning series and a couple movies worth noting:
American Gigolo (September 11, Showtime) – Season 1 Premiere
Male escort Jon Bernthal (Ford v Ferrari, The Walking Dead) was framed for a murder he didn’t commit. After 18 years in prison, he is finally released and seeks to reestablish himself in the sex industry while also working to solve the mystery of who set him up for murder in the first place. The series is an adaptation of the 1980 movie.
Heartbreak High (September 14, Netflix) – Season 1 Premiere
A reboot of the long-running Australian series, Heartbreak High follows Amerie who becomes a pariah at school after her map of school hookups is found, exposing many relationships and even outing some people. Together with her new friends, outsiders Quinn and Darren, Amerie seeks to repair her relationship and navigate the drama of high school.
The Handmaid’s Tale (September 14, Hulu) – Season 5 Premiere
The struggles within the dystopian Gilead continues as everyone on both sides faces the consequences and results of June killing Commander Waterford of last season.
Vampire Academy (September 15, Peacock) – Season 1 Premiere
Dhampir (half-vampire, half human) Rose Hathaway has been training her whole life to become a Guardian for her best friend Vasilissa “Lissa” Dragomir, who is the last surviving member of the royal Moroi (vampire) family, the Dragomirs. Based on the book series by Richelle Mead, there’s a lot of material to draw from, though how closely the series draws from its source material remains to be seen. With Julie Plec as one of the showrunners, this series has a lot of promise.
Fate: The Winx Saga (September 16, Netflix) – Season 2 Premiere
This decidedly darker take on the animated series is returning for its second season! The series follows teenage fairies as they work to master their elemental magic. A new headmistress at the school will lead the students to form their own Rebel Alliance.
Do Revenge (September 16, Netflix) – Movie
Drea was popular at school, until her boyfriend shared a sex tape of her. Eleanor is haunted by a rumor that she tried to kiss someone without consent. To get revenge, the two team up to make their respective bullies pay.
Heathers: The Musical (September 16, Roku) – Movie
Based on the 1989 cult classic film (and subsequent Broadway show), Veronica has always dreamed of being a popular. When the popular Heathers take Veronica under their wing, her dreams seem to come true. Those dreams are complicated by the arrival of new boy JD and an accidental poisoning that leads to the death of one of the Heathers and a cover up.
As a fan of the original book series, Vampire Academy is high on my list of shows I’m most excited for this week and with Julie Plec as one of the showrunners, it is bound to have a lot of promise. My biggest struggle with the book has always been Rose’s relationship with her trainer Dimitri because it promotes inappropriate relationships that are unfortunately trendy in YA-focused television.
Photo: Amerie, Darren, and Quinn of Heartbreak High. Courtesy of Netflix.
