Another week of new releases on Netflix and more streaming services is upon us, and while the selections this week might be hit or miss depending on each individual viewers, there are still lots of exciting shows to check out. The dog days of summer still have a bit of thrills to spare on the small screen, and you can't really go wrong with any of the shows on this list.
This week, Netflix and Hulu both debut new limited series. Over on Netflix, we're getting the new political thriller Hostage, which will have us on the edge of our seats from start to finish. While on Hulu, the new true crime drama series The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox dives deep into the headline-grabbing story that captivated the world for many, many years.
Beyond the new shows premiering this week, set your reminders for new episodes of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Countdown, Dexter: Resurrection, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, and more fan-favorite shows. But if you're wondering which shows should join the ranks of those hits and secure a spot on your watch list, we're sharing more details about the four best new shows of the week!
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox debuts on Hulu
Starting off the week on an entertaining note, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox premieres with its first two episodes on Wednesday, Aug. 20 on Hulu at 12 a.m. ET and revisits the crime story that became a global news story back in the 2000s. Knox was eventually acquitted in 2015 and has since gone on to be a writer, activist, and also an executive producer on the new series based upon the true events from her life.
The series stars Grace Van Patten as Amanda Knox, an American college student studying abroad in Italy and became the prime suspect in the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher. From creator and executive producer KJ Steinberg, the eight-episode limited series focuses on Amanda's fight to prove her innocence and takes a closer look at why everyone quickly blamed Amanda for the crime she didn't commit.
Hostage premieres on Netflix
If there's one kind of series that's an immediate fan-favorite on Netflix, it's political thrillers. Between the likes of The Night Agent, The Diplomat, and Zero Day, we all seem to love a good binge-watch brimming with conspiracies and global intrigue. Thankfully, Netflix knows that we can't get enough and already has another can't-miss series lined up this week. The new series Hostage makes its premiere on Thursday, Aug. 21 with all five episodes.
The series centers on the kidnapping of the British Prime Minister's husband and the blackmailing of the French president. Suddenly, the British Prime Minister and French president must work together in spite of their rivalry to uncover the truth about what's going on and potentially save both of their lives. Hostage stars Julie Delpy and Suranne Jones in the leading roles and features Queen Charlotte and My Oxford Year favorite Corey Mylchreest.
Peacemaker season 2 kicks off on HBO Max
It's been well over three years since the first season of the DC Comics series Peacemaker made it's premiere on HBO Max. To put into perspective how long it's actually been, when Peacemaker premiered in 2022, the streamer was still known as HBO Max, and at the time of the season 2 premiere, the streamer has returned to its former name after a brief period as Max. When you think of it that way, it's wild to think we've been waiting that long.
Once again, Peacemaker season 2 contains eight episodes, which begin rolling out on Thursday, Aug. 21. Rather than multiple episodes being release for the premiere, only one episode drops this week with one episode released weekly thereafter. James Gunn wrote every episode of season 2, which has been teased as a "direct sequel" to his summer blockbuster Superman. Make sure not to miss a second of John Cena back as the Peacemaker beginning this week!
Invasion season 3 premieres on Apple TV+
This week's new releases have spanned multiple genres, from true crime to political thriller to a superhero dark comedy, but the one thing we need a little bit of this week is sci-fi. If you're a fan of the genre, then you're definitely watching and loving Alien: Earth on FX and Hulu, but a fan-favorite Apple TV+ series finally returns this week from its second two-year hiatus. That's right, almost two years to the day since season 2 premiered in 2023, Invasion season 3 begins this week.
You're probably hoping that because of that long wait, Apple TV+ will be treating us to a two-episode premiere on Friday, Aug. 22. However, only one episode drops this week. After that, one episode of the 10-episode seasons releases weekly through the season finale on Oct. 24. In Invasion season 3, the main characters meet for the first time as they team up to "infiltrate the alien mothership." The wait will be worth the surely game-changing mission the characters are on this season!