The 5 best shows to stream this summer 2024 (and 3 to skip)

Summer is in full swing, folks! This means it’s time to catch up on shows you may have missed during the busy year. But what if you are all caught up or instead want to check out something new? Or hey, maybe a little of everything! After all, the summer season is when we need shows the most to keep us entertained. 

If you have not been keeping up with all the new (and returning) shows coming this summer, we’ve got your back! From favorites such as Only Murders in the Building and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power coming back with new seasons, to brand new shows. And, as always, there are also shows we plan to skip. Curious to learn more? You got it! Let’s kick things off with the streaming shows we are the most excited to watch, listed in order of release date.

Summer 2024 shows to stream

Orphan Black: Echoes, new series (spinoff)

Krysten Ritter is back! I don’t know about you, but I will always support anything Ritter is part of, but I actually was very excited to learn about this Orphan Black spinoff. The sci-fi thriller is based on the original series created by John Fawcett and Graeme Manson. The story takes place in the same universe as Orphan Black but is set in the year 2052, nearly four decades after the events in the series. 

Orphan Black: Echoes is already streaming, but (at the time of this writing) only four episodes are available on AMC and AMC+, so you are not far behind at all! The first season is set to include a total of 10 episodes, wrapping up on Aug. 25. In addition to Ritter, Echoes also stars Keeley Hawes, Amanda Fix, Avan Jogia, and others. 

Lady in the Lake, new series 

Apple TV+ has been on a roll this year. Currently (and another great series to watch this summer that is already available to stream), Presumed Innocent is one of my favorite legal dramas! The season 1 finale is coming up, but we already have the next big series we’re looking forward to watching on the platform thanks to Lady in the Lake. 

On July 19, Apple TV+ releases the first two episodes of Lady in the Lake, followed by one episode each week until the series finale on Aug. 23. And this is a limited series, so don’t expect a second season renewal! Lady in the Lake stars Natalie Portman as Maddie Schwartz, an investigative journalist in the 1960s who is determined to get to the bottom of two unsolved murders. The story is based on the novel of the same name by Laura Lippman. 

Batman: Caped Crusader, new series

Kicking off the month of August is the animated series Batman: Caped Crusader on Prime Video on Aug. 1. If you had asked me a couple of years back if I was ready for this series, I would probably say no due to superhero fatigue. But now? I’m all about it! And I’m particularly excited about this one as Bruce Wayne is one of my favorite characters, there’s just so much to love about Batman and the ruthless city of Gotham. Not to mention, for a time, we weren’t sure if Batman: Caped Crusader would premiere or not during the Warner Bros. and Discovery merge. I’m glad that is behind us! Now, who else is ready for this dose of nostalgia? 

Only Murders in the Building season 4 

A returning favorite that is at the top of our list is Only Murders in the Building, coming back with a hilarious and juicy fourth season! If you have been living under a rock, Only Murders follows three unlikely besties: Mabel (Selena Gomes), Charles (Steve Martin), and Oliver (Martin Short). They live in the same building but only cross paths after learning they are obsessed with true crime. But what happens when an actual murder takes place in their home? The trio puts on their detective hats, of course! 

The first three seasons of Only Murders are streaming on Hulu, its fourth season premieres on the platform on Aug. 27. If you are behind, you have a few weeks to catch up! Not watching? Stop missing out and stream the comedy-drama today. 

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2

Need something a little stronger and with more depth than Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building? No worries! The fantasy series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power should do their trick! If you haven’t been watching, you’re only one season behind so it’s not a terrible time to catch up ahead of the season 2 premiere. I highly recommend the Prime Video series, especially if you are a fan of The Lord of the Rings movies (and novels). But don’t worry, even if you never read the books or watched the movies, you’ll be able to understand the series. 

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 arrives on Aug. 29 to Prime Video. The story takes us back to J.R.R. Tokien’s exciting and mysterious Middle-earth. It stars Morfydd Clark, Lenny Henry, Sara Zwangobani, Dylan Smith, and others. 

Now that we have the most anticipated new and returning series of the summer out of the way, let’s move on to shows we are not looking forward to watching. No hate! But let’s be honest, not every show that premieres is worth checking out. This is why it’s great to have so many options. Also, please remember this is only my opinion. 

Shows to skip this summer 2024

The Umbrella Academy season 4 

Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy returns on Aug. 8 with its final season…and good riddance! Sorry not sorry, but after the second season it’s just more and more of the same. In the upcoming final season, the Hargreeves siblings must come together to, you guessed it, save the world. This time around, the gang doesn’t have any powers, so sure, that’s a big difference, but I’m just over it. 

On the bright side, this is set to be a short season, consisting of only six episodes, all of which will drop on the Netflix platform on Aug. 8. The Umbrella Academy stars Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castaneda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, and others. 

Those About to Die, new series 

Speaking of things we are so over with, there’s Those About to Die coming to Peacock on Thursday, July 18. Still thinking about the Roman empire? Perfect! You’ll love the historical drama Those About to Die based on Daniel P. Mannix’s book of the same name. We share the trailer to the series above, which tells you pretty much everything you need to know about what to expect. 

One huge positive is that the series stars Anthony Hopkins, one of the greatest talents in the business who is known to perfectly portray villains and intimidating characters. If you’re into the genre, this may be worth checking out for sure. Otherwise, skip it! All 10 episodes will stream on July 18. 

Snowpiercer season 4

Another series that returns with its final season is Snowpiercer, premiering season 4 on July 21 only on AMC and AMC+. I watched the first season and was left feeling disappointed by the ending. I meant to watch season 2, but never got around to it so decided to give up on it. And frankly, I don’t feel like I have been missing out. I’m surprised the train has been running this long (pun intended). Snowpiercer was dropped by TNT but saved by AMC to give it a proper conclusion. No one likes it when their favorite series is abruptly canceled, so I am glad that fans will get an ending. Snowpiercer season 4 will feature 10 episodes. 

Which of these shows will you be watching and which are you skipping?