Add to Watch List: 7 New TV Shows to Stream In July
You're reading our TV round-up for July. Click here to find out which shows everyone will be talking about in August.
Slip into something comfy and get into some quality television this July. It’s officially mid-winter and there’s no better time to unwind on your steaming platform of choice, especially as there’s plenty of exciting and insightful content to treat yourself to right now.
From new episodes of cult-favourite shows to a new docuseries that shines a light on the real stories of people migrating to Australia, there’s an eclectic mix that is sure to satisfy every mood. Here are our picks of the best TV shows to stream this month.
Cable Girls
Where to watch it? Netflix, from 3 July
Set in late 1920s Madrid, this premium Spanish melodrama started in 2017 and its final episodes will land on Netflix this month. The critically acclaimed series is something of a sleeper hit for English-speaking audiences, and follows the lives of four women working at the national telephone company in the lead-up to the Spanish Civil War.
(And if you don't speak Spanish you can watch it dubbed, but going with subtitles instead means you won’t be tempted to check your phone every 30 seconds, all but guaranteeing a mindful and meaningful watching experience.)
Hamilton
Where to watch it? Disney Plus, from 3 July
It’s the musical where America's “Founding Fathers” (who were very much white Europeans) are played by a racially diverse cast of Black, Latino and Asian actors, who rap and sing songs about history. It made millions of dollars in ticket pre-sales before it even premiered on Broadway in 2015, and tickets were famously near-impossible to get during the entirety of its initial original cast run with creator Lin Manuel Miranda in the titular role.
Hamilton finally coming to Australia in 2021 at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre (pre-sales commence August 24) but for now you can watch the original Broadway cast in the live stage filming thanks to the warm hearts and deep pockets of the people at Disney, who paid $75 million to acquire worldwide rights. Based on Ron Chernow’s 2004 written biography of Alexander Hamilton, the stage show has received near-universal acclaim, although some critics have called out historical inaccuracies and oversimplifications. Treat it like a history lesson but fun. If you love it, follow up with some of the incredible documentaries on American history that are available across streaming platforms. 13th on Netflix is a great place to start.
The Other Two
Where to watch it? Stan
This actually funny sitcom was created by former SNL co-head writers and follows the adult siblings of a Bieber-esque teen pop star. The titular “other two” are Brooke (Heléne Yorke of The Good Fight and High Maintenance) and Cary (Drew Tarver of Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, which is highly recommended and available on YouTube!). She’s a former dancer and he’s a struggling actor. It’s funny, it’s got a great cast (you’ll recognise Ken Marino as the manager and Molly Shannon as the “momager”) and it’s got heart. If you miss Broad City, The Other Two might just be the one for you.
Who Gets to Stay in Australia?
Where to watch it? SBS On Demand, weekly from 1 July
This series follows real people as they go through Australian immigration process on the road to permanent residency, with unprecedented access inside the Administrative Appeals Tribunal as applicants and their lawyers make their case directly to a single judge. For the 13 migrants featured, it's their final appeal to the Australian government to stay in the country – and for some it’s life or death. As ongoing conversations around immigration and Australia’s colonial history grow louder, this series is more timely than ever.
Run
Where to watch it? Binge
Executive-produced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, this comedy thriller follows a woman who walks away from her ordinary life to go on a cross-country trip with her college boyfriend. Here’s the deal: 17 years ago, college sweethearts Ruby (played by the always excellent Merritt Wever) and Billy (Domhnall Gleeson of Ex Machina) made a pact that if at any point in the future either of them texted the word “RUN” and the other replied “RUN” they would drop everything and meet up to travel across America together. (Hence the title.) Like Fleabag and Killing Eve, Run plays with genre and delivers high-concept action in an unexpected and human way.
Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet
Where to watch it? Apple TV+
From the creators of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, this is a comedy set in the world of online gaming. In fact, it does a nice job of acknowledging the gender imbalance in gaming and critiquing the toxic masculinity that pervades the industry. The cast is led by creator Rob McElhenney and Australian actor Charlotte Nicdao, who starred in ABC’s made-for-smartphone 2019 series Content. If you liked Silicon Valley, you’ll love this (and you don’t have to be a gamer to get the jokes).
The Umbrella Academy
Where to watch it? Netflix, from July 31
There are plenty of superhero stories to watch on screens nowadays, so why not seek out something outside of the Marvel and DC universes? The Umbrella Academy is based on comic books by Gerard Way (yes, the very same Gerard Way from ’00s emo band My Chemical Romance), and has amassed a massive audience since its first season landed in 2019 – 45 million account holders streamed the first season in 2019.
The Umbrella Academy is about a family of misfit superheroes, played by an eclectic ensemble cast that includes Ellen Page and, somehow, the one and only Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige. Catch up on the first season before the second lands at the end of the month.
Want more to binge? Here are 6 shows to watch if you loved ‘Normal People’
