What to Stream: June 26–July 2, 2026
Enola Holmes 3, Larry David's history comedy, Undertone horror, and four Apple TV+ hits this week
The week begins with Larry David rewriting American history on HBO and an A24 horror film arriving on Max, and it ends with Enola Holmes taking a dark turn in Malta on July 1 alongside the biggest single-day Netflix library drop of the month. Apple TV+ keeps four running shows — Star City, Sugar, Cape Fear, and Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed — moving through their Friday episodes. Hulu's headline is a neon-lit zombie comedy that earned 84% from critics. This is a calendar boundary week — June ends, July begins, and catalogs on every platform reshuffle overnight on the 1st.
Quick reference: all featured titles
| Title | Platform | Date | Type | RT Critics | RT Audience | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness 1 | HBO Max | June 26 | Sketch comedy series | 67% (12 reviews) | N/A | Watch It |
| Undertone 2 | HBO Max | June 26 | Horror film | 74% (188 reviews) | 50% (1,000+ ratings) | Watch It |
| House of the Dragon S3, Ep. 2 3 | HBO Max | June 28 | Drama series (cont.) | 98% (ongoing) | Not yet rated | Binge-Worthy |
| Queens of the Dead 4 | Hulu | June 26 | Horror comedy film | 84% (56 reviews) | 63% (50+ ratings) | Watch It |
| Little Brother 5 | Netflix | June 26 | Comedy film | Not Yet Rated | Not Yet Rated | Watch It |
| Enola Holmes 3 6 | Netflix | July 1 | Action/mystery film | Not Yet Rated | Not Yet Rated | Watch It |
| Summer '36 7 | Netflix | July 1 | Limited series (6 eps) | Not Yet Rated | Not Yet Rated | Watch It |
| Survival of the Thickest S3 8 | Netflix | July 2 | Comedy series (final) | Series: 93% (31 reviews) | Series: 79% | Watch It |
| Star City S1, Ep. 6 9 | Apple TV+ | June 26 | Drama series (cont.) | 97% (30 reviews) | 71% (50+ ratings) | Binge-Worthy |
| Sugar S2, Ep. 2 10 | Apple TV+ | June 26 | Drama/neo-noir (cont.) | 96% (27 reviews) | 94% (<50 ratings) | Watch It |
| Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed S1, Ep. 8 11 | Apple TV+ | July 1 | Dark comedy thriller (cont.) | 93% (58 reviews) | 84% (100+ ratings) | Watch It |
| Cape Fear S1, Ep. 5 12 | Apple TV+ | June 26 | Limited series (cont.) | 76% (66 reviews) | 62% (100+ ratings) | Watch It |
RT scores as of June 25, 2026.
HBO Max
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness — series premiere ✦ Watch It
Type: Sketch comedy limited series (HBO Original) · Premieres: June 26 on HBO and Max · 7 episodes, weekly through August 7 · Rating: not yet specified
Created by: Larry David and Jeff Schaffer · Produced by: Higher Ground Productions (Barack and Michelle Obama) · Cast: Larry David, Bill Hader (Abraham Lincoln), Kathryn Hahn (Mary Todd Lincoln), Jon Hamm and Sean Hayes (the Wright Brothers), Jerry Seinfeld (a Lewis & Clark expedition member), Chris Parnell (Benjamin Franklin), Susie Essman (Susan B. Anthony), Jane Krakowski, Isla Fisher, Vince Vaughn, Barack Obama (as himself)
Larry David and his longtime Curb Your Enthusiasm collaborator Jeff Schaffer have built a seven-episode sketch comedy series as a comedic tribute to the United States Semiquincentennial — the 250th anniversary of American independence. The concept: major events from American history get the Curb treatment. Dialogue is largely unscripted, built on structural outlines and then improvised by a cast that includes some of the best comedy performers working today. Episode 1, "Livingston," premieres June 26; subsequent episodes air weekly through August 7. 1
RT Critics: 67% (12 reviews, early) · RT Audience: not yet rated
The early response is mixed. Rotten Tomatoes has 67% from 12 reviews, and Metacritic reception has been cool — critics have described it as "flimsy material and recycled jokes" despite the all-star cast. 1 The counterargument: 12 reviews is a small sample for a sketch comedy, the cast is genuinely stacked (Hader as Lincoln alone makes it worth an episode), and Larry David's improvisational energy plays differently for audiences than it does for critics on deadline. The 12-episode sample size caveat matters here.
Verdict: Watch It — especially if you're a Curb fan. Episode 1 is the diagnostic. If the Lincoln sketch doesn't land, the series probably won't convert you.
Undertone — A24 horror, streaming debut ✦ Watch It
Type: Horror film · HBO Max streaming debut: June 26 · Theatrical release: March 13, 2026 · Runtime: 1h 25m · Rating: R
Directed by: Ian Tuason (feature debut) · Written by: Ian Tuason · Cast: Nina Kiri (Evy, a paranormal podcast host), Adam DiMarco, Michèle Duquet, Keana Lyn, Jeff Yung
Evy hosts a popular paranormal podcast. She starts receiving anonymous recordings that contain hidden messages. The messages release something. Undertone is a first feature from director Ian Tuason, produced by Black Fawn Films (Cody Calahan, Dan Slater), and it plays primarily through sound design rather than visual horror — every review mentions the same element: what you hear, not what you see. The film had a limited theatrical run starting March 13 and lands on HBO Max June 26. 2
RT Critics: 74% (188 reviews) · RT Audience: 50% (1,000+ verified ratings)
The 24-point gap between critics and audiences is notable and consistent: horror fans expecting a conventional genre film report disappointment, while critics drawn to atmosphere and sound design rate it significantly higher. The RT consensus reads "masterfully using negative space and unsettling audio to build its creeping dread, undertone erupts as a diabolically immersive aural nightmare." 2 Empire Magazine gave it 4/5, calling it "a supremely spooky sonic ordeal" and "a cautionary tale against the dangers of excessive podcasting." The Times UK gave it 3/5, citing Tuason's "ingenious use of negative space." 2
Verdict: Watch It — 74% from 188 critics is a meaningful signal, and at 1h 25m the time investment is low. Go in knowing it's a slow-burn audio horror experience, not a jump-scare film.
House of the Dragon — Season 3, Episode 2 ✦ Binge-Worthy (ongoing)
Type: Drama series · Episode 2 airs: Sunday, June 28, 9 PM ET on HBO; simultaneous streaming on Max · Weekly Sundays through the summer · Rating: TV-MA
Showrunner: Ryan Condal · Cast: Emma D'Arcy (Rhaenyra Targaryen), Matt Smith (Daemon Targaryen), Olivia Cooke (Alicent Hightower), Tom Glynn-Carney, Ewan Mitchell, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint
Season 3 premiered June 21. This is the second episode of the Targaryen civil war's final phase — the Dance of the Dragons reaching its breaking point. 3 Episode 3 follows on July 5.
RT Critics S3: 98% (ongoing, Certified Fresh)
Verdict: Binge-Worthy — 98% from critics through the premiere holds the position it earned last week. If you're already watching, nothing here requires selling. Episode 1 is on Max if you missed the June 21 premiere; you want it before Sunday night.
Also on HBO Max this week
Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story (June 30, HBO and Max) is a 79-minute documentary directed by Jyllian Gunther and Stephanie Schwam and produced by Sarah Jessica Parker. 13 It traces the career of Robin Byrd, a cable-access television pioneer who became an accidental anchor for community and visibility during the AIDS crisis in New York. The film premiered in the Documentary Competition at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival. 13 No RT score yet. Verdict: Watch It for audiences interested in queer history or cable-access television culture.
My Adventures with Superman Season 3 Episode 3 ("All's Fair in Love and W.O.R.M.S.") streams on Max June 28 (Adult Swim/Toonami premiere June 27 at midnight). 14 Season 3 opened June 13 with a 100% Tomatometer; weekly episodes continue through the summer. RT score for the full season: Not Yet Rated (ongoing). Verdict: Watch It for existing fans of the animated series.
July 1 catalog drop on HBO Max
Arriving July 1 with the monthly refresh: Hereditary (2018, Ari Aster, Toni Collette, 90% Tomatometer from 385 reviews), 15 The Usual Suspects (1995, Bryan Singer, 87% Tomatometer / 96% audience from 83 reviews), the complete Evil Dead trilogy with Sam Raimi's original (85% / 84%) and Evil Dead II (88% / 89%), plus Deadpool 2 (83% / 85% from 418 reviews), The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Legally Blonde, and the full Mummy trilogy. 15 If you haven't seen Hereditary, the July 1 arrival on Max is the natural entry point.
Netflix
Little Brother — Netflix Original comedy film ✦ Watch It
Type: Comedy film (Netflix Original) · Streams: June 26 · Runtime: not yet disclosed · Rating: not yet specified
Directed by: Matt Spicer (Ingrid Goes West) · Written by: Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel · Cast: John Cena, Eric André, Christopher Meloni (Man of Steel), Sherry Cola (Joy Ride), Michelle Monaghan (Pixels), Ego Nwodim, Caleb Hearon
A successful real estate agent with a meticulously ordered life gets his world upended when his former "Big Brother–Little Brother" program partner — an odd, unpredictable man he hasn't seen in years — shows up unannounced. 16 Director Matt Spicer's previous film, Ingrid Goes West, was a sharp dark comedy with a specific social anxiety at its center; this film applies Spicer's eye to a more mainstream buddy-comedy setup. What's on Netflix reports the film generated strong early internal reaction at Netflix, though it hasn't yet translated to outside reviews — the RT page exists with zero reviews as of June 25. 5
RT Critics: Not Yet Rated · RT Audience: Not Yet Rated
Verdict: Watch It — Cena and André together is a premise that writes itself, and Spicer's track record warrants the benefit of the doubt. Check back on RT scores after the first weekend.
Enola Holmes 3 — Netflix Original film ✦ Watch It
Type: Action/mystery film (Netflix Original) · Streams: July 1 · Runtime: 1h 45m · Rating: PG-13
Directed by: Philip Barantini · Written by: Jack Thorne · Produced by: Legendary Pictures · Cast: Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes), Henry Cavill (Sherlock Holmes), Louis Partridge (Tewkesbury), Helena Bonham Carter (Eudoria Holmes), Himesh Patel (Dr. Watson), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (Mira Troy)
The third Enola Holmes film moves the action to Malta, where Enola is investigating her brother Sherlock's kidnapping while her own upcoming marriage to Tewkesbury complicates everything. Philip Barantini, who directed the real-time hostage thriller Boiling Point, replaces Harry Bradbeer (who directed the first two films); and Jack Thorne returns as writer. Sources close to the production describe the tone as darker and more mature than its predecessors. 6 The first two films hold 91% and 93% on Rotten Tomatoes respectively, with strong audience tracking in both cases. 7
RT Critics: Not Yet Rated · RT Audience: Not Yet Rated
Verdict: Watch It — a 91%/93% franchise track record with a new director known for sustained tension is a decent starting point. A PG-13 mystery-thriller with Cavill and Bonham Carter should have no trouble finding its audience. Scores will accumulate quickly after July 1.
Summer '36 — Netflix Original limited series ✦ Watch It
Type: Limited series (6 episodes) · Streams: July 1 (Netflix France, Belgium, Switzerland, South Africa already have it; US gets it July 1) · Rating: not yet specified
Created by: Marie Deshaires and Catherine Touzet (adapted from Iris Bucher's original concept; Touzet previously produced Le Bazar de la Charité) · Cast: Julie de Bona, Sofia Essaïdi, Nolwenn Leroy
The summer of 1936, Nice, France's Côte d'Azur. The Popular Front government has just enacted France's first paid vacation law, and for the first time workers can afford to be at the beach. A public prosecutor is found dead at a luxury coastal hotel. Four women from entirely different backgrounds — some at the resort to serve, others to escape — find their lives bound together by the investigation. 7 Early reaction from French and Belgian audiences has praised the period aesthetic, with reviewers drawing comparisons to Agatha Christie.
RT Critics: Not Yet Rated (no English RT page found as of June 25) · RT Audience: Not Yet Rated
Verdict: Watch It — the setup is a well-constructed social thriller dressed in period aesthetics. Six episodes is the right length for this kind of material. Worth checking Rotten Tomatoes after July 1 for English-language reviews.
Also on Netflix: July 1 library drop and more
July 1 brings three standout prestige additions: Gone Girl (2014, David Fincher, Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, 88% Tomatometer from 375 reviews / 87% audience), Nomadland (2020, Chloé Zhao, Frances McDormand, winner of Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress at the 93rd Academy Awards, 93% from 440 reviews / 82% audience), and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017, Jon Watts, Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Zendaya, 92% from 396 reviews). 171819
Also arriving June 27: The 24th (2020), directed by Kevin Willmott (who co-wrote BlacKkKlansman with Spike Lee), starring Trai Byers and Aja Naomi King, about the 1917 Houston Mutiny involving Black soldiers of the 24th Infantry Regiment. RT Critics: 79% (29 reviews) / RT Audience: 83%. 20 And Louis C.K.: Ridiculous (June 30), a new stand-up special with material about a bee getting shot in New York and paying strangers to care for an aging parent — RT page exists, no reviews yet. 21
Human Vapor (July 2) is a Netflix Japan Original series — 8 episodes, a reimagining of Toho's 1960 sci-fi film The Human Vapor, written by Yeon Sang-ho (director of Train to Busan) and Ryu Yong-Jae (Parasyte: The Grey, Money Heist: Korea), directed by Shinzo Katayama. 22 The production is a Toho Studios/Netflix collaboration shot in Tokyo from September 2024 to April 2025. All-Japanese cast: Shun Oguri, Yu Aoi, Suzu Hirose, Kento Hayashi, Yutaka Takenouchi. No English-language RT presence. Verdict: Watch It if you follow Japanese genre cinema — Yeon Sang-ho's writing credentials on Parasyte: The Grey are a meaningful signal for the tone.
Survival of the Thickest — Season 3 (final season) ✦ Watch It
Type: Comedy/drama series (Netflix Original, final season) · All 8 episodes drop: July 2 · Rating: TV-MA
Created by: Michelle Buteau and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel · Stars: Michelle Buteau (Mavis Beaumont), Tone Bell (Khalil)
Survival of the Thickest, based on Michelle Buteau's essay collection, follows Mavis Beaumont — a plus-size Black woman rebuilding her life as a struggling stylist after a long relationship ends. This third and final season drops all eight episodes on July 2. 7 The series' overall Tomatometer stands at 93% (31 reviews), with Season 2 reaching 100% on a smaller sample. Season 3 has no reviews yet. 8 The RT consensus on Season 1 describes it as "a genial showcase for Michelle Buteau — equal parts amusing and heartwarming." 8
RT Critics S3: Not Yet Rated · Series overall: 93% (31 reviews) / 79% audience
Verdict: Watch It — 93% series score with a Season 2 at 100% is a track record. Eight episodes on a Thursday, ideal for a long weekend run. If you haven't watched Seasons 1 and 2, start there; it's not a difficult catch-up.
Apple TV+
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed Season 1 Episode 8 arrives July 1. The dark comedy thriller — Tatiana Maslany as Paula navigating a twistedly escalating whodunit — opened with a 93% Tomatometer from 58 critics and 84% audience score from 100+ ratings. 11 The RT consensus calls it "a fascinating exploration of the unexpected through compelling storytelling." Two episodes remain after this one; it wraps July 15. Verdict: Watch It — if you're not watching, catch up from Episode 1 before the finale run. Episodes run 30–40 minutes each.
All four Apple TV+ continuing series drop new episodes on Friday, June 26. The platform has no new premieres this week — Silo Season 3 arrives July 3, just outside the window.
Star City — Season 1, Episode 6 ✦ Binge-Worthy (ongoing)
Type: Drama series · Episode 6: June 26 on Apple TV+ · 8 episodes total, weekly Fridays through July 10 · Rating: TV-MA
Created by: Matt Wolpert, Ben Nedivi, Ronald D. Moore · Cast: Anna Maxwell Martin (Lyudmilla Raskova), Rhys Ifans (the Chief Designer, a figure based on Soviet rocket pioneer Sergei Korolev), Agnes O'Casey (Irina), Adam Nagaitis (Valya)
Star City is the For All Mankind spin-off built entirely inside the Soviet space program. Six episodes in, with only two remaining before the July 10 finale, the show has not given critics a reason to lower their opening assessment. 9 Radio Times notes that with three episodes left, audiences are already wondering whether this spin-off will earn the same longevity as the original series. 23
RT Critics: 97% (Certified Fresh, 30 reviews) · RT Audience: 71% (50+ ratings)
"Taut, ambitious, and impressively self-assured, Star City proves a worthy expansion of the For All Mankind universe with its blend of political intrigue and human drama." — RT Critics Consensus 9
Empire's David Opie called it "cold and claustrophobic where For All Mankind is caring and cheerful — a gripping inversion." 9 Five episodes are available now. If you haven't started, this is the last reasonable on-ramp before the finale run.
Verdict: Binge-Worthy — the strongest sustained score on Apple TV+ right now, and Episode 6 of 8 means the finale pressure starts this Friday.
Sugar — Season 2, Episode 2 ✦ Watch It
Type: Drama / mystery-thriller · Episode 2 ("Downer Town"): June 26 on Apple TV+ · 8 episodes total, weekly Fridays through August 7 · Rating: TV-MA
Creator: Mark Protosevich · Cast: Colin Farrell (John Sugar), Jin Ha, Raymond Lee, Tony Dalton, Laura Donnelly
John Sugar, private investigator, is following a lead related to Ji that takes him into dangerous territory. Danny is running out of options. Season 2 of Sugar opened June 19 with a 96% from 27 critics, improving significantly on Season 1's 81%, and an audience score of 94% from early ratings. 10 The LA neo-noir setup — Colin Farrell as a private detective with a talent for finding people and a personal backstory that gets stranger every episode — continues to draw favorable comparisons in the "best mystery show on air" conversation. 10
RT Critics: 96% (27 reviews) · RT Audience: 94% (<50 ratings)
Verdict: Watch It — 96% is a meaningful early signal. If you're not watching and you like LA noir, Season 1's 8 episodes are on Apple TV+ and worth starting before the Season 2 scores lock in.
Cape Fear — Season 1, Episode 5 ✦ Watch It
Type: Limited series · Episode 5 ("Faith"): June 26 on Apple TV+ · 10 episodes total, weekly Fridays through July 31 · Rating: TV-MA
Created by: Nick Antosca · Executive producers: Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg · Cast: Amy Adams (Anna Bowden), Javier Bardem (Max Cady), Patrick Wilson (Tom Bowden)
Max Cady is visited by someone from his past. Anna continues investigating Nevaeh. Tom's case gets complicated. Five episodes in, the show sits at 76% from 66 critics and 62% from 100+ audience ratings. 12 The divide is consistent and specific: critics who respond to Javier Bardem's physical commitment to the role rate it higher; critics and viewers looking for tighter pacing in a revenge thriller find it bloated. The Times (UK) gave it 4/5; USA Today gave it 2/4. 12 The RT consensus: "elevated by Javier Bardem's manic charisma and the genre's best pulpy intricacies, Cape Fear revitalizes the revenge thriller." 12
RT Critics: 76% (66 reviews) · RT Audience: 62% (100+ ratings)
Verdict: Watch It — for audiences already four episodes in, Episode 5 is the obvious next step. If you're deciding whether to start from scratch, the Bardem question is the real filter: if his particular brand of theatrical menace works for you, there are 10 episodes to go.
Hulu
Queens of the Dead — streaming debut ✦ Watch It
Type: Horror comedy film · Hulu streaming debut: June 26 (limited theatrical release: October 24, 2025) · Runtime: 1h 39m · Rating: not yet specified
Directed by: Tina Romero (daughter of Night of the Living Dead director George A. Romero) · Cast: Katy O'Brian, Jaquel Spivey, Margaret Cho, Riki Lindhome, Cheyenne Jackson, Jack Haven
A drag show in Brooklyn. Zombies. The performers — drag queens and club kids — put their internal conflicts aside and use their specific abilities against the undead. Tina Romero's feature debut drew obvious comparisons to her father's work during its festival run, but critics who covered it most thoroughly positioned it as its own thing: a horror-comedy made by queer fans of the genre for queer fans of the genre, with neon lighting and a genuine sense of ensemble fun. 4 Mashable's Kristy Puchko called it "drenched in neon, steeped in attitude, and radiant with queer joy — fierce, funny, and fabulous." 24 The RT consensus describes it as "a glowing zombie-fest filled with humor and heart." 4
RT Critics: 84% (56 reviews) · RT Audience: 63% (50+ ratings)
Verdict: Watch It — 84% from 56 critics for a debut horror-comedy is a real endorsement. The 21-point critic/audience gap follows the pattern of Undertone this week: audiences expecting different things from the genre, critics rewarding craft and originality. At 1h 39m, it fits a single sitting.
Also on Hulu: July 1 catalog
Hulu's July 1 monthly drop includes 46+ titles headlined by the complete Twilight Saga (all 5 films), Titanic (1997), Interstellar, Iron Man and Iron Man 2, The Wolf of Wall Street, Dirty Dancing, Happy Gilmore (30th anniversary), both Bad Boys films, Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and Selma (2014). 25 The Twilight bundle alone makes this one of Hulu's better monthly refreshes this year.
This week in one line
Undertone and Larry David's historical comedy open on HBO on the same night; the July 1 Netflix calendar flip brings Enola Holmes 3, a French Riviera murder mystery, and Gone Girl and Nomadland in the same batch. Pick your platform, pick your genre.
RT scores current as of June 25, 2026. Scores for titles without reviews will appear after their premiere dates.
Cover: AI-generated illustration.
References
- 1RT\
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- 3IMDb\
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- 4RT\
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- 5RT\
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- 6RT\
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- 7What's on Netflix\
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- 8RT\
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- 9RT\
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- 10RT\
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- 11RT\
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- 12RT\
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- 13Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story — Tribeca Festival
tribecafilm.com
- 14
- 15What's New on HBO Max This July — WBD Press
press.wbd.com
- 16'Little Brother' Netflix Comedy Film — What's on Netflix
whats-on-netflix.com
- 17Gone Girl — Rotten Tomatoes
rottentomatoes.com
- 18Nomadland — Rotten Tomatoes
rottentomatoes.com
- 19Spider-Man: Homecoming — Rotten Tomatoes
rottentomatoes.com
- 20The 24th — Rotten Tomatoes
rottentomatoes.com
- 21Louis C.K.: Ridiculous — Rotten Tomatoes
rottentomatoes.com
- 22'Human Vapor' Netflix Japan TV Adaptation — What's on Netflix
whats-on-netflix.com
- 23Star City release schedule — Radio Times
radiotimes.com
- 24What's new to streaming this week — Mashable
mashable.com
- 25Hulu Press: Schedule — July 2026
press.hulu.com
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