Netflix is adding 43 new shows and movies to the streaming service today. That's more than it adds in most weeks. So when I saw everything coming to Netflix today, I decided to sort through the list and see what's actually worth watching right now.
After looking through the list, I landed on three shows and movies worth hitting play on today, though it'll probably take you all day to watch all three. To give things some balance, I picked an incredible first season of one of my favorite shows, a movie acclaimed as one of the best sequels ever made and a confounding movie that deserves a second viewing now that it's on Netflix.
Malcolm has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. Every week, he hunts down the top shows and movies to watch on Netflix.
My top picks
'Broadchurch' season 1
"Broadchurch" is one of my favorite shows ever. It's probably among the best British shows ever made, and I think it deserves a spot in the conversation about the greatest crime dramas ever. The first season, in particular, with its construction as a season that could stand on its own, is incredible, and likely launched Olivia Colman into a new tier of stardom in an award-winning role as Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller.
You can watch the entire series on Netflix starting today, but I particularly recommend at least watching the first season right now. The show's story centers around the partnership of Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and Miller as they investigate the mysterious death of 11-year-old Danny Latimer (Oskar McNamara). There are twists, there are turns, and the season ends on an absolute gut-punch. If you loved "Adolescence," then bingeing "Broadchurch" season 1 is a no-brainer.
Stream "Broadchurch" season 1 on Netflix now
'Paddington 2'
To me, "Paddington 2" will always stick in my mind because of a scene in the Nicolas Cage film "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent." In that scene, Cage and Pedro Pascal’s character are debating the greatest movies of all time, and Cage is stunned when Pascal declares the "Paddington" sequel the third greatest movie ever made. The next shot is Cage crying, conceding that "Paddington 2" is, in fact, incredible.
I don't know if I'd go as far as those two, but this movie is genuinely considered one of the best sequels ever made and has a devoted fan base. It has Ben Whishaw reprising as the animated marmalade-loving bear, who finds himself suddenly in prison after being framed for the theft of a pop-up book. Now, his adoptive family must try and prove his innocence while Paddington attempts a daring prison escape, all while the real thief — actor Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant) — walks free.
Stream "Paddington 2" on Netflix now
'Tenet'
"Tenet" stars John David Washington as a CIA operative credited only as "the Protagonist." He's part of an operation that goes wrong, but ultimately proves to be a test that gets him into a covert organization known only as Tenet. This trusts the Protagonist into a twisty conspiracy concerning the ability to travel forward and backward in time, and not everyone involved has good intentions.
When I saw this movie during the COVID-19 pandemic, I'll admit, I wasn't a fan. I found the plot overly convoluted, even for a Christopher Nolan movie. But as time has moved on, I can't help but wonder if maybe it was simply a movie that needed a second watching to understand all its ... well, tenets. So I recommend not only streaming this movie today, but maybe streaming it a second time if things aren't clear to you on the first watchthrough.
Stream "Tenet" on Netflix now
Everything coming to Netflix today
Here's the full list of all 43 shows and movies arriving on Netflix today:
- "A Very Vintage Christmas"
- "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"
- "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls"
- "Baby Driver"
- "Back to the Future"
- "Back to the Future Part II"
- "Back to the Future Part III"
- "Broadchurch" season 1
- "Broadchurch" season 2
- "Broadchurch" season 3
- "Charlie's Angels"
- "Crazy Rich Asians"
- "Dear Santa"
- "Doctor Sleep"
- "Don't Worry Darling"
- "Dr. Dolittle"
- "Dr. Dolittle 2"
- "Elvis"
- "Frances Ha"
- "Game Night"
- "Happy Christmas"
- "The Hangover"
- "The Hangover: Part II"
- "The Hangover: Part III"
- "I Know What You Did Last Summer"
- "In the Heights"
- "Isn't It Romantic"
- "Judas and the Black Messiah"
- "Just Mercy"
- "The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part"
- "Life of the Party"
- "The Little Things"
- "Merry Liddle Christmas"
- "The Nun II"
- "Ocean's 8"
- "Paddington 2"
- "The Patriot"
- "Ready Player One"
- "Tenet"
- "This Is the End"
- "Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas"
- "The Way Back"
- "Wonka"
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