Club Benefits
Late January has a way of convincing you that staying in is not just acceptable, but correct. When the temperatures dip and the nights stretch on, settling in with new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime Video and other streaming services feels less like a choice and more like a plan.
This weekend’s TV picks lean into that mood, bouncing between dark curiosity and familiar comfort. There’s the unsettling pull of "The Beauty," the slick tension of "Steal," and a nostalgic blast from the past with "Star Search." On the movie side, the biopics "The Smashing Machine" and "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" dig into the cost of greatness in very different arenas, but with the same human focus. Here's our guide on what to watch this weekend.
Show/Movie | Platform | Genre | Release Date |
"Star Search" | Netflix | Reality competition | Jan. 20 (live) |
"Steal" | Prime Video | Crime thriller | Jan. 21 |
"The Beauty" | FX/Hulu | Sci-fi horror | Jan. 21 |
"Skyscraper Live" | Netflix | Sports special | Jan. 23 (live) |
"Kingdom" | BBC America | Nature doc | Jan. 24 |
"Memory of a Killer" | Fox | Psych thriller | Jan. 25 |
"The Smashing Machine" | HBO Max | Sports biopic | Out now |
"Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" | Hulu | Music biopic | Out now |
"Eleanor the Great" | Netflix | Comedy drama | Out now |
New TV shows
‘The Beauty’ (FX and Hulu)
Genre: Sci-fi horror
Release date: Wednesday, Jan. 21 (9 p.m. ET)
Ryan Murphy’s latest offering, "The Beauty," asks a simple question with a very ugly answer: What if perfection were contagious? When supermodels start dying spectacularly, FBI agents played by Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall are dispatched to Paris, where a miracle beauty shot turns out to be an STD with a body count.
The cast: Ashton Kutcher plays the tech billionaire cheerfully selling the virus, while Anthony Ramos lurks as his problem-solver.
The vibe: From yachts to runways to back-alley labs, this sci-fi thriller turns fashion fantasy into horror.
Stream the first three episodes of "The Beauty on Hulu now
‘Steal’ (Prime Video)
Genre: Heist thriller
Release date: Wednesday, Jan. 21 (3 a.m. ET)
A pension fund doesn’t sound like the stuff of pulse-pounding television—until it very much is. This slick thriller kicks off with a brutally efficient office takeover at Lochmill Capital. Zara (Sophie Turner) and her co-worker Luke (Archie Madekwe) are forced to help a gang pull off a heist that could wipe out £4 billion in ordinary people’s savings.
The conflict: On the other side is DCI Rhys (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd), a dogged investigator juggling secret agendas and a gambling relapse that hits uncomfortably close to the crime itself.
All 6 episodes of "Steal" are available to binge on Prime Video now
‘Skyscraper Live’ (Netflix)
Genre: Live Event/Documentary
Release date: Friday, Jan. 23 (8 p.m. ET)
Netflix goes full “do not try this at home” with "Skyscraper Live," a two-hour, edge-of-your-seat experiment in live television. Alex Honnold, the "Free Solo” guy, will free-climb Taipei 101 as it happens — no ropes, no resets, and no editing safety net.
The experience: Elle Duncan anchors the broadcast, but the real draw is the silence between moves, when it’s just Honnold, the building, and gravity. This isn’t a stunt; it’s a dare.
The special will be streamed worldwide on Netflix Friday night.
‘Star Search’ (Netflix)
Genre: Reality competition
Release date: Tuesday, Jan. 20 (9 p.m. ET)
Before Beyoncé was Beyoncé and Britney was Britney, there was "Star Search," the nerve-wracking talent show that turned unknowns into household names. Netflix is reviving the legendary franchise as a live, five-week event, complete with real-time viewer voting and the kind of stakes that can flip a career mid-performance.
The talent: Anthony Anderson hosts, with Jelly Roll, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Chrissy Teigen judging a wildly mixed field of singers, dancers, comedians, and kids’ acts.
The twist: Episodes stream live Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and this time, the loudest judge is you.
Stream "Star Search" episode 1 live on Netflix now
‘Kingdom’ (BBC America)
Genre: Nature docuseries
Release date: Saturday, Jan. 24 (8 p.m. ET)
Get ready to enter the wildest neighborhood in Africa. "Kingdom" follows four rival animal families — lions, leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs — as they battle for control of Nsefu, a lush paradise on the banks of Zambia’s Luangwa River.
The pedigree: Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, this six-part series spent nearly four years in the field capturing intimate, jaw-dropping moments.
The story: It’s a saga of survival, power plays and raising a family when everyone around you is out to claim your turf.
Episode 1 premieres Saturday on BBC America via Sling, Fubo or Philo.
New movies
'The Smashing Machine' (HBO Max)
Genre: Sports drama/biopic
Release date: Available now
Before the UFC was a global powerhouse, there was Mark Kerr, a titan of the Octagon fighting a private war against his own demons. Director Benny Safdie trades typical sports-movie triumphs for a chilly, uncompromising look at the man behind the "Smashing Machine" moniker, delivering a gritty character study that hits harder than any knockout.
The performance: Dwayne Johnson sheds his Rock persona for a bruised, inward turn as Kerr, starring alongside Emily Blunt as his sharp-witted partner, Dawn.
The vibe: It’s an observational anti-biopic that strips away the Hollywood gloss to reveal the raw, claustrophobic reality of MMA’s pioneer days.
You can stream "The Smashing Machine" now on HBO Max.
'Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere'
Genre: Musical biopic
Release date: Available now
Before he was filling stadiums with the E Street Band, Bruce Springsteen was alone in a bedroom with a four-track recorder and a mind full of ghosts. This intimate portrait bypasses the "Greatest Hits" formula to focus on the haunting creation of "Nebraska," the lo-fi masterpiece that redefined the Boss's career in the early '80s.
The lead: Jeremy Allen White captures the rock star's quiet intensity during a period defined by isolation, murder ballads and dead-end dreams.
The tone: More interested in psychological discomfort than stage lights, this is a moody slice of music history that favors grit over glamour.
You can stream "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" now on Hulu.
‘Eleanor the Great’ (Netflix)
Genre: Comedy/drama
Release date: Available now
Scarlett Johansson makes her directorial debut with a story about a woman who refuses to fade away quietly. When 94-year-old Eleanor Morgenstein leaves Florida for New York after a major loss, a "small" lie about her past becomes the catalyst for a messy, beautiful, and deeply human second act.
The dynamic: Legend June Squibb shines as the sharp-tongued Eleanor, whose life becomes entangled with a curious journalism student (Erin Kellyman) looking for a story.
The heart: What starts as a quirky comedy evolves into a profound exploration of Jewish identity, grief, and the unlikely friendships that help us survive.
You can stream "Eleanor the Great" now on Netflix.
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