Netflix: new shows & films streaming this week

Your guide to the best new titles to stream from 12 to 18 August 2024 on Netflix.
Emily in Paris. (L to R) Ashley Park as Mindy, Lily Collins as Emily in Emily in Paris. Image: Stephanie Branchu/ Netflix.

Netflix: new this week

Worst Ex Ever (14 August)

Series. From chilling betrayals to murder plots, this true-crime docuseries dissects the dark side of love through eyewitness testimonies.

Emily in Paris â€“ Season 4 Part 1 (15 August)

Emily in Paris. (L to R) Lucien Laviscount as Alfie, Lily Collins as Emily in Emily in Paris. Cr. Stephanie Branchu/ Netflix © 2024
Emily in Paris. Image: Stephanie Branchu/ Netflix.

Emily’s life in Paris may have beaucoup drama, but she’s ready to make bold choices to get everything she wants from the city – and man – of her dreams. Starring Lily Collins, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu and Ashley Park.

The Union (16 August)

The Union. Image: Netflix.
The Union. Image: Netflix.

Film (2024). A New Jersey construction worker goes from regular guy to aspiring spy when his long-lost high school sweetheart recruits him for a high-stakes espionage mission. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Halle Berry and JK Simmons.

Netflix: recently added

Love Is Blind: UK (7 August)

Reality series. Emma and Matt Willis host a social experiment where British singles look for love and get engaged before meeting in person. But who will say I do?

Secret World Of Sound With David Attenborough (7 August)

Series. Advanced audio technology captures the sound of nature like you’ve never heard it before, in this riveting documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

The Umbrella Academy â€“ Season 4 (8 August)

The Umbrella Academy returns. Image: Netflix.
The Umbrella Academy returns. Image: Netflix.

The Hargreeves siblings have scattered after the climactic showdown at the Hotel Oblivion led to a complete reset of their timeline. Stripped of their powers, each is left to fend for themselves and find a new normal – with wildly varying degrees of success. Yet the trappings of their uncanny new world prove too hard to ignore for very long. Their father Reginald, alive and well, has stepped out of the shadows and into the public eye, overseeing a powerful and nefarious business empire. Starring Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda and Emmy Raver-Lampman.

Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (2 August)

Film (2024). When Bikini Bottom is scooped from the ocean, scientific squirrel Sandy Cheeks and her pal SpongeBob SquarePants saddle up for Texas to save their town. Animated feature starring Kaz, Tom Stern and Stephen Hillenburg.

Joe Rogan: Burn the Boats (3 August)

Special. Renowned comedian and podcast host Joe Rogan delivers a live stand-up set at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, Texas, for his third Netflix special.

The Decameron (25 July)

The Decameron. Image: Netflix.
The Decameron. Image: Netflix.

Series. As the bubonic plague spreads through Italy, a group of nobles and servants retreat to a villa, where their lavish getaway quickly spirals into chaos. Starring Amar Chadha-Patel, Leila Farzad and Lou Gala.

From ScreenHub:

The Decameron is Netflix’s take on a centuries-old Italian text by Giovanni Boccaccio, which encompasses 100 stories told by people lodging in a villa to escape the Black Plague. Created by Kathleen Jordan and executively produced by Orange is the New Black‘s Jenji Kohan, this version follows a group of colourful characters from their arrival the fictional Villa Santa in Tuscany, where they wait out the dreaded plague with wine, sex, games and feasts.

The Decameron is a gorgeous show, with the Tuscan sets and scenery nearly rivalling the costumes in every way – and the best thing is that it’s not just a pretty face; its good looks are backed up soundly by hilarious, sharp writing and satisfying character arcs that won’t leave you wanting.

The show is also incredibly sexy, and unlike another certain multimillion-dollar series that also borrows heavily from medieval tales, the sex depicted here is far more consenting, enjoyable, non-incestuous, and frequently queer. Huzzah!

The Decameron, Netflix review: sexy, suave satire

Paul Dalgarno is author of the novels A Country of Eternal Light (2023) and Poly (2020); the memoir And You May Find Yourself (2015); and the creative non-fiction book Prudish Nation (2023). He was formerly Deputy Editor of The Conversation and joined ScreenHub as Managing Editor in 2022. X: @pauldalgarno. Insta: @dalgarnowrites