As Covid variants, forest fires, and political scandals continue to ravage the globe, there’s at least one reason to be thankful for August’s arrival. A new month means a fresh lineup of Netflix binges to distract us from life’s uncertainties. Whether you’re in the mood for a throwback, the next season of your summer fave, or something completely new, the popular streaming service has you covered.
Here are some of the best TV shows you can binge this month on Netflix.
Outer Banks (Season 2)
The Pogues are back—and it didn’t take long for them to reclaim the #1 spot on Netflix after their second season dropped on July 30th. Die-hard fans will not be disappointed by season two, which follows John B and Sarah all the way to the Bahamas as they try to steal back the gold that Sarah’s father took from them. The ten new episodes continue the Outer Banks tradition of being a heart-pounding adventure from start to finish and also introduce new characters, fresh twists, and a few jaw-droppers that will leave you begging for season three.
Never Have I Ever (Season 2)
Season two of Mindy Kaling’s comedy about Indian-American teenager Devi Vishwakumar finds Devi navigating the possibility of being in a relationship with both brainy Ben and sexy Paxton—until a pretty new Indian girl rolls into town and threatens to upend her entire plan. Inspired by Kaling’s actual childhood, Never Have I Ever is as funny as it is heartwarming thanks to its witty writing and diverse, talented cast. If you have yet to discover this delightful show, you can binge both seasons now!
Explained (Season 3)
This documentary series from Joe Posner and Ezra Klein explores some of today’s most-discussed topics, including the racial wealth gap, K-Pop, cryptocurrency, and the world’s water crisis. Season three has arrived as of July 16th, with new episodes dropping on Netflix every Friday. Whether you’re interested in learning more about pirates, diamonds, coding, or what the next pandemic might be, Explained has something for everyone.
Top Secret UFO Projects: Declassified (Season 1)
If you’re a believer in life on other planets, then Top Secret UFO Projects: Declassified is the binge for you. This docuseries from Petr Vachler attempts to answer the question of whether or not the U.S. government has been honest about the existence of extraterrestrial life on Earth. Using “real” footage and interviews with experts in the field, the series argues that an alien presence on Earth is not just likely, but certain, and that conversations about UFOs and other unexplained phenomena are about to become a lot more commonplace. Do aliens actually walk among us? Binge it now and find out.
Car Masters: Rust To Riches (Season 3)
In this reality show that began in 2018, a group of creative mechanics, engineers, and engine experts at Gotham Garage use an “upgrade trade” model to restore beat-up vehicles, flip them, and sell them for six figures. Season three finds the garage facing some of its craziest challenges yet, including a hot tub car (featured in the trailer above—it has to be seen to be believed). If you’re tired of watching people and houses have all the makeover fun, check out Car Masters: Rust to Riches and the works of art produced by this talented crew.
Cooking With Paris (Season 1)
Move over, Food Network. Paris Hilton is picking up her butcher’s knife and cutting a potato, hopefully without dropping too many rhinestones. Cooking with Paris might be a legitimate cooking show or it might be a hot mess—it’s too soon to tell. Either way, it will follow the TV personality as she tries (and probably fails) to cook simple meals like roast chicken and macaroni and cheese. It will also feature guest appearances by celebrities like Kim Kardashian West, Nikki Glaser, and Demi Lovato. In Paris’s own words, “That’s hot. Literally.”
Hit & Run (Season 1)
Year two of our global pandemic has given us plenty to worry about in recent days. Thankfully, Hit & Run will give us a chance to slip into someone else’s drama for a while. It follows the story of Segev Azulay, a happily married man whose wife is killed in a sudden hit-and-run accident. As he works to uncover the mystery behind what happened, he finds that he may not have known his wife as well as he thought he did. The show also stars Kaelen Ohm and Sanaa Lathan and drops on Netflix on August 6th.
Bake Squad (Season 1)
In this reality-TV game show, Christina Tosi, the founder of Milk Bar, has assembled a squad of expert bakers who will face-off in confectionary challenges to see whose dessert will win over high-end clients. With titles like “Champ of Chocolate” and “Pastry Illusionist,” it’s clear that these bakers will be whipping up visual feasts for both the show’s clients and viewers alike. We’ll still have to imagine how good the sweets taste, though. Bake Squad arrives on Netflix on August 11th.
Brand New Cherry Flavor (Limited Series)
There’s no other way to say it: Brand New Cherry Flavor looks disturbing AF. It follows an aspiring filmmaker through 1990s Los Angeles as she seeks to enact supernatural revenge on a seedy producer who has wronged her. If you sprinkle True Blood, The Craft, and Under the Silver Lake into a cauldron and stir, this is pretty much the resulting brew. As if the premise isn’t freaky enough, the show premieres on Friday, August 13th. We have no idea what the title means, but we’re confident that this show will be haunting our dreams well past Halloween.
Gone For Good (Limited Series)
Netflix has proven over the years that it’s a big fan of Harlan Coben. If you’ve ever seen The Stranger, Safe, or The Five, then you know that he’s particularly good at constructing layered, edge-of-your-seat thrillers. It looks like the same is true of Gone for Good, a French adaptation of his novel with English audio and subtitles available for American audiences. The show follows Guillame, a man trying to move on from a terrible tragedy who is plunged back into despair when his girlfriend suddenly vanishes. The limited series is available August 13th in an easily digestible five episodes.
The Chair (Season 1)
After spending three seasons playing cat-and-mouse with Villanelle on Killing Eve, Sandra Oh is about to flex her funny bone in The Chair, a new dark comedy from Amanda Peet and Annie Wyman. The show centers on a failing English department and the first woman of color they hire to fix their scandalous problems. Addressing contemporary issues like sexism and racial discrimination in the workplace, The Chair also stars Jay Duplass, David Morse, and Holland Taylor with Game of Thrones’ David Benioff and D.B. Weiss executive producing. It slides onto Netflix on August 20th.
Clickbait (Season 1)
Father. Husband. Brother. Friend. Liar? Nick Brewer might be more of a mystery than his loved ones realize, especially when he’s abducted and thrust into a twisted online crime that threatens to result in a very public death. More than just your run-of-the-mill suspense story, Clickbait is an Australian-American mini-series that aims to present a variety of stories that showcase how social media affects our modern-day impulses. Adrian Grenier’s Nick is the first character we’ll be meeting in this collection and we’ll learn more about his dangerous fate when Clickbait premieres on August 25th.
Motel Makeover (Season 1)
You’ve seen houses get flipped and sunsets get sold, but have you ever seen a motel get a makeover? Now you can with season one of Motel Makeover, which arrives on Netflix on August 25th. In this new reality show, best friends and business partners April Brown and Sarah Sklash come together to revamp a rundown motel and turn it into a beachside paradise. With all kinds of obstacles in their way—including the Covid-19 pandemic⏤it looks like these talented ladies have their work cut out for them.
30 Rock (Seasons 1-7)
If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted throwback this month, you’re in luck. Created by and starring Tina Fey, 30 Rock is an award-winning comedy that follows Liz Lemon as she navigates her chaotic job writing for a sketch comedy show while trying to keep her personal life from spontaneously combusting. The hilarious ensemble includes Alec Baldwin, Jane Krakowski, and Tracy Morgan and is guaranteed to lighten up these darkening Covid days. All seven seasons are now available to stream.
Friday Night Lights (Seasons 1-5)
With fall right around the corner, it’s never too early to get into the football spirit. Friday Night Lights follows head coach Eric Taylor as he leads the Dillon Panthers through life’s challenges both on and off the field. Kyle Chandler won an Emmy for his role as Taylor, and Connie Britton, who plays his wife Tami, is a four-time Emmy nominee herself. Will the Panthers win the state championship? Find out now on Netflix, where all five seasons are available to stream.