Each week brings new premieres alongside beloved staples, and the schedule can feel overwhelming. This section offers five thoughtful picks designed to satisfy a broad range of tastes without risking a miss.
2. “Last Call: Queer New York’s Serial Killer” (HBO Max, Monday)
This four‑part documentary revisits the infamous serial killer case that unsettled New York’s queer community in the early 1990s. The producers, Howard Gertler and Anthony Carona, shift focus away from the perpetrator and toward the victims and the activists who pressed for greater police involvement. The result is a compassionate, context-rich examination of a dark chapter in the city’s history, offering accountability, understanding, and a broader conversation about community resilience.
3. “Punishment” (Movie, Tuesday)
Anchored in sharp humor and keen social observation, this promising anthology draws from the German writer Ferdinand von Schirach’s long fascination with courtroom drama. Directors such as Oliver Hirschbiegel open the collection with the morally knotty tale “The Diver,” while David Wnendt frames a gripping patricide story in “A Radiant Day.” The collection as a whole invites reflection on guilt, justice, and the human capacity for mercy and consequence.
4. “Closed Circle” (HBO Max, Thursday)
From the mind of Steven Soderbergh, who returns to serialized storytelling five years after an experimental mosaic project, this drama unravels the consequences of a failed kidnapping that binds people from different walks of life. As Ed Solomon’s screenplay weaves together disparate destinies, the series delivers a sweeping thriller exploring class, geography, and the contingency of chance. The ensemble features familiar faces who deepen the tension, crafting a modern meditation on how disparate lives collide under pressure.
5. “Foundation (Season 2)” (Apple TV+, Friday)
Adapted from Isaac Asimov’s acclaimed saga, the second season advances visuals and ambition. David S. Goyer continues to steer the adaptation, propelling the narrative hundreds of years into the future where political intrigue, psychic powers, and grand space politics intersect. Gaal and her team navigate power struggles as new threats emerge and loyalties are tested. The show remains Apple TV+’s most visually daring and conceptually expansive offering, inviting viewers to linger on every frame and every strategic move.
6. “Zorras” (Atresplayer Premium, Sunday)
Building on the trail blazed by earlier titles, this provocative drama centers on three friends whose bond becomes a vehicle for exploring sexuality, identity, and personal freedom. The series, rooted in Noemi Casquet’s work, follows their journey as they form a close-knit community that challenges societal norms and champions body positivity. Co‑director Aritz Moreno delivers a controlled, kinetic visual style that keeps the storytelling intimate while maintaining a bold, provocative edge. The result is a candid, character-driven portrait of friendship, fear, and self-acceptance that resonates beyond the screen.
Across these selections, contemporary cinema and television weave together threads of intimate portraits, chronicling communities navigating trauma, justice, love, and rebellion; galaxy-spanning epics; and fearless storytelling that invites dialogue. Viewers can expect serialized tension, sharp humor, and character-driven drama, all presented with modern production values and a global sensibility. The lineup satisfies not just entertainment cravings but curiosity about how media shapes memory, identity, and belonging. Each title offers a distinct lens on human experience, inviting audiences to reflect on the stories they choose to tell and the conversations those stories spark. In this way, the assortment becomes both entertainment and a catalyst for broader cultural dialogue. This approach helps ensure that even a busy viewer can find compelling reasons to tune in, week after week, without sacrificing quality or relevance.