If there isn’t a plan for this week, streaming platforms can solve that problem. But if you want to skip shows with countless seasons or long episodes, here are three options. HBO Max. A dependable pick for some light, enjoyable entertainment.
1. ‘Someone, Somewhere’
Bridget Everett, known for her bold New York cabaret work and films like Mommy’s Spree, leads this eight-episode series that clocks in at under half an hour per installment. It explores grief and the journey after losing a loved one with a sharp, compassionate touch. The show journeys back to roots and preserves the actress’s signature humor. The protagonist, Sam, returns to her hometown, Manhattan, Kansas, where she has always felt out of place. A former high school classmate, played by Jeff Hiller, helps her savor life’s small joys alongside other members of the queer community while also bringing family tensions into focus.
2. ‘Mare of Easttown’
Kate Winslet delivers a standout performance in this meticulously crafted miniseries. She plays a small-town Pennsylvania detective, a divorced mother who investigates a murder while trying to protect her own fragile balance. Balancing her duties as a mother, a grandmother, and a community figure, she navigates complex social dynamics. Her deep knowledge of the town opens doors to surprising connections, yet each step pulls her deeper into personal crossroads that test her resilience and judgment.
3. ‘Open Wounds’
This eight-part mini-series packs a punch. Adapted from a brilliant Gillian Flynn novel, it follows a journalist returning to her Missouri hometown to cover a string of teenage murders. The atmosphere at her mother’s house—filled with a stepfather and stepbrother—exposes buried traumas she thought she’d left behind. The suspense tightens as past and present collide, forcing the protagonist to confront memories she’d rather leave untouched.