August has a ton in store for Netflix subscribers in the U.S., particularly if you’re a fan of thrillers (The Last House, The Whisper Man), insane documentaries (Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy), and Shane Gillis (Tires, season 3). But the streaming gods do like to tease us, so unfortunately, it’s not all available just yet. But what is available isn’t too shabby either, and I’ve got some new and new-to-Netflix shows you can binge all weekend long, below.
The lineup includes the dramatic conclusion of one of the world’s greatest literary works-turned-epic-series, Ricky Gervais’ love for felines manifested in animation, a grumpy doctor show prowling the Top 10, and my top pick this weekend, a palate cleanser you can literally drink.
4
One Hundred Years of Solitude (Part 2)
The beginning of the end of Macondo’s family saga
Netflix’s big-swing take on Gabriel García Márquez’s celebrated Nobel Prize-winning novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, wowed audiences when the Spanish-language epic’s first part landed on the streamer in 2024. It’s been a long wait for fans of the series, but part two arrived August 5—all seven glorious episodes and a feature-length finale to come on the 26th—to bring the story to its dramatic conclusion.
Broken up into two 50-year spans, part one tells the story of the first generations of the Buendía family and the founding of the fictional Colombian utopia of Macondo, the early years of plagues and hardships, and a brutal civil war. Part two’s concluding 50 years resumes after the armistice, but turns to the new threat of industrial exploitation and imperialism as the American banana company descends on the once-idyllic town, and the future of the Buendía family is threatened.
3
Alley Cats
Ricky Gervais’ feral, foul-mouthed strays pounce on Netflix
The quick, vulgar, and very British banter and stellar voice acting in this new animated Netflix series from Ricky Gervais are worth checking out on their own. Still, Alley Cats also has a soft spot that adds an unexpected layer. Created by Gervais, a well-known animal lover and advocate, the comedian voices Gus, a fat, ornery, and opinionated ginger feral cat who hangs out in a run-down house watching TV with his mates: Puke (David Earl, Brian and Charles), Ponce (Tom Basden, After Life), Kitten (Jo Hartley, This Is England), Fang (Andrew Brooke, PhoneShop), and Olive (Diane Morgan, Cunk on Earth).
Quiz
8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge
Emmy-nominated Netflix shows in 2026
Trivia challenge
From rom-coms to serial killers — how well do you know Netflix’s biggest
Emmy contenders of 2026?
DramaComedyTrue CrimeRomanceCast & Crew
Begin
In Nobody Wants This, what is the occupation of Adam Brody’s character Noah, which
creates tension with Kristen Bell’s podcast-hosting protagonist Joanne?
AA Catholic priestBA Reform rabbiCAn Orthodox cantorDA Buddhist monk
That’s right! Noah is a Reform rabbi, which sets up the central romantic
and cultural conflict of the series. The show drew from creator Erin Foster’s own real-life relationship
with her now-husband, who is also a rabbi.
Not quite — Noah is a Reform rabbi, not a priest or cantor. This
religious and cultural divide between him and Joanne’s secular world is the heart of the show’s romantic
tension, and it’s inspired by creator Erin Foster’s real life.
Continue
Black Rabbit, the thriller series starring Jude Law, is set primarily in which city?
ALondonBBerlinCNew York CityDParis
Correct! Black Rabbit unfolds in New York City, where Jude Law plays a
man drawn into the dangerous criminal world of his troubled brother. The urban setting adds a gritty,
noir atmosphere to the story.
Actually, Black Rabbit is set in New York City. Jude Law plays a man
entangled in his brother’s dangerous underworld dealings, and the New York backdrop gives the thriller
its tense, noir-soaked energy.
Continue
The Diplomat stars Keri Russell as U.S. Ambassador Kate Wyler. Which acclaimed
creator developed the series?
AShonda RhimesBDebora CahnCJenji KohanDMichelle King
Exactly right! Debora Cahn, a veteran writer from The West Wing and
Homeland, created The Diplomat. Her political drama background gave the show its sharp, witty dialogue
and credible insider-Washington atmosphere.
The correct answer is Debora Cahn. She’s a seasoned television writer
known for her work on The West Wing and Homeland, and she brought that same political intelligence and
sharp wit to The Diplomat.
Continue
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is part of Ryan Murphy’s Monster anthology franchise. Ed
Gein’s crimes took place primarily in which U.S. state?
AOhioBMinnesotaCWisconsinDIllinois
Correct! Ed Gein committed his horrifying crimes in Plainfield,
Wisconsin, in the 1950s. His case shocked the nation and inspired fictional killers like Hannibal
Lecter, Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs, and Norman Bates in Psycho.
The answer is Wisconsin. Ed Gein operated out of Plainfield, Wisconsin,
and his disturbing crimes in the 1950s became the real-life inspiration for iconic fictional villains
like Norman Bates and Buffalo Bill.
Continue
The Four Seasons, a limited series adapted from a classic 1981 film, stars which
actress as one of the lead characters navigating a friendship group’s summer getaways?
AJulia Louis-DreyfusBTina FeyCAmy PoehlerDMaya Rudolph
That’s right! Tina Fey stars in The Four Seasons, which she also
co-created and co-wrote. The series reimagines the 1981 Alan Alda film of the same name and follows
three couples whose longtime friendship is tested over a series of vacations.
It’s actually Tina Fey — and she didn’t just star in it, she also
co-created and co-wrote the series. The show is a modern reimagining of the beloved 1981 Alan Alda film
about three couples navigating friendship and change.
Continue
Love on the Spectrum, the Emmy-nominated Netflix series, originally premiered in
which country before becoming an international hit?
AUnited KingdomBCanadaCAustraliaDNew Zealand
Correct! Love on the Spectrum originated as an Australian series on the
ABC network before Netflix produced a U.S. version. The show follows autistic adults navigating the
world of dating and relationships with warmth and authenticity.
Love on the Spectrum actually originated in Australia, airing on the ABC
network there before Netflix brought it to global audiences and later produced a U.S. version. Its
compassionate portrayal of autistic adults dating made it a worldwide sensation.
Continue
Death by Lightning is a drama series about which U.S. president’s life and political
rise?
AAbraham LincolnBJames A. GarfieldCAndrew JacksonDUlysses S. Grant
That’s right! Death by Lightning chronicles the life of story of James
Garfield, reluctant 20th president of the United States, and his greatest admirer Charles Guiteau — the
man who would come to kill him.
The answer is James A. Garfield. The series dramatizes his election and
presidency, and how Charles Guiteau, a deluded admirer, who ended up shooting him, leading to Garfield’s
death.
Continue
Beef Season 2, the follow-up to the acclaimed Emmy-winning first season, was created
by which showrunner who also helmed the original?
ALulu WangBLee Sung JinCKogonadaDDaniel Kwan
Correct! Lee Sung Jin created and showran Beef, and returned for Season
2. The first season won multiple Emmys including Outstanding Limited Series, making the sophomore outing
one of the most anticipated returns of the year.
Lee Sung Jin is the creator and showrunner behind Beef. He helmed the
first season to extraordinary acclaim — it won multiple Emmys including Outstanding Limited Series — and
returned to helm the second season as well.
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Between scavenging for food, lazing about, and talking crap about life, death, and moronic humans, the gang gets a wrench thrown in their mundane routine when a lost kitten arrives, giving the gang something to care about for a change. Alley Cats is quick and hilarious (especially if you like dry, harsh British humor), and supremely bingeable, with each of season one’s six episodes clocking in at roughly 17 minutes.
Alley Cats
Release Date
August 7, 2026
Directors
Ricky Gervais, Elliot Dear
Writers
Ricky Gervais
2
Best Medicine
Josh Charles’ charming fish-out-of-water doctor dramedy
I’ve been a fan of actor Josh Charles since he carpe’d the heck out of the diem in Dead Poets Society back in old ’89. Since then, he’s built a broad base of character roles, most notably as lawyer Will Gardner on The Good Wife and as creepy Gilead Commander Gabriel Wharton on The Handmaid’s Tale. Charles’ latest role is a perfect fit, too, as he takes on hotshot surgeon Dr. Martin Best in the hit Fox series Best Medicine, which has just arrived for streaming on Netflix.
Based on the super-popular British dramedy Doc Martin that ran from 2004 to 2022 in the UK, the series follows Best, who gives up the fast pace of Boston’s operating rooms to be the only GP in the small town of Port Wenn, Maine. As a family doctor, his bedside manner is terrible; he’s got a big-city chip on his shoulder and no sense of humor, but eventually he warms to the locals, which includes schoolteacher Louisa (Abigail Spencer, Rectify), lobsterwoman Joan (Ghostbusters‘ Annie Potts), and sheriff Mark Mylow (Josh Segarra, The Other Two). All 13 episodes are now streaming.
Best Medicine
Release Date
January 6, 2026
Network
FOX
Directors
Jaime Eliezer Karas, Jamie Babbit
1
The Cocktail Lab
Learn how to channel your inner Tom Cruise this weekend
My top pick should vastly improve your weekend and quench your thirst for knowledge. From the prestigious folks at America’s Test Kitchen, public television’s cooking institution, The Cocktail Lab is perhaps the most useful suggestion on this list. With 10 crushable, 10-minute tutorial episodes you can cherry-pick from or just power through, host Joe Gitter—a senior editor at ATK—unpacks some of the world’s tastiest and most refreshing cocktails and shows you how to master them.
From the difference between a martini that’s shaken and one that’s stirred and why the daiquiri is the drink all bartenders should know how to make, to why the classics are so popular, Gitter’s videos are clean, quick, and easy to follow. There’s even an episode on zero-proof drinks for those who don’t imbibe. Equal parts happy hour and chemistry lesson, it’s a binge you’ll actually learn something from.
Operating System
Fire OS
Resolution
4K
Pour yourself something new this weekend
“New to Netflix” doesn’t always mean brand new, but there are a bunch of fresh TV titles on this weekend’s list to choose from. If you’re into documentaries, though, we have suggestions for that, too. Or if you want a more holistic overview across several streamers, we do nothing but scour them all to bring them to you.
Subscription with ads
Yes, $8/month
Simultaneous streams
Two or four
Live TV
No
Price
Starting at $8/month