From Only Murders in the Building to Emily in Paris, The Umbrella Academy, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and yes, even new guilty pleasure in Love is Blind: UK, there are a lot of high-profile TV shows streaming this August. Some, in fact, have already begun while others are coming later in the month. But there are a few lesser-known shows — hidden gems, if you will — that you might not want to miss out on either.
These shows — two streaming on Netflix and one on Apple TV+ — are poised to be exciting additions to their respective streaming service’s lineups, with one already gaining attention since it premiered earlier this month.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (2024)
Released August 1, 2024, on Netflix and developed for BBC Three, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a British series based on the Holly Jackson novel of the same name. Pip Fitz-Amobi (Wednesday’s Emma Myers) decides to investigate the past murder of a local high school student and the subsequent confession and suicide of her boyfriend. Unsatisfied with the job the police have done, Pip is convinced there’s more to the story. She decides to use the case for her EPQ (Extended Project Qualification), gaining school credit for her work.
With just six episodes in its first season, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is already receiving positive reviews. Chicago Sun-Times’ Richard Roeper calls it the “streaming equivalent of a page-turner you zip through while sitting on the porch or relaxing on the beach.” It has become one of the most popular shows on Netflix right now that no one saw coming.
This murder mystery with its twists, turns, and whodunit charm is a perfect end of summer watch. Note that it’s rated MA so you might want to preview before watching with older kids as there’s some violence, language, sex, and nudity.
Stream A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder on Netflix.
Kaos (2024)
Who can resist the charms of Jeff Goldblum? Add to that him playing a powerful yet insecure version of the Greek good Zeus and Kaos is, well, fully chaotic and fun. In this mythological dark comedy, Goldblum’s Zeus wakes up and notices a wrinkle on his forehead. Rather than realize this is a sign of aging, he arrogantly thinks it’s a sign of the end of times. He becomes increasingly paranoid, believing someone is out to get him. The story follows three humans who are connected by an ancient prophecy that uncover conspiracies involving the Greek gods as Zeus deals with his midlife crisis.
Also starring Janet McTeer (Ozark), Cliff Curtis (Fear the Walking Dead), and David Thewlis (Harry Potter franchise), Kaos is filmed in Spain, offering a beautiful backdrop for its story. Hailing from Charlie Covell, creator of the series adaptation of The End of the F***ing World, Kaos releases at the end of the month.
Stream Kaos on Netflix.
Bad Monkey (2024)
There’s a certain sarcastic charm that Vince Vaughn brings to every role he plays, and that’s no different in Bad Monkey. This black comedy-drama, developed in part by Ted Lasso’s Bill Lawrence, is set in Miami. Andrew Yancy (Vaughn) is a former police detective who gets himself in trouble and now works as a restaurant inspector.
He’s itching to get back into the world of crime, and when a tourist finds a severed arm and Andrew gets caught up in the investigation, he sees this as his opportunity. Solve the case and he might just impress his bosses to get back in their good graces.
As Andrew and his former partner and best friend Rogelio (John Ortiz) dig deeper, however, they realize there’s a lot more to this case. They uncover greed, corruption, and dangerous situations taking place within Florida and traveling all the way to the Bahamas. Bad Monkey also stars Michelle Monaghan as Bonnie, a woman in an abusive relationship with a secret past, and The Acolyte‘s Jodie Turner-Smith as Dragon Queen/Gracie, a mysterious woman who practices Obeah spell casting. Yes, there’s an actual cheeky monkey involved, too.
Stream Bad Monkey on Apple TV+.
