Last week’s streaming list was the definition of jam-packed. Not only did we see new arrivals on almost every major streamer, but we extended our usual seven entries to eight, such was the quality of small screen offerings available to subscribers.
Well, we’ve done the same again this weekend, as new TV shows on Hulu and Paramount Plus – Atlanta and Halo, specifically – nestle their way in alongside additions to usual suspects Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus and HBO Max.
Below, then, we’ve rounded up eight of the biggest new movies and TV shows available to watch on streaming services this March weekend.
And yes, Bridgerton is back. Don’t freak out.
Bridgerton season 2
Indisputably the highest-profile arrival this weekend is Bridgerton season 2, which comes to Netflix more than a year after the show’s internet-breaking debut.
Before Squid Game came along and blew every viewership record out of the water, Shonda Rhimes’ Regency-era drama ranked as the biggest TV series in the streamer’s history, and while breakout star Regé-Jean Page doesn’t return for its new episodes, we expect season 2 to prove similarly popular among, well, everyone.
Bridgerton’s latest instalment places the spotlight on the eldest Bridgerton brother, Lord Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), as he embarks on a quest to find a bride. Sex Education’s Simone Ashley joins the show’s cast as a potential match, Kate – but as we’ve come to expect from Bridgerton’s steamy style, their romance is far from guaranteed.
Now available to stream on Netflix.
Halo (Paramount Plus)
If not for Bridgerton, Paramount Plus’ highly-anticipated Halo TV show would have surely sat atop this week’s list of streaming arrivals.
A nine-episode adaptation of the acclaimed video game series, this big-budget adventure follows the exploits of Master Chief, a cybernetically enhanced super-soldier tasked with defending humanity from alien baddies the Covenant in the 26th century.
Halo will undoubtedly prove an enjoyable, CGI-filled romp for many sci-fi fans, though judging by the show’s first few episodes, we at TechRadar think it has an identity problem (check out our roundup of other Halo reviews before watching, too). UK viewers will have to wait until later in 2022 to catch this one on Sky and Now TV.
Now available to stream on Paramount Plus in the US.
Atlanta season 3 (Hulu)
Four years after its second season, Donald Glover’s acclaimed comedy, Atlanta, returns to Hulu in the US for its long-awaited third outing.
Rather than taking viewers back to the titular city, though, new episodes will, for the first time, follow Earn (Glover), Darius (LaKeith Stanfield) and Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry) as they make their way through various European locales. We don’t expect any less music-filled mayhem, mind.
The first two episodes of Atlanta season 3 are available to stream now, with the remaining eight set to arrive on a weekly basis every Friday (a day after airing on FX). UK viewers will find them (eventually) in Disney Plus’ Star library, but we don’t know when just yet.
Now available to stream on Hulu in the US.
Pachinko (Apple TV Plus)
Billed as Apple’s first tri-lingual original series (featuring dialogue in English, Korean and Japanese), Pachinko tells the sweeping, multigenerational tale of a Korean family that emigrates to Japan.
Adapted from the 2017 novel of the same name by Min Jin Lee, this eight-episode show stars Minari’s Oscar-winning Youn Yuh-jung, Devs’ Jin Ha and Korean megastar Lee Min-ho. If you’re familiar with South Korean cinema, that’s some call sheet.
As such, we reckon Pachinko could prove a breakout hit of 2022 – especially after the critical success of recent Apple TV Plus projects Swan Song, Severance and WeCrashed. The series’ first three episodes are available to stream now, with the remaining five coming every Friday.
Now available to stream on Apple TV Plus.
One Perfect Shot (HBO Max)
Film buffs, listen up: One Perfect Shot is the factual feature for you.
From filmmaker Ava DuVernay – who helmed one of the best Netflix documentaries, 13th – this six-episode docuseries series (which was inspired by the Twitter account of the same name) sees acclaimed movie directors discussing their most iconic shots.
Each episode is dedicated to a single filmmaker, with entries focusing on the likes of Michael Mann, Patty Jenkins and Aaron Sorkin. All six episodes are available to stream now on HBO Max, though we’re not yet certain when or where UK viewers will get to enjoy them.
Now available to stream on HBO Max in the US.
No Woman No Try (Prime Video)
One Perfect Shot (above) may read like a basketball documentary, but there’s no mistaking the sporty subject of Prime Video’s No Woman No Try.
A behind-closed-doors look at the current status of gender, ethnicity and sexual equality in women’s rugby, this important feature was inspired by the global #IAmEnough movement (initiated in 2020 by the documentary’s director, Victoria Rush) and poses the question: how do you defeat the opposition when they’re not on the field?
No Woman No Try features insight from professional rugby players, women’s sports advocates and their male allies, and ultimately aims to highlight the obstacles women face in order to succeed in an already tough sport.
Now available to stream on Prime Video.
Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u (Disney Plus)
We’ll admit: a documentary charting the creative process of singer Olivia Rodrigo isn’t the most exciting of new Disney Plus shows.
Having said that, Rodrigo’s legions of fans – and we’re talking millions here – will inevitably be interested in learning how the star’s record-breaking debut album, Sour, came together.
As well as exploring Rodrigo’s songwriting inspirations, though, driving home 2 u also features new arrangements of the singer’s most popular tracks, and offers a more personal look at one of the music industry’s biggest rising stars.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus.
The 94th Academy Awards (Hulu + Live TV, Sky Go, Now TV)
Still the biggest date in the Hollywood movie calendar, the Academy Awards return to Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre this Sunday (or Monday morning, if you’re in the UK).
We’ve already noted what the 2022 BAFTA results tell us about the Oscars race, but this year’s Oscar nominees are a varied (and therefore unpredictable) bunch. By most accounts, though, The Power of the Dog, CODA and Belfast are the trio of films vying for Best Picture (our guess is a first win for Netflix).
Those in the US can tune into the 94th Academy Awards via Hulu’s Live TV subscription plan, or cash in on the free trial currently being offered by FuboTV. UK viewers will find the ceremony streaming on Sky Go and Now TV via the Sky Movies channel.
Available to stream from Sunday on various streaming platforms.