Weekend Watchlist: One New Show to Watch and the Best New Movies Streaming Now

This Valentine's Day weekend (Feb. 14–16 ET) brings a lively crop of new streaming fare. Whether you want a crowd-pleasing musical drama, a sci-fi underdog tale, or a serialized binge, there’s a solid new show to watch and plenty of films to queue up. Here are the highlights you shouldn’t miss over the next few days.

Top films to add to your queue

Streaming catalogs have opened up a range of new releases and recent theatrical titles. Standouts span genres and moods, offering rom-com warmth, offbeat comedy and big-idea sci-fi.

• Character-driven biography: Ethan Hawke delivers an acclaimed turn as lyricist Lorenz Hart in a lively character study set around the 1943 afterparty for Oklahoma!. The story mines nostalgia and complication as Hart wrestles with sobriety and obsession, supported by a notable ensemble.
• Political dramedy: A seasoned director returns with a warmhearted political tale about an idealistic lieutenant governor thrust into the spotlight. Expect family friction, scandal and gentle satire that favors empathy over cynicism.
• Afterlife rom-com twist: A quirky love triangle unfolds when a man arrives in the afterlife and waits for his long-married wife—only to discover she’s been reunited with her first husband. The cast balances bittersweet humor with tender reflection on love and time.
• Expanded comic universe entry: A brash, road-trip comedy-drama centers on an irreverent 82-year-old former hustler who embarks on a cross-country trip with his grandson. The film mixes rough-and-tumble humor with moments of genuine heart and a look at Black history.
• Predator origin adventure: A fresh Predator-centered tale flips the script into an underdog story. Dek, the runt of an alien clan, seeks glory on a deadly world and forms an unlikely bond with an android, setting up a cliffhanger that leaves the door wide open for more.
• Chess documentary: For fans of intelligent, character-led nonfiction, a documentary spotlights a prodigious Hungarian player who challenged the male-dominated chess world and faced legendary opponents in defining matches.
• Faith-tinged rom-com: A morning-show producer contends with a workplace comeback from her unfaithful ex as they both vie for promotion—an opposites-attract pairing that wraps romance around a lightly spiritual core.
• Musical biopic: A sentimental true-life drama features standout performances from leads who form a tribute act inspired by a music icon’s songs, a role that has already drawn awards attention.

One new show to watch this weekend

If you need a single recommendation, start with a historical adventure series that returned this week with a complete second season premiere (Tuesday, ET). Built as a spiritual sequel to a classic 19th-century story, the series blends street-level crime, period detail and high-stakes drama. The new season expands the scope with sharper production design, larger set pieces and a cast that includes several familiar faces from stage and screen.

Created by a trio of writers, the series leans into period-accurate costumes and sets while delivering brisk, character-driven plotting. If you enjoyed serialized period drama with a focus on heists, moral ambiguity and lively ensemble performances, this season is built for bingeing over the long weekend.

Also worth noting for serialized drama fans: a crime thriller’s second season released its first three episodes this week, with additional installments planned weekly through March 18 (Wednesdays, ET). That schedule makes it easy to sample the new season and decide if it belongs on your regular rotation.

From intimate indie character pieces to blockbuster sci-fi and a must-see serialized drama, this weekend’s slate offers an embarrassment of riches. Queue the film that matches your mood and set aside at least one evening to dive into that new show to watch—you’ll have something to talk about when the week starts again.