13 of the Best Things to Stream in July 2022

Are we in for a sleepy summer, or a summer of sleeper hits? If you’re a loyal fan of silly favorites like Bob’s Burgers (July 12) and What We Do in the Shadows (July 13) , then you can get your fill on Hulu. If you’re looking for modern, wholesome movies, then you should turn to Amazon Prime Video for Don’t Make Me Go (July 15) and Anything’s Possible (July 22). And anyone looking for more of a blockbuster feel will be looking forward to Netflix’s release of spy thriller The Gray Man (July 22). Next month, every platform looks like it’ll have a little something for everyone.

Here are all of the best movies, series premieres, or new seasons of returning favorites that will be available to stream in July. Titles arranged chronologically by premiere date.

The second volume of Stranger Things 4 looks like it’s going to continue heading in an increasingly dark, high-stakes direction. The Duffer Brothers even teased a much “darker” finale:

“I don’t really want to say, but I would be concerned about the characters going into Volume 2, for sure,” Ross Duffer said. “I hope that that is sort of the sense, because it is a darker season and the kids are no longer kids. And there’s sort of an ominous feeling that things might not go well. Now, whether they do or not, you’ll have to watch.”

If nothing else, the success of Stranger Things sure is helping Netflix stay afloat right now.

Lana Condor was perfect for the feel-good To All The Boys... franchise, and I can’t wait to see her star in what seems to be a slightly raunchier teen comedy. Condor plays Erika Vu, a wallflower ready to close out high school by finally making herself known at the big party with all the popular kids. There’s not a whole lot new about that set-up—until Condor wakes up to discover she is now a supernatural ghost. Antics ensue, I’m sure.

What a romp. I highly recommend showing up for the Belchers on the big screen, if you can. But if you miss out on The Bob’s Burgers Movie in theaters, Hulu has got you covered on July 12.

While the movie should appeal primarily to devoted fans of the Bob’s Burgers TV show, it’s still a delightful film for the uninitiated. Here’s a general overview of what goes down:

Bob and Linda find out they have seven days to repay a bank loan they can’t afford. On the same day, a massive sinkhole opens in front of their restaurant, which you could say negatively impacts business. At school, Tina obsesses over turning Jimmy Jr. (also Benjamin) into her summer boyfriend; Gene keeps trying to get his band, The Itty Bitty Ditty Committee, off the ground; and Louise struggles with self-esteem when she’s called a baby by the older girls. Most of the characters are dealing with doubt to some degree—over the business, over a boy, over art, over maturity. The writers of “Bob’s Burgers” have often been able to thread relatable, emotional issues through their often-broad, goofy, Broadway musical-inspired scripts in a way that can sneak up on you.

Many fans (myself included) will admit that this movie leans more wholesome than it does laugh-out-loud funny. Personally, I’m OK with prioritizing heart over getting laughs. The Bob’s Burger Movie is a rewarding emotional experience for longtime fans of the show.

It’s simple, really. You play classic Boney M. disco jam “Rasputin” in your teaser trailer, and I’m going to watch your show.

If you’re not already a fan of the mockumentary following this troupe of Staten Island vampires, you have about two weeks to get caught up on the first three seasons of What We Do In The Shadows. The season four trailer suggests that fans are in for the most absurd episodes yet, which is no small feat for a show that thrives on being so silly, horny, violent, and, at times, incredibly heartfelt.

Like my colleague Linda Codega writes for Gizmodo, I’m not getting my hopes up too high for a Nandermo kiss this season, but “maybe this is laying the groundwork for Nandor to realize that the love of his after life has been by his side for ten years.” Fingers crossed. Even though that cross is insensitive to my vampire friends.

This new series, based on the hit apocalyptic horror franchise, is already controversial. Existing “Resident Evil” fans are divided in the lead up to the show’s premiere, with most of criticism mounting around the show’s decision to take the story in new directions (rather than retelling stories and exploring characters people already know and love from the games).

The official description for Resident Evil: “Year 2036—14 years after a deadly virus caused a global apocalypse, Jade Wesker fights for survival in a world overrun by the blood-thirsty infected and insane creatures. In this absolute carnage, Jade (Ella Balinska; Tamara Smart plays the character at a younger age) is haunted by her past in New Raccoon City, by her father’s (Lance Reddick) chilling connections to the Umbrella Corporation but mostly by what happened to her sister, Billie (Adeline Rudolph and Siena Agudong.)”

Even though many have made up their minds already, I’m sure fans of the game will take to Reddit to let us know how the Netflix show pans out.

Terminal illness, roadtrip scenery, and complicated father-daughter relationships. Let’s get ready to weep, people.

John Cho stars as a single father with a serious medical condition who chooses to take his teenage daughter Wally (Mia Isaac) on one last road trip to cram in as many good memories together before he runs out of time. Prime Video describes it as “a wholly original, emotional and surprising journey, Don’t Make Me Go explores the unbreakable, eternal bond between a father and daughter from both sides of the generational divide with heart and humor along for the ride.”

Whether or not I enjoy the story, I’m looking forward to having a good sob.

I find Nathan Fielder to be a mastermind. Little information has been released about this new series from the star of Nathan For You and executive producer of How To With John Wilson. All I know is that the teaser sees Fielder observing camera footage of a woman who is trying to get a young child to go to sleep, and the show’s description begs the question: “When a single misstep could shatter your entire world, why leave life to chance?

At the very least, The Rehearsal marks Fielder’s on-screen return to television, following the 2017 conclusion of Nathan for You.

I trust Issa Rae with my life. This new comedy from the Insecure creator follows two estranged friends from high school who reunite to make it as Miami rappers. Rae confirmed in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar that RAP SH!T was born from her original Insecure script:

“I think this is just such a unique time in hip-hop, especially when it comes to female rappers, because there’s such an abundance, and it doesn’t feel like they’re all in competition with each other.” Instead of pitting two strong women against each other, I’m excited to follow two aspiring stars make it in the music industry.

Prime Video bills Anything’s Possible as a “delightfully modern coming-of-age story” that follows a teenage transgender girl and a cute boy falling love at school. Directed by Billy Porter (of Pose fame), the trailer promises nuanced and much-needed representation of a high school love story for a trans girl. It looks like it won’t shy away from the potential for pain the burgeoning relationship might cause—but what kind of young love doesn’t come with pain?

Can a big summer blockbuster successfully translate to streaming services, or is the hope dead on arrival? The loyal theater-goer in me says that an epic car chase will never feel the same on a laptop screen, but if there’s a movie that will put my skepticism to the test, it looks like it’ll be The Gray Man.

The spy thriller is the most expensive Netflix film to date, with the stars of the film calling it the “biggest action movie” they’ve ever seen. Ryan Gosling stars as the titular Gray Man alongside Chris Evans and Ana de Armas. With the Russo Brothers directing, my hope is that this movie will scratch the same itch that usually drives me to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And with The Gray Man following CIA mercenaries instead of superheroes, this flick feels...smarter, somehow? More high brow? Marvel fans can fight me in the comments. No matter what, it’s an excuse to throw back some extra buttery popcorn.

OG High School Musical star Corbin Bleu makes his debut on the third season of High School Music: The Musical: The Series. The trailer reveals that this summer, our crew is putting on a production of Frozen. It takes place at camp. It looks like it’s going to be camp.

I’m not going to be able to sell newcomers on this show. For existing fans: New episodes will drop weekly starting July 27.

Every streaming service needs a foul-mouthed adult animated series, and Harley Quinn is one of the best iterations of that genre (and of the Harley Quinn story) to date. Since getting dumped by the Joker, she’s teamed up with fellow villainess Poison Ivy. The results are choatic, violent, and wildly over-the-top, but make no mistake—the jokes are still clever and twisted.

And now, with the series premiere of Paper Girls, we close out on a note of ambiguity and anticipation. As is tradition, I now turn to Lifehacker Deputy Editor Joel Cunningham to describe a show he has a much better handle on than myself; Joel writes, “It’s easy to see the appeal—set in the 1980s and following four young teen girls who get caught up in a time-twisting sci-fi mystery, it gives off a Stranger Things vibe and pulls from award-winning source material to boot.”

After Stranger Things wraps up at the beginning of the month, you can take a breather, and then come fill the void with Paper Girls just as July comes to a close.