Everything I Watched in August 2023
And what I thought about it all
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Back with another monthly watch list recap!
Once a month I send out a list of everything I watched the previous month to give you some ideas of things to add to your own watch lists, so I’m here to share the rundown of all of the stuff I watched in August.
Also note that I only include seasons of TV shows that I finished in any given month — if it’s still on or I’m still currently watching it, then I’ll include it when it’s over.
You’ll find that my reactions to things lean positive, because 1. I actively try to seek out stuff that I expect to be entertaining, has been well reviewed and/or has value to me — I’m not just going to watch the most popular show on Netflix because everyone else is if I don’t think I would like it — and 2. I’ve given myself more leeway recently to give up on shows that I’m not enjoying (here’s the list of all the shows I dropped last year). I used to force myself to finish things even if I hated them, which is truly unnecessary and a waste of time.
Keep scrolling for the list of everything I watched in August 2023 (and here’s the list from July if you want more ideas for things to watch):
Hijack (Apple TV+) 👍
Much like a lot of people on the internet, I really enjoyed this Idris Elba thriller, which tracks a hijacked flight from Dubai to London as a corporate negotiator (Elba) attempts to intervene and prevent disaster. Each episode represents an hour of time (in the same vein as “24”), and they do such a fantastic job at keeping you on the edge of your seat, even if some of the twists and turns border on the ridiculous.
Wildflower (Hulu) 👍
Kiernan Shipka stars as an overextended high school senior with two intellectually disabled parents. Her story is told through flashbacks after she goes into a coma, and the movie handles the sensitive material with deft hands, alternating between humor and drama. In addition to Kiernan being fantastic in this, there’s also a great supporting cast here: Jean Smart, Jacki Weaver, Reid Scott and Alexandra Daddario play extended family members.
Oppenheimer (in theaters) 👍👍
I saw Christopher Nolan’s much-heralded, three-hour epic in 70mm film at a packed theater in the East Village, and it was a flawless moviegoing experience. The acting here was phenomenal across the board, and that bomb sequence has really stayed with me since I saw it. For a movie that’s a lot of “men in rooms talking,” it does a stellar job at keeping your attention. A very worthy foil for “Barbie” this summer.
Of An Age (Peacock) 👍👍
This Australian movie has been on my list since it came out last year, and I’m so glad that I finally watched it. It’s a sweet, subtle movie that centers on a young amateur dancer who finds himself unexpectedly spending a day with his friend’s older brother and explores the subsequent undeniable connection between them.
Heartstopper - Season 2 (Netflix) 👍👍
I would watch 100 episodes of this sweet, sweet show. Kit Conner and Joe Locke are perfect leads in this series, but it was also nice that this season made a little bit more room for their other coupled-up queer friends. It continues to also deliver swoon-worthy moments set to expertly picked pop songs, which is necessary for any coming of age teen show to succeed, IMO. Can’t wait for season 3.
Red, White & Royal Blue (Prime) 👍👍
There was a lot of silly discourse around this movie when it came out, much of it seemingly being driven by people who clearly didn’t even read the Casey McQuiston book on which it’s based and wanted it to be something it was never going to be. While it makes a few changes from said book, I loved everything about this movie. It’s an entertaining and cheesy and sexy rom-com that serves as a fan-fic story around the Prince of England having a secret romance with the First Son of the United States (whose mother is the country’s first female president, played by a southern-accented Uma Thurman). If you can’t find something to love about this, I suggest you take yourself a little less seriously.
Survival of the Thickest (Netflix) 👐
I really wanted to love this series co-created and starring the hilarious Michelle Buteau, who I’d previously mostly just been exposed to as an amazing recurring guest on “Watch What Happens Live.” The show is based on her memoir of the same name and, while it had its moments, it didn’t quite fully click for me — despite it having a fun role for “RHOBH” fave Garcelle Beauvais to sink her teeth into!
The Summer I Turned Pretty - Season 2 (Prime) 👐
What a letdown of a second season! I didn’t read the books on which this series is based, so I’m not sure if the second book was similarly disappointing, but this show’s second bow left a lot to be desired. There were some great episodes, and I think it found more of its footing towards the end of the season, but I found this to be a frustrating downer of a watch — despite getting no less than one Taylor Swift soundtracked moment per episode. Here’s to hoping they right the ship for season 3.
Crappie Lake (Bravo) 👍👍
A perfect show. Sonja Morgan and Luann de Lesseps put through the formula of “The Simple Life” as they attempt to improve the lives of people in a small town in Illinois? A recipe for success, if you ask me! I full-on belly laughed during most of these episodes, which confirmed how much we all missed having the ~legacy~ “RHONY” ladies on our screens. And, no, I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me I’d be crying by the end of the season finale. Give me 10 more seasons.
Painkiller (Netflix) 👍👍
This series follows in the footsteps of Hulu’s excellent “Dopesick” from 2021, spotlighting the origins of the opioid crisis and exploring it from various perspectives. It takes a bit of an edgier tone than “Dopesick,” which was a more straightforward drama, and doesn’t shy away from showing from pretty hard-to-watch moments to hammer home the severity of the crisis at play. Matthew Broderick is decent as Richard Sackler, but it’s Taylor Kitsch who steals the show as an auto shop owner who becomes addicted to oxy after an injury.
The Great - Season 3 (Hulu) 👍
A solid final season of this Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult-starring show. These two continued to have amazing chemistry, and Elle delivered even more jaw-dropping moments to add to her Emmys FYC reel. Without giving any spoilers, midway through the season the show took a big swing that changed the entire dynamic of the show that ultimately made it lose some of its luster. Still, what a run this show had!
And Just Like That… - Season 2 (Max) 👍
There’s not much more to say about this wild show that hasn’t already been said — it’s completely imperfect, makes some absolutely bonkers decisions and, just when you think it’s on a roll and has figured it out, it makes another bonkers decision that leaves you scratching your head. And yet… I find it endlessly enjoyable to watch, especially when I’m truly about to suspend disbelief and remind myself that, no, this is not “Sex and the City.” It’s a completely different show, and more people should treat it as such. Inject season 3 into my veins.
Telemarketers (Max) 👐
I wanted to like this docu-series more than I did, because the premise is so juicy: It’s told by two unexpected friends who meet at a call center in Jersey who explore their company’s sketchy and legally questionable practices. It contains a lot of raw footage and it often gets sidetracked by focusing too much on the individuals’ stories, but overall it still proves to be an interesting spotlight and peek behind the curtain of the telemarketing industry.