With so many new Netflix originals hitting the service in August, you'll have more to
watch than ever in the coming month.
From wild new series to new stand-up specials to a laundry list of original films, there's
a lot to look forward to.
Let's take a look at what's arriving and what's worth getting excited about, starting with
the Netflix originals.
Switched
August is kicking off with Switched, a suspenseful Japanese drama about a high school girl whose
life gets stolen by another student.
And not just her life, her rival snatches her physical body, leaving her fighting to
restore everything to the way it was.
Take a look when Switched premieres on August 1st.
I Am a Killer
True crime is blowing up all over Netflix, and the latest piece of fallout is the upcoming
series I Am a Killer.
In this show, the cameras are going into death row for interviews with convicted murderers.
Some are remorseful.
Others...a little less so.
"I don't feel bad about it.
Hah hah hah."
Take the dive into darkness when I Am a Killer drops on August 3rd.
Long Live Brij Mohan
Stuck in a loveless marriage and struggling under a mountain of debt, Brij Mohan doesn't
have a whole lot going for him.
So he takes the only way out he can think of, he fakes his own death and restarts his
life with a new identity.
But he can't run forever, and it isn't long before his past catches up with him.
Take a look when it arrives on August 3rd.
Cocaine Coast
In this Netflix series, a poor fisherman sets out to live the dream by shuttling drugs between
Spain and Latin America, getting filthy rich in the process.
It's a story that's been told plenty of times before, but Cocaine Coast looks like it has
enough charm to pull it off at least one more time.
Check it out on August 3rd.
Like Father
This Netflix film sees Kristen Bell starring as an altar-dumped bride who heads out on
a cruise to do a little soul searching.
What she doesn't remember is getting black-out drunk with her estranged dad after the wedding
disaster and inviting him onto the cruise with her.
"Somehow I dragged him onto this cruise that was supposed to be my honeymoon."
Now, they're stuck on a ship with nowhere to run except into their tangled emotions.
It's just too bad they hate each other.
Like Father sails onto Netflix on August 3rd.
Marching Orders
You've sweated right through the dramas of Last Chance U; you've witnessed the ups and
downs of Friday Night Tykes and cheered a young team into greatness with Coach Snoop.
Now get ready for a brand new emotional journey with Marching Orders.
When the players leave the field, the marching band take center stage.
Marching Orders follows the Marching Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University, one of the
country's biggest college bands.
Marching Orders takes the field on August 3rd.
Mr. Sunshine
This emotional series made its Netflix premiere in early July 2018, but hasn't made much of
a splash with Western audiences quite yet.
The historical drama follows a Korean soldier who lives in the U.S. for years before returning
to South Korea and falling in love with the daughter of a high-class aristocrat.
With both drama and thrills, it's no wonder that Mr. Sunshine has been gaining popularity
in Korea.
August will see a new episode land on Netflix every Saturday, starting on the 4th.
On Children
With its strong Black Mirror vibes, On Children looks like an intriguing new show.
The trailer is full of technological terror, parallel universes, and memory swapping, and
we honestly can't tell what's going on half the time, but it seems like a lot of fun.
Give it a shot when On Children drops on August 4th.
72 Dangerous Animals: Asia
Netflix's 72 Dangerous Animals series takes an admittedly goofy approach to nature commentary.
"A villain with a killer sting, but one that can also use its powers for good."
The idea is, each episode picks a handful of similar dangerous critters, runs through
their strengths and weaknesses, and then ranks them in order of danger.
"Part the flames to make way for the FIRE ANT."
The newest entry in the series is set to explore the rich world of Asia, and all the creepy
crawlies who live there.
Look for it on August 10th.
The House of Flowers
Equal parts telenovela and Six Feet Under-style dysfunctional family comedy, La Casa de las
Flores, or "The House of Flowers," follows a family that owns a flower shop.
Even though they all look perfect on the outside, each one of them has a dark secret just waiting
to come to light.
When the father's mistress hangs herself at the family store, it opens the floodgates,
sending all those secrets flooding into the open.
It definitely looks like a fun, darkly comedic ride, and you can check it out on August 10th.
Million Pound Menu
Yet another collaboration between Netflix and the BBC, Million Pound Menu is sort of
like a spin on Shark Tank where all the hopeful entrepreneurs are going into the restaurant
business.
It's high stakes, flame-broiled fun, and the whole first season hits the pan on August
10th.
Zion
This heartwarming documentary follows Zion Clark, a wrestler at Kent State University
who was born without legs.
But Clark's motto is "no excuses," so he's made it his life's goal to not let anything
hold him back.
With Zion, Netflix is taking a long, intimate look at Clark's life and the inspired optimism
that drives him to continue to excel as a wrestler.
Tune in for the emotional journey on August 10th.
Insatiable: Season 1
After getting picked on her whole life for being overweight, Patty gets the chance to
get back at her bullies after spending a summer slimming down.
That's the premise of Insatiable, a dark revenge comedy that's already garnered some online
controversy.
Based on the trailer, Insatiable looks like a violent, comedic tale where anything goes
and the normal rules of the world don't apply.
Take a look when it lands on August 10th.
All About the Washingtons
Fans of the hip hop group Run-DMC are no doubt familiar with Reverend Run, aka Joseph Simmons,
who's also an on-again-off-again reality star.
It looks like 2018 will be another on-again year for the Rev, because he's coming back
to the small screen with the sitcom All About the Washingtons.
Simmons stars as Joey, an ex-rapper who's easing into retirement, giving his wife a
chance to be the entrepreneur she always dreamed of being.
Along the way, they'll have to figure out how to keep their wild family in check.
Look for it on August 10th.
The Package
If we're being completely honest, Netflix's comedies can be really hit or miss.
For every one that's actually funny, you're bound to come across five that just leave
you groaning.
Which one will The Package be?
All indications point toward the former.
The dark comedy sees a gang of teens heading out into the woods for spring break, only
for things to go horribly wrong.
Tune in for all the hijinks on August 10th.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Based on the book of the same name, this mouthful of a movie is about a writer who decides to
pen a book about a literary club that formed during World War II.
While she's researching her novel, she gets caught up in the story of the young men who
survived the occupation of the Guernsey islands, falling in love with one of them.
If the Netflix film is anything like the book, you can look forward to a whirlwind historical
romance about the power of courage and loyalty.
Find out when it premieres on Netflix on August 10th.
Magic for Humans
Caught somewhere between a magic act, reality show, and comedy series, Magic for Humans
sees magician Justin Willman traveling around performing illusions and telling jokes in
a new spin on street magic.
It sounds like a great time, and it premieres on August 17th.
Stay Here
From cooking shows to travelogues, Netflix has been flooding their service with great
reality programming.
On August 17th, they're adding to that lineup with Stay Here, a property fixer-upper reality
show that sees an interior designer working with homeowners to spruce up their rental
properties.
The Motive
Every writer needs inspiration, and in The Motive, it comes from some pretty dark places.
The movie focuses on Alvaro, a wannabe writer who moves into a new apartment after a divorce.
There, he begins manipulating his neighbors to use them as inspiration for the characters
in his book.
As you might expect, things get out of control pretty fast.
Part comedy and part thriller, The Motive arrives on August 17th.
Ultraviolet
This Polish drama centers on Ola, a woman who watches a bizarre accident unfold.
Unable to accept the police's verdict that the accident was a suicide, Ola begins to
dig into it on her own, leading her to stumble across a secret online community called Ultraviolet,
a group of internet vigilantes who tackle the cases the police can't solve.
Tune in for all the twists and turns on August 17th.
Disenchantment: Season 1
By the time the first teaser for Disenchantment dropped, the internet was already buzzing
about the show.
From Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons and Futurama, Disenchantment is set in a fantasy
world and promises all the same humor fans of Groening's other shows have come to love.
"Whew, I'm a good butcher."
"This is a pet shop."
Take a look when the first 10 episodes of Disenchantment land on August 17th.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
This teen drama follows Lara Jean, a high school girl who has an unfortunate habit of
writing long, secret love letters to all her crushes.
It's unfortunate because out of nowhere, all those letters end up getting mailed out to
the boys in question, turning Lara's high school life into a circus of unexpected attention.
The upcoming movie is based on the popular book of the same name, and drops on August
17th.
The Investigator: A British Crime Story: Season 2
Netflix's popular true crime offerings like Making a Murderer, The Staircase, and Evil
Genius tend to get all the attention, but the real crime is how overlooked some of their
other series are.
Case in point: The Investigator.
This British true crime series dives into some of the most enduring mysteries of the
UK.
With the second season, the show is honing its focus on two serial killers and their
possible connection to a rash of unsolved murders.
Take a look on August 19th.
Deadwind
After this series swept Finland and became something of an overnight sensation, Netflix
swooped in to grab the international distribution rights, like they often do.
In this case, it looks like a great decision.
The series follows a grieving detective who gets caught up in a murder investigation just
two months after the death of her husband, leading her down a spiraling path of violence
and grief.
For anyone looking for a dark, suspenseful show to get caught up in, Deadwind looks like
it's just the ticket.
Tune in on August 23rd.
The After Party
Get ready for a musical roller coaster with The After Party.
California rapper Kyle Harvey stars in this hip hop-infused comedy about a rapper on the
outs with his fans who gets one final chance at redemption.
Check out The After Party when it drops on Netflix on August 24th.
The Innocents: Season 1
Netflix has been dropping teasers for The Innocents for months now, but none of those
trailers have revealed a whole lot about the series' actual story.
Apart from some hints of a bizarre plot involving a girl who turns into someone else, we really
have no idea what to expect.
"Look, it's me.
Harry, it's me."
Regardless, The Innocents looks like a seriously twisted show, with amazing production design
and a fantastic cast.
Take a look on August 24th.
Ghoul
It's been awhile since a good new horror series showed up on Netflix, and it looks like Ghoul
is set to break the dry spell.
The show is set in a secret government center, where one of the prisoners may be a little
more demon than human.
Blumhouse, the company behind movies like Get Out and The Purge, is producing the three-part
horror extravaganza, which lands on August 24th.
Ozark: Season 2
It's been a long, bitter wait, but fans of Ozark can finally see a glimmer of hope on
the horizon.
The show, which stars Jason Bateman as a financial advisor caught up in the underworld of drug
trafficking, was nominated for a Golden Globe and quickly built a legion of dedicated fans.
It's both dark and humorous, violent and surprisingly heartfelt, and we're all hoping for more of
the same when Season 2 floats onto Netflix on August 31st.
The Laws of Thermodynamics
Written and directed by Spanish filmmaker Mateo Gil, The Laws of Thermodynamics is your
typical boy-meets-girl scenario, but with a science twist.
The core romantic story is wrapped up in theories about how scientific laws also affect relationships
and emotions.
It's a strange genre crossover, sure, but one that looks like a decidedly interesting
viewing experience.
Look for it on August 31.
Ultimate Beastmaster: Survival of the Fittest
Strap on your sweatbands and settle in for the ride as Ultimate Beastmaster: Survival
of the Fittest leaps onto your streaming queue.
The fit-and-fun competition will see a whole new lineup of contestants facing some of the
most challenging obstacles to date, with plenty of dramatic commentary to keep it exciting.
"It's like a Transformer and Godzilla had a baby or something."
You can catch all the new episodes on August 31st.
New standup comedy
Keep your eyes open for a handful of brand new comedy releases hitting Netflix throughout
the month.
On August 10th, Demetri Martin takes the stage with The Overthinker, riffing on topics ranging
from road rage to horoscopes to being the kind of guy who overthinks everything.
Then, on August 24th, look for Bert Kreischer: Secret Time, followed by Part 2 of Netflix's
recent comedy series The Comedy Lineup, which sees multiple comics taking the stage for
short 15-minute sets.
You'll be able to stream that on August 31st.
That's all the Netflix originals arriving in August.
Now let's take a look at all the other movies and TV shows hitting the streaming service.
New movies
The best part of each month's Netflix lineup is invariably the addition of a brand new
slew of old favorites, and August is bringing plenty of classics.
On the action front, look for films like Batman Begins, Constantine, and 1985 Western Silverado,
all of which show up on the first.
"You can't do this."
"Really?"
There are also plenty of laughs to look forward to this August, with classics like Steel Magnolias,
Clerks, and Stripes shouldering their way onto Netflix on the first.
"Razzle dazzle, hut two three four."
On the 16th, you can sit back and watch Steve Carell build a biblical boat in Evan Almighty,
and on the 21st, witness Jack Black's and Michael Cera's epic journey across prehistory
with the slapstick comedy Year One.
"Hey guys, I'm trying to enjoy the sacrifice with my family.
Do you mind?"
Chances are none of those will tickle your terror bone, but don't worry.
August is also bringing Dreamcatcher, which you can catch on the first along with Chernobyl
Diaries, about some mutant tomfoolery at the Chernobyl nuclear plant.
Finally, follow that up with the 2015 horror film Emelie on the second.
What's not to love?
New television
It'll be a good month for bingeing your favorite shows this August.
Highlights for this month include Season 5 of The Originals on August 9th, Season 5 of
The 100 on August 15th, and Season 5 of Young & Hungry on August 24th.
Fans of the heavenly comedy The Good Place will also have a reason to look forward to
August, which sees the arrival of the second season of the Emmy-nominated show.
When she's accidentally sent to "the Good Place," Eleanor decides that there's never
been a better time to try to be a good person and actually earn her spot there.
Look for the second season on August 28th.