Get ready for the exciting three-day weekend ahead of Memorial Day. The annual holiday honors those in military service who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
This week’s What to Watch list features a few nostalgic and new releases on Netflix, Hulu plus other streaming platforms. One features two notable and highly praised Oscar-winning actors, who help tell the story of the 54th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
But if you’re looking to be inspired by Black love or seeking relationship advice, enjoy three seasons of Will Packer‘s show “Put a Ring On It.”
The most recent season of CW’s “All American” is also available now on Netflix, though the death of Taye Diggs’ character Billy Baker still has fans in mourning.
Dynamic duo Nia Long and Storm Reid play supporting roles in the drama “Missing,” and Wanda Sykes brings the laughs with her new comedy special “Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer.”
For the latest reality and scripted TV drama, catch up with a new episode of “RHOA,” “Summer House Martha’s Vineyard,” and tune into the explosive season-three finale of “Power Book II: Ghost.”
Season two of Starz’ “Run the World” is back without one of its main characters Ella, played by Andrea Bordeaux. In the series, she played the writer and mentee of Erika Alexander’s character Barb. Sadly, Bordeaux departed in February 2022 after revealing that she was fired for not complying with the COVID-19 mandate at the time. But her three friends, Renee, Sondi and Whitney are still hitting the streets of New York.
Here’s a list of new movies and television releases that hit streaming services this weekend.
Amazon Prime Video
- Glory (1990) Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman star in this true story about black troops fighting in the U.S. Civil War. The riveting film tells the story of the men of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, made up of black soldiers, following the Emancipation Proclamation. They come face to face with adversity among a racist Union Army while struggling to maintain their mental sanity and other government issues. The movie has amazing cinematography and captures action and emotions that will make you shed a tear like Washington did in one scene.
- Top Five (2014) Chris Rock stars in this comedy film, written and directed by the comedian himself. It also features Gabrielle Union, Tracy Morgan, Cedric the Entertainer, J.B. Smoove, Sherri Shepherd, Anders Holm, Romany Malco, Leslie Jones, Michael Che and Jay Pharoah, with cameos from Kevin Hart, Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld and Rosario Dawson, who becomes Rock’s love interest.
HBO Max
- Put a Ring on It (Seasons 1-3) HBO Max has relaunched as Max with more engaging content and a variety of new features for viewers to enjoy at home, just like this unscripted relationship series from producer and director Will Packer. It follows three longtime couples who meet regularly with a master relationship coach to answer one question: Will they get married or go their separate ways? The series, which airs on OWN now, currently is in its fourth season.
Hulu
- Class of ’09 (2023) FBI agents who graduated from Quantico in 2009 reunite after a fellow classmate dies. The series jumps from past to present and future and follows Brian Tyree Henry as “Tayo,” one of the most untraditional agents to join the bureau. Actress Kate Mara plays “Poet,” one of the most skilled undercover agents. They have their struggles in the bureau while dealing with their own personal trauma. There are four episodes available now.
Netflix
- All American (Season 5) The fifth season of the CW drama wrapped last week, but all 20 episodes are currently available now. Fans are still upset over the death of Taye Diggs’ character Billy Baker. His son, Jordan, his daughter, Olivia, as well as Spencer, Asher, Layla and others are still navigating friendships and college among other cultural issues between California’s Beverly Hills and Crenshaw location, a neighborhood in Los Angeles. This season ends with a cliffhanger, as one of the cast members is stabbed while answering her front door; it’s unclear if she will make it.
- Missing (2023) The suspense thriller stars Nia Long and Storm Reid as a mother-daughter duo keeping in touch while one is on vacation. Set in Los Angeles in 2022, Long plays Grace, a hardworking mom headed on vacation to Columbia with her boyfriend. Reid’s character June begins to worry after not hearing from her mother or her boyfriend for days. She eventually ends up recruiting a friend and using social media to help find her mother with little to no help from local authorities and the FBI.
- Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer (2023) Comedian Wanda Sykes went in on Dave Chappelle and his controversial comments about Trans people. In her hour-long special, nothing is off limits, not the pandemic, the insurrection or Gen Z children.
- Barbecue Showdown (Season 2) The popular cooking series is back and the temperatures is blazing hot with eight of the best barbecuers across the nation. Each will compete for title of the next American Pitmaster and a grand prize of $50,000. They are tasked with using very specific items not found in the kitchen to grill their food.
Peacock
- Summer House Martha’s Vineyard (2023) Bravo’s new series already has been named the “Black Summer House.” The spinoff has drama, laughs, Black excellence and more, as a group of young professionals spends the summer in Martha’s Vineyard’s renowned Black community in Massachusetts. Tensions are high at the premier vacation spot between some couples and some who have been friends for years. Relationships are tested, and feelings are hurt after confessions are made. Three new episodes are available now.
- The Real Housewives of Atlanta (Season 15) In an exclusive sneak peek, Kenya Moore organizes a trip with the rest of the “RHOA” ladies to Birmingham, Alabama, for her performance during halftime at the Magic City Classic football game between Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University. A few of the ladies question Moore’s surprises on the trip, including Shereé Whitfield, who called her a “stunt queen.” The new episode airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. EST.
Starz
- Power Book II: Ghost (Season 3) Tariq St. Patrick (Michael Rainey Jr.) almost lost his life after his mother Tasha’s return led to starting an all-out war with his new boss Monet Tejada (Mary J. Blige). The entire family and Effie have now flipped on Tariq, blaming him for Monet’s attempted murder of Monet, which he did not commit. Meanwhile, in a moment of heat, Bradyen, (Gianna Paolo) quit the drug business he’s been a part of with Tariq for years, until the family took aim at his best friend. Now they are both trying to put the pieces together for what’s next.
- Run the World (Season 2) The popular comedy series returned for its second season following three friends in Harlem, New York. Their lives appear to be flawless, but it’s not easy with this group of ambitious women. Renee (Bresha Webb) ended last season as a divorced woman, but her ex Jason seemingly has come back around to spin the block and Sondi (Corbin Reid) is left to decide what she truly wants from her longtime professor boyfriend Matthew Powell (Stephen Bishop.) Meanwhile, Whitney (Amber Stevens West) is still awaiting the fate of her relationship with Ola (Tosin Morohunfola) after confessing that she cheated last season.
***In theatres: If you happen to make it to the movies this weekend, catch a screening of Halle Bailey’s remarkable performance in the live-action film “The Little Mermaid.” The movie will be released on Disney Plus later this year.
