Don’t know what to watch during the FMCO? Look no further than our guide to the best Netflix, Disney+ and HBO GO TV shows in 2021.
By now, we’re sure that everyone’s tired of getting cooped up at home. After all, there’s only so much we can do within that limited square feet. As much as we want things to go back to normal, we have to do our parts by staying home to curb the spread of Covid-19 disease.
If you, like us, are looking for ways to pass time during the full lockdown (click on this link to find out the latest SOPs for FMCO)—we’ve listed down some of the best shows to watch on the three major streaming services in Malaysia: Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix and HBO GO. And if you fancy some company, host a watch party with your friends to recreate the communal cinema experience.
Check out the list below, and we hope these TV shows will entertain you until the lockdown is lifted.
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5 TV shows to watch on Disney+ Hotstar
1. Loki
We all know that Loki’s been dead for at least three times in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but the creators seem to find a loophole to bring this crowd favourite back again and again (not that we’re complaining). Dubbed one of the most anticipated MCU series of the year, Tom Hiddleston returns as the God of Mischief to grace our screen. This time, he’s teaming up with a mysterious organisation called Time Variance Authority (TVA) and travels through time to fix the timeline.
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
IMDb Score: 9.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Genre: Action-adventure, fantasy, science fiction, superhero
Country of origin: United States of America
Episodes: 6 (ongoing)
2. The Mandalorian
Starring everybody’s favourite Baby Yoda (the real name is Grogu) and Pedro Pascal as the titular character, this thrilling series is set between the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Unlike the blockbuster hits we’ve been watching in the cinema, The Mandalorian tells the story of a lone bounty hunter who unexpectedly finds himself becoming the guardian of Baby Yoda. Together, they go on an epic adventure in the galaxy far, far away.
Cast: Pedro Pascal
IMDb Score: 8.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Genre: Action-adventure, drama, space Western
Country of origin: United States of America
Episodes: 16 (ongoing)
3. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
What team? WILDCATS! Relive your childhood memories with the brand new scripted mockumentary that’s set in East High School where High School Musical was shot. This comedy series follows a group of drama club students and their teachers as they put on the school’s musical production of, you guessed it, High School Musical. Don’t expect Zac Efron or Vanessa Hudgens to make an appearance here, but this new generation is just as spectacular as the original. You may even catch yourself singing and dancing along to “We’re All in this Together”.
Cast: Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Larry Saperstein, Julia Lester, Dara Reneé, Frankie Rodriguez, Mark St. Cyr, Kate Reinders, Joe Serafini
IMDb Score: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
Genre: Drama, musical, mockumentary
Country of origin: United States of America
Episodes: 16 (ongoing)
4. Inside Pixar
If you’re a big fan of Pixar Animated Studios like Toy Story and Inside Out, then you’ll enjoy this 20-minute documentary. Each episode features an inside look at what makes a Pixar film extraordinary.
IMDb Score: 7.3/10
Genre: Documentary
Country of origin: United States of America
Episodes: 20 (ongoing)
5. WandaVision
The first MCU series is here, and we’re kicking it off with Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) living as a newlywed in an old-school suburban life. The show features a series of sitcoms with each episode paying homage to the genre of different decades. As the series progresses, both characters begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems and there’s something sinister lurking beneath their perfect suburban lives.
Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn, Teyonah Parris, Randall Park, Kat Dennings, Evan Peters
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Genre: Drama, mystery, romance, sitcom, superhero
Country of origin: United States of America
Episodes: 9 (ended)
Things to watch on Netflix
1. Shadow and Bone
Missing some fantasy shows in your life? Let Netflix’s newest instalment, Shadow and Bone, be your latest binge. Set in a world divided by a wall of darkness—also known as the Shadow Fold—orphan mapmaker Alina Starkov (played by Jessie Mei Li) discovered that she has the power to summon light. This magical power of hers could be the key to destroying the Shadow Fold. The series was recently renewed for another season, so get ready for more magic and Ben Barnes.
Cast: Jessie Mei Li, Archie Renaux, Freddy Carter, Amita Suman, Kit Young, Ben Barnes, Zoë Wanamaker
IMDb Score: 7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
Genre: Fantasy, drama, mystery
Country of origin: United States of America
Episodes: 8 (ongoing)
2. Sweet Tooth
Based on the DC comic book and produced by Robert Downey Jr., this fantasy series takes place in a post-apocalyptic fairytale land where some babies are born hybrids – part human, part animal. Gus, our protagonist, is a hybrid deer-boy who befriends a loner named Jepperd. Together they go on a journey across America (or what’s left of it) in search for Gus’ origin.
Cast: Nonso Anozie, Christian Convery, Adeel Akhtar, Stefania LaVie Owen, Dania Ramirez, Aliza Vellani, James Brolin, Will Forte
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Genre: Fantasy drama
Country of origin: United States of America
Episodes: 8 (ongoing)
3. Lupin
When Lupin was first released back in January 2021, it became an instant hit. Omar Sy plays Assane Doip, the son of an immigrant. His father was wrongly imprisoned for theft when he was a kid. Years after the incident, Assane begins plotting for revenge on the person who accused his father, using skills he learned from the gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin. The heist and schemes that he pulls off in every episode hit that sweet spot of suspense and wonder.
Fun fact: The character Assane Doip was inspired by master thief Arsène Lupin — a character created by Maurice Leblanc in the early 1900s
Cast: Omar Sy, Ludivine Sagnier, Clotilde Hesme, Vincent Londez, Soufiane Guerrab, Shirine Boutella
IMDb Score: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Mystery, Drama
Country of origin: France
Episodes: 10 (ended)
4. Girl from Nowhere
Chicha Amatayakul returns as the iconic Nanno in the second season of Girl from Nowhere. This Thai thriller is an anthology where each episode features Nanno as the mysterious transfer student who uses her ability to expose secrets, lies and hypocrisy. Be warned, Nanno’s laughter can be spine-chilling—we suggest turning down the volume to prevent any nightmare from occurring.
Cast: Chicha Amatayakul, Chanya McClory
IMDb Score: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 74%
Genre: Anthology, thriller, mystery, horror, fantasy, teen drama
Country of origin: Thailand
Episodes: 21 (ended)
5. Beyond Evil
This award-winning Korean series follows the story of two policemen, Lee Dong Sik (Shin Ha Kyun) and Han Joo Won (Yeo Jin Goo) as they investigate a series of murders in a small, peaceful city. During the course of the investigation, they uncovered that everyone involved in the case is a suspect, and that no one can be trusted, including each other. To add fuel to the drama, the murder cases are similar to the one that took place two decades ago, and the killer is yet to be caught.
Cast: Shin Ha-kyun, Yeo Jin-goo
IMDb Score: 8.2/10
Genre: Procedural drama, psychological thriller
Country of origin: South Korea
Episodes: 16 (ended)
Things to watch on HBO
1. Mare of Easttown
This limited series has been the talk of the town since its premiere — even the king of horror, Stephen King is obsessed with it. Kate Winslet plays a strong-willed detective named Mare who’s investigating the brutal murder of a young girl. As the series progresses, we see Mare’s personal life begins to crumble, and we can’t help but wonder if she’ll make it out of the series alive and well.
Cast: Kate Winslet, Julianne Nicholson, Jean Smart, Angourie Rice, David Denman, Guy Pearce, Evan Peters
IMDb Score: 8.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Genre: Crime drama
Country of origin: United States of America
Episodes: 7 (ended)
2. The Flight Attendant
Possibly one of the best HBO series this year., Kaley Cuoco from The Big Bang Theory plays a flight attendant named Cassie Bowden who wakes up in a hotel room with her dead one-night stand but with no memory of the incident. With the FBI tailing her every move, she sets up her own investigation to find out what happened that night to clear her name. Did she do it or did someone else frame her? Watch and find out how Cassie escapes from this living nightmare.
Cast: Kaley Cuoco, Michiel Huisman, Zosia Mamet, T. R. Knight, Michelle Gomez
IMDb Score: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Genre: Thriller, comedy-drama, mystery
Country of origin: United States of America
Episodes: 8 (ongoing)
3. Made for Love
What happens when you find out that your spouse implanted a monitoring device in your brain so that he can track and watch your every move? Welcome to Made for Love, a Black Mirror-esque series starring Christin Milioti as Hazel, wife to tech billionaire Byron Gogol (Billy Magnussen). After finding out that her husband is tracking her every move, she flees back to her estranged father. But escaping her husband is not as easy as she thinks as he can literally read her mind.
Cast: Cristin Milioti, Billy Magnussen, Dan Bakkedahl, Noma Dumezweni, Ray Romano, Augusto Aguilera
IMDb Score: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Genre: Dark comedy
Country of origin: United States of America
Episodes: 8 (ongoing)
4. Lovecraft Country
From executive producers Jordan Peele and J. J. Abrams, Lovecraft Country is a horror series set in the Jim Crow era of The United States. Atticus Freeman (played by Jonathan Majors) goes on a road trip across America with his friend, Letitia (Jurnee Smollett) and his uncle (Courtney B. Vance) to look for his missing father. Along the journey, they encounter monstrous creatures and malicious humans who threaten to kill them for having different skin colour.
Cast: Jurnee Smollett, Jonathan Majors
IMDb Score: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Genre: Drama, supernatural horror
Country of origin: United States of America
Episodes: 10 (ongoing)
5. I May Destroy You
Creator, writer and star, Michaela Coel plays Arabella, an author who was sexually assaulted in a nightclub after a night of partying with her friends. The next morning, she struggles to remember what happened to her. It is only with the help of her friends that she recalls the event. The series explores how Arabella’s life changes after the incident and how she is forced to reassess everything in her life, including her career, family, friends and the city she’s living in.
Cast: Michaela Coel, Weruche Opia, Paapa Essiedu
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Genre: Drama
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Episodes: 12 (ended)
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