Now TV may not be the best streaming service of the bunch (we're looking at you Netflix), but it's a firm favourite because it brings us all the best bits of Sky TV, but without those big monthly bills. You can also pick from a range of subscription choices, then stream TV shows and movies to your heart's content, just like you would with Amazon Prime Video or Netflix.
Although the same streaming problems will crop up, mainly that there's just too much choice. With so many great movies and TV shows at your fingertips, where do you even begin? How do you find out which Now TV shows are worth hibernating for days and days watching and which movies will give you the sort of bang-for-your-buck action that’d put Steven Spielberg on the edge of his seat?
Don't worry, we're here to help. We’ve been busy handpicking a selection of top titles from Now TV’s newly-released TV and film line-up, guiding you through the best of what’s just arrived on the service.
Whether you’re after a new series to binge on or a movie to keep you entertained, we’ll be updating this post regularly with our favourite picks, so you never have to waste time trawling through the hundreds of options at your fingertips again.
(Update: Westworld's long-awaited second season landed on Now TV just over five weeks ago. The service is drip-feeding episodes so as not to ruin the fun for those who watch the latest shows on Sky Atlantic in the UK or HBO in the US. But it's not just Westworld that gets new episodes every week, there's plenty to choose from and this week we're championing the girl from Kara Zor-El, or as you'll probably know her, Supergirl. Movie-wise, you can get stuck into War for the Planet of the Apes.)
War for the Planet of the Apes: The third and final instalment in the Planet of the Apes modern reboot series, and is all about the battle for the planet between the apes and the humans. Eagle-eyed fans of the original movies will notice it shares some similarities to the fifth film, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, but isn't a direct remake. You'd have thought they'd have been a bit more creative naming the new title then, right? Still, for the third film in a reboot series it performed exceptionally well at the box office and received a lot of praise, as well as being nominated for lots of awards for its visual effects.
Zootropolis: Although it's most definitely a kids movie, Zootropolis has a good story, top computer animation, LOL-worthy jokes and lots of voices you'll recognise, making it totally acceptable to watch if there are absolutely no kids present.
It's about a trainee police officer, who happens to be a rabbit, and a con artist, who happens to be a fox, and how they end up (kinda begrudgingly) working together to solve a mystery. It features the voices of Idris Elba, Jason Bateman, Jenny Slate and Ginnifer Goodwin and tackles some big issues in amongst the animal hijinks.
Atomic Blonde: Charlize Theron plays a badass assassin in this spy thriller that's based on the graphic novel The Coldest City. She's on a mission to hunt down a list of double agents who are being smuggled into the West on the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
The movie has received mixed reviews, but generally Theron's performance, James McAvoy's supporting performance, the soundtrack and the action sequences were praised by critics, which is all you can hope for a violent flick about an assassin.
Dunkirk: The award-winning blockbuster from Christopher Nolan is all about the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beach and harbour of Dunkirk during World War II.
As you might expect, it's intense, thrilling and at times utterly tragic. It presents a number of different perspectives of the evacuation from land, air and sea, which makes the lead-up to events even more tense.
There isn't a great deal of dialogue but there's plenty of super intense music and beautifully-shot scenes that'll have you holding your breath for the whole 106 minutes of action.
Almost Famous: The classic Cameron Crowe flick is available to watch on Now TV, helping you relive the glamour, wonder and disappointment of the rock n' roll comedy drama that was probably a firm favourite when you were in your late teens.
It tells the story of a teen journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine in the 70s as he writes about the fictitious rock band Stillwater. What makes it even more interesting is that Crowe himself wrote for the title in his teens, so some of the story is autobiographical.
Alien Covenant: Resurrecting a classic movie series is never easy. Alien Covenant does not take us back to the heights of the first two Alien films, but splices together the mythology of Prometheus and the action of Aliens to decent effect.
It’s a good old action romp with some philosophical noodling thrown in for good measure. Alien Covenant is directed by Ridley Scott, did you expect anything less?
Michael Fassbender returns as the creepy David, an synthetic humanoid survivor of the Prometheus expedition. Alien Covenant helps stitch together 2012’s Prometheus and the Alien franchise to mostly satisfying effect.
Kick Ass: Memories of Kick Ass may have been tainted by 2013’s rather rubbish Kick Ass 2, but this superhero comedy is worth a revisit. Particularly in the year of Avengers Infinity War, a film with so many characters you wonder how they all fit into 2hr30 run time. Kick Ass is far leaner.
A teenager and 11-year-old girl decide to become superheroes, despite not having any X-Men-like powers. Two hours of intense comic violence follows, drenched with style.
Roger Ebert called Kick Ass “morally reprehensible”, so we can’t guarantee all of you will get on with this movie. However, if you can take a lighter view on a pre-teen dishing out "real" violence, you’ll likely find it a lot of fun.
Wonder Woman: Testament to the great, recent movies you get on Now TV, this week we have Wonder Woman. It was only released in 2017 and is one of the highest-rated DC Comics movies to date.
Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman, an amazon warrior goddess who lives on a hidden island paradise with her fellow women warriors. Chris Pine is a World War I pilot who manages to gatecrash her home, and tells her of the conflict in the world outside. Superhero capers ensue.
Wonder Woman arrived on Now TV on International Women’s Day. The timing couldn’t be better.
Also try…
Clash: Ready for a tough watch and some subtitles? Mohamed Diab's Clash is worth 97 minutes of your time. It’s set entirely in a police van in Egypt, as the characters are arrested and thrown in the back. The city is in chaos, following 2013 riots caused by President Morsi’s ousting from office.
The Mummy: The 2017 Tom Cruise reboot of The Mummy may not be a great film. OK, it’s not even a good film. But sometimes after a hard day’s work a tub of melted Hollywood cheese is just what you need.
Supergirl (New Episodes): The third season of Supergirl is currently unfolding on Now TV. It's not been a massive hit, but has plenty of dedicated fans who enjoy watching Kara Zor-El's story. For those not in the know Kara, AKA Supergirl, is Superman's cousin and one of the last surviving Kryptonians. She was sent to Earth in a spaceship just like Superman, but hers was thrown off course. So by the time she does arrive Superman is all grown up and she's in her mid-twenties. This is where the Supergirl TV show begins.
Westworld Season 2 (New Episodes): The highly-anticipated second season of HBO's sci-fi western series has landed on Now TV, and it doesn't disappoint. We're 5 episodes in and it's already providing answers to some of the biggest, most baffling twists of the first season. But unfortunately, it asks plenty more new questions. Sigh. It's like Lost all over again.
For those not in the know, Westworld mixes the best bits of a sci-fi story within a western setting. That's right, think amazing tech, robots and super futuristic interfaces alongside cowboys, train robberies and lots of violence.
Westworld the “place” is a quasi-theme park of the future, a virtual reality world that could be the locale for a classic Clint Eastwood film. The series is filled with uncanny valley moments and the kind of mysteries that made Lost such a compelling watch.
Also, just in case you're interested but impatient: if you're new to the series you definitely need to give the first season a watch first.
House: The TV series that follows the personal and professional life of Dr. Gregory House, a misanthropic and eccentric doctor and medical genius, may not be new. But this week all 8 seasons of the show have landed on Now TV, allowing you to re-watch all of the fascinating, gory and downright worrying medical diagnoses all over again.
Sure the show can get a little repetitive a few seasons in, but if you're interested in biology and you're a fan of Hugh Laurie's portrayal of a brilliant doctor in a lot of physical and emotional pain, it's worth a watch.
Here and Now: Fans of Six Feet Under should be excited about Here and Now. It comes from Alan Ball, that show’s creator. It’s a multi-threaded tale of current-day multicultural America starring Tim Robbins and Holly Hunter.
Early reviews have been mixed, criticising the unrealistic dialogue and aimless feel. But we’re going to stick this one out.
Save Me: Save Me is a Sky Original production. It’s the story of Nelly, played by Lennie James, who is accused of abducting his daughter. He hasn’t seen her since she was three years old, but is arrested under suspicion of the crime.
The six-episode arc sees him try to discover her real captor and prove his innocence. It’s gripping stuff.
Silicon Valley: The first four seasons of Silicon Valley have returned to Now TV as a box set, ahead of the release of Silicon Valley Season five.
It’s a critically acclaimed comedy about nerdy programmers looking to make millions in a tech start-up. Silicon Valley is the creation of Mike Judge, of Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill and Office Space fame. Judge worked as a real Silicon Valley engineer back in the 80s, but the show’s sharp writing and timeliness makes it seem one of the freshest shows around.
To take a look at our full rundown of the best TV shows on Now TV, both old and new, check out our guide: The Best Now TV shows
Also try…
Britannia: It’s dividing the critics, but if you can’t wait for a new fix of Game of Thrones, Britannia may fill that Westeros-shaped hole in your viewing calendar.
Atlanta: Donald Glover’s amazing comedy set in the eponymous city was overlooked by many in the UK, and is well worth a watch. It centres around two cousins navigating the Atlanta music scene trying to make ends meet, and is as astute as it is hilarious.
Haven’t found what you’re looking for, and want to check some Netflix recommendations instead? Try these in-depth run downs of the best of the best Netflix content:
Although the same streaming problems will crop up, mainly that there's just too much choice. With so many great movies and TV shows at your fingertips, where do you even begin? How do you find out which Now TV shows are worth hibernating for days and days watching and which movies will give you the sort of bang-for-your-buck action that’d put Steven Spielberg on the edge of his seat?
Don't worry, we're here to help. We’ve been busy handpicking a selection of top titles from Now TV’s newly-released TV and film line-up, guiding you through the best of what’s just arrived on the service.
Whether you’re after a new series to binge on or a movie to keep you entertained, we’ll be updating this post regularly with our favourite picks, so you never have to waste time trawling through the hundreds of options at your fingertips again.
(Update: Westworld's long-awaited second season landed on Now TV just over five weeks ago. The service is drip-feeding episodes so as not to ruin the fun for those who watch the latest shows on Sky Atlantic in the UK or HBO in the US. But it's not just Westworld that gets new episodes every week, there's plenty to choose from and this week we're championing the girl from Kara Zor-El, or as you'll probably know her, Supergirl. Movie-wise, you can get stuck into War for the Planet of the Apes.)
- Considering a Now TV subscription? Check out our guide to the best, cheap Now TV deals for boxes and passes in May 2018
New movies on Now TV this week
War for the Planet of the Apes: The third and final instalment in the Planet of the Apes modern reboot series, and is all about the battle for the planet between the apes and the humans. Eagle-eyed fans of the original movies will notice it shares some similarities to the fifth film, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, but isn't a direct remake. You'd have thought they'd have been a bit more creative naming the new title then, right? Still, for the third film in a reboot series it performed exceptionally well at the box office and received a lot of praise, as well as being nominated for lots of awards for its visual effects.
More movies recently added to Now TV
Zootropolis: Although it's most definitely a kids movie, Zootropolis has a good story, top computer animation, LOL-worthy jokes and lots of voices you'll recognise, making it totally acceptable to watch if there are absolutely no kids present.
It's about a trainee police officer, who happens to be a rabbit, and a con artist, who happens to be a fox, and how they end up (kinda begrudgingly) working together to solve a mystery. It features the voices of Idris Elba, Jason Bateman, Jenny Slate and Ginnifer Goodwin and tackles some big issues in amongst the animal hijinks.
Atomic Blonde: Charlize Theron plays a badass assassin in this spy thriller that's based on the graphic novel The Coldest City. She's on a mission to hunt down a list of double agents who are being smuggled into the West on the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
The movie has received mixed reviews, but generally Theron's performance, James McAvoy's supporting performance, the soundtrack and the action sequences were praised by critics, which is all you can hope for a violent flick about an assassin.
Dunkirk: The award-winning blockbuster from Christopher Nolan is all about the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beach and harbour of Dunkirk during World War II.
As you might expect, it's intense, thrilling and at times utterly tragic. It presents a number of different perspectives of the evacuation from land, air and sea, which makes the lead-up to events even more tense.
There isn't a great deal of dialogue but there's plenty of super intense music and beautifully-shot scenes that'll have you holding your breath for the whole 106 minutes of action.
Almost Famous: The classic Cameron Crowe flick is available to watch on Now TV, helping you relive the glamour, wonder and disappointment of the rock n' roll comedy drama that was probably a firm favourite when you were in your late teens.
It tells the story of a teen journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine in the 70s as he writes about the fictitious rock band Stillwater. What makes it even more interesting is that Crowe himself wrote for the title in his teens, so some of the story is autobiographical.
Alien Covenant: Resurrecting a classic movie series is never easy. Alien Covenant does not take us back to the heights of the first two Alien films, but splices together the mythology of Prometheus and the action of Aliens to decent effect.
It’s a good old action romp with some philosophical noodling thrown in for good measure. Alien Covenant is directed by Ridley Scott, did you expect anything less?
Michael Fassbender returns as the creepy David, an synthetic humanoid survivor of the Prometheus expedition. Alien Covenant helps stitch together 2012’s Prometheus and the Alien franchise to mostly satisfying effect.
Kick Ass: Memories of Kick Ass may have been tainted by 2013’s rather rubbish Kick Ass 2, but this superhero comedy is worth a revisit. Particularly in the year of Avengers Infinity War, a film with so many characters you wonder how they all fit into 2hr30 run time. Kick Ass is far leaner.
A teenager and 11-year-old girl decide to become superheroes, despite not having any X-Men-like powers. Two hours of intense comic violence follows, drenched with style.
Roger Ebert called Kick Ass “morally reprehensible”, so we can’t guarantee all of you will get on with this movie. However, if you can take a lighter view on a pre-teen dishing out "real" violence, you’ll likely find it a lot of fun.
Wonder Woman: Testament to the great, recent movies you get on Now TV, this week we have Wonder Woman. It was only released in 2017 and is one of the highest-rated DC Comics movies to date.
Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman, an amazon warrior goddess who lives on a hidden island paradise with her fellow women warriors. Chris Pine is a World War I pilot who manages to gatecrash her home, and tells her of the conflict in the world outside. Superhero capers ensue.
Wonder Woman arrived on Now TV on International Women’s Day. The timing couldn’t be better.
Also try…
Clash: Ready for a tough watch and some subtitles? Mohamed Diab's Clash is worth 97 minutes of your time. It’s set entirely in a police van in Egypt, as the characters are arrested and thrown in the back. The city is in chaos, following 2013 riots caused by President Morsi’s ousting from office.
The Mummy: The 2017 Tom Cruise reboot of The Mummy may not be a great film. OK, it’s not even a good film. But sometimes after a hard day’s work a tub of melted Hollywood cheese is just what you need.
New TV shows on Now TV this week
Supergirl (New Episodes): The third season of Supergirl is currently unfolding on Now TV. It's not been a massive hit, but has plenty of dedicated fans who enjoy watching Kara Zor-El's story. For those not in the know Kara, AKA Supergirl, is Superman's cousin and one of the last surviving Kryptonians. She was sent to Earth in a spaceship just like Superman, but hers was thrown off course. So by the time she does arrive Superman is all grown up and she's in her mid-twenties. This is where the Supergirl TV show begins.
Westworld Season 2 (New Episodes): The highly-anticipated second season of HBO's sci-fi western series has landed on Now TV, and it doesn't disappoint. We're 5 episodes in and it's already providing answers to some of the biggest, most baffling twists of the first season. But unfortunately, it asks plenty more new questions. Sigh. It's like Lost all over again.
For those not in the know, Westworld mixes the best bits of a sci-fi story within a western setting. That's right, think amazing tech, robots and super futuristic interfaces alongside cowboys, train robberies and lots of violence.
Westworld the “place” is a quasi-theme park of the future, a virtual reality world that could be the locale for a classic Clint Eastwood film. The series is filled with uncanny valley moments and the kind of mysteries that made Lost such a compelling watch.
Also, just in case you're interested but impatient: if you're new to the series you definitely need to give the first season a watch first.
More TV shows recently added to Now TV
House: The TV series that follows the personal and professional life of Dr. Gregory House, a misanthropic and eccentric doctor and medical genius, may not be new. But this week all 8 seasons of the show have landed on Now TV, allowing you to re-watch all of the fascinating, gory and downright worrying medical diagnoses all over again.
Sure the show can get a little repetitive a few seasons in, but if you're interested in biology and you're a fan of Hugh Laurie's portrayal of a brilliant doctor in a lot of physical and emotional pain, it's worth a watch.
Here and Now: Fans of Six Feet Under should be excited about Here and Now. It comes from Alan Ball, that show’s creator. It’s a multi-threaded tale of current-day multicultural America starring Tim Robbins and Holly Hunter.
Early reviews have been mixed, criticising the unrealistic dialogue and aimless feel. But we’re going to stick this one out.
Save Me: Save Me is a Sky Original production. It’s the story of Nelly, played by Lennie James, who is accused of abducting his daughter. He hasn’t seen her since she was three years old, but is arrested under suspicion of the crime.
The six-episode arc sees him try to discover her real captor and prove his innocence. It’s gripping stuff.
Silicon Valley: The first four seasons of Silicon Valley have returned to Now TV as a box set, ahead of the release of Silicon Valley Season five.
It’s a critically acclaimed comedy about nerdy programmers looking to make millions in a tech start-up. Silicon Valley is the creation of Mike Judge, of Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill and Office Space fame. Judge worked as a real Silicon Valley engineer back in the 80s, but the show’s sharp writing and timeliness makes it seem one of the freshest shows around.
To take a look at our full rundown of the best TV shows on Now TV, both old and new, check out our guide: The Best Now TV shows
Also try…
Britannia: It’s dividing the critics, but if you can’t wait for a new fix of Game of Thrones, Britannia may fill that Westeros-shaped hole in your viewing calendar.
Atlanta: Donald Glover’s amazing comedy set in the eponymous city was overlooked by many in the UK, and is well worth a watch. It centres around two cousins navigating the Atlanta music scene trying to make ends meet, and is as astute as it is hilarious.
Haven’t found what you’re looking for, and want to check some Netflix recommendations instead? Try these in-depth run downs of the best of the best Netflix content:
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