The Ultimate Guide to What to Watch on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max, and More in July 2023

July is a hot month for comedy. There's the debut season of The Horror of Dolores Roach, a Sweeney Todd-but-make-it-Washington Heights dark comedy starring Justina Machado, if you're looking for something new; there's also Season 5 of What We Do in the Shadows, if you're looking for a reliable hangout comedy (with vampires). The DC animated hit Harley Quinn returns. And plenty of shows with strong first seasons are back for Season 2, like the under-the-radar gem This Fool, the murder mystery comedy The Afterparty, and the delightfully raunchy Minx. But the drama category is no slouch either, whether you're looking for crime drama (Justified: City Primeval), teen drama (The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2), legal drama (The Lincoln Lawyer Season 2), or supernatural drama (Good Omens Season 2). Clearly July is also a hot month for second seasons.

Our guide to the best TV in July is divided into three sections: the best shows and movies to watch this month, the best shows to watch by streaming service, and a calendar of TV highlights. Whatever you're looking for, you'll find it below. 

Last month's guide: The Ultimate Guide to What to Watch on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max, and More in June

The best shows and movies to watch in July

The Horror of Dolores Roach (July 7, Prime Video)

One Day at a Time's Justina Machado plays a woman freshly out of prison who returns to her Washington Heights neighborhood 16 years after taking the fall for her drug-dealing boyfriend. She starts working as a masseuse in the basement of an empanada shop, but her pursuit of rebuilding her life is sidetracked (or strengthened) by a little bit of "accidental" murder and cannibalism. Yeah, that's a lot, but the dark comedy series is a funny look at the American dream. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

The Afterparty Season 2 (July 12, Apple TV+)

Christopher Miller's genre-bending murder mystery series returns for a second season with a whole new case involving a wedding that is thrown into disarray when the groom is murdered. From Season 1, Tiffany Haddish's Det. Danner, Sam Richardson's Aniq, and Zoë Chao's Zoë return, and they're joined by new cast members John Cho, Jack Whitehall, Poppy Liu, and more. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

What We Do in the Shadows Season 5 (July 13, FX)

It's called hot vampire summer, look it up. For a quick refresher, the end of Season 4 found Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) going off in search of a vampire who would finally grant him the transformation Nandor (Kayvan Novak) has spent years denying him. But because nothing ever really changes on this show (in the best way), we probably shouldn't expect that transformation to go as planned. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 (July 14, Prime Video)

Television's most addictive YA beach read returns. Belly (Lola Tung) gets even more confused this season as the love triangle between her and brothers Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) becomes even more heated, as these things tend to do on TV. But tragedy in the family adds another complex layer to the typical teen romance. America is divided: Are you Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah? -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Justified: City Primeval (July 18, FX)

Timothy Olyphant kindly dusted off his big ol' hat to reprise his role as Raylan Givens in this limited series Justified spin-off. City Primeval finds Raylan living in Miami with his teenage daughter (played by Olyphant's actual daughter, Vivian Olyphant) before he ends up in Detroit and becomes involved with a violent criminal called the Oklahoma Wildman (Boyd Holbrook). -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

Minx Season 2 (July 21, Starz)

The artist formerly known as HBO Max really fumbled the ball on this one, but thankfully Starz snatched up Minx for Season 2 before Jake Johnson's chest hair could get lost in the ether. This time around, Doug (Johnson) and Joyce (Ophelia Lovibond) aren't struggling to get Minx off the ground, but are navigating its overwhelming success and all the money and notoriety that comes with it. And yes, Season 2 gifts us with the sight of Johnson in more glorious '70s outfits. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

They Cloned Tyrone (July 21, Netflix)

This one's going to be far out. A funky mashup of sci-fi, humor, and pulp mystery that pays homage to 1970s Blaxploitation films, They Cloned Tyrone stars John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx as an unlikely trio who find themselves on the trail of an eerie government conspiracy. We don't know much else; the team behind the movie, which comes from first-time director Juel Taylor, seems to want us to go into the experience confused, which is cool. Bring it on. -Kelly Connolly [Trailer]

Harley Quinn Season 4 (July 27, Max)

The hit DC animated series is finally back on the same Bat-channel. A few months after the release of "A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special," Harley Quinn returns to pick up where Season 3 left off: with Harley (Kaley Cuoco) teaming up with the Bat-Family now that Batgirl (Briana Cuoco) has taken the reins — and Bruce Wayne (Diedrich Bader) has gone to jail for tax invasion. Superhero stories like this don't come along every day. -Kelly Connolly

This Fool Season 2 (July 28, Hulu)

One of 2022's most sneaky-good comedies is back for mas. The series about man-child Julio (Chris Estrada), who works at a South Central Los Angeles gang rehabilitation center with his fresh-out-of-prison cousin Luis (Frankie Quiñones), comes from Pat Bishop, Jake Weisman, and Matt Ingebretson, the twisted minds who delivered Comedy Central's Corporate. If your life could use more former gangsters making cupcakes, this is for you. (But also it's for everyone, because it's so good!) -Tim Surette

Good Omens Season 2 (July 28, Prime Video)

Both the demon and the angel on your shoulders will be yelling in your ear to watch the second season of Good Omens, which returns to Prime Video after 2019's six-episode supposedly one-and-done limited series based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's book about uptight angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and hard-partying demon Crowley (David Tennant), who team up to stop Earth from succumbing to an apocalypse. The new season comes from unrealized ideas from showrunner Gaiman and the late Pratchett and involves the mystery of how the archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) shows up on Earth. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

How to With John Wilson Season 3 (July 28, HBO)

As John Wilson once said, "Wow." Quietly one of TV's best and most surprisingly touching shows, How to With John Wilson is saying goodbye with a run of episodes that are sure to make us let out a lot of disbelieving laughter and marvel at Wilson's uncanny ability to make the mundane so interesting. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

What's on Netflix, Max, Hulu, Amazon, and more in July

Netflix's best new shows and movies in July

In the heat of summer, good TV is like an oasis. Stay in the air conditioned comfort of your home this July and check out Netflix's most exciting new releases, like They Cloned Tyrone, a cool genre mashup of a movie starring John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx as a trio pulled into the rabbit hole of a sinister conspiracy. Or, for something completely different, you could get your small-town drama fix with a new season of Sweet Magnolias, hit the road with Season 2 of The Lincoln Lawyer, go behind the scenes of the NFL gridiron in new docuseries Quarterback, or say farewell to Henry Cavill's era of The Witcher. The point is that you can do all of this indoors. Here's our list of the best shows and movies on Netflix in July, plus everything coming to and leaving Netflix in July.

More on Netflix:

• The best shows on Netflix right now
• The best movies on Netflix right now
• The new TV shows and movies on Netflix in June

HBO and Max's best new shows and movies in July

The streaming platform formerly known as HBO Max is taking it easy this summer (aren't we all!). After a busy few months filled with returning hit comedies like The Righteous Gemstones and discourse generators like And Just Like That..., Max is enjoying a low-key summer break this July, with a monthly release calendar highlighted by the third and final season of a gem that is somehow still under the radar: the lovely, funny, unconventional docuseries How to With John Wilson. July's other obvious standout is Harley Quinn Season 4. And if you're in the mood for something new, check out Steven Soderbergh's Full Circle, a limited series with an impressive cast. Here's our list of the best shows and movies on HBO and Max in July, plus everything coming to HBO and Max in July.

More on HBO and Max:

• The best movies on Max right now
• The best shows on Max right now
• The new TV shows and movies on HBO and Max in June
• HBO Max review 2022: Everything to know about the streaming service

Hulu's best new shows and movies in July

It's the summer of returns for Hulu in July. After almost eight years away, Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) is back in Justified: City Primeval, a continuation of FX's excellent cop drama Justified that sees Raylan chase bad guys in Detroit. And after almost 10 years away, the crew of Futurama's Planet Express is back on the job for its second revival. It's nice to see old friends, isn't it? But don't worry, your newer friends are here as well. Also back for new seasons are What We Do in the Shadows (Season 5) and This Fool (Season 2). Here's our list of the best shows and movies on Hulu in July, plus everything coming to Hulu in July.

More on Hulu: 

• The best TV shows on Hulu right now
• The best movies on Hulu right now
• The new TV shows and movies on Hulu in June
• How much does Hulu cost? Plans, pricing, channels, and more in 2022

Amazon Prime Video's best new shows and movies in July

The month of July is about temptations of the flesh for Amazon Prime Video's best new releases. The biggest show to hit the streaming service this month is the second season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, a YA hit based on Jenny Han's books that follows three teens in a doozy of a love triangle. New to Prime Video is the debut season of The Horror of Dolores Roach, a dark comedy starring One Day at a Time's Justina Machado as a woman who accidentally turns a hot New York empanada shop into a den of death and... cannibalism. On a lighter side — well, as light as the possible end of the world can be — there's Season 2 of Good Omens, the follow-up to the adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's heavenly (and hellish!) story about an unusual alliance between an angel and a demon. Here's our list of the best shows and movies on Amazon Prime Video in July, plus everything coming to Prime Video in July.

More on Amazon:

• The best movies on Amazon Prime Video right now
• The best shows on Amazon Prime Video right now
• The new TV shows and movies on Amazon Prime Video in June
• The best early Prime Day 2023 deals available now
• Amazon Prime Video pricing, channels, and deals in 2022
  

The best new shows and movies everywhere else in July

The Afterparty is keeping the party going. The Apple TV+ comedy is back for a second season of genre-hopping crime solving, and it's got another killer ensemble lined up. New cast members in Season 2 include John Cho, Jack Whitehall, and Poppy Liu (and yes, Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, and Zoë Chao are back). Apple TV+ also has Foundation Season 2 (July 14) and the new movie The Beanie Bubble (July 28). If you're looking for a new post-apocalyptic video game adaptation, Peacock has one: Twisted Metal premieres July 27. And Paramount+ keeps the Taylor Sheridan TV dynasty alive with Special Ops: Lioness (July 23). They've also got the movie continuation of the Zoey 101 dynasty, Zoey 102 (July 27).

More on Apple TV+, Peacock, Disney+, and Paramount+:

• The best shows and movies on Apple TV+ right now
• The best shows on Peacock right now
• The best movies on Peacock right now
• The best shows on Paramount+ right now
• The best shows on Disney+ right now
• The best movies on Disney+ right now
• How to get a Paramount+ free trial and deals

July TV calendar highlights

Saturday, July 1
Brandi Carlile: In the Canyon Haze - Live From Laurel Canyon (Special, HBO)

Sunday, July 2
Tough as Nails (Season 5, CBS)

Monday, July 3
Unknown (Docuseries, Netflix)

Tuesday, July 4
Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular (Special, NBC)

Wednesday, July 5
CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair (Documentary, Hulu)
WHAM! (Documentary, Netflix)

Thursday, July 6
The Lincoln Lawyer (Season 2 Part 1, Netflix)
Shaun White: The Last Run (Limited Series, Max)

Friday, July 7
The Ashley Madison Affair (Docuseries, Hulu)
The Horror of Dolores Roach (Season 1, Prime Video)
My Adventures With Superman (Season 1, Adult Swim)
The Out-Laws (Film, Netflix)

Sunday, July 9
D.I. Ray (Season 1, PBS)
Domina (Season 2, MGM+)
Grantchester (Season 8, PBS)
Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York (Docuseries, HBO)
Running Wild With Bear Grylls: The Challenge (Season 2, Nat Geo)
See It Loud: The History of Black Television (Docuseries, CNN)

Monday, July 10
Miracle Workers: End Times (Season 4, TBS)

Tuesday, July 11
Nineteen to Twenty (Season 1, Netflix)

Wednesday, July 12
The 2023 ESPYs (Special, ABC)
The Afterparty (Season 2, Apple TV+)
Quarterback (Docuseries, Netflix)

Thursday, July 13 
Full Circle (Limited Series, Max)
The Jewel Thief (Documentary, Hulu)
Project Greenlight: A New Generation (Season 1, Max)
Sonic Prime (Season 2, Netflix)
Survival of the Thickest (Season 1, Netflix)
What We Do in the Shadows (Season 5, FX) 

Friday, July 14
Bird Box Barcelona (Film, Netflix)
Five Star Chef (Season 1, Netflix)
Foundation (Season 2, Apple TV+)
The Summer I Turned Pretty (Season 2, Prime Video)
Too Hot to Handle (Season 5, Netflix)

Sunday, July 16
Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge (Limited Series, HGTV)
Goliath (Docuseries, Showtime)
The Real Housewives of New York City (Season 14, Bravo)

Monday, July 17
Below Deck Down Under (Season 2, Bravo)

Tuesday, July 18
Down to Earth With Zac Efron (Season 1, The CW)
Justified: City Primeval (Limited Series, FX)
Love Island USA (Season 5, Peacock)

Wednesday, July 19
CMA Fest (Special, ABC)
The Deepest Breath (Documentary, Netflix)

Thursday, July 20
Glitch: The Rise and Fall of HQ Trivia (Documentary, Max)
Superpowered: The DC Story (Docuseries, Max)
Sweet Magnolias (Season 3, Netflix)
Tacoma FD (Season 4, truTV)

Friday, July 21
Almost Paradise (Season 2, Freevee)
Minx (Season 2, Starz)
Praise Petey (Season 1, Freeform)
They Cloned Tyrone (Film, Netflix)

Sunday, July 23
Special Ops: Lioness (Season 1, Paramount+)

Monday, July 24
Futurama (Season 11, Hulu)
The Golden Boy (Docuseries, HBO)

Wednesday, July 26
The Great British Baking Show: The Professionals (Season 7, Netflix)
The Hardy Boys (Season 3, Hulu)

Thursday, July 27
Happiness for Beginners (Film, Netflix)
Harley Quinn (Season 4, Max)
The Lady of Silence: The Mataviejitas Murders (Documentary, Netflix)
Mother Undercover (Docuseries, Hulu)
Twisted Metal (Season 1, Peacock)
The Witcher (Season 3 Part 2, Netflix)
Zoey 102 (Film, Paramount+)

Friday, July 28
The Beanie Bubble (Film, Apple TV+)
Captain Fall (Season 1, Netflix)
Heels (Season 2, Starz)
Hidden Strike (Film, Netflix)
How to Become a Cult Leader (Docuseries, Netflix)
How to With John Wilson (Season 3, HBO)
This Fool (Season 2, Hulu)

Sunday, July 30
Dark Winds (Season 2, AMC)