This week's streaming highlights include a slick superhero series, a gripping documentary about Boeing, and a fascinating look at Manchester City's recent seasons.
Lanterns
One of the more eagerly awaited superhero franchise expansions, this stylish, self-aware take on DC Comics' Green Lantern doesn't disappoint. It stars Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as Hal Jordan and John Stewart. These intergalactic peacekeepers wear rings that give them extraordinary powers. But that doesn't mean that these space cops are always cleaner than clean: Hal is booze-addled and happy to use his ring to counterfeit dollar bills; John is his slick heir apparent. Cue succession-based squabbling which had better resolve itself soon as a murder in rural Nebraska signals the arrival of "the most dangerous beings to ever exist in the galaxy". Funny, inventive and gripping. HBO Max, from Monday 17 August.
Take a Hike!
An amusing bonding exercise for four young Korean entertainers (Lee Chae-min, Dowoon, Tarzzan and Car, the Garden) who are challenged to embark upon a lengthy hiking trip through the snowy peaks of their country. It's daft and quite charming – these are clearly a quartet of urbanites who have been relatively unaware of their nation's rural areas, so for everyone involved, it's something of an eye-opener. However, the cheesy uplift is nicely undercut by singer Car, the Garden. "I really like it," he grumbles. "Except for the hiking." Netflix, from Tuesday 18 August.
Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing
This investigation is a hard "no" for aerophobics. It centres on whistleblower John Barnett who worked in Boeing's quality control department for 32 years. He was found dead in 2024 (apparently by suicide, though other theories are available) after going public with his safety concerns. While Boeing has denied all of Barnett's allegations about its practices and claims to have addressed certain issues he raised, others have carried on the fight amid – as the documentary shows in anxiety-inducing detail – concerns about whether any lessons have been learned. Netflix, from Wednesday 19 August.
A Beautiful Obsession
The latest in a flurry of football documentaries dropping in the run-up to the new Premier League season covers Man City manager Pep Guardiola's final two seasons in charge. The level of access is remarkable and all the more so because the team – and its manager – seemed to be enduring something of an existential crisis for much of it. From Guardiola's cod philosophy to Kevin De Bruyne applying his hairspray before the game, nothing much seems off-limits. These fly-on-the-wall sporting narratives are very familiar at this point but even so, in its own way, this is fascinating. PH Prime Video, from Wednesday 19 August.
Lion
Filmed over four years in Kenya's Maasai Mara reserve, this natural history epic (narrated by OJ Lynch, who played Mufasa in the stage version of The Lion King) is not an understated affair. Instead, it's visually and narratively spectacular, following one lion, named Kio, as he grows from a cub to assume primacy within the pride. He isn't the only candidate for leadership, however, so his early life is full of initially playful but eventually serious conflict. The lions aren't the only big beasts in this space either, so expect to see nature in all its fierce glory. Disney+, from Thursday 20 August.
Outer Banks
A final season for this popular sun-burnished teen drama set in a coastal town in North Carolina. As ever, all is not well between the Outer Banks's rival teen factions (the Pogues, who are the working-class locals, and wealthy seasonal residents the Kooks). But, as season four ended, things had got very serious with the murder of Pogues top boy JJ. So plenty of loose ends need tying up – the Blue Crown that everyone is in pursuit of has disappeared but, more pressingly, the Pogues are faced with a choice between seeking justice and taking revenge. Netflix, from Thursday 20 August.
The Dynasty: UConn Huskies
The story of the University of Connecticut's basketball programme is less rags-to-riches and more just riches. This three-part series focuses on the women's team. It explores UConn's history and the triumphant 2025 season, during which the team swept all before them thanks to the abrasive stewardship of head coach Geno Auriemma. There is the familiar format of jeopardy and triumph, with added intrigue as disquiet about the coach's methods starts to emerge. "When you're so results-driven," says one player, "it can suck the joy out of the journey." Apple TV, from Friday 21 August.
