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Choosing what to watch can sometimes take longer than actually watching it. To save you the endless scrolling… here’s a collection of shows I’m currently loving across the major streaming platforms.

 

Johannesburg, South Africa (21 June 2026) – A cold front has rolled across much of South Africa. Johannesburg is wrapped in grey skies, and if there was ever a day to pull the duvet up a little higher and settle in for a marathon streaming session, this is probably it.

The good news is that the streaming services seem to have understood the assignment, serving up everything from gripping thrillers and mind-bending sci-fi to laugh-out-loud comedies… giving us comfort television that feels like catching up with old friends.

Of course, if you have Father’s Day plans… please don’t cancel on your dad! But perhaps after breakfast or lunch, you can settle in on the couch to catch up with some series.

These are a few of my current favourites, alongside a handful of series I keep returning to when the weather turns properly miserable.

Apple TV+ continues to punch well above its weight and has become my go-to platform for clever storytelling. The platform features a constantly expanding catalogue of over 200 original series… TWO HUNDRED. And many of them are really good! I’ve selected 5 of them, a recommendation from me to you.

Rain, Cold and a Duvet Day: These Are the Shows Worth Streaming!
Photo Credit: AppleTV+

One of the newest additions is Widow’s Bay, a folk-horror comedy starring Matthew Rhys as Tom Loftis, a widowed mayor desperate to revive his struggling New England island town. What starts as an ambitious tourism plan quickly spirals into something far stranger as local legends, supernatural curses and eccentric residents begin to prove that the island’s folklore might not be folklore at all. It sounds bizarre because it is—and that’s exactly why it works.

The final episode came out last week, so you have a full season to catch up on.

Next up is Margo’s Got Money Troubles, based on Rufi Thorpe’s bestselling novel. The series follows a young woman trying to survive adulthood after an affair with a married professor leaves her pregnant, broke and facing eviction. What unfolds is a surprisingly funny, deeply human story about independence, judgment, motherhood and finding unconventional ways to make life work.

The series stars Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, and Nicole Kidman. Need I say more?

If you prefer your television with a healthy dose of suspense, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is set to deliver. Tatiana Maslany stars as a divorced mother whose already complicated life takes a dramatic turn after she witnesses a kidnapping during an online cam session. When nobody believes her, she starts investigating herself and becomes entangled in a world far more dangerous than she imagined.

We’re only 6 episodes into this one but that could be your Sunday sorted!

If you somehow still haven’t watched Pluribus, consider this your sign. Created by Vince Gilligan, the mastermind behind Breaking Bad, the series imagines a world where an alien virus transforms humanity into a permanently happy hive mind. The only problem? One woman is immune. It’s weird, clever and impossible to stop thinking about.

For comfort viewing, however, nothing beats Shrinking. Jason Segel, Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams create television that somehow manages to be hilarious, heartbreaking and hopeful all at once. Every episode feels like a warm hug disguised as a comedy. Spoiler alert: You will cry.

Disney+ has become far more than just superheroes and animated classics. From Marvel to Pixar, Hulu, FX, National Geographic and ESPN. It has everything… and more!

Rain, Cold and a Duvet Day: These Are the Shows Worth Streaming!
Photo Credit: Disney+

A series that somehow slipped under my radar is Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, which dives into one of the most famous romances of the modern era. The story explores the intense public fascination with the couple, the pressures of celebrity and the challenges that came with living under a relentless spotlight. It’s glamorous, tragic and endlessly fascinating.

All episodes are now streaming. I absolutely loved it… I think you will too!

For thriller fans, Paradise is one of the strongest shows currently streaming across all platforms. Set inside a luxurious underground bunker built to preserve humanity after a catastrophe strikes, the series follows a Secret Service agent investigating the murder of the President. The deeper he digs, the darker the secrets become.

We’re 2 seasons in… with a 3rd on the way.

Mindy Kaling’s Not Suitable For Work offers a very different experience. It follows five ambitious twenty-somethings navigating careers, friendships, relationships and the chaos of trying to become adults in New York City. It’s messy, funny and painfully relatable.

True-crime lovers will likely find themselves hooked by Murdaugh: Death in the Family. I sure did. The series dramatises the extraordinary downfall of one of America’s most powerful legal dynasties. The story combines scandal, corruption and murder in a way that often feels stranger than fiction.

There is also an accompanying podcast. Put both on your watch/listen list.

For comfort viewing, though, there is always good old Grey’s. 22 seasons and 466 episodes mean there’s enough content to carry you through the entire winter.

Netflix remains the easiest place to lose an entire weekend.

Rain, Cold and a Duvet Day: These Are the Shows Worth Streaming!
Photo Credit: Netflix

The Polygamist, adapted from Sue Nyathi’s acclaimed novel, delivers drama on an epic scale. And the world cannot stop talking about it.

At its centre is Jonasi Gomora, a successful businessman whose carefully constructed life begins to collapse under the weight of deception, infidelity and secrets. The story is driven by the women connected to him, making it far more than a simple tale of betrayal.

I Will Find You offers a thriller premise that immediately grabs your attention. It’s kinda like “Prison Breal” but not. A father imprisoned for murdering his son discovers that the child may actually be alive. Determined to uncover the truth, he embarks on a desperate search that threatens everything he thought he knew.

Meanwhile, The Four Seasons explores decades-long friendships through a series of seasonal holidays shared by three couples. When one marriage unexpectedly falls apart, everyone is forced to confront uncomfortable truths about their own relationships.

It’s funny, thoughtful and packed with emotional honesty.

And then there’s Beef, one of the smartest dark comedies of recent years. The anthology format means each season introduces a completely new feud, but the theme remains the same: what happens when people refuse to let things go. The answer is usually chaos.

There are 2 seasons that are VERY different from each other. But equally entertaining!

For comfort viewing, I am going to recommend Shameless. Is it comfort? Or just absolute chaos? Can’t be sure… but I do love it! The Gallagher family may be dysfunctional beyond belief, but after enough episodes, they start feeling oddly familiar.

Prime Video has loads of great series… and continues to surprise me with the variety on offer.

Rain, Cold and a Duvet Day: These Are the Shows Worth Streaming!
Photo Credit: PRIME Video

Spider-Noir brings Nicolas Cage into the Marvel universe in a way only Nicolas Cage can. Set in a rain-soaked version of 1930s New York, the series blends detective noir with superhero storytelling to create something visually striking and completely different.

You can watch this one in colour… or black and white. You have enough time today to do both.

The Boys remains one of television’s most entertaining takedowns of celebrity culture, corporate greed and superhero mythology. It’s outrageous, often shocking and somehow gets better with each season.

It is NSFW… or for viewers easily offended.

If you enjoy action and espionage, Jack Ryan is still one of the strongest options available. Based on Tom Clancy’s iconic character, the series follows the CIA analyst as he moves from behind a desk to the front lines of international crises.

And of course, there’s Clarkson’s Farm, which may be one of the most unexpectedly brilliant shows ever made. Watching Jeremy Clarkson attempt to navigate farming regulations, livestock, weather and agricultural economics is consistently hilarious but it’s also given many viewers a new appreciation for the people who feed us every day.

I also got to visit Diddly Squat Farm Shop last year. And it is exactly what you see on the show.

For comfort viewing, Kevin Can F**k Himself deserves far more attention than it gets. The show cleverly flips between sitcom fantasy and gritty reality, creating one of the most original television concepts in years. It’s funny… but also incredibly serious.

The weather outside may be miserable but that’s not always bad news. A rainy, cold Sunday gives us permission to switch off the notifications and spend a few hours getting lost in great stories. Whether you’re chasing suspense, comedy, drama or pure comfort television, there’s more than enough here to make this cold South African weekend feel a little warmer.


Sources: Various | All Linked Above 
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About the Author

Brent Lindeque is the founder and editor in charge at Good Things Guy.

Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero, Brent is a change maker, thought leader, radio host, foodie, vlogger, writer and all round good guy.

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