A Michelin-starred chef trying to hold his life together, a dystopian game of survival, and a gritty crime drama about an arsonist from Dennis Lehane — this week’s new list of the top-ranked TV shows (courtesy of Reelgood) spans a mix of genres that proves just how diverse (and addictive) streaming TV has become. From Hulu to Netflix, Apple TV+ to Prime Video, the latest chart is packed with can’t-miss series that explore everything from personal demons to life-or-death competition for a big cash prize.
Whether you’re into high-stakes thrillers or quirky dramas, I’m pretty sure this week’s list is eclectic enough that almost any kind of TV viewers will find something here that they’re into. Ready to see what made the cut? Let’s dive in.
The newest Reelgood ranking, by the way, covers the seven-day period that ended on July 2, and it’s based on the streaming guide monitoring millions of viewing decisions each month across the biggest TV platforms in the US, from Apple TV+ to HBO Max, Peacock, Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video, and Paramount+. Below, check out what Reelgood says are some of the streaming TV series making the most waves right now.
This week’s top streaming TV shows
1. The Bear (Hulu). The Bear is an FX drama about a fine-dining chef who returns to Chicago to run his late brother’s struggling sandwich shop, only to find chaos in the kitchen — and inside himself. What makes it so good is how it captures both the adrenaline of kitchen life and the quiet, aching moments in between — all with razor-sharp writing and performances that cut deep. One of the best TV shows of the year — and the decade, for that matter.
2. Squid Game (Netflix). Squid Game is a South Korean survival thriller about 456 contestants who agree to compete in a series of childhood games for a cash prize. A prize, to be more specific, that will be awarded to just one player, while everyone else is killed off. But who are we kidding — you know this already, for crying out loud. This is literally the biggest Netflix show of all time.
3. Countdown (Prime Video). From Prime’s official press summary, “When an officer with the Department of Homeland Security is murdered in broad daylight, LAPD detective Mark Meachum, portrayed by (Jensen) Ackles, is recruited to a secret task force, alongside undercover agents from all branches of law enforcement, to investigate. But the hunt for the killer soon uncovers a plot far more sinister than anyone could have imagined, kicking off a race against time to save a city of millions.”
4. Smoke (Apple TV+). Dennis Lehane’s new Apple TV+ thriller follows arson investigator Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton) and detective Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) as they track serial arsonists. And just when it seems like this series offers a classic manhunt, it flips the script in Episode 2 with a jaw-dropping twist.
5. Ironheart (Disney+). This Marvel Cinematic Universe miniseries follows Riri Williams, a brilliant MIT student and inventor, as she returns to Chicago after the events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” crafting an advanced suit of armor inspired by Iron Man. The series pits her technological prowess against magical forces, particularly through her entanglement with the enigmatic Parker Robbins, aka The Hood.
