Stream On This Week: Dexter Returns, Crypto Explained, and Mourning Patrick Stewart with Laughter

Welcome to the latest issue of Stream On, the weekly newsletter from Consequence that answers the eternally confounding question: What films and TV shows should you be watching? (Subscribe here!) We’re looking at all the new and recent releases from Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, HBO Max, and more for ideas — not to mention a Blast From the Past and streaming recommendations from this week’s special guest: the cast of Dexter: Resurrection Season 2! This Week’s Picks Dexter: Resurrection Season 2 (TV)Dexter: Resurrection (Paramount) Developed by: Clyde Phillips Cast: Michael C. Hall, Uma Thurman, Jack Alcott, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Kadia Saraf, Dominic Fumusa, Desmond Harrington, James Remar, Dan Stevens, Bokeem Woodbine, Nona Parker Johnson, Brian Cox Streaming on: Paramount+ Premium Somehow, Dexter returned, and based on the first two episodes of this new season, the show has definitely found a spin on its original formula that’s new and different enough to keep things feeling fresh. Maybe it’s the New York City setting, maybe it’s the new cast — including guest stars like Dan Stevens and Brian Cox as serial killers with less of a moral compass than our old pal Dexter — but it really does work. Season 2 of Resurrection opens with an honestly hilarious sequence that captures the show’s maximalist attitude perfectly, and the rest of the season seems primed to keep us on our toes. Everyone Is Lying to You for Money (Film)Sam Bankman-Fried and Ben McKenzie in Everyone Is Lying to You for Money, photo by Neil Brandvold/Easy Money Productions, Inc. Directed by: Ben McKenzie Featuring: Ben McKenzie, Morena Baccarin, Gerald Butler Streaming on: Kanopy When Ben McKenzie first started using his degree in economics to get his head around cryptocurrency, it was being touted as world-changing technology, racking up tons of celebrity endorsements. But McKenzie, right from the start, called bullshit, and his newly streaming documentary on the topic not only explains what crypto is, but covers all the flaws in these systems — especially the human ones. What’s so enjoyable about Everyone Is Lying to You for Money is the personal touch that the O.C. and Gotham star brings to the screen, including charming footage of him at home with wife Morena Baccarin (one exchange between them, regarding Matt Damon, had me laughing out loud). The movie does acknowledge that to most of the world, he’ll always be the guy from The O.C. That doesn’t mean he’s not right about crypto. Also be sure to check out his book on the same subject, as it’s an equally sharp read. Minions and Monsters (Film)Minions and Monsters (Universal) Directed by: Pierre Coffin Cast: Pierre Coffin, Trey Parker, Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeff Bridges, Zoey Deutch, Bobby Moynihan, Phil LaMarr Streaming on: Peacock Minions and Monsters may be the seventh movie to star Universal’s beloved yellow weirdos, but it’s honestly a pretty delightful experience for any lovers of film history, especially the silent era. Seriously! Rather than focus on the duders who follow supervillain Gru around, the movie tells the tale of Henry and James, whose clan of Minions ends up invading 1920s Hollywood. It’s just like Singin’ in the Rain! Except that when Lina Lamont struggled to transition into the talkie era, Lina didn’t try conjuring up real monsters to boost her screen presence. (Of course she would have, had she had the opportunity.) Beyond the Minions themselves, the voice cast is full of surprises, like Josh Brolin proving his versatility with a remarkable dual role and Jesse Eisenberg as an alien robot. LOL: Last One Laughing: Halloween (TV)LOL: Last One Laughing: Halloween (Prime Video) Created by: Hitoshi Matsumoto Cast: Jimmy Carr, Roisin Conaty, Tom Allen, Daisy May Cooper, Harriet Dyer, Reece Shearsmith, Phil Wang, Jack Dee, Lou Sanders Streaming on: Prime Video LOL: Last One Laughing is an established British franchise (based on a Japanese format) on the verge of getting an American adaptation hosted by Nick Kroll. So for a taste of what’s to come, check out the latest installment of the British version, themed appropriately enough for Halloween. The challenge is simple enough to explain: A group of comedians are locked up together and are explicitly forbidden from laughing or even cracking a smile. Not only are they all trying to make each other break the rules (and thus get eliminated from the game) but the producers have plenty of tricks up their sleeves to move things along. It takes a beat to get going, thanks to all the setup involved, but once the game is on, things get very silly (complimentary). Blast From the Past The home screens of streaming services are always packed with the latest new releases, but we don’t spend enough time appreciating how much good library content is streaming across all of these platforms. Each week, Stream On will spotlight one less-than-new favorite (must pre-date the founding of Consequence, so 15 years or older) that deserves attention from modern-day eyes. House (1977, Film)House (Toho) Directed by: Nobuhiko Obayashi Cast: Kimiko Ikegami, Miki Jinbo, Ai Matsubara, Kumiko Oba, Mieko Sato, Eriko Tanaka, Masayo Miyako, Kiyohiko Ozaki, Asei Kobayashi, Mitsutoshi Ishigami, Saho Sasazawa, Haruko Wanibuchi, Yōko Minamida Streaming on: HBO Max, Kanopy, The Criterion Channel, Tubi Going with a true old-school classic this week — a wonderfully chaotic Japanese horror movie that lets the audience marinate in discomfort for just the right amount of time. Then, all manner of hell breaks loose. A blend of filmmaking approaches are involved in dramatizing the madcap mayhem of a simple trip to a country house; there are times I really love watching movies made from before the rise of CGI, because it makes the special effects feel like actual magic. A Special Guest Recommends! Liz isn’t the only person in the world capable of suggesting stuff for people to watch… So each week, Stream On will now feature picks from a special guest! Said special guest could be literally anyone from the world of entertainment — actors, writers, directors, musicians, or anyone else Liz thinks might be watching something interesting. This Week: The Stars of Dexter: Resurrection!Dexter: Resurrection (Paramount) Who Are They? New York’s finest! One major thread of Dexter: Resurrection is Dexter’s son Harrison, played by Jack Alcott, officially joining the NYPD, hence the addition of new Season 2 cast members Bokeem Woodbine and Nona Parker Johnson, who play Harrison’s new boss and colleague, respectively. I chatted with Bokeem, Nona, and Jack during a recent press day, and all three of them spoke with a lot of respect for the show’s long history, and the passion the other cast and crew have for the work. “When you get on set, you can tell immediately that you’re part of something that people care about,” Bokeem said. “Everybody is so dialed in and at the same time welcoming.” It’s something Jack (who joined the Dexter universe in previous spinoff series New Blood) also remembers feeling. “When everybody likes their job and everybody comes to work happy to be at work, not only does it make the experience better, it makes the product better,” he said. “I think you can feel the fun in this show.” What Do They Recommend? When asked for their picks, Nona didn’t hesitate to bring up Apple TV’s most popular show of all time (at least in this newsletter), Widow’s Bay: “I’ve already rewatched it a second time.” Jack had a recommendation that he described as “something funky”: The recent Casper Kelly film Buddy (VOD via Apple or Amazon), which spoofs kids entertainment with a bloody twist. “The kid actors are spectacular— it’s deeply unsettling and it’s also funny,” Jack said. “I enjoyed it a lot.” As for Bokeem, well… There’s one firm rule for the picks provided by Special Guests: They can’t have been involved with the making of the project. Unfortunately, this meant that Bokeem’s first suggestion — the new A24 movie Primetime — wasn’t eligible. He did, however, pivot smoothly with his follow-up. “I’m gonna say… Check out Dexter: Resurrection Season 1.” He grinned big. “You see how I did that?” Thank you to Bokeem, Nona, and Jack for their picks! The first episode of Dexter: Resurrection Season 2 is streaming now on Paramount+ Premium. One Last One Before Bed Finally, let’s spotlight a movie or TV show that’s not only great, but won’t take up too much of your time: Think of this section as the answer to the question “What’s something I can watch before hitting the hay, that won’t keep me up too late?” The only rule is that it has to be less than 95 minutes if it’s a movie, or less than 30 minutes an episode if it’s a TV show. Otherwise, sky’s the limit! Extras: Season 1, Episode 6 (TV)Extras (HBO/BBC) Created by: Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant Cast: Ricky Gervais, Ashley Jensen, Stephen Merchant, Shaun Williamson, Shaun Pye, Patrick Stewart Streaming on: Peacock, BritBox Some celebrity deaths are true gut-punches, and that most certainly includes the loss of Sir Patrick Stewart. It doesn’t matter how much time and how many incredible performances he shared with us, the heart is always greedy for more. One thing I took away from Stewart’s memoir is how much he savored getting to do comedy in his later years. He was especially gleeful when remembering his Season 1 cameo in the Ricky Gervais/Stephen Merchant series Extras — apparently during the filming of his big scene, Gervais couldn’t stop laughing during their scene together, leading to literally dozens of takes. Listening to the audiobook version meant getting to hear the pure, unadulterated pride in Stewart’s voice while telling this story. God, he’ll be missed. We’ll be back next week with more picks — in the meantime, stay safe out there, or better yet stay inside, where it’s definitely safe, and there’s so much film and TV to watch. Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter!