The best new TV shows to stream in June

Searching for a new series this month? I’m particularly keen on Stan’s Australian murder mystery The Killing at Parrish Station, which combines eerie vibes and the mighty Mia Wasikowska, and the Disney+ comedy Alice and Steve, where best friends have to navigate an awkward new dynamic. There’s something for everyone though, with new shows from Harlan Coben, Sam Pang and even Barack Obama.

When he’s not the true-blue lead of the Avatar blockbusters, Australian actor Sam Worthington has built an eclectic career around action flicks and thrillers. With this new series, adapted from the 2023 Harlan Coben novel of the same name, he leans into the latter. Worthington plays David Burroughs, an American prisoner serving a life sentence for the murder of his own son. David’s unheard pleas of innocence become an escape plan when he learns that his son may actually still be alive. Any Prison Break fans getting the tingles? Severance devotees get to see that show’s breakout star, Britt Lower, as David’s ally, his former sister-in-law and a disgraced journalist. Expect many twists.

Also on Netflix: One of the trickiest gigs in the romantic-comedy trade is finding the right foil for Jennifer Lopez. Everyone from Ralph Fiennes to Owen Wilson has tried to perfect the meet cute with J.Lo. Office Romance (June 5) offers an intriguing candidate: Ted Lasso star and Shrinking co-creator Brett Goldstein. The English actor co-wrote this feature, where he plays a corporate lawyer who falls in love with his new boss, Lopez’s no-nonsense airline CEO. Do they have a work trip to the tropical delights of the Dominican Republic? Absolutely. The director is Ol Parker (Ticket to Paradise), and the goal is to circumvent the formulaic.

May highlights: Kylie proved that the celebrity documentary can be done right, Legends was a cracking British crime drama, it was retirees versus monsters in the sci-fi adventure The Boroughs, Zach Galifianakis hosted the idiosyncratic This is a Gardening Show, Unchosen was a spicy British cult drama, while the action-thriller remake Man on Fire fizzled out.

My top HBO Max recommendation is Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (June 27).

In his first major project since Curb Your Enthusiasm concluded in 2024, comedy great Larry David headlines a sketch comedy series that takes a less than august view of American history. Former US President Barack Obama is a producer on a show that will definitely not be textbook faithful, and will reportedly also feature in a sketch. David’s contacts list means the list of guests is top-tier: Bill Hader (Barry