Series Snapshot ~ 4/23/2026

By: [email protected] on Thu, 04/23/2026 - 13:44

Welcome to the Series Snapshot, a weekly deep dive into the shows topping the streaming charts.

Netflix’s Trust Me: The False Prophet claims the most watched title again this week, ahead of Big Mistakes and Temptation Island. The series has rocked the true crime world, thanks to the important detective work and undercover operation of the filmmakers, Christine Marie and Tolga Katas. The documentary takes the viewer deep into a fundamentalist Mormon cult, which sees its leader, Sam Bateman, establish himself as the head of a new sect, taking over twenty wives, many of whom are underage. Christine Marie, herself a religious cult survivor, carries an impressive series of certifications, including a doctorate in psychology and specialized training with trafficking victims, which over the four episodes, help her navigate the internal politics of the cult and earn Sam's trust, allowing her to film virtually everything he does. Viewers are stunned at some of the revelations in False Prophet, but also commend the project for its empathic view towards brainwashing victims, and Mormon culture, making careful distinctions between faith and abuse. Trust Me: The False Prophet was created by Rachel Dretzin.

This week Hulu launched its new Handmaid’s Tale sequel series, The Testaments, which quickly shot up the charts to number one. The Handmaid’s Tale was a massive critical success, and remains one of Hulu’s flagship IP’s. The Testaments is set four years after Handmaid’s conclusion, and follows three interwoven plots to expose the brutality of Gilead (Geographically, the remains of most of the continental U.S.) Ann Dowd reprises her role as Aunt Lydia, working as a mole tasked with collecting dirt on Gilead’s leaders. Teenage resistance operative Daisy, (Lucy Halliday) and well-off Gileadeon, Agnes, (Chase Infiniti) work together to subvert their draconian society after witnessing cruel punishments. The Testaments is faring well critically, but is perhaps less impactful than the original series for several reasons, primarily that most viewers have seen the original Handmaid’s Tale, leaving them desensitized to the bleak alt-future presented, but also, Testaments steers away from the disturbing, horrific aesthetic of its predecessor, and toward a youthful adventure-thriller series. New episodes are released on Hulu every Wednesday. The Testaments was created by Bruce Miller.

Euphoria, season three takes the top spot at HBO for a second week, just ahead of The Pitt, which aired its season finale on April 16th. New Euphoria has tweaked the formula of the first two seasons, jumping ahead five years, and shifting genres to a crime-thriller rather than teenage fever-dream. The newest season had been intended to share the music scoring between original composer Labrinth, and Hans Zimmer, but after a falling out between Labrinth and production, Zimmer fully took the reins. Zimmer as sole composer further separates the new vibe from the earlier episodes, leaning into a cinematic, almost western sound. Some note that these changes cause season three to feel like a different show entirely, lacking in the intimacy and trainwreck messiness that once held audiences so captive. Despite exceptionally high viewership, reviews for Euphoria are mixed across the board. The original cast of Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, and Hunter Schafer return to reprise their roles, and continue to deliver solid performances despite the new direction. There’s no official word as to whether Euphoria will continue after this season, but it seems likely not, in light of recent hints from the cast and creators. Euphoria was created by Sam Levinson.

The fifth and final season of Amazon original The Boys maintains its spot at the top of the platform’s charts, ahead of Invincible and From. The continued high engagement is simple to understand – showrunner Eric Kripke has made it clear that this is the final season and it will be the darkest and most intense chapter yet. Kripke gave a recent statement that “there’s no guarantee of who’s gonna survive”. These high stakes have sparked audience investment, and some recent cameos including stars of Supernatural and Gen V have kept each episode fresh. Anthony Starr receives particular praise for his unhinged portrayal of Homelander, an American Psycho version of Superman. The Boys also stars Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Erin Moriarty, and Laz Alonso. New episodes release every Wednesday at midnight, with the series finale set for May 20. The Boys was adapted from the DC comics by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, while the series was created by Eric Kripke.

Your Friends & Neighbors remains a strong draw for Apple TV, maintaining its top spot for a third week running. Reviews for the series remain generally positive, though some will nitpick about occasionally contrived moments. Across the board, James Marsden is commended for his performance as the series’ agent of chaos, Owen Ashe, toying with our protagonist thief, “Coop”, played by Jon Hamm. Getting more attention recently is Aimee Carrero, who plays Coop’s housekeeper and new partner in crime with presence and pragmatism, and has been called a breath of fresh air. Your Friends & Neighbors has been greenlit for a third season, and it was recently confirmed that Michelle Monaghan will join as a series regular, though she hasn’t made an appearance in season two just yet. Your Friends & Neighbors was created by Jonathan Tropper, and new episodes air every Friday at 9PM on AppleTV.

This week, Maul: Shadow Lord reclaims the top spot after taking runner up to Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair. The animated Star Wars series has gripped fans with its dark, sci-fi noir aesthetic, and intense violence. The series sees Phantom Menace villain Darth Maul, now just “Maul”, attempt to rebuild his criminal organization on planet Janix, outside the empire’s reach. Sam Witwer voices Maul with chilling gravitas, and his new pupil, the disillusioned Devon Izara, is played by Gideon Adlon, whose performance shines with youthful vigor and internal conflict. Despite the show not being animated with motion-capture technology, Witwer fully embodied Maul, creating video references for the animation team, even donning the iconic face tattoos. Praise for Maul: Shadow Lord is abundant; fans love getting to see more worldbuilding with the beloved character, and critics appreciate how Maul doesn’t pull its punches, and aims for a mature audience. Maul: Shadow Lord was created by Dave Filoni, and has been renewed for a second season.