By Ruth Young

Summer is not officially be here, though my air conditioner would beg to differ. So, if you’re looking for something to watch while trying to escape the heat, here are Friday Things’ top picks for all your streaming needs this month. Including the premiere of new series The Crowded Room, the Crave docuseries Billionaire Murders, the long-awaited return of Netflix’s Black Mirror and CBC’s newest series Alter Boys. Read on for the full list of what we’re recommending on Apple TV+, CBC Gem, Crave, Disney+, Hayu, Netflix Canada and Prime Video in June 2023.

Apple TV+

The Crowded Room (Premieres June 9)

In Manhattan in the summer of 1979, a young man is arrested for a shocking crime, and an unlikely investigator must solve the mystery behind it before the true criminal strikes again.

The Afterparty, Season 2 (Premieres June 12)

Detective Danner (Haddish) returns to help Aniq (Richardson) and Zoë (Chao) solve whodunnit by questioning family members, star-crossed lovers and business partners, and hearing each suspect’s retelling of the weekend, each with their own unique perspective and visual style.

Swagger, Season 2 (Premieres June 23)

Basketball players, their families and their coaches get swept up into the youth-sports economy. They all must walk a fine line between dreams and ambition, and opportunism and corruption.

Hijack (Premieres June 28)

A plane from Dubai to London is hijacked over a 7 hour flight, while authorities on the ground scramble for answers.

CBC Gem

Spirit of Nation: The Places We Belong (Premieres June 1)

The Places We Belong tells the story of the Fort McKay First Nation people and their struggles as they live and work in a modern colonized world. Through the lens of several key interviewees, the audience is transported on a journey from the bustling city to the traditional lands of the northern Cree. In walking hand in hand with members of Fort McKay First Nation, audiences can better understand the often-conflicting feelings of Indigenous peoples, as they toe the balance between the modern world, while honouring and passing on the teachings of their ancestors.

Run Woman Run (Premieres June 2)

Single mother Beck has been running from reality. Her “breakfast of champions” is a five cream, five sugar coffee, and donuts. Something has to give and it does when Beck finds herself in a diabetic coma and visited by a ghostly ancestor, the legendary Indigenous marathon runner Tom Longboat, who becomes her wise-cracking new life coach.

Escape to the Country (Premieres June 2)

When homeowners are reviewing their quality of life and questioning the need to live in expensive and polluted urban spaces, Escape to the Country’s satisfying journeys of rural property searches and lifestyle changes have never felt more relevant. Having been on screen for twenty years, this heritage brand now focuses on escaping to the countryside in its broadest sense, presenting practical lifestyle content and constructive suggestions for the viewer, all the while capturing the seasonal beauty of the British landscape.

Voices Across the Water (Premieres June 9)

Fritz Mueller and Teresa Earle’s feature documentary Voices Across the Water follows two master boat builders as they practice their art and find a way back to balance and healing. For Alaskan Tlingit carver Wayne Price and young apprentice, Violet, fashioning a dugout canoe from a single massive red cedar tree is a way to reconnect to the Ancestral Knowledge of Indigenous craftspeople.

Girl Like You (Premieres June 12)

When Lauren first saw Lewis smashing out the drums on stage, with smudged eyeliner, knotted hair and ripped jeans, she fell in love. Lewis had been open about identifying as transgender, but was still physically presenting as male and fairly certain he’d stay that way. Six months into their relationship, Lewis tells Lauren that he wants to medically transition genders, change pronouns from He to She, and become Elle. Over six years, we watch a couple desperate to stay together, as they navigate the effects of new body parts, changing gender roles as well as battling their own evolving sexual identities.

Alter Boys (Premieres June 16)

A group of young men recover in a northern Manitoba hospital after being rescued from a forest fire that tore through an isolated conversion therapy camp that they attended, only to discover they haven’t yet escaped. Instead, they must relive the summer’s haunting interplay of hope and ruin when a camp casualty has authorities asking questions about the program.

Bend it Like Bollywood (Premieres June 19)

Growing up in Leicester, Vinay felt unable to live his life as a visibly out and queer person, worried what his community and family would think of his sexuality and way of life. Feeling rejected by the people of his hometown, Vinay left for the bright lights and freedom of the capital. Three years on, he’s built a brand-new life in London: openly gay, gender non-conforming – a dazzling collection of sarees in tow – and running his own successful dance class, Bollyqueer. But one thing’s always remained unresolved for Vinay: the freedom to be himself when he was growing up. And in this film, he takes a bold step: to return to his hometown of Leicester to launch his Bollyqueer dance classes.

Jump, Darling (Premieres June 23)

A rookie drag queen, reeling from a break-up, escapes to the country, where he finds his grandmother in steep decline yet desperate to avoid the local nursing home. Starring Thomas Duplessie (Man Seeking Woman) and Oscar-winner Cloris Leachman (The Last Picture Show).

Crave Canada

Bad Behaviour (Premieres June 2)

Bad Behaviour follows the story of a group of teenage girls at an exclusive boarding school, while exploring themes of self-exploration, power dynamics, and the impact of teenage years on adulthood. Based on the book by Rebecca Starford, the four-part drama follows Jo Mackenzie (Jana McKinnon), who at the age of 25 comes face-to-face with her former school friend Alice Kang (Yerin Ha) as the pair are forced to confront the brutal year they spent together at the exclusive girls’ boarding school, Silver Creek.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Season 2 (Premieres June 15)

The series follows Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock, and Number One, in the years before Captain Kirk guided the U.S.S. Enterprise, as they explore new worlds around the galaxy.

Billionaire Murders (Premieres June 16)

The gripping four-part true crime docuseries reveals an intimate look at the unsolved murders of Canadian power couple, Barry and Honey Sherman. The series narrative is driven by one of Canada’s leading investigative journalists and pre-eminent experts on the case, Kevin Donovan. With unique access to prominent Canadians connected to the couple, as well as Donovan’s fellow journalists, and key figures integral to the investigation, Billionaire Murders delves into the mystery of the killings, including the many twists, turns, and outrageous conspiracy theories about who killed the Shermans.

The Righteous Gemstones, Season 3 (Premieres June 18)

Starring Danny McBride, John Goodman, Edi Patterson, and Adam Devine, HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones continues to tell the story of a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work. When the spoiled Gemstone children finally get their wish to take control of the Church, they discover leadership is harder than they imagined and that their extravagant lifestyle comes with a heavy price.

And Just Like That…, Season 2 (Premieres June 22)

The 11-episode second season of the Max Original series And Just Like That…, from executive producer Michael Patrick King, debuts with two episodes on Thursday, June 22. Returning series regulars includ Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Sara Ramírez, Sarita Choudhury, Nicole Ari Parker, Karen Pittman, Mario Cantone, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler, Christopher Jackson, Niall Cunningham, Cathy Ang, and Alexa Swinton.

Coming Home (Premieres June 30)

Directed by Erica Daniels (Run as One), Coming Home explores the connections between the ground-breaking movement for Indigenous narrative sovereignty and the impact of the child welfare system as experienced through the Little Bird series’ Indigenous creatives, crew, and Sixties Scoop advisors. Coming Home provides a structuring through-line, interwoven with interviews with cast, crew, and community members revealing personal connections to the Sixties Scoop.

Infinity Pool (Premieres June 30)

While staying at an isolated island resort, James (Alexander Skarsgård) and Em (Cleopatra Coleman) are enjoying a perfect vacation of pristine beaches, exceptional staff, and soaking up the sun. But guided by the seductive and mysterious Gabi (Mia Goth), they venture outside the resort grounds and find themselves in a culture filled with violence, hedonism, and untold horror. A tragic accident leaves them facing a zero tolerance policy for crime: either you’ll be executed, or, if you’re rich enough to afford it, you can watch yourself die instead.

Disney+ Canada

Age of Influence (Premieres June 5)

Age of Influence is a documentary series that examines the dark side of influencer culture through some of the biggest social media scandals of our time. From sweeping cons to viral cancellation campaigns, the series gives an unfiltered look at the rise and fall of infamous influencers — among them “Swiffer Girl” victim-turned-grifter Danielle Miller, influencer-turned-Ponzi schemer Jay Mazini and fiber diet-feuders Tanya Zuckerbrot and Emily Gellis. Watch the drama unfold as these taste-makers become caught in the controversial crosshairs of their own curated online worlds.

Avatar: The Way of Water (Premieres June 7)

Avatar: The Way of Water reaches new heights and explores undiscovered depths as James Cameron returns to the world of Pandora in this emotionally packed action adventure. Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” launches the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.

Not Dead Yet (Premieres June 7)

The series follows Nell Serrano, a broke and newly single self-described disaster, working to restart the life and career she left behind five years ago. When she lands the only job she can find ― writing obituaries ― Nell starts getting life advice from some unlikely sources, the dead people whose lives she’s writing about.

Secrets & Sisterhood: The Sozadahs (Premieres June 7)

This series follows the highs and lows of 10 modern-day Muslim American sisters living in LA as they navigate their faith, family, career, and love lives. Per the logline, “tough decisions test their faith, and revolving rivalries test their sister bonds. Even though The Sozahdah sisters keep secrets from each other, the number one rule they live by is – family over everything. But what happens when the secrets these sisters hold sacred are revealed? Will they tear them apart or make them stronger than ever?”

Flamin’ Hot (Premieres June 9)

Flamin’ Hot is the inspiring true story of Richard Montañez, the Frito Lay janitor who channelled his Mexican American heritage and upbringing to turn the iconic Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into a snack that disrupted the food industry and became a global pop culture phenomenon.

The Full Monty (Premieres June 14)

Taking place 25 years after the original British smash hit, the 8×60’ series will follow the same band of brothers as they navigate the post-industrial city of Sheffield, and society’s crumbling healthcare, education, and employment sectors. The comedy-drama will uncover what happened to the gang after they put their kit back on, exploring their brighter, sillier and more desperate moments. It will also highlight how the fiercely funny world of these working-class heroes – still residing in Sheffield – has changed in the intervening decades.

Farm Rebellion (Premieres June 14)

Benedikt Bösel was an investment banker, but then the financial crisis hit and with it the question of meaning. Today, he is a farmer, a visionary and heads a young team that is testing a radical new type of agriculture in the fight against climate change.

Stan Lee (Premieres June 16)

Tracing his life from his upbringing in New York as Stanley Lieber to the rise of Marvel Comics, Stan Lee tells the story of Stan Lee’s life, career, and legacy using his own words and personal archival material.

Secret Invasion (Premieres June 21)

In Marvel Studios’ new series Secret Invasion, set in the present day MCU, Nick Fury learns of a clandestine invasion of Earth by a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls. Fury joins his allies, including Everett Ross, Maria Hill and the Skrull Talos, who has made a life for himself on Earth. Together they race against time to thwart an imminent Skrull invasion and save humanity.

Jacinta (Premieres June 23)

Jacinta follows her mother in and out of jail, trying to break free of an inherited cycle of drug addiction and incarceration. Upon release, she hopes to reconnect with her young daughter.

A Small Light (Premieres June 28)

Based on an inspiring true story, Miep Gies was young, carefree and opinionated — at a time when opinions got you killed ― when Otto Frank asked her to help hide his family from the Nazis during WWII. Told with a modern sensibility, A Small Light shakes the cobwebs off history and makes Miep’s story more relevant than ever, forcing audiences to ask themselves what they would have done in Miep’s shoes; and in modern times, asking if they would have the courage to stand up to hatred. Some stood by, Miep stood up.

Wild Life (Premieres June 30)

Kris and Doug Tompkins chronicle their fight to preserve one of the last truly wild places on Earth.

Hayu Canada

The Real Housewives of Orange County, Season 17 (Premieres June 7)

The Real Housewives of Orange County returns with new energy, juicy drama and endless fun. Ready to take back her orange after she was last seen in a bush, Tamra Judge makes her triumphant return to the franchise to shake things up joining veteran Housewives Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow, Gina Kirschenheiter and Emily Simpson. New housewife Jennifer Pedranti is introduced to the ladies through her friend Tamra and quickly finds her voice in the group. No stranger to the franchise, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills veteran Taylor Armstrong marks the first housewife to switch cities as she joins the OC ladies as a friend.

Circus, Season 3 (Streaming Soon)

Pull back the Big Top curtains, grab some popcorn and get ready for the fun to begin! The Webers, New Zealand’s favourite performing family, are back for another season of flips, stunts and death-defying acts, when season three of The Circus premieres.

Netflix Canada

Scoop (Premieres June 2)

The shocking murder of a journalist thrusts a leading crime reporter into a nexus of police, media and the Mumbai underworld as she fights for justice.

Manifest, Season 4, Part 2 (Premieres June 2)

As the Death Date looms, the Flight 828 passengers and their loved ones race to fulfill their Callings and prevent the terrifying future that awaits.

Barracuda Queens (Premieres June 5)

When they fall deep into debt, a group of young women in an affluent Stockholm suburb turns to robbing their neighbors' houses. Inspired by true events.

Arnold (Premieres June 7)

This three part documentary series chronicles Arnold Schwarzenegger’s journey from the countryside of Austria to the highest echelons of the American dream.  In a series of candid interviews Schwarzenegger, his friends, foes, co-stars and observers cover everything from his days pumping iron to his triumphs in Hollywood, his time governing the state of California and both the joys and turbulence of his family life in a tale that matches his larger-than-life persona.

Never Have I Ever, Season 4 (Premieres June 8)

Senior year has finally arrived. Between college conundrums, identity crises and crushes that won't fade, are Devi and the gang ready to face the future?

Human Resources, Season 2 (Premieres June 9)

From one-night stands to office romances, the creatures working at Human Resources have their hands — and claws — full with a new batch of humans.

You Do You (Premieres June 9)

Merve chose the bohemian life, but it didn't choose her back. Faced with eviction, she starts a new job — and stumbles into a spicy setup with her boss.

Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact (Premieres June 13)

In Amy Schumer's newest comedy special Emergency Contact, she delivers another hilariously relatable and uncensored commentary about her life.

Our Planet II (Premieres June 14)

From the Emmy Award-winning team behind Planet Earth and Our Planet comes Our Planet II. At any given moment on planet Earth, billions of animals are on the move. Captured with spectacular and innovative cinematography, Our Planet II unravels the mysteries of how and why animals migrate to reveal some of the most dramatic and compelling stories in the natural world.

Black Mirror, Season 6 (Premieres June 15 )

The Emmy-winning sci-fi drama series returns for a new season.

Extraction 2 (Premieres June 16)

Back from the brink of death, highly skilled commando Tyler Rake takes on another dangerous mission: saving the imprisoned family of a ruthless gangster.

Take Care of Maya (Premieres June 19)

When nine-year-old Maya Kowalski was admitted to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in 2016, nothing could have prepared her or her family for what they were about to go through. As the medical team tried to understand her rare illness, they began to question the basic truths that bound the Kowalskis together. Suddenly, Maya was in state custody – despite two parents who were desperate to bring their daughter home. The story of the Kowalski family – as told in their own words – will change the way you look at children’s healthcare forever.

Glamorous (Premieres June 22)

Marco Mejia, a young gender-nonconforming twentysomething, seems to be stuck in place until landing a job working for a former supermodel-turned-cosmetics mogul. Can Marco navigate a cutthroat new workplace and messy dating scene?

Catching Killers, Season 3 (Premieres June 23)

Real-life investigators recount stories of cold-blooded killers, the desperate efforts to stop them and the brave people who brought them to justice.

The Perfect Find (Premieres June 23)

After a high-profile firing, Jenna’s (Gabrielle Union) fashion career comeback hits a snag when she falls for a charming, much younger coworker (Keith Powers) — who happens to be her boss’s son. As sparks fly, Jenna must decide if she'll risk it all on a secret romance.

Eldoarado: Everything the Nazis Hate (Premieres June 28)

A glittery nightclub in 1920s Berlin becomes a haven for the queer community in this documentary exploring the freedoms lost amid Hitler’s rise to power.

The Witcher, Season 3, Volume 1 (Premieres June 29)

The Emmy-nominated fantasy drama returns for a new season.

Is it Cake, Too?! (Premieres June 30)

Deception is the name of the game for the world’s most talented bakers who will compete to create hyper-realistic cakes that look exactly like everyday objects – with cash on the line. But are they good enough to deceive a panel of celebrity judges… and you? You’ll be asking yourself ‘is it real?’ Or…Is It Cake?”

Celebrity (Premieres June 30)

Fame. Money. Power. One young woman fights to become the next hottest celebrity in the glamorous yet scandalous world of influencers in Seoul.

Prime Video

Deadloch (Premieres June 1)

The Tasmanian town of Deadloch, a once sleepy seaside hamlet, is left reeling when a local man turns up dead on the beach. Two female detectives are thrown together to solve the case: Fastidious local Senior Sergeant Dulcie Collins and a rough as guts blow in from Darwin, Senior Investigator Eddie Redcliffe along with their overeager junior constable Abby. As the town prepares to launch the annual arts, food and culture event - Winter Festival - the trio have to put their differences aside and work together to find the killer.

With Love, Season 2 (Premieres June 2)

With Love is a romantic dramedy centered on siblings Lily and Jorge Diaz as they navigate big life changes and rely on their equally big family to get them through. Following her whirlwind romance with Santiago, Lily decides to focus all her energy on a personal journey of self-love by growing her makeup styling business and looking into homeownership. But when both Santiago and Nick profess their feelings for her, Lily wrestles with what is best for her future. Meanwhile Jorge begins to question whether he and Henry are truly compatible. When he meets Henry’s proud Texan parents, he can’t decide whether the relationship is a fairy tale or a nightmare.

Medellin (Premieres June 2)

In order to save his younger brother from a dangerous cartel in Medellín, Reda (Ramzy Bedia) has a plan that is as simple as it is completely insane: assemble a team and plan a raid in Colombia. But this crazy adventure will spiral out of control when he decides to kidnap the cartel leader’s son in order to exchange him for his brother’s life.

Drop the Needle (Premieres June 2)

On August 1990, a record store opened on Yonge St. that quickly began serving the needs of college radio and DJs who spun new sounds far from the mainstream. Through the contagious work ethic and guidance of founder Eugene Tam, organically it became the hub for "Dance" music and the genres which emerged from under that umbrella, fueling and fostering Hip-Hop and Electronic culture. Today its impact today on Toronto and by extension Canada is without question. This is the story of Play De Record.

The Lake, Season 2 (Premieres June 9)

In Season Two, Justin (Jordan Gavaris) and Riley (Travis Nelson) decide to make their relationship official. But their plans, along with the beloved boathouse, go up in flames. Carrying equal parts shame and blame, Justin sets out to prove his innocence, rebuild the heart of the lake, and win back the man he loves. Meanwhile, Maisy-May (Julia Stiles) is dealing with a wildfire of her own: The return of her mother Mimsy (Lauren Holly), who claims she’s dying and wants to spend her final summer with her family on the lake. Billie (Madison Shamoun) returns for what is meant to be a one-week vacation. Her holiday changes after a gorgeous tree planter, Forrest (Jhaleil Swaby), and a fierce climate activist, Ivy (Max Amani), suddenly give her two reasons to blow up her summer.

The Covenant (Premieres June 16)

During the war in Afghanistan, a local interpreter risks his own life to carry an injured sergeant across miles of grueling terrain.

I’m a Virgo (Premieres June 23)

Even when you're thirteen feet tall, there's still some growing up to do. I’m A Virgo is a darkly comedic fantastical coming-of-age joyride about Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, California. 

Cocaine Bear (Premieres June 24)

Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner's plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, this wild dark comedy finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500- pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow... and blood.

Jack Ryan (Premieres June 30)

The final season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan finds the titular character on his most dangerous mission yet: facing an enemy both foreign and domestic. As the new CIA Acting Deputy Director, Jack Ryan is tasked with unearthing internal corruption, and in doing so, uncovers a series of suspicious black ops that could expose the vulnerability of the country. As Jack and the team investigate how deep the corruption runs, he discovers a far-worse reality—the convergence of a drug cartel with a terrorist organization—ultimately revealing a conspiracy much closer to home and testing our hero’s belief in the system he has always fought to protect.