Source: Netflix / Netflix
Thanks to the plethora of streaming services available (Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Tubi, and on and on), finding something to watch, that will hold your attention, over the weekend can be a daunting task. Add to that the desire to see characters who look like you (read: Black, Latino, Indigenous, and people of color in general), and picking something out of thousands of options becomes more difficult.
But Cassius has you covered. Our weekly BLACK WATCH picks will feature recommendations from our knowledgeable staff editors on what’s worthy of hitting “play” on—whether it be a new series, a movie classic, a recent release you might have slept on or even that can’t miss sports event that Black Twitter (yeah, we ain’t gonna call it Black X just yet) will inevitably be discussing.
And here we go…
The Fall of the House of Usher – Netflix
Source: Netflix / Netflix
Anything Mike Flanagan more times than not will be fire (see: Doctor Sleep, Midnight Mass & more). The Fall of the House of Usher is a horror series that uses the works of Edgar Allen Poe to detail the fate of the Usher family—Roderick and Madeline Usher built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals, made billions and ish starts hitting the fan, and the latter’s colorful batch of kids are in for some serious L’s. Check for young actress on the rise Kyliegh Curran (Doctor Sleep) and the always-thorough Carl Lumbly—Alvin “aqua” Blanco
Gen V – Amazon Prime
Source: Brooke Palmer / Prime Video
Gen V on Amazon Prime is the perfect show for those going through withdrawal as we wait for The Boys to return. It keeps the same energy as The Boys and has all of the crazy “superhero” shenanigans minus Homelander.” [Editor’s Note: Gen V got picked up for a sophomore season.]—Bernard “Beanz” Smalls
Castlevania: Nocturne – Netflix
Source: Netflix / Netflix
The follow-up to Netflix’s Castlevania series is here, just in time for spooky season. While lighter on the gore and bone-chilling imagery from the previous series, the latest adventure for the vampire-fighting Belmont clan takes place amid a real-life historic moment, the French Revolution. Also mentioned is the slave uprising in Haiti. Grab your garlic, and magical whip, then dive in. – D.L. Chandler
Lupin – Netflix
Source: Netflix / Netflix
If dubbed foreign flicks and shows don’t scare you, then Lupin might be the latest binge-worthy add to your Netflix queue. The French show borrows the name of Arséne Lupin, the fictitious but infamous thief who gained notoriety over a hundred years ago through short stories published in Parisian magazines.
In its third season, Lupin’s character is played by French Senegalese actor Omar Sy, putting an updated spin on the age-old mystery thriller. The professional thief puts together a dream team of fellow robbers to avenge his father’s framing en route to stealing a very, very expensive diamond necklace once owned by Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France before the French Revolution. —Bruce Goodwin
