Netflix dropped three titles in three days this week. JioHotstar just flexed its shiny new HBO Max catalogue. And if you’re looking for what to watch April 25 weekend, every other guide you’ll find is going to list all nine new releases with equal enthusiasm — as if they’re all equally worth your 48 hours.
They’re not. Some of them are genuinely unmissable. Some are fine. And a couple are straight-up skippable. Here are the five picks that actually matter for April 25-26, what you can safely ignore, and — because we respect your couch time — a rough plan for when to watch what.
What to Watch: The Three New Drops Worth Cancelling Plans For
Apex (Netflix, April 24). Charlize Theron as a rock climber hunted through the Australian wilderness by Taron Egerton. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, the guy who made Everest. That’s the entire pitch — two hours, zero brain cells required, maximum adrenaline. Theron doing action is always an event. This is your Friday night sorted, no debate needed.
Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 (Netflix, April 23). Before you skip this because “animated spin-off” sounds like a cash grab — hear it out. Ten episodes set in winter 1985 Hawkins with entirely new characters, pumpkin zombies (yes, actually), and Saturday morning cartoon energy that the Washington Post said “turns the aesthetic upside down.” It’s not trying to replace Season 5. It’s doing its own thing — and early reactions say it works. Perfect for lazy Saturday morning viewing with chai in hand.
My Dress-Up Darling (Netflix, April 25). The rom-com anime about a shy doll-maker and a popular girl bonding over cosplay that absolutely broke anime Twitter two years ago. Was previously Crunchyroll-only in India — Netflix finally picked it up. If you’re anime-curious, this is the gateway drug. If you’re already in that world, you’ve been waiting for this.
Three platforms, three vibes, three nights covered. But what if Sunday morning rolls around and you’re still horizontal with zero motivation to move?
Two Shows You Should’ve Started Last Week
Euphoria Season 3 (JioHotstar, weekly episodes). Two episodes in, six more coming. Zendaya’s Rue is back after a five-year time jump — the characters are adults now, the problems are uglier, and this is literally the show that launched HBO Max in India. Binge the first two episodes this weekend and you’re perfectly synced for Episode 3 next week. One thing that makes this weekend’s viewing hit different — Eric Dane’s final on-screen appearance. He finished filming before his passing in February. It adds a weight to these episodes that no review can quite prepare you for.
BEEF Season 2 (Netflix, all 8 episodes out). Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan in a country club blackmail war that escalates beautifully. Season 1 was a near-perfect masterpiece. Season 2 is… not that. Reviews are genuinely split — 70% on Rotten Tomatoes versus S1’s near-universal acclaim. But “worse than a masterpiece” is still better than 90% of what’s streaming right now. Eight episodes. Weekend-sized. Bring snacks.
Now here’s the part nobody else is going to tell you.
What You Can Safely Skip This Weekend
Prathichaya (JioHotstar, April 24). Nivin Pauly in a Malayalam political thriller that got mixed reviews theatrically. Not bad — but when Apex and Stranger Things are right there competing for the same hours? This one can absolutely wait for a weeknight.
24 (JioHotstar, April 24). Anil Kapoor’s desi Jack Bauer returns to streaming. Both seasons. Sounds exciting — except it’s a re-release, not new content. Was ahead of its time in 2013, still holds up, but it’s not a weekend priority when everything else is fresh off the press.
Toaster (Netflix, April 15). Rajkummar Rao’s quirky dark comedy about a miser and a murder mystery. Genuinely fun watch — but it’s been out for ten days now. If it hasn’t pulled you in yet, your weekend has better options calling.
The full April OTT lineup has been absolutely relentless — Matka King, Euphoria, BEEF, Toaster, and now three more heavy hitters landing just in time for the weekend. But you don’t need a 15-title listicle to figure out what to watch this April 25 weekend. Apex on Friday night. Stranger Things over Saturday chai. Euphoria catch-up on lazy Sunday. That’s the whole plan. And if you’re still catching up from earlier this month, check our April 11 picks — there might be something you missed. Go.