This feels like our very first episode of this showcast in 2017 (when it was barely just a podcast and we were 1BD down). Eric, Styles, Sheek and I looked through what was on Netflix at the time and made Top 10 lists out of them. In 2026, the thing I always hear from people is that there have never been more options, but people have no idea what to watch. And so, this week I’m here to help.
These are some things you could be watching this week on Netflix:
American Gangster: Probably not the absolute best Denzel performance (which would be Malcolm X) but this is my favorite. From placing the tip jar next to Idris Elba and his repeated go-to “My man” when he’s annoyed, to him taking in Ruby Dee’s hurt at ruining the family, he’s just so good in this. I also love Russell Crowe, the music within the movie and the JAŸ-Z soundtrack, the look of everything — shit, Common and T.I. being cast as his country cousins. It’s aged so well, and the ending is really perfect. Crazy…like, really crazy that it’s based off a true story. American Gangster leaves Netflix on July 31.
Ex Machina: One of the sickest endings ever. A tech company CEO invites one of their engineers to his compound, somewhere super remote, to test his AI system. An NDA is signed, there are pats on the back and the grand experiment begins. There’s a moment a third of the way through where all the power cuts out, the monitoring cameras turn off, the room turns red as the system reboots. Everything is still. But then the robot stands up and walks over to Caleb. She says his name. The engineer looks back. “You’re wrong,” she says. Caleb doesn’t know what to say. The moment hangs in the air like an anvil. She continues, “You shouldn’t trust [the CEO]. He’s not your friend.” The power starts up again. Ex Machina leaves Netflix on July 31.
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