Liam Mathews

Liam Mathews is the Watercooler's Senior Editor. He's written for Esquire, Gold Derby, TV Guide, and Fast Company, among other outlets. Previously, he was a Reviews and Recommendations Editor at TV Guide. Follow him on Twitter: @liamaathews.
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Halloween Kills

Halloween Kills is a worthy entry in the Halloween franchise. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s an above-average slasher movie that will get you in the spooky season mood.

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What You Need to Know About Impeachment: American Crime Story

Each season of FX’s American Crime Story franchise, executive producer Ryan Murphy and his team of collaborators dramatize a true crime that dominated headlines in the ‘90s. It’s renowned for finding fresh, compelling angles that re-evaluate well-known stories while providing juicy parts for ambitious actors. The first season, The People v. O.J. Simpson, came out

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The Voyeurs

A fun, sexy revival of a lost genre with a modern twist. If you like movies that make you feel a little bit dirty for enjoying them, The Voyeurs will float your boat.

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After the Dystopian Drama See, Get Inspired by the Blind Magician Documentary Dealt

Welcome to What to Watch After, where you’ll find recommendations inspired by your favorite dark shows and movies that the algorithm couldn’t come up with, and only a thinking human brain would suggest.  Instead of more disturbing dystopian serial killer horror, the Watercooler’s after-watch picks work as “palate cleansers” to help clear your head so

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If You Loved The White Lotus, Here Are Six Shows to Watch Next

A biting satire series from creator Mike White (Enlightened, School of Rock), White Lotus covers one eventful week at an exclusive Hawaiian luxury resort, where conflict brews between the spoiled rich guests — who are all going through personal crises that money might not be able to fix — and the stressed-out workers who have

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The North Water

A dark and intense historical saga, The North Water is not for everyone, but it’s a must-watch for fans of nautical period pieces and truly cinematic television.

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Reservation Dogs

Reservation Dogs is a fresh comedy series from a community that’s never made a show like this before. It’s one of the best new comedies of the year so far.

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She’s Gotta Have It

Free-spirited artist Nola Darling (DeWanda Wise) juggles three lovers while trying to stay true to herself in this sexy comedy-drama series that brings a timely update to Spike Lee’s 1986 film. A hidden gem that ran from 2017-2019, it’s waiting to be rediscovered on Netflix. 

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Too Hot to Handle

If the summer heat is cooking your brain, finish it off by throwing it on the grill that is Too Hot to Handle. There’s an all new season to binge, and you’ll only regret it if you actually feel guilt from your guilty pleasures.

Liam Mathews

Liam Mathews is the Watercooler's Senior Editor. He's written for Esquire, Gold Derby, TV Guide, and Fast Company, among other outlets. Previously, he was a Reviews and Recommendations Editor at TV Guide. Follow him on Twitter: @liamaathews.
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How to Fill the Succession Void

Whether you tuned in for the family dysfunction, the timely media-tech business stories, the back-room political machinations, or the Greg and Tom comedy, Succession has captivated many of us over the past five years. Despite their treacherous behavior and ruthless, WTF insults, the characters and their plottings have become a reliably fun and familiar Sunday

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You’re the Worst

Through the eyes of two cynics who seem doomed to be alone, You’re the Worst embraces the complexity of modern relationships and the many emotional layers they surface. It’s also an accurate and empathetic portrait of what it’s like to live with clinical depression.

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A 90s Slacker Film for the Reluctant College Grad

When Kicking and Screaming came out in 1995, it fit squarely within the youth culture of its time. With Clinton in the White House and the Pixies on the radio, apathy was par for the course. The term “slacker” became a signifier for a certain kind of seemingly unambitious cool-kid scene. Coming of grad-age in

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Behind the Scenes of Kandahar: An Interview with Director Ric Roman Waugh

Director Ric Roman Waugh is known for his high-octane, true-to-life action dramas, from Snitch (starring Dwayne Johnson) to National Champions (with J.K. Simmons) to The Angel Has Fallen (starring Gerard Butler). His latest film, Kandahar — in theaters Memorial Day Weekend — drops us into modern day Afghanistan, deep behind enemy lines, as an undercover

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Angel City

A goose-bump inspiring docuseries that takes us on to the field and into the surprising back story of how LA’s new professional women’s soccer team came to be, upending the model behind pro sports teams and finally, truly, changing the game.

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Derry Girls

Like the community and era they represent, the Derry Girls bring a feisty resilience to their teenage troubles, and in spite of the larger Troubles surrounding them, they’re unafraid to speak their minds and stand up for themselves.

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Class of ’09

A smart, complex, and timely take on the past and future of law enforcement in the U.S., Class of ’09 is sure to generate moral questions while driving much needed conversation. 

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The Other Two

A surprisingly sweet satire about fame in all its forms, The Other Two proves that not even superstars have it easy. But with the support of family — biological or created — making it as an actor/writer/manager/singer/fashion designer/talk show host/influencer is a little more feasible.

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Riviera

If you’re looking for a glitzy, sexy, escape, Riviera serves up three seasons of a lush, soapy mystery series dripping in yachts, conspiracies, globe trotting art world intrigue, and spy thriller plots that include a somewhat timely Russian threat.

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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The transporting new story of the history and politics of Middle-earth after the brutal war with Morgoth, and the quests of dwarves, elves and men to rebuild and thrive in the aftermath as they prepare to confront the reemergence of an evil force.

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The Watercooler Guide to Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power

The Watercooler Guide to “Power of the Rings” gives a quick refresher to the Rings franchise and the 2-minute need-to-know about the themes, central questions, characters, and world-building behind the much-anticipated series.

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House of the Dragon: The Qs that need As

If you spent the first episode of House of the Dragon combing wikis for family trees, character guides, and Game of Thrones refreshers, you were surely left with some gaps and several questions.  To prep you for Episode 2, we’ve sifted out six questions that need answers before you dive any deeper: Who was the

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How to Jump Into House of the Dragon

“Madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin. Every time a new Targaryen is born … the gods toss the coin in the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land.” It is that time again. The return of the labyrinthine world of Westeros, this time in Game

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Hidden Gems: TV Shows for Families to Watch Together

Last chance to bond with the kids before back to school? We’ve gathered picks for the best hidden gem TV series you can watch with every member of your family — as well as those tricky tweens and teens. They’re sure to get you talking.

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Street Food: USA

If you’re looking for a vicarious vacation that will leave your mouth watering and your cultural curiosity enriched, Street Food: USA is worth the watch. The short series makes the case that cheap street eats are just as worthy as restaurant meals while bringing a new appreciation for a city and its communities.

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A League of Their Own (2022)

A fun, heartfelt, and inclusive take on America’s favorite pastime, the new A League of Their Own series is also a history lesson that makes for a great cross-generational watch.

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Prey

An action-packed gory callback to its original film, Predator, Prey brings a fresh point of view and historical setting to the story.  It builds slowly to develop character backstories but crescendos in an epic battle that will keep you glued to the screen — and rooting for the unlikely protagonist.

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