Good shows must watch: His Dark Materials and other shows to binge on

With so many streaming platforms at our fingertips, it's easy to get caught up in the deluge of shows and marvel at the vast content we're getting for the price of a couple of dollars a month.

So, we're cutting through the noise and giving you a cheat sheet of our top picks to stream this weekend.

Think of this as the North Star for all you weekend watchers who love a good binge.

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HIS DARK MATERIALS

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What: In this high fantasy television adaptation of Philip Pullman's books, heroine Lyra Belacqua sets off on a journey to save the multiverse amidst a narrative backdrop that explores the concepts of organised religion, the corruptibility of power, morality and what it means to have a soul.

Oh yes, on the surface, His Dark Materials — with its fantastical creatures, multiple worlds and wide-eyed Lyra's excitement at exploring strange lands — sounds like a children's show, but look past the magic and those with discerning eyes and enquiring minds will find lots to mull about as the series unfolds.

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Speaking of magic, this ain't going to be Disney but you still have talking animals known as daemons. Daemons are physical manifestations of one's soul, and sets the stage for the early mysteries in the series. That said, no catalyst is as important as an elementary particle known as Dust, which is discovered by Lord Asriel (Lyra's uncle) and which the tyrannical Magisterium seeks to quash, leading into a cat-and-mouse chase that eventually evolves into a war for the worlds.

Familiar faces such as James McAvoy (who plays Lord Asriel with such might and fury, yet oddly remains attractive and charismatic) and Ruth Wilson as the mysterious and unsettling Mrs Coulter (she's a baddie, if you haven't figured it out yet) also makes this an exciting binge.

Where: HBO GO; new episodes every Tuesday

THE MORNING SHOW

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What: A look into the fast-paced, high-stakes life of a broadcast journalist, The Morning Show checks all the boxes of what an intelligent and engaging show should be. It's got powerhouses like Jennifer Aniston (making her return to TV since the hit sitcom Friends), Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell. 

It's got current affairs — sexual misconduct allegations brought against Steve's character (beloved morning show anchor Mitch Kessler) sets the story in motion, harkening to the era of #MeToo and #TimesUp. It's got intrigue — we find out that Jennifer's character, Mitch's co-host Alex Levy, may not be the shining beacon of virtue and hope for her sisters. Oh, and Mitch claims that the affairs have been consensual and he's been wrongly accused.

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Most importantly, it's got drama and tension in the form of Alex seizing the opportunity to scale the corporate ladder and make herself indispensable. Meanwhile, the TV station's executives attempt to replace her (because she's getting old) with Bradley Jackson, a younger, hotheaded and passionate Southern reporter played by Reese. 

It may be critically polarising but it's likely that you already scored a year's free subscription to Apple TV+ from buying a new Apple device so might as well check out.

Where: Apple TV+; new episodes every Friday

THE DRAGON PRINCE

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What: From the head writer of Avatar: The Last Airbender (the animated series, not the crappy film adaptation) comes a new fantasy series that, if you think about it, is a big fetch quest. In this case, a ragtag band of adventurers — an adolescent crown prince, his older half-brother (Callum), and a Moonshadow elf (Rayla) — find themselves with a Herculean task of returning the last dragon egg to the Dragon Queen before the conflict between humans and dragons (and other races and magical creatures) escalate to epic proportions.

In Season 3, which premiered recently, the crown prince has since left to take up the vacated throne (not going to spoil what happens to his father) but the mission continues with the remaining crew who has managed to cross from the land of the humans into Xadia — the magical land of the giant dragons and elves. It is here that we get to step into mystical and fantastical set pieces and action sequences that amplifies what makes this show, well, magical.

The story is full of heart and humour but at the same time, never forgets the machinations of the BBEG (Big Bad Evil Guy) as it thrums in the background. That said, the scriptwriters deserve a nod for delicately treading a fine line between good and evil as the story never delineates between those two alignments because even villains always have a story to tell.

Where: Netflix; all episodes are available now