Forget Valentine’s Day, you have all these great TV shows and movies to see
What are the best movies and TV shows to help keep your mind off Valentine’s Day? Give these a shot!
For a variety of reasons, Valentine’s Day isn’t for everyone — and that’s okay. If you fall into that camp, you probably don’t want to watch any of the content geared towards couples that gets promoted at this time of year. Whether you hate rom-coms or simply don’t want to spend a second more thinking about lovey dovey couples than you have to, we’ve got you covered with some great TV show and movie recommendations to avoid Valentine’s Day with.
So, if you’re not in the mood for a romantic Valentine’s Day movie and would prefer to watch a comedy, some sci-fi, or an action thriller, take a look at the below list of recommendations from Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney+, and beyond.
Action and drama
If you want to spend your Valentine’s Day being entertained by some of the biggest blockbusters or most thrilling drama series, then scroll on down for our recommendations.
Greyhound
Longtime Navy veteran and first-time captain Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) leads an international convoy of 37 ships on a mission across treacherous Atlantic waters in order to deliver thousands of soldiers and much-needed supplies to Allied forces during World War II. Inspired by the Battle of the Atlantic, Greyhound was written by Hanks and directed by Aaron Schneider.
Greyhound
The only thing more dangerous than the front lines was the fight to get there. Greyhound streams exclusively on Apple TV+.
All of Us Are Dead
If you were enthralled by Squid Game, then prepare to take it up a notch with South Korean show All of Us Are Dead. When a zombie virus breaks out in a school, trapped students must fight their way out in order to avoid becoming a part of the infected mob.
All of Us Are Dead
A pretty gruesome watch, All of Us Are Dead is the latest South Korean export to trend on Netflix. What better way to spend your Valentine’s Day than being scared to death.
Snowpiercer
Snowpiercer just came back for season three so there’s no better time to get on this train (pun totally intended) if you haven’t seen any of it yet. The post-apocalyptic series sees the earth’s remaining inhabitants confined to a single train circling the globe as revolution brews among the class-divided cars.
Snowpiercer
Though there are sub-plots and stories of love and family, the main plot is a class commentary and the show is full of action. Stream seasons 1-3 on Netflix.
Servant
Another show currently airing its newest season, Servant is on of my favorite Apple TV+ shows to date. Executive produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Servant is a psychological thriller involving a a lifelike reborn doll, creepy nanny, and various mysterious goings on.
Servant
Servant is an Apple TV+ exclusive series. It’s well worth checking it out if you’re subscribed to the service and haven’t already. Seasons one and two are available in their entirety with season three currently airing weekly.
Sci-fi and fantasy
What better way to dodge the commercialism of Valentine’s Day than to escape to another world entirely? These top scif-fi and fantasy picks will help you do just that.
Dune
Dune is one of the best films of 2021 and it just got nominated for the Best Picture at the 2022 Oscars. If you missed out on seeing it in the theater or to stream it on HBO Max, you can still watch it at home by buying or renting it from iTunes/Apple TV app. The gorgeous scenes and epic story will be enough to take your mind off Valentine’s Day.
Dune
Dune is not currently available to stream but you can purchase it for $20 in the Apple TV app / iTunes (or rent it for $6 if you prefer).
Foundation
Apple’s big-budget sci-fi show, Foundation, is an adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s award-winning sci-fi epics. Foundation chronicle the fate of an entire galaxy that rests on a band of exiles and the beliefs of Dr. Hari Seldon (Jared Harris). Season one is on Apple TV+ with a second in the works.
Foundation
Stream season one of Foundation on Apple TV+ and get lost in the show’s thousand-year saga.
The Book of Boba Fett
The Mandalorian spin-off series The Book of Boba Fett is a must-watch for any Star Wars fan. It sees legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett team up with mercenary Fennec Shand and return to the sands of Tatooine in order to stake their claim on the territory once ruled by Jabba the Hutt.
The Book of Boba Fett
If you loved The Mandalorian then The Book of Boba Fett* is required viewing so cancel your Valentine’s Day plans and stream this entire series instead.
Mad Max: Fury Road
2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road is still on of the best-rated sci-fi flicks on Rotten Tomatoes and is well worth a watch whether you’ve seen it before or not. With a post-apocalyptic story and epic high-speed chases, it’s an enthralling way to spend a couple of hours this Valentine’s Day.
Mad Max: Fury Road on streaming/digital
Despite being one of the older entries on this list, Mad Max: Fury Road is still well worth a watch. You can stream it at HBO Max or buy / rent it from iTunes via the Apple TV app.
Streaming at HBO Max
$14.99 at iTunes
Comedy
Kick back with a good comedy this Valentine’s Day with our top picks for laughs aplenty.
The Afterparty
Comedy series The Afterparty centers on a murder mystery at a high school reunion, telling the story of the same night through different characters’ perspectives, each with its own unique visual style and film genre to match the teller’s personality. After the first episode I wasn’t too sure about this show but by episode three I was hooked so stick with it!
The Afterparty
The Afterparty is being released weekly on Apple TV+, but the first five episodes are available now so there’s plenty to get stuck into already.
The Office
The Office is an absolute classic and should be watched and rewatched all year round. If you’re in the mood to cry laughing, then pick your favorite episode or binged through a bunch this Valentine’s Day.
The Office
Seasons one through five are available free on Peacock with the rest available to Peacock Premium subscribers. There are also a bunch of deleted scenes added extras for subscribers. You can also buy the complete series at iTunes.
Streaming at Peacock
$100 at iTunes
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window
If its name didn’t make it obvious, The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window is a dark comedy poking fun at the thriller genre. Kristen Bell plays Ana who witnesses a gruesome murder across the street… or does she?
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window
If you’ve watched a thriller or two in your time, you’re bound to get a kick out of The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window, which is streaming not on Netflix.
Mythic Quest
Meet the team behind the biggest multiplayer video game of all time in workplace comedy Mythic Quest. Rob McElhenney is terrific as narcissistic creative director Ian Grimm in this comedy that’s more about the people making the game than it is the game itself.
Mythic Quest
There are two seasons of Mythic Quest available now on Apple TV+, with Apple having given the green light for a third and fourth installment.
Documentary
Prefer fact to fiction? There are plenty of documentaries available to watch whether you want to learn about nature, music, history, or something else.
The Beatles: Get Back
Acclaimed filmmaker Peter Jackson directs this exclusive documentary series made entirely from never-before-seen, restored footage. It provides the most intimate and honest glimpse into the creative process and relationship between John, Paul, George, and Ringo ever filmed.
The Beatles: Get Back docuseries
Three-part docuseries Get Back is streaming exclusively on Disney+. It’s a must-watch for Fab Four fanatics.
Tiny World
Narrated by Paul Rudd (yes, he’s Ant-Man), this nature documentary looks at the world’s smallest creatures and the extraordinary lengths they have to go to in order to survive.
Tiny World
Tiny World is an enjoyable watch as you get a closer look at some tiny critters and creatures. It’s included with your Apple TV+ subscription.
Long Way Up
Starring Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, Long Way Up reunites the best friends for another motorbike adventure. This time, they’ll travel 13,000 miles over 100 days through 16 border crossings and 13 countries, starting from Ushuaia at the tip of South America and working their way up through glorious and underexposed landscapes of South and Central America.
Long Way Up
Follow McGregor and Boorman’s journey on Apple TV+ and stream the previous Long Way Round and Long Way Down there too.
The World According to Jeff Goldblum
Jeff Goldblum’s documentary series for National Geographic is a bit weird, but entertaining nonetheless. In each episode, Goldblum learns all there is to know about a seemingly mundane topics including everything from sneakers to swimming pools.
The World According to Jeff Goldblum
If you’re looking for something to pass the time and like Jeff Goldblum’s quirky sense of humor, The World According to Jeff Goldblum is for you. It streams on Disney+.
What will you watch?
There’s almost too much choice when it comes to on-demand TV shows and movies, so it was quite hard to narrow this list down to just a few picks per category. There are countless other titles you could choose from or, if you’re anything like me, you could spend most of your time just scrolling through each of the best Apple TV streaming apps trying to decide what to watch instead.
Updated February 2022: Updated for Valentine’s Day 2022.
