Sonal Pandya

It all comes down to this! The Netflix series, Stranger Things, ends with a big bang and lots of emotional moments with the last episode titled The Rightside Up. Co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer must wind down the story of Hawkins, Indiana, and its residents, who were terrorised by the Upside Down for the past five seasons. Now, they must vanquish the big villain and make it out alive. The result is a satisfying but expected ending that is sure to leave fans discussing it for years to come.

The latest spy thriller on the block, The Copenhagen Test, wonders if a person’s brain can be hacked. The high-concept drama for Peacock, created by Thomas Brandon, adds extra layers to the story with the spy in question being a child of immigrants. Starring Simu Liu as Alexander Hale, The Copenhagen Test on JioHotstar mixes the spy thriller with sci-fi and adds in covert organisations and political threats. The heart of the series remains with Simu’s Alexander, who is not only trying to prove himself as a spy but also asserting his loyalty as an American after the hack.

The second part of Stranger Things opens after the exhilarating and devastating events of the last four episodes of Season 5. Noah Schnapp’s Will Byers has powers, and Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) has captured all 12 children to the Upside Down for his grand plan. What’s afoot? Co-created by the Duffer Brothers, Matt and Ross, the final season of the Netflix show hurtles towards an epic showdown that promises casualties this time. Who will make it out alive at the end?

The American fashionista Emily Cooper is back, and this time, she’s setting up base in Rome, Italy. Au revoir Paris? Not quite yet. The Netflix series Emily in Paris returns for a fifth season that once again puts our favourite bunch of Parisians through the ringer. There are hookups and breakups, goodbyes and hellos as the characters have some big life decisions to ponder. Created by Darren Star, the romantic comedy has settled in, only to reinvent itself yet again.

Fallout first premiered alongside The Last of Us in 2024 and established itself as a worthy addition to the world of video game adaptations. Now, as it returns for its second season, the Amazon Prime Video game doesn’t waste time in setting up the universe anymore. It dives right into the next phase as the main characters are once again separated, off on personal quests to seek answers. The one exception is Lucy (Ella Purnell) and The Ghoul (Walton Goggins), who reluctantly team up. Their dynamic is what drives this exciting new instalment that shifts into second gear, with vast, unexplored locations, new characters, and more.

Can a man become a single parent in India? The odds are stacked against him in the Netflix series Single Papa. Kunal Kemmu plays the man in question, a divorced man who finds purpose in becoming a father to a baby abandoned in his car. The zany comedy, created by Neeraj Udhwani and Ishita Moitra, has an equally zany cast of characters in this slightly fantasy path to adoption. Even while the scenarios grow wild, the heart of Single Papa is sincere as it bats for gender equality and supports adoption.

The emergence of a professional football club is the unlikely “underdog success” story of Real Kashmir Football Club. The SonyLIV series, directed by Mahesh Mathai and Rajesh Mapuskar, highlights the passion of two men who try to get the club off the ground and change the future of Kashmiri youth. The well-meaning series hits all the right notes of a sports drama while incorporating the real-life obstacles of fronting a professional football club. The story of hope and courage is inspirational.

The psychological thriller Stephen opens with a chase to find a serial killer responsible for murdering nine women. Filmmaker Mithun’s feature twists the tale by revealing the killer early on. The Tamil film is more about Stephen’s past and motives that led him to become a cold-blooded killer. As investigators and psychologists probe into his mind, the movie paints a sympathetic picture until that shocking ending. It’s a switch and bait that almost works.