What to watch on Showmax in August 2025

Showmax has another varied and vibrant lineup this August, including: 

• Best Picture Oscar winner Anora
• 2025 Emmy nominees The Pitt and 1923, which have 15 Emmy nominations between them
• Showmax Original reality series Vaal Riviera, straight from its Silwerskerm premiere
• Showmax Original stand-up comedy special Laugh Africa Comedy Festival
• John Cena in superhero series The Peacemaker S2, express from the US
• Emmy-nominated music special The Weeknd: Live at Sofi Stadium
• Critically acclaimed doccies My Mom Jayne and Telemarketers
• DStv hits Queen Modjadji and Sibongile & The Dlaminis S2
• Takalani Sesame in Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, and Zulu

Series 

The Pitt S1 | Tuesdays from 12 August

Among the three most-watched Max series ever, The Pitt returns ER favourite Noah Wyle to the emergency room as Dr Michael “Robby” Robinavitch. He faces a gruelling 15-hour shift alongside the staff and interns of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital – aka “The Pitt”. 

The Pitt is up for 13 Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series, Directing, Writing, Lead Actor (Wyle), Supporting Actress (Katherine LaNasa), and Guest Actor (Shawn Hatosy). 

Including The Pitt in their Top-Rated TV Shows of 2025 list, IMDb wrote: “HBO Max has done the impossible in creating a medical series unlike anything fans of the genre have ever seen. The Pitt is an emotional roller coaster, with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments that bind you to its characters before you’ve even realised what happened. We would trust Noah Wyle to save our lives any day of the week, and twice on Sundays.” 

The Pitt is also screening on M-Net from 11 August on Mondays at 21:00. 

The Peacemaker S2 | Mondays from 25 August | First on Showmax 

John Cena is back as Christopher “Chris” Smith, aka Peacemaker. This season, DC’s vigilante superhero struggles to reconcile his past with his newfound sense of purpose, while continuing to kick righteous evil-doer butt in his misguided quest for peace at any cost. 

Season 1 was nominated for Critics Choice Super Awards for Best Superhero Series, Actor (Cena) and Actress (Danielle Brooks), as well as for an Emmy for its stunts.  

1923 S2 | Binge from Wednesday, 6 August 

In Season 2 of 1923, a cruel winter brings new challenges to Dutton Ranch. Donald Whitfield still has his eyes on the ranch, with designs on turning Montana into a playground for the elite. Jacob and Cara must buckle down and wait for Spencer to arrive and help them repel the latest attack. Meanwhile, Spencer’s new bride, Alexandra, sets off on her own harrowing trans-Atlantic journey to find him and reclaim their love. 

The Yellowstone prequel stars Timothy Dalton (aka James Bond) as Donald, with Oscar nominee Harrison Ford and Oscar winner Helen Mirren as Jacob and Cara, and Brandon Sklenar and Julia Schlaepfer as Spencer and Alexandra.

Season 2 has a 100% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. As IndieWire put it, “If only all recent movies were this thrillingly cinematic.”

Fun fact: S1 was partly shot in Cape Town.  

Queen Modjaji S1 | Binge from Monday, 4 August 

In a land facing desperation and strife, one woman will rise up to save them all. 

From hit-makers Rhythm World Productions (My Brother’s Keeper, Sibongile & the Dlaminis, Umkhokha the Curse), the epic Mzansi Magic period drama is inspired by the legendary rainmaker, the first Queen Modjadji, whose bloodline has ruled Southern Africa’s Lobedu clan for centuries. 

The cast includes Makoma Mohale (Scandal!) as Queen Maselekwane Modjadji; with Ngele Ramulondi (Generations: The Legacy) as the young Queen Modjadji, with breakout star Masutang Hope Rasekele as Dzungundini, Queen Modjadji’s mother.  

Sibongile & The Dlaminis S2 | Binge  from Monday, 11 August 

Mzansi Wethu’s first telenovela, Sibongile & The Dlaminis, was a runaway hit, with over two million live viewers. 

In Season 2, Nsikelelo Mthiyane takes over the title role originally played by Luyanda Zwane.  Sibongile is nursing a broken heart following her short-lived romance with Kwenzo. Will Phetheni find out about the love triangle she is unknowingly part of? Will Vuma ever forgive Deliwe? What of Nomalanga’s pregnancy and Gcina’s involvement? And most importantly, will Sibongile finally get to have her Cinderella moment?

Resident Alien S4 | Binge from Wednesday, 13 August | First on Showmax  

In Resident Alien S4, Alan Tudyk returns to his Critics Choice Super-nominated role as human imposter Harry Vanderspeigle – and doubles as a shapeshifting alien mantid copycat, who’s visiting the town of Patience while the real Harry is stuck with his baby, Bridget, in a Grey prison on the Moon. 

Clancy Brown voices Mantid, while new cast include Emmy nominee Stephen Root (Barry’s Monroe Fuches) as Harry’s evil alien father and Jewel Staite (Firefly’s Kaylee) as an FBI agent investigating a series of gruesome murders. 

Resident Alien has an 8.0/10 score on IMDb and a 98% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Paste Magazine confirming that “Resident Alien remains one of TV’s funniest and most heartfelt shows.” 

Everybody Still Hates Chris S1 | Binge  from Friday, 11 August 

Chris Rock’s life as a kid in 1980s Brooklyn became an Emmy-nominated series in the early 2000s, Everybody Hates Chris. Now an animated version, Everybody Still Hates Chris, picks up the story. 

Expect new stories, a new look, but the same Chris. The Emmy-winning comedian exec produces and leads a stellar voice cast that includes Teen Choice nominee Terry Crews (Terry in Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and Emmy nominee Tichina Arnold (Tina in The Neighborhood), reprising their roles from the original as Chris’ parents, Julius and Rochelle. 

Everybody Still Hates Chris was nominated for Outstanding Animated Series at the 2025 Image Awards. 

You can also re-watch S1 of Everyone Hates Chris on Showmax from 1 August, with S2 from 4 August, S3 from 6 August and S4 from 8 August.  

Law & Order S24 | Binge from Wednesday, 20 August  

Co-created by Dick Wolf (Chicago, FBI franchises), Law & Order follows New York’s best detectives and top prosecutors as they try hold the line for justice.  

Emmy nominee Maura Tierney (Twisters, The Affair, ER) joins the cast this season as Lieutenant Jessica Brady, while guest stars include Grammy winner Okieriete Onaodowan (Hamilton), Mekhi Phifer (ER) and Katee Sackhoff (The Mandalorian, Battlestar Galactica). There are also two crossover episodes with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. 

Previous seasons won six Emmys. 

Ten Pound Poms S2 | Binge from Wednesday, 27 July  

Ten Pound Poms follows a group of Brits escaping post-war Britain to embark on a life-changing adventure on the other side of the world.  

But life Down Under isn’t exactly the idyllic dream the new arrivals have been promised. After a challenging first year in Australia, Season 2 follows nurse Kate Thorne and the Roberts family into 1957 as they fight for their slice of the Australian dream against all odds.

Season 1 won Best TV Series at the Monte-Carlo TV Festival, where Warren Brown (The Responder, Luther) won Best Actor as Terry Roberts. 

Movies

Anora | Stream from Friday, 22 August | First on Showmax 

A young stripper from Brooklyn meets and impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairy tale is threatened as his parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.

Anora won five Oscars: Motion Picture of the Year, Best Actress for Mikey Madison and Supporting Actor for Yura Borisov, and Directing, Original Screenplay and Editing awards for indie darling Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project). Anora also won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and over 150 other awards.

Anora was Rotten Tomatoes’ best-reviewed romance of the year, with a 93% critics rating. As Salon says, “It’s a crowd-pleaser, funny and sexy and raucous, while also being startlingly wise and tender.” 

Dog Man | Stream from Sunday, 31 August

Part dog. Part man. All hero. 

The #15 biggest box office hit of 2025 so far, Dog Man kicks off with a harebrained but life-saving operation that fuses a faithful police dog and his human police officer together as a new hero, sworn to protect and serve … and fetch, sit and roll over. 

Dog Man has his hands full stopping the evil plots of feline supervillain Petey the Cat, whose latest plan is to clone himself, creating the kitten Lil Petey, to double his ability to do crime stuff. But when Lil Petey falls into the clutches of a common enemy, the archenemies must reluctantly join forces. 

A spin-off from Captain Underpants, DreamWorks’ adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s bestselling graphic novel series has already been nominated for the 2025 Kids’ Choice Award for Favourite Animated Movie and boasts an 81% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Nosferatu | Stream from Thursday, 28 August 

Nominated for four Oscars this year, Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her. 

Nosferatu stars Lily-Rose Depp (The Idol), Nicholas Hoult (Renfield), and Bill Skarsgård (aka Pennywise in the IT films)

At the 2025 Critics Choice Super Awards, Nosferatu is up for Best Horror Movie, Best Actor (Skarsgård) and Best Actress (Depp).  

The horror has an 84% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Daily Beast hailing it as: “A masterpiece of unholy terror that instantly takes its place alongside the genre’s hallowed greats.”

Lee | Stream from Monday, 11 August  

Oscar winner Kate Winslet stars in Lee, the true story of photographer Elizabeth “Lee” Miller, a fashion model who became a war correspondent for Vogue magazine during World War II. 

The directorial feature debut of Oscar-nominated cinematographer Ellen Kuras (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Lee also stars Oscar winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), Oscar nominee Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie), and Emmy winners Alexander Skarsgård (Big Little Lies), Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), and Josh O’Connor (Challengers, The Crown).

Lee was up for Outstanding British Film of the Year at this year’s BAFTAs, with Winslet nominated for a 2025 Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama. 

Babes | Stream from Thursday, 14 August  

Labelled “the comedy of the year” by Awards Watch, Babes follows childhood best friends Eden and Dawn, now in different phases of adulthood. When single Eden decides to have a baby on her own after a one-night stand, their friendship faces its greatest challenge. 

Broad City’s Ilana Glazer plays Eden alongside Michelle Buteau as Dawn, as well as Hasan Minjah, Sandra Bernhard, Oliver Platt and more. 

The feature film directorial debut of Emmy nominee Pamela Adlon (Better Things), Babes has an 87% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Variety hailing it as “howlingly funny” and Rolling Stone as “the Bridesmaids of babymaking”.

MaXXXine | Stream from Thursday, 14 August  

MaXXXine, the final bloody chapter in Ti West’s X trilogy, is set in 1980s Hollywood, where adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

Mia Goth stars in the title role, as she did in the first two instalments: X and Pearl, which earned her Critics Choice Super Awards for Best Actress: Horror and Best Villain. 

MaXXXine is up for Best Independent Film at the 2025 Saturn Awards, presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films.

Flight Risk | Stream from Monday, 25 August

The #1 box office hit Flight Risk follows a pilot transporting an Air Marshal and a fugitive to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.

Directed by Mel Gibson, Flight Risk stars Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) and Topher Grace (BlacKkKlansman).

Empire Magazine says, “Flight Risk is a fun, unpretentious, tight 91 minutes — especially if you’ve always jonesed to see Downton Abbey’s Lady Mary cream someone with a fire extinguisher.”

Joker: Folie à Deux | Stream from Monday, 18 August  

Joker: Folie à Deux finds Arthur Fleck institutionalised at Arkham, awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.

Joaquin Phoenix is back in his Oscar-winning title role, opposite Oscar and Grammy winner Lady Gaga as Lee Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn. She was nominated at the 2025 Queerties and the Critics Choice Super Awards for the role, with Observer (UK) praising her “weapons-grade charisma and star quality.”

Empire Magazine says Joker: Folie à Deux is “as sweet and beguiling a musical romance as it’s possible to have between two murderous psychopaths.”

White Bird | Stream from Monday, 25 August 

From the bestselling author of Wonder, the book that sparked a movement to “choose kind”, comes the inspirational next chapter, White Bird. 

The story follows Julian (Bryce Gheisar, reprising his role from Wonder), who has struggled to belong ever since he was expelled from his former school for his treatment of Auggie Pullman. 

To transform his life, Julian’s grandmother (Helen Mirren) finally reveals to Julian her own story of courage. During her youth in Nazi-occupied France, a boy sheltered her from mortal danger. They found first love in a stunning, magical world of their own creation, while the boy’s mother (Gillian Anderson) risked everything to keep her safe.

White Bird is recommended for ages 11+ by Common Sense Media, who praise the film as “substantive, heartbreaking, and uplifting” in their 4/5-star review.

Reality TV

Vaal Riviera | Showmax Original: SA | Stream from Friday 22 August, with new episodes on Tuesdays

From POP24, the producers of The Mommy Club: Van Die Hoofstad, the most-watched Afrikaans reality show on Showmax, comes Vaal Riviera, a new reality series set in Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging. 

The Vaal might not have Pretoria’s polish, but the families here bring just as much heat. Meet the Arangies, the Snymans, the Deysels, and the Swarts, four bold, proudly local Afrikaans families navigating love, loyalty, legacy and plenty of drama on the banks of the Vaal River.

This is small-town living with big personalities, real stakes, and a whole lot of heart.

The Valley S2 | Binge from Thursday, 21 August

Where Vanderpump Rules goes, drama isn’t far behind – and Bravo’s latest spin-off, The Valley, is no exception.

Boasting Bravo’s most-watched series premiere in nearly 10 years, the reality TV series follows a group of close friends as they trade bottle service in West Hollywood for baby bottles in the Valley, all while they navigate bustling businesses, rocky relationships and feisty friendships. 

After wrapping up Season 1 with two shocking divorces, the cast is showing that they’re anything but predictable California suburbanites on Season 2. Highlights this season include an engagement and guest appearances from Vanderpump Rules’ Lala Kent, Scheana Schay and Tom Schwartz. 

King’s Court S1 | Thursdays from 14 August  

Supermodel Tyson Beckford, NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer and WWE legend Thaddeus “Titus O’Neil” Bullard are searching for their queen on King’s Court. 

A spinoff from Queen’s Court, the reality series introduces them to 21 smart, accomplished and beautiful single ladies ready to risk it all for the one. 

In each episode, the kings take the women on fun, adventurous dates to discover which of them tug at their heartstrings. The ladies pull out all the stops to make a lasting impression but it comes to a head at the elimination dinner party, where the men choose who gets another chance at love and who goes home. After navigating a roller coaster of emotional highs, dramatic lows and tough eliminations, the kings must ultimately decide which of these fabulous ladies will be their queen. 

Kokkedoor Vuur en Vlam S2 | Binge from Tuesday, 12 August  

Produced by Homebrew Films, kykNET’s SAFTA-winning cooking show Kokkedoor: Vuur & Vlam turns up the heat in this sizzling spin-off of the beloved Afrikaans cooking competition. 

Set in the heart of the Karoo, this season brings fire, flavour, and fierce rivalries as South Africa’s boldest braai masters battle it out over the coals, trying to impress celebrity judges Bertus Basson and Kobus Botha. 

Next Gen NYT S1 | Binge from Friday, 8 August  

Next Gen NYC follows a group of ambitious young movers, creators, and disruptors navigating life, love, and hustle in the city that never slows down.

The cast features a fresh mix of familiar faces and rising stars, including The Real Housewives offspring Riley Burrus, Ariana Biermann, Brook Marks and Gia Giudice, as well as Ava Dash, the daughter of hip-hop mogul Damon Dash.  

Set against the electric backdrop of New York City, the reality series dives into the personal and professional lives of this new generation, from career breakthroughs and creative risks to messy relationships and unfiltered friendships.

Documentaries

My Mom Jayne | Stream from Wednesday, 6 August 

Jayne Mansfield was a Hollywood legend. In My Mom Jayne, director Mariska Hargitay embarks on a journey to discover the mother she never knew – and reclaim her story beyond being a “blonde bombshell”.

The HBO documentary premiered at Cannes in May and has a 100% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Decider calls it “a sensitive but still jaw-dropping portrait … fascinating and frequently genuinely moving.”

Hargitay is an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress herself, best known as determined detective Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. 

Telemarketers | Binge from Thursday, 14 August 

Nominated for the 2024 Emmy for Outstanding Documentary, Telemarketers follows the 20-year-journey of two unlikely whistle-blowers at a shady New Jersey call centre. 

Executive produced by the Safdie brothers (Uncut Gems) and Danny McBride (The Righteous Gemstones), Telemarkers was hailed as one of the best shows of 2023 by Time, who labelled it “a wild scammer epic – and one of the most exciting docuseries in years.” 

The three-part HBO series was named Best True Crime Documentary at the 2023 Critics Choice Documentary Awards and won a 2025 CinemaEye Honors Award, after being Rotten Tomatoes’ second best-reviewed docuseries of 2023, with a 96% critics rating. 

Flight 149: Hostage of War | Stream from Thursday, 28 August | First on Showmax

On 2 August 1990, Saddam Hussein took the world by surprise by invading Kuwait. Four hours later, British Airways Flight 149, travelling from London to Malaysia, would make its scheduled stop in Kuwait City, where Saddam captured the plane, and broadcast to the entire world that the 367 passengers and 18 crew members on board were now his hostages.  

For decades, UK authorities denied they knew the invasion had begun before the plane landed. Then, in 2023, an MI6 officer broke his silence, contradicting the official account. The hostages are now launching a legal case against the British government and British Airways in their search for the truth about why the plane landed in the first place.  

Directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Jenny Ash (Osama Bin Laden: The Inside Story), Flight 149: Hostage of War features testimony from the hostages themselves, politicians from both sides of the Atlantic, and the Kuwaiti resistance who risked their lives to hide some of the hostages. 

Stand-up comedy

Laugh Africa Comedy Festival S2 | Showmax Original: SA | Binge from Tuesday, 15 August 

If you thought The Showmax Roast of Helen Zille was funny, just wait til the professional comedians take the stage. Season 2 of Laugh Africa Comedy Festival brings together the best stand-up sets from this year’s iconic festival. 

The line-up includes Gagasi FM radio host and reality star Felix Hlophe as well as 2025 Comics Choice winners like Celeste Ntuli (Comedian of the Year), Robby Collins (Headliner of the Year, Best Solo Show), and Khanyisa JamJam (Breakthrough Act of the Year), not to mention Comics Choice Lifetime Achiever Mark Banks, Roast host Trevor Gumbi, Eugene Khoza, Nina Hastie, Rob Van Vuuren, and Kagiso “KG” Mokgadi, who was up for Headliner of the Year.  

Stuart Taylor, Laugh Africa Comedy Festival’s creative director, says: “This year’s festival was an unforgettable showcase of humour that unites us all.”

Music concerts

The Weeknd: Live At Sofi Stadium | Stream from Thursday, 7 August 

The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights remains Spotify’s most streamed song, with nearly five billion streams on a planet of eight billion people. 

Live at SoFi Stadium was recorded during the first US leg of the four-time Grammy winner’s “After Hours Til Dawn” tour.  

Nominated for two Emmys, the 90-minute special set a then-record for the highest debut for a music special in HBO Max history. As Decider notes: “You don’t headline the Super Bowl halftime show if you’re not already a big cheese. Still, Live at Sofi Stadium feels like a victory lap.” 

Kids

Takalani Sesame S16 | Binge from Friday, 1 August

Takalani Sesame S16 follows the adventures of Elmo and Zuzu, two best friends exploring their world and having adventures packed with fun, laughter, and learning. The series is a local spinoff of Sesame Street, arguably the most impactful children’s series in TV history.  

Previous seasons of Takalani Sesame have won SAFTA and Peabody Awards, with S13 nominated for the International Emmy for Kids: Factual and Entertainment.  Available in Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, and Zulu, the series promotes early childhood education while supporting South Africa’s mother-tongue education policy. 

Showmax will also launch S17 on 8 August and S18 on 15 August. 

Bea’s Block S1 | Binge from Wednesday, 6 August

From the makers of Sesame Street, Bea’s Block is an animated comedy series about compassionate and curious five-year-old Bea and her two best friends, Ty and Lexi. The trio models kindness through friendship and empathy as they embark on playful adventures in their diverse community, Blocktown. 

In their five-star review, Common Sense Media recommends Bea’s Block for ages 2+, saying: “This spectacular preschool show proves creativity knows no bounds as it stacks up fun, warmth and wooden wonders … A lively mix of comedy, kindness and great role models.”  

Sesame Street S53 and its Special, The Nutcracker | Binge from Monday, 11 August 

Sharpen your crayons and hide your cookies! Season 53 of Sesame Street is coming to Showmax this month. Join your favourite furry friends for more fun, laughs, and lessons devoted to helping children grow up with a healthy self-identity and sense of belonging.

One of the longest-running shows in the world, Sesame Street has won more Emmys than any other children’s programme and introduced millions of children in over 150 countries to the joy of early learning. 

Also look out for the 26-minute Emmy-nominated animated special, The Nutcracker, which retells the classic story with new music, as Elmo and his puppy, Tango, set off on a magical holiday adventure. 

Also on Showmax

1 August

Monster High S1 | Monster High: The Movie

4 August 

Canary Black  

5 August

Kyk Wie Praat S4

6 August 

Umdeni S9

7 August 

Dreamgirls | Like A Boss | Nobody’s Fool | The Image of You 

8 August

Five Fingers To Marseilles | Umdeni S9 

11 August

A Quiet Place 1-2

13 August

All Hail King Julien S2-3 | Shepherds and Butchers | Themba Lam | Uyajola 9/9 S10

14 August

Bounty Hunters | Kungfu Stuntmen

15 August

Pearls of Wisdom | The Chemo Club

18 August

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy | Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues | Barbie: Happy Dreamday | Barbie Vlogger S1 | Dragon Tiger Gate | Enchantimals: City Tails | The Wasp

20 August

Enchantimals: Finding Home | Enchantimals: Glam Party | Enchantimals: Main Street

21 August 

Dora and the Lost City of Gold | Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story S1 | Paw Patrol: The Movie | Special Female Force

22 August

Enchantimals: Ocean Kingdom | Enchantimals: Secrets of the Snowy Valley | Enchantimals: Spring Into Harvest Hills | uCarmen eKhayelitsha

25 August

GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra | GI Joe: Retaliation | Snake Eyes | Thomas & Friends S25 | Thomas & Friends: Race for the Sodor Cup

27 August

The Hunting Party | Thomas & Friends S26 | Thomas & Friends: Mystery of the Lookout Mountain

28 August 

Downsizing | Pain & Gain | Skincare | The Moon Warrior

29 August

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Champions Cup S1 | Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Island S1 | Team Hot Wheels: Build The Epic Race | Team Hot Wheels: Skills To Thrill | Team Hot Wheels: The Origin of Awesome