You can still expect to see The Mandalorian season 2 on Disney Plus this October, because Disney's CEO Bob Chapek has apparently told CNBC that the series will not be delayed by the pandemic. That's according to a tweet from CNN's Frank Pallotta, who was tweeting out key points from the interview with Chapek.

An October release date for The Mandalorian's follow-up year was confirmed during a Disney earnings call in February, but a lot has happened since then.

Ever since the global health crisis hit the world of TV and film, it's been unclear what effect this would have on upcoming shows that finished filming but required extensive effects and audio work after the fact. Star Trek: Discovery season 3 is being slowed down by the challenges of remote working, for example. 

Look forward to the return of Baby Yoda on Disney Plus later this year, then. 

• How to watch the Star Wars movies in order
• Why Solo is secretly a great Star Wars movie
• The best Disney Plus shows

The challenges of remote effects work

The Mandalorian is facing logistical challenges on finishing its many effects shots. In an interview with Variety, animation supervisor Hal Hickel said a typical season of the show features just less than 4000 effects shots, more than you'd see in a summer blockbuster. Right now, that's being worked on remotely. 

"We're in the middle of that tsunami now, but we’re going to get it all done, people are going to get their Baby Yoda, I promise."

Other shows that have finished filming, but are still in post-production, include The Umbrella Academy season 2 on Netflix. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, another Disney Plus original, didn't finish filming before the crisis kicked off. 

• The best Disney Plus movies

When Sony announced that Horizon Zero Dawn was coming to PC in March 2020, it buried the news in the second paragraph of an interview with PlayStation's Head of Worldwide Studios Hermen Hulst. Sony wasn't shouting about its newfound support for PC – in fact, it seemed so sensitive to potentially strong reactions from its user base that people had to go looking for the announcement.

"And to maybe put a few minds at ease, releasing one first-party AAA title to PC doesn’t necessarily mean that every game now will come to PC," Hulst said "In my mind, Horizon Zero Dawn was just a great fit in this particular instance."

Unlike Microsoft, which has brought every one of its exclusive Xbox One games to PC since 2016, Hulst confirmed there are no plans for day and date releases on PC.

This makes sense. Microsoft has clear incentives to simultaneously release its games on Windows 10 and console. Among those is Xbox Game Pass for PC, a tailored service for PC players that carries a lot of PC-only games. Getting people into that ecosystem, of spending a monthly fee to access a range of games, is an important part of the Xbox strategy.

Sony does have PlayStation Now on PC, but that's a streaming-based service. Horizon will be a full PC port. Sony doesn't have the same incentive to release its games simultaneously as Microsoft – that's why it'll likely never happen. It primarily makes games to sell PlayStation hardware.

Instead, the experiment is probably about sales and player reaction. Like Hulst says, Horizon – with a combat system that relies on accurate use of a bow-and-arrow – seems a strong fit for PC, especially when you think about the potential of mouse and keyboard control and how amazing the game will look at more than 30fps.

• Best PS4 games
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• Horizon Zero Dawn 2: what we know

"[Releasing] PlayStation games on PC is a betrayal to people that supports PlayStation since PS1. There is no reason to buy a console anymore," said one Twitter user in response to the news. Honestly, though, the reaction wasn't really that overblown unless you went searching for bad takes in the usual irrational corners of the internet. 

That's because it's hard to see a downside to this popular PS4 exclusive making the leap to PC, three years after the fact. It actually seems like a pretty good compromise. Horizon Zero Dawn has been discounted so frequently on the PlayStation Store since release that anyone who wanted to play it on PS4 has had the opportunity. The value of being an exclusive has been preserved, and the game has likely done its job of helping to sell consoles, given that 10 million copies of Horizon have been shifted.

It's not the only PlayStation game trying this, either. Death Stranding, a Sony-published but independently-developed PS4 game, comes to PC on July 14. Quantic Dream's games Detroit: Become Human, Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls all released on PC too, after being exclusive to PlayStation before that.

Sony doesn't have much to lose by bringing its PS4 games to PC. It should do the same thing with its PS5-exclusive games, too. That process doesn't need to be rushed – if it takes a years-long wait to make it happen, because of the sensitivity of the audience, then so be it. If the end result is a great PC port with detailed graphics settings, and the game has already sold a ton of consoles, why not? For Sony, it's another way to monetize big-budget games that are designed to sell dedicated hardware.

Horizon Zero Dawn on PC feels like an experiment, but it's hopefully the start of something. For PC players, too, this just feels like the continuation of a trend that's been occurring for a long time.

When console classics come to PC

Over the last decade or so, PC players have been fortunate enough to see many console classics make their way to Steam and other services. In many cases, too, it's taken a long wait for those games to get there. 

The Yakuza series, for example, started on PS2 back in 2005, and finally came to PC in August 2018 starting with Yakuza 0. We've seen plenty of belated PC ports of console games, from Final Fantasy 15 to Vanquish, or Metal Gear Rising Revengeance. More recently, of course, we've seen the Halo: Master Chief Collection bring a payload of classic FPS titles to PC.

Most third-party publishers now release games on PC and consoles simultaneously, too, when that hasn't always been the case. 

For PC players, it's been exciting to see this trend emerge. At the start of the last generation of consoles, before Microsoft committed to bringing extensive backwards compatibility to Xbox One, it seemed like both manufacturers had lost interest in letting players carry their old games across to the new hardware. That meant PC gaming was the way to go if you wanted to buy a game and be more or less certain you could still play it in 10 years' time. 

Backwards compatibility seems more important at the start of the PS5 and Xbox Series X generation, with both consoles supporting it to different degrees. But the value of adding classic console-first games to your Steam library hasn't diminished. 

That's why it's so novel to see a PlayStation exclusive game come to PC, even if it's years old. And it's why Sony should build PC releases into its future plans for PS4 and PS5 titles, even if they're not releasing simultaneously – the enthusiasm for seeing console classics land on PC will never go away.

• The best PC games

Wondering what's new on Netflix and other streaming services this weekend? We've picked out the best shows on Netflix, Hulu, HBO and Sky over the next few days, and they're an impressive bunch. You've got a new series on Netflix from the director of La La Land, and a brand new animated series from the co-creator of Rick and Morty on Hulu.

In addition, this week we've spotlighted a brand new HBO drama starring Avengers' Mark Ruffalo as two different characters that you shouldn't miss, as well as a reunion show for Netflix reality hit Too Hot to Handle. We'll tell you how to stream each of these shows in the US and UK, too. 

• Best Netflix shows
• Best Hulu shows
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Too Hot To Handle Reunion (Netflix)

The latest in a series of lockdown-produced follow-ups to Netflix shows, the reunion show for reality TV hit Too Hot To Handle is now on the streaming service. Rumor has it that one contestant will propose to another, via video call, with a candy ring. So you've got all of that to look forward to.

Now streaming on Netflix 

The Eddy (Netflix)

This is the weekend's big Netflix drama, if you've already burned through Ryan Murphy's Hollywood in the past seven days. The Eddy is about a struggling Paris jazz club run by a popular musician from New York, Elliot Udo (André Holland). If that premise doesn't grab you, note that it's from director Damian Chazelle, who made La La Land and Whiplash. So expect a palpable love of music in this stylish drama.

Now streaming on Netflix

Restaurants on the Edge season 2 (Netflix)

Our expert described Restaurants on the Edge as being "like Kitchen Nightmares without Gordon Ramsay" in our list of great Netflix food shows, which means it always feels like it's lacking a little something. It's worth checking out regardless if reality cooking shows are your sort of thing, though, since Restaurants on the Edge focuses on reviving struggling eateries across the world.

Now streaming on Netflix

Solar Opposites (Hulu)

New Rick and Morty episodes are finally rolling out again, but if the year-plus waits between episodes are testing your patience, Solar Opposites is the show you need to stream this weekend. From Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland, as well as series writer Mike McMahan, it looks like a dark, funny and gross show in a similar mold. It's about a group of aliens that tries to assimilate in a human neighborhood, after their own species is brought to the brink of extinction. Expect a big helping of dark sci-fi jokes and misanthropic characters. 

Sadly, there's no UK broadcaster for Solar Opposites yet, but US viewers can enjoy the entire first season this weekend. 

Now streaming on Hulu. Get a one-month free Hulu trial here

I Know This Much Is True (HBO, Sky/Now TV)

Mark Ruffalo plays identical twin brothers in this latest HBO heaby-hitter, a grim-looking family drama series from talented director Derek Cianfrance (The Place Beyond the Pines, Blue Valentine), and adapted from the book of the same name by Wally Lamb. Critics are already raving about Ruffalo's dual performances in I Know This Much Is True, and the supporting cast is strong, too, with Juliette Lewis and Melissa Leo co-starring. 

UK viewers won't have long to wait to watch this, either. The show will start on Sky Atlantic on May 11, the day after the series begins in the US.

Streaming on HBO Now and Go from May 10, and Sky/Now TV from May 11

Dead To Me season 2 (Netflix)

This could fairly be categorized as one of the more underrated shows on Netflix (although it makes our list of the 30 best shows). Dead To Me is about two women (played by Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini), grieving over the loss of their partners (seemingly, anyway), who form a friendship and try to solve the mystery of what happened in a hit-and-run that resulted in one of their husband's deaths. 

It's a twist-y show that's only 30 minutes an episode if you want to catch up before this new season drops. The trailer above, naturally, contains spoilers for season 1.

Now streaming on Netflix

Valeria (Netflix)

This Spanish Netflix original is about an author suffering from writer's block, who tries to remedy the situation by spending more time with her friends. Someone in the comments for this trailer compared Valeria to Sex and the City, and it sure looks similar, given that it's about four female friends (one of them a writer), indulging in what are hopefully fun sexy times. It looks inoffensive enough if you're not after heavy drama this weekend.

Now streaming on Netflix

• The best Netflix documentaries

Sony's approach to revealing the PS5 has been very different to Microsoft's, so far. We haven't seen what the hardware actually looks like aside from the controller, but we know the PS5 specs. Third-party PS5 games have been revealed, but first-party games have not. 

Microsoft, on the other hand, has shown us what its console looks like, revealed its specs and confirmed the console's flagship exclusive, Halo Infinite, as well as another major title in Hellblade 2. Xbox will be the first platform holder to formally show off next-gen games, too, with its May 7 Inside Xbox livestream (here's how to watch the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal event). 

This is a stream that all PS5 players will want to check out, and the reason is simple: it's likely that every game revealed or shown off during this event will come to PS5, too. 

Even if you're seeing games running on the Xbox Series X hardware and not Sony's machine, Microsoft has confirmed that it "will focus on giving you a first look at next-gen gameplay, trailers and sneak peeks from a wide variety of publishing partners and independent developers across the globe and industry". 'Publishing partners' means third-party publishers, including Ubisoft. And third-party publishers release games on all formats, including PS5.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay will debut during the stream, it's been confirmed, which of course coming to PS5 too. If Microsoft is focusing on games outside of its own platform exclusives, that means this event will be a big deal for anyone interested in next-gen hardware, regardless of whether they're planning on owning an Xbox. 

• PS5 vs Xbox Series X: what we know so far
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What this means for PS5 players

The age of third-party exclusives is mostly over, save for a few outliers (Final Fantasy 7 Remake or Rise of the Tomb Raider, for example). And even the ones that do launch on another platform first tend to be timed exclusives. That was indeed the case with Rise of the Tomb Raider, which later arrived on PS4 with an enhanced version after debuting on Xbox One.

That means whatever games you see on May 7 should be confirmed for PS5 at some point, too. 

While the wait for a full PS5 reveal still feels like it's going to drag on for a few more weeks, you should still get a snapshot of what to expect from the future of gaming on May 7. 

• PS5 price: what we think the console will cost

Netflix is making so many new movies and shows at any given time that it's hard to keep track. That's not a bad thing. In fact, it means that every time a new title surprises you by launching on the streaming service out of nowhere, it's one more thing you can potentially add to your watch list.

While the world of TV and film production is currently at a halt for the most part, save for animated series and projects shot in countries that aren't as badly affected by the global health crisis, Netflix has plenty in the works for the coming years. Below is just a handful of the projects that the streaming service has in production.

We picked these out because we think they're worth having on your radar, either because of their stars, behind-the-scenes talent or interesting source material. 

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Inventing Anna

You might remember this widely-circulated and fascinating New York Magazine article about a woman pretending to be an heiress, who infiltrated the wealthy social circles of New York City and committed grand larceny. Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes is adapting the article for Netflix, and this limited series will star Julia Garner and Veep's Anna Chlumsky. 

Midnight Mass

Midnight Mass is about an island community that's disrupted by the coming of a priest, whose appearance marks the island's residents experiencing both miracles and omens. If it's hard to get a grasp of why that's exciting, consider that it's a new genre series from The Haunting of Hill House team of Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy. Zach Gilford, Hamish Linklater, Rahul Kohli and Henry Thomas are among its attractive cast. 

One Piece

You've probably already heard about Netflix's adaptation of the popular anime Cowboy Bebop, which will star John Cho, but you might've missed the fact that it's making a live-action version of the extremely popular pirate manga One Piece, too. Creator Eiichiro Oda will play a part in the 10-part series' creation. Hopefully it'll be better received than Netflix's Death Note adaptation, which got mostly negative reviews. 

Jupiter's Legacy

In 2017, Netflix bought Mark Millar's publishing line Millarworld, including the rights to his creator-owned comic books. The thinking, we assume, was that if Disney's going make its own Marvel series, why not just buy your own version of Marvel? One of five projects announced as part of the deal is this series, which is about multiple generations of superheroes, and how the present day children of '30s golden age heroes deal with their legacy. 

The pilot is directed by IT's Andy Muschietti, and the cast features Josh Duhamel and Leslie Bibb. It's likely to be the first Netflix project based on one of Millar's works to see the light of day, since it finished filming back in January. 

American Jesus

The second TV series based on a work by Millar (as well as artist Peter Gross), American Jesus is about the supposed return of Christ in the form of a young man, who can perform many of the miracles associated with the son of god. Water into wine? No problem. This is a multilingual show that'll be presented in English and Spanish.

Pieces of Her

Karin Slaughter's 2018 novel is about a woman called Laura who's spent 30 years in hiding, until a terrible incident surfaces some unwanted truths about her past to her daughter. As mentioned above, Toni Collette will star in this Netflix drama along with Bella Heathcote, which was due to shoot in March 2020 but has since been delayed for obvious reasons. 

White Stork

Tom Hiddleston stars as an up-and-coming politician in this drama, whose ambitions are about to be derailed by secrets from his past that are uncovered in a vetting process, just before he runs for parliament. As well as White Stork, Hiddleston, of course, is also starring in the Loki spin-off on Disney Plus. 

Mulligan

This is a 20-episode animated series from 30 Rock writers Tina Fey, Sam Means and Robert Carlock. Mulligan is about Earth's survivors starting civilization again after an alien race destroys everything, an idea that should be amazing in these creators' hands. It was only announced in March 2020, so you might have a long wait for this one yet. Netflix could always do with more adult animated series after the demise of Bojack Horseman and Tuca and Bertie (though it still has Matt Groening's Disenchantment). 

Stateless

This Australian immigration dentention center drama, co-starring and co-created by Cate Blanchett, is inspired by a true story of a resident who ended up trapped in one of these places. Check out the trailer for this six-part series above, which also stars Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid's Tale) and Jai Courtney (Suicide Squad). It's not actually a Netflix production, but the streaming service is distributing the show outside of Australia.

The Sandman

Okay, you probably did hear that Netflix is adapting Neil Gaiman's acclaimed Vertigo comic for the small screen. If you're not familiar with the comic, though, it's less likely you'll know why this is exciting. Sandman is about Morpheus, or the Lords of Dreams, basically the personification of the concept of dreaming. 

It's a bizarre, fantastical and engrossing series set in the DC Universe, and its long run means there are plenty of potential stories to be told, here. David S Goyer (the Dark Knight movies, Man of Steel) and Allan Heinberg (Wonder Woman) are working with Gaiman on the adaptation. 

• Best Hulu shows

Wherever you're reading this right now, the chances are you're going to spend most of the next few days indoors. Thankfully, streaming services will have you covered over the weekend, with new movies and TV shows dropping to help you kill the time. 

Netflix, as ever, has so much stuff in any given week that you'll struggle to get through it all. Soon, too, US viewers will have even more options to choose from, with HBO Max launching in late May. 

Below, then, check out our highlights of what to stream this weekend, including what's new on Netflix, HBO, Showtime and more. Pick out a couple of things, add them to your watch list and drop us an email if any of them turned out to be completely terrible. 

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After Life season 2 (Netflix)

The second season of Ricky Gervais' tragedy-infused comedy-drama has arrived on Netflix. You probably already know whether a TV show released in 2020 that stars Gervais is the sort of thing you're likely to enjoy. Here, the comedian and writer plays a local newspaper journalist, wounded with grief over the death of his wife. In this new set of episodes, he tries harder to connect with people in his community, hopefully generating a few laughs along the way. After Life is full of familiar British comedy faces, like Extras' Ashley Jensen and Penelope Wilton. 

Now streaming on Netflix. Here's how to watch After Life season 2.

Extraction (Netflix)

This new action movie stars Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake (sigh), a mercenary hired to rescue the son of a big-time criminal. We've not seen Extraction yet, but it is produced by Avengers directors Joe and Anthony Russo, and what better things do you have to do this week than watch Thor gun down a load of dudes that may or may not deserve it?

Now streaming on Netflix

Middleditch & Schwartz (Netflix)

Technically this dropped earlier this week, but if you need a few laughs on Netflix this weekend, this is a great place to start. 

You no doubt know comedians Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) and Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) from two of the best sitcoms of the modern age, and this trio of Netflix comedy specials brings them together for some totally improvised comedy. Each of the three parts here are themed, with the specials named Dream Job, Law School Magic and Parking Lot Wedding, which gives you an idea of what they're about. If you like the actors' other work, consider giving this a try, and check out our list of best Netflix comedy specials if you need more comedy this weekend.

Now streaming on Netflix

The Last Kingdom season 4 (Netflix)

After the BBC produced the first two series of this Saxon-based historical drama, adapted from the work of Sharpe writer Bernard Cornwell, Netflix snapped up the rights to continue it. Featuring a significantly sized ensemble cast, it's been well over a year since season 3 of The Last Kingdom came to Netflix. Dads worldwide will no doubt be relieved to have 10 more episodes of big-budget swords-and-shields action to binge.

Streaming on Netflix from 26 April

Defending Jacob (Apple TV Plus)

Chris Evans stars in the latest big Apple TV Plus show, an eight-part drama entirely directed by Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game). A Massachusetts family faces the possibility that their youngest son (played by IT's Jaeden Martell) is a murderer, leaving the father (Evans), who works for the DA's office, to grapple with the consequences. 

The first three episodes are available now, with new episodes releasing every Friday thereafter. You can watch this globally on Apple TV Plus, and the service has a 7-day free trial if you want to give it a look. 

Now streaming on Apple TV Plus

Bad Education (HBO)

Based on the 2004 embezzlement scandal which saw millions stolen from a school district in New York, Hugh Jackman and Alison Janney co-star in this new HBO movie, Bad Education, which explores how a student journalist helped to uncover the whole thing. (Vanity Fair has an excellent feature about the true story behind it, if you're interested in the events depicted by the movie too.)

US HBO subscribers can watch Bad Education from April 25. Since Sky Atlantic has an exclusive output deal with HBO, we expect to see it on there later this year. 

Streaming on HBO Now and HBO Go from April 25

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (Showtime)

Airing this Sunday on Showtime but available now to stream, City of Angels is the long-awaited follow-up to the original Eva Green-starring Penny Dreadful, which suddenly concluded without any prior notice in 2016, shocking fans at the time. This series is again created by screenwriter John Logan (The Aviator, Hugo), but now the horror-fantasy weirdness has shifted to 1930s Hollywood, starring Natalie Dormer as a shape-shifting demon. City of Angels doesn't appear to require any previous knowledge of the series, but you will need to be subscribed to Showtime to watch it.

UK viewers will have to wait until July to see City of Angels when it premieres on Sky Atlantic and Now TV. 

Episode one is now streaming on Showtime

Gangs of London (Sky/Now TV)

Created by The Raid director Gareth Evans, Gangs of London is one of Sky's biggest budget dramas yet. It stars Peaky Blinders' Joe Cole as the privileged son of a murdered gangster boss who has to take over the family business, and fend off violent competition from all comers. All nine episodes are available to stream on Sky and Now TV right now.

US viewers will have to wait a little longer for this one. Cinemax co-produced the series, but hasn't announced an air date yet. 

Streaming on Sky and Now TV now, Cinemax TBA

• The best VPN for streaming

The Grand Tour season 4 – called The Grand Tour Presents – started in December 2019 with a special subtitled 'Seamen' (get it? Do you get it? Do you, though?). In this episode, hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond traded their cars for boats in the countries Cambodia and Vietnam, experimenting with the series' formula in a way that fans seemed to appreciate.

Several more feature-length The Grand Tour specials are confirmed to follow, and host/co-creator Jeremy Clarkson has explained that episode 2 is nearly ready. Season 4's episodes were always going to have staggered release dates, but the wait between episodes might be a little longer after episode 2. 

Clarkson has indicated that two further specials have been delayed because of coronavirus and the resulting caution around non-essential international travel. Below, we'll explain what we know about The Grand Tour season 4 episode 2's release date, and what else we know about further episodes of the show. 

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The Grand Tour season 4 episode 2 release date seems close

Clarkson addressed the question of what's happened to the next instalment of The Grand Tour on his Twitter feed, so it's possible we're close to finding out the release date of the next episode. 

Responding to a complaint from a viewer on Twitter, host Jeremy Clarkson says that the next episode of The Grand Tour is "pretty much ready to go", as you can see above. When asked about further episodes beyond the three confirmed in this tweet, Clarkson responded with "Give us a break."

The Grand Tour season 4 is delayed by coronavirus

Two more episodes, likely from the same series of specials, are delayed because of coronavirus and the current concern around international travel. Responding to another complaint about the wait for new episodes of The Grand Tour on Twitter, Clarkson said, "Maybe you haven’t heard. There's a virus you see and it's making international travel tricky."

Coronavirus is a developing situation, obviously, so while you can probably expect episode 2 of The Grand Tour season 4 soon, you might have a longer wait for more episodes.

Co-star James May appears to also be set to launch his own cooking show, according to The Sun. Oh Cook! is based on May's Top Gear catchphrase, but that may not be the only thing the show borrows. It's unlikely this side project will delay The Grand Tour any further, however.

What is The Grand Tour season 4 episode 2 about?

The exact theme of this episode is unclear, but as of late 2019 when promoting the Seamen special, Clarkson told Globalnews that the next episode "starts in La Réunion and then ends largely in Madagascar. We started on the very same beach that a Scotsman was eaten the other day." 

The shallow lagoons around there are snorkeling hotspots – but it doesn't give us many clues of what to expect from this next episode. We do know that the hosts were "marooned" on a tropical island in November during filming for this special miles away from their crew, but they eventually made it out of Madagascar alive and well.

Presumably the trio will be wreaking as much havoc as ever. An now-removed job vacancy for a team member you can handle "grumpy officials" has now been pulled. With the hijinx and capers the three have got up to in the past, god help whomever gets that gig.

• 2020 TV shows: what you should watch this year

Netflix might have some slowdown of new TV shows and movies as a result of the current health crisis in 2021, but in 2020? Seemingly not. The big hitters keep on coming. Netflix's May 2020 line-up is huge, with new dramas, comedies, kids shows, anime and documentaries to watch on the streaming service.

Below, we've picked six highlights that are new on Netflix in May. We've focused on Netflix Originals that are available globally, so you know you can look forward to these wherever you are. 

• Best shows 2020: what you should watch this year
• The best Netflix shows, and what's worth watching now
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1. Space Force

Release date: May 29

A new sitcom starring Steve Carell, from The Office US creator Greg Daniels? You know you're going to watch Space Force, which is about the begrudging formation of a new branch of the armed forces that must dominate the stars, based on the term coined by President Donald Trump. Lisa Kudrow and John Malkovich co-star in this enormously promising comedy, which also features Parks and Rec's Ben Schwartz. 

2. White Lines

Release date: May 15

Featuring a mostly British cast, this Ibiza-set mystery drama is from the creator of the Spanish Netflix hit Money Heist, which is an immediately exciting sell. Two decades after he went missing on the island, the body of a famous DJ is found, and his sister attempts to find out what really transpired in his death. The trailer promises a sun-soaked and seedy-looking thriller. Daniel Mays, who US viewers might recognize as that guy who got shot by Diego Luna at the start of Rogue One, co-stars. 

3. Hollywood

Release date: May 1

Nip/Tuck, Glee and American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy made a big splash in signing on with Netflix, and this post-World War 2 period piece is his second big project, after last year's somewhat divisive series The Politician. Hollywood is about a group of upcoming performers and creators looking to hit it big in Tinseltown, no matter the cost. The show features regular Murphy collaborator Darren Criss, who excelled in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. Hollywood is a limited series, so don't worry about feeling like you have to commit to watching it for the next five years. Hopefully it doesn't feel like an expensive vanity project. 

4. The Eddy 

Release date: May 8

From La La Land director Damian Chazelle, who helms the first two episodes, and prolific screenwriter Jack Thorne (remember The Fades?), The Eddy is about a Paris jazz club ran by a once well-regarded American musician (played by André Holland) who's straining just to keep it going. There are definitely elements of Chazelle's Whiplash to the show's relationship with music, based on the trailer above. 

5. All Day and a Night

Release date: May 1

The second movie directed by Black Panther co-writer Joe Robert Cole, All Day and a Night is a serious drama about a young man who inadvertently finds himself on a similar path to his father, despite doing his best to avoid it. In reflecting on his own story, and the circumstances that led to that point, he hopes to help his son break the cycle. Jeffrey Wright co-stars. 

6. Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill

Release date: May 5

Jerry Seinfeld stand-up comedy specials are surprisingly rare, given how popular the comedian remains decades after his career started and his sitcom ended. This is only the fourth special from Seinfeld, with Netflix again flexing its muscles in landing big stand-up talent, following their last collaboration Jerry Before Seinfeld in 2017. Expect jokes that begin with "did you ever notice...". Seinfeld is always an affable on-stage presence, though your mileage may vary.

• The best Hulu shows, if you want to try another streaming service

A new Star Wars TV series is coming to Disney Plus from Russian Doll creator Leslye Headland, it's been reported. Variety says that Headland will write and direct the series, which is described as 'female-centric' and takes place in a different part of the Star Wars timeline than the other projects Disney has planned right now. 

Russian Doll is one of our best Netflix shows, and assuming the report is true, anything that's based further away from the Skywalker Saga time period suits us. 

The Mandalorian doesn't feature particularly close ties to the main movies (yet, anyway), but the upcoming Obi-Wan and Rogue One spin-off series on Disney Plus are basically extensions of stories we've already seen in the movies. After The Rise of Skywalker made the Star Wars universe feel way too small, we're definitely keen to see what else creators can come up with.

The Groundhog Day-esque Russian Doll, starring Natasha Lyonne, was an immediate critical success on Netflix. It's no surprise that Disney would look to a show like that to infuse the Star Wars universe with more interesting voices.

The Mandalorian season 2 is set to debut in October 2020. The other Star Wars projects in the works at Disney Plus, including this new one, don't have release dates yet. Work has apparently begun on The Mandalorian season 3, too. 

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Star Wars' future really is on the small screen

"The priority in the next few years is television," is what Disney's Bob Iger said in February about the future of Star Wars. While three new Star Wars movies are on the schedule for 2022 onwards, it's clear that The Mandalorian has fueled Disney Plus' near-instant climb to 50 million customers.

Given how long these series seem to take to make, more is better to us. The Mandalorian was a good example of how you can tell different kinds of stories in the Star Wars universe 

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While The Mandalorian season 2 doesn't even arrive until October, season 3 of the Disney Plus Star Wars smash hit has started pre-production, according to a new report. Creator Jon Favreau has been writing the next season of the show "for a while", and Lucasfilm's world-class art department apparently started working on season 3 as of April 20.

That's according to Variety, which notes that the art department has to begin working on the show now because it requires "such a huge lead time", says its source. 

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There's no real reason to doubt this report. Disney's Bob Iger mentioned back in a February earnings call that we could expect "more" from The Mandalorian, including spin-offs featuring other characters. He said there would be "more coming from The Mandalorian thereafter [season 2], including the possibility of infusing it with more characters and the possibility of taking those characters in their own direction in terms of series".

Who could those characters be? Nothing else has been revealed on that front. We have seen a report suggest that The Clone Wars favorite Ahsoka Tano will turn up as a guest character in The Mandalorian season 2, though, played by Rosario Dawson. We bet there'd be few objections to that character getting a live-action spin-off, but at this point that's just wishful thinking. 

Our best guess is that The Mandalorian season 3 will aim for a similar release date as its preceding two seasons – probably October or November 2021. 

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The Mandalorian isn't going anywhere

Disney Plus has surged past 50 million subscribers, at least partly fueled by the success of The Mandalorian, which to date remains its only real blockbuster original. It makes sense that Disney would want to commit to the future of the show. Baby Yoda is hopefully here to stay.

If the wait more episodes is killing you, an eight-episode documentary called Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian begins on May 4, otherwise known as Star Wars Day. Or, you know, you could just watch The Mandalorian again.

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HBO Max, the next big streaming service, finally has a release date of May 27 2020, it's been confirmed. The service, which is the creation of WarnerMedia, will launch with a number of exclusive shows on day one, including the Anna Kendrick anthology series Love Life and a talk show with Elmo from Sesame Street. That's in addition to a vast catalogue of content from the HBO archives, like The Sopranos and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and the promise of monthly originals to come. 

HBO Max will boast 10,000 hours of content at launch. As previously announced, it'll cost $14.99 per month. It hasn't been confirmed which devices will be compatible with the HBO Max app, but an FAQ page explains it'll work with 'popular devices' like phones, tablets, games consoles and media players, as well as working in-browser on Mac and PC. 

Here, in brief, are the originals confirmed for day one. The aforementioned Love Life stars Anna Kendrick, and follows one character from first to final love, with each season featuring a different set of characters. Legendary sounds like a competitive  show themed around ballroom culture. #MeToo documentary On The Record will be available on day one on the factual side. 

On the all-ages side, Craftopia sees kids compete in various crafting challenges, and its host is YouTube personality LaurDIY. Looney Tunes Cartoons is an animated show featuring Bugs Bunny and company, that aims to recapture the high-end nature of the original animated shorts featuring the long-running characters. The Not Too Late Show with Elmo is what it sounds like, as the Sesame Street icon grills the likes of John Mulaney and John Oliver. 

It's an eclectic spread that reflects the service's attempts to hit every audience at once. It arguably has no true heavy hitter like Disney had on day one with The Mandalorian, though Love Life might be a breakout. Here's a trailer:

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What else makes HBO Max worth a look?

As with Disney Plus, the back catalogue is what's appealing about HBO Max, and unlike Disney, the archive is much broader and more adult. That HBO archive is enormously appealing, and given that this service costs the same as a HBO Now subscription, it seems like a win-win. 

On day one, HBO Max will also have popular older shows Friends, The Big Bang Theory, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Doctor Who, Rick and Morty, The OC and more available to stream. Some shows on The CW like Batwoman and Katy Keene will also stream on there. On the movie side, a big launch highlight is 20 Studio Ghibli movies. Over the first year, you'll see over 2000 movies added to the service. Every Batman, Lord of the Rings and Matrix movie will live on HBO Max at some point, too, including the award-winning Joker. 

Basically, if Warner Bros owns it, you'll eventually be able to stream it. It's also licensing content from other studios, too, with South Park coming to the service in its first year, and movies sourced from The Criterion Collection. 

HBO Max also has a big selection of new originals in the works, including a Friends reunion special and a Michael Mann-directed adaptation of the book Tokyo Vice starring Baby Driver's Ansel Elgort. Recently, three new HBO Max series to be produced by JJ Abrams were revealed: Justice League Dark, based on the DC characters, The Shining spin-off Overlook and an original '70s drama called Duster. 

We look forward to checking it out, and seeing if it's worth the $14.99 subscription fee. 

Nintendo is looking to boost production of its Switch console by 10%, according to a new report. The console has been selling out for while now, but the current global health crisis has intensified demand for the Switch as people face months stuck indoors. Nintendo is looking to increase output between April and June of this year.

Japanese business outlet Nikkei learned about this from suppliers, noting that the current pandemic led to issues with Nintendo's supply chain. Nintendo is apparently looking to produce 22 million Nintendo Switch units in 2020. 

Despite its best intentions, though, Nintendo can't be certain just how many Switch units will be produced. "We hope [suppliers] will be responsive to the production increase, but for procurement of some parts, the outlook remains uncertain, and we can't forecast exactly how many Switches can be supplied," a Nintendo representative told Nikkei.

The report notes that lockdown restrictions in Malaysia and the Philippines could slow down deliveries of certain parts. In Japan, Nintendo has suspended shipments of the console, but plans to resume fulfilling orders from late April. It's a welcome announcement given the recent difficulty finding a Switch console, especially one at a reasonable price – in part due to automated bots reportedly hoovering up supplies.

Bloomberg notes that Nintendo originally planned on slightly decreasing its Switch output this year, which isn't an unusual move for a console that released over three years ago. An increase four years into a console's lifespan is unusual, but these are unprecedented times. Animal Crossing's popularity on the console has also contributed to increased demand.

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How long until you can buy a new Switch?

It's hard to predict this based on uncertainty around Nintendo's supply chain, but hopefully we'll start to see more Switch units available by early summer. With so much uncertainty around how long lockdowns will last around the world, it's also unclear how much demand will fluctuate in that time. 

If you want a Switch Lite, a handheld-only console which doesn't plug into your TV or feature detachable controllers, they're a little easier to find. Here's where you can pick one up:

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As the Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite continue to sell out, demand for its games have also increased considerably. The situation is bad enough that some retailers in both the US and UK are running out of physical copies of the year's biggest exclusive title, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with copies selling on eBay for much more than the standard retail price. 

It's not worth paying over the odds for Animal Crossing, especially when you can buy the game digitally for a more acceptable price and get the game without waiting for delivery. Below, we'll show you where to buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons for a sensible price, both digitally and physically. 

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Where to buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons: get the game right now, in digital or physical copies

If you're happy to go digital, and you've got an internet connection and a Nintendo Account, get the game right now here:

Physical copies of Animal Crossing: New Horizons are available at some US and UK retailers, just not everywhere, and stock is sporadic. If you really want a physical copy, do not pay more than $59.99/£49.99. The game will eventually come back in stock everywhere, and they'll be easier to restock than the console itself given that they're just game cards in plastic boxes. Here are some places where you can still get physical copies: 

Why it's worth buying Animal Crossing: New Horizons digitally

Redeeming a Nintendo code is very simple. In most cases, retailers will email you the code straight after purchase, and all you have to do is access the Nintendo Store on your Switch or Switch Lite, and select 'Redeem code' from the menu on the left-hand side of the screen. The only considerations are whether you've got enough storage space for the game (6.4GB of free space is required) and an internet connection. You'll need a Nintendo Account linked to your Nintendo Switch to redeem the game digitally. 

Once you've entered the code, though, the game is added to your account and it'll download right away, assuming you have the storage space. If you eventually want to delete Animal Crossing and redownload it later, you can do that too. 

Are there downsides to buying Switch games digitally?

Buying a game and having it delivered to you straight away is so convenient. Physical copies are great for collectors and the cases look nice, plus retailers can set competitive prices for physical copies, but if you just want to play a game, it's hard to go back from instant downloads.

The big drawback in forgoing physical is you won't be able to loan out your cartridge to a friend or resell the game when you're done with it. If your friends all pick up their own copy (and they should, if you all want to play together), this is less of an issue.

The only other possible, distant concern with buying a game digitally instead of physically is that, one day, Nintendo could theoretically decide to turn off the digital store on Switch. Nintendo did this very thing with the Wii and DSi digital storefronts, and Nintendo is planning to turn off the ability to redownload Wii software at some point in the future. 

It's not impossible that could happen again with the Switch store many years down the line, though given that downloads are more fundamental to this console than they were to the Wii, hopefully that will never be the case. Either way, a physical copy would mean you won't have to worry about that. 

In the here and now, it's not worth worrying about, and hopefully the unifying of Nintendo's various online operations on Switch and 3DS means there'll be more continuity to the software you own in future. Microsoft has done a great job with this on its Xbox consoles, and Nintendo should take note. 

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Every weekend, we somehow worry that streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video will eventually run out of cool stuff to watch while we're stuck inside. Pleasingly, that's not been the case so far since the global quarantine began, with months of shows backed up to keep us entertained for the foreseeable future. 

Below, you can read our selection of what's new on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and more this weekend. They include a great new sitcom, a weighty biopic and an utterly ludicrous-sounding reality TV show. 

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Too Hot To Handle

Before we get into the heavier stuff, here's your latest adrenaline shot of reality TV nonsense. A bunch of young and good-looking singles head to an island for what they expect to be a summer of hook-ups. What they soon learn, though, is that no one can indulge in so much as a kiss without the $100,000 prize money going down. After Love is Blind, Netflix is doubling down on reality dating show formats that make you say "huh?" Here's what we made of Too Hot to Handle. 

Now streaming on Netflix

BlackAF (Netflix)

Created by and starring Kenya Barris, the writer/producer behind Black-ish, one of the better modern family sitcoms of the past decade, BlackAF stars Barris as a fictional version of himself. Co-starring Parks and Rec's Rashida Jones as his wife Joya, BlackAF has drawn a lot of comparisons to Black-ish, with critics noting it's a more unfiltered take on a family sitcom than Barris' previous effort (stylistically it's very different, too, since it's presented as a mockumentary). Netflix describes it as "Black-ish meets Curb Your Enthusiasm", which makes sense, given that the show explores Barris grappling with his own real-life success and what that means. We've seen the first episode, and it's well worth checking out.

Now streaming on Netflix

Bosch season 6 (Amazon Prime Video)

One of Amazon's longest-running originals, the compelling police drama Bosch enters its penultimate season this weekend on the streaming service. You might want to give it a shot if you've never seen it: the show, starring Titus Welliver, is a big enough cult hit that Amazon renewed it for a seventh season before this one was even released. In this sixth season, the titular Harry Bosch has to figure out why a medical physicist was killed, uncovering a plot that has potentially disastrous implications for the city of LA. Ask a Bosch fan, and they'll probably tell you it's an underrated show. If you fancy giving this series a try, you've now got 60 episodes to enjoy.

Now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Here's how to watch Bosch season 6 online.

Sergio

Starring Wagner Moura of Narcos fame and Knives Out's Ana de Armas, this biopic is about UN diplomat Sérgio Vieira de Mello, who was killed in a suicide bombing in 2003. This latest Netflix original movie explores the diplomat's relationship with his wife, and the assignment that would tragically result in his death. 

Now streaming on Netflix

Devs (Hulu, BBC iPlayer)

Created by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation), Devs is a moody and gorgeous-looking thriller about a woman whose partner suddenly dies while working for a mysterious tech company. It features Parks and Rec's Nick Offerman in a role that couldn't be more different from Ron Swanson, and Devs swerves from being a drama about a cold Silicon Valley tech company into horror and sci-fi territory. This miniseries has just ended this week in the US, and you can stream the finale on Hulu now. In the UK, it's just begun, with two episodes to watch now on iPlayer as part of the BBC's overall deal with cable network FX. 

Now streaming on Hulu (US) and BBC iPlayer (UK)

Mrs America (Hulu)

Mrs America is a star-studded FX miniseries set in the '70s and focused on the Equal Rights Amendment, which would've grant the same rights to women around employment and other areas of life that men enjoyed. Cate Blanchett plays Phyllis Schlafly, a conservative activist who managed to block the ERA's ratification. This drama also spotlights feminists of the era who supported the amendment like Gloria Steinem, and counts Elizabeth Banks, Rose Byrne and Sarah Paulson in its ensemble cast. 

UK viewers, you'll have to wait for Miss America to come to BBC2 later this year.

Now streaming on Hulu

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Tiger King, the 7-episode documentary series on Netflix about now-imprisoned big cat park owner Joe Exotic, has been hotly discussed since it debuted on the streaming service in March. Now, in the wake of its enormous success, Netflix has added what's listed as a 'new episode'. The Tiger King and I is an aftershow-like series of interviews with people featured in the documentary, hosted by Community's Joel McHale. 

While we appreciate Netflix's attempts to extend a story that's gripped everyone as they've been stuck indoors during a global lockdown, The Tiger King and I feels thrown together and, as a result, is not very good.

As you'd expect for something filmed in the last few weeks, McHale hosts it from his couch, and conducts video calls with key players from the series. They include zoo owner Jeff Lowe and his wife Lauren, memorable park employee Saff, and Joe Exotic's former husband John Finlay, who looks fantastic here after a makeover. 

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These interviews run back-to-back, with McHale asking mostly lighthearted but occasionally insightful questions. He gets an interesting answer from Finlay on how he felt the show misrepresented him, and he gets Saff to share how he now trusts the tiger that attacked him more than he trusts Joe Exotic. We're paraphrasing, there, but it's a great soundbite. 

Otherwise, this is pretty lightweight and forgettable. Big Cat Rescue owner Carole Baskin is a notable absentee, which is understandable when you read this Tampa Bay Times interview about her feelings on the show and how it represents her. 

To be fair to Baskin, too, McHale gives the Lowes the chance to offer their unsubstantiated opinion on what happened to Baskin's former husband Don Lewis, which doesn't seem like a responsible use of his platform. 

McHale's presenting style means the interviews flip from the silly to the extremely serious without much of a pause. In fact, if you want a sample of the tone McHale is going for in this episode, just check out this video promoting his Tiger King special:

We can't blame Netflix for trying to extend people's interest in Tiger King, and the fact that this special looks so cheap is absolutely not something you can hold against anyone, given the limitations of TV production right now. 

It's just that the whole thing has the feel of a slapped together freelance assignment: McHale throws out a few breezy questions that sound like they could've been dropped into a Google doc with about 10 minutes' notice, and the resulting show offers less insight than the 'where are they now?'-type articles doing the rounds in the wake of the show's success (this excellent New York Times piece, for example). 

In years to come, viewers will remember Tiger King as that fever dream of a documentary series that we all watched together during an unprecedented global quarantine. Maybe there is more of a story to tell with some of the people in this show, but Netflix's latest smash hit deserves a little better than this forgettable epilogue. 

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