Save the cheerleader, save the world: What to stream in July

July is here and if you are not lying on a beach somewhere, crank up that AC, get your snacks out and let’s go see what streaming services have in store for us this month!Heroes: Seasons 1-4 (Netflix, July 1) “Save the cheerleader, save the world.” If this isn’t pure millennial nostalgia bait, I don’t know what it is. Heroes blew everyone’s mind when it dropped in the 2000s with a plot about everyday people suddenly getting superpowers and being connected in mysterious ways to serve an unknown higher purpose. While season 1 is probably one of the best seasons ever to drop on television, the series took a nosedive in later seasons, much like Lost. Perhaps concepts like Heroes would be better served with a limited order and fewer episodes. Yet another great missed opportunity. Enough time has now passed for that famous line to sound nostalgic instead of like something printed on a very unfortunate T-shirt. If you watched Heroes back in the day, this is a good excuse to revisit it. If you never did, now is your chance to see why, for one glorious moment, everyone thought this was going to be the future of television. Silo (Apple TV, July 3) It is common knowledge that Apple TV is the place to go if you are looking for good sci-fi and Silo is the perfect example. While the streaming service doesn’t officially release its viewing numbers, it is understood that Silo slightly underperformed compared to its budget, but do not be fooled. This is one of the best sci-fi series around and is well worth your time. The story takes place in a dystopian future where, after a major calamity, the whole of humanity, a total of around 10,000 people, is living in a 144-level silo buried deep underground. Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette Nichols, an engineer who refuses to believe the official version of history and begins to dig deep into the history of the silo, only to find out that some people just don’t want the truth out, while others would do anything to maintain the status quo. It’s claustrophobic, full of mysteries, unanswered questions and twists and turns in every direction. Silo is a mystery wrapped in grounded – ha! – sci-fi. If you are worried that the writers might stretch it to more seasons than it should have, have no fear. Apple announced that the next season, 4, will be the last one, as the series is based on a trilogy of books, so the source material will run out. The Long Walk (July 10, HBO Max) I dreaded this movie so much! I knew I would go and watch it at the cinema, whatever reviews it got. I read The Long Walk so many times I almost knew it by heart, so I was terrified when I learned that they were adapting it into a movie. Stephen King book adaptations usually don’t go down well, but in the case of The Long Walk, I was pleasantly surprised. The movie tells the story of a group of young people who take part in an annual long-distance walking event. This, though, is not your average sporting event. While it is never explained, the US has been under military rule for decades and the Long Walk, as it is known, is an event favoured by the dictator, known simply as The Major. The rules are simple: participants have to walk over a certain speed limit. The last one standing gets whatever he desires. If you slow down too often, you get shot. If you try to flee, you get shot. If you try to take an opponent out, you get shot. The only thing you can do is walk until you drop dead from exhaustion. Thankfully, the production team didn’t stick too rigidly to the source material and made the slight changes needed for it to be adapted into a movie. It drops on July 10 and I cannot recommend this enough! The Hunger Games (Netflix, July 14) If The Long Walk gives us dystopia in its rawest form, The Hunger Games gives us dystopia with television cameras, costume design and Stanley Tucci in a blue wig. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Netflix will be showing not only the original four movies but the sequel as well. If you are a fan, this is the time to binge like you have never binged before! 72 Hours (Netflix, July 24) Kevin Hart stars in this Netflix original about a 40-year-old guy who accidentally goes on a bachelor party with three 20-something guys. Hilarity ensues. Starring Hart and three of the youngest cast members of Saturday Night Live, this film gives off Hangover vibes and, to be perfectly honest, I’m here for it. People making bad decisions is my kind of category, so I won’t be missing this!