New on Netflix UK in August 2023: best TV & film to watch, from Heartstopper Season 2 to Painkiller

As ever, a new month means new television to watch – and on Netflix in particular that means a deluge of originals, exclusives, and old favourites to wade through.

It can be difficult to make sense of what’s coming to Netflix, so we’ve organised the streaming service’s August releases into a list of dramas, comedies, documentaries, films, and international series. 

Here’s your guide to everything that’s new on Netflix UK this August, with a few highlighted top picks to help you decide what to watch.

Drama 

Painkiller | Thursday 10 August

A true crime drama that explores some of the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America, highlighting the stories of the perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin. An examination of crime, accountability, and the systems that have repeatedly failed hundreds of thousands of Americans, starring Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, Taylor Kitsch, Dina Shihabi, and West Duchovny.

One Piece | Thursday 31 August

A legendary high-seas adventure unlike any other. Monkey D. Luffy sets off from his small village on a perilous journey to find the legendary fabled treasure, ONE PIECE, to become King of the Pirates! But in order to find the ultimate prize, Luffy will need to assemble the crew he’s always wanted before finding a ship to sail, searching every inch of the vast blue seas, outpacing the Marines, and outwitting dangerous rivals at every turn. Starring Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji, and based on Japan’s highest-selling manga series in history.

Comedy

The Upshaws S4 | Thursday 17 August

Bennie Upshaw, the head of a Black working class family in Indianapolis, is a charming, well-intentioned mechanic and lifelong mess just trying his best to step up and care for his family, all without a blueprint for success. The Upshaws continue to ride life’s ups and downs, including new jobs, bigger dreams, health struggles and some major life surprises but still hanging on with the love that comes with family. Mike Epps, Kim Fields, and Wanda Sykes star.

Documentary

Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child | Tuesday 1 August

At 26, is Jake Paul the boxing world’s new savior - or does he packs more punch as an influencer than in his right hand? An unflinching deep dive into how a wide-eyed kid from Ohio morphed from Internet sensation to most polarizing man in sports. 

Mark Cavendish: Never Enough | Wednesday 2 August

At the end of 2016, Mark required just four stage wins to equal the great Eddy Merckx’s 41-year-old record of 34 stage wins and cement his legacy. He got five agonising years of injury, illness and depression instead. His performance in the 2021 Tour de France shocked the world and set the stage for this summer’s tour, and Mark’s final attempt to make the stage win record his own. With exclusive access to Mark, his wife Peta, his team-mates, and his coaches, the film charts the rise, fall and resurrection of a genuine sporting great and the wiliest, most effective, and most exciting cyclist ever.

Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food | Wednesday 2 August

A shocking indictment of the food industry and its regulators, this documentary film sets out to expose how decades of apathy and malfeasance have left the American food supply and its consumers vulnerable to deadly pathogens like e. Coli and salmonella.

Untold: Johnny Football | Tuesday 8 August

In 2012, the brightest star in all of sports was an undersized freshman quarterback at unheralded Texas A&M, whose fervor on the field was rivaled only by his hard-partying ways off it. Dubbed “Johnny Football,” the magnetic football player captured the nation’s attention and initially relished his alter ego: "I wanted to be Johnny Football. Johnny Football never had a bad time,” he says. But as the money rolled in, the scrutiny heightened, and Manziel rejected his newfound fame and suddenly lost his way. 

Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop | Tuesday 9 August

By giving flowers to originators like Sha-Rock and Roxanne Shante or hearing real talk from contemporary superstars like Saweetie and Coi Leray, Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop contextualizes the history of the music that changed the world within the wider social, racial, and political landscape of the times and, crucially, through a female lens. Featuring iconic emcees like MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, and Rah Digga, up and comers, and artists currently at the top of the charts like Latto, and Tierra Whack alongside key figures from record labels, stylists, and journalists.

Untold: Hall of Shame | Tuesday 15 August

Victor Conte's name is synonymous with the biggest doping scandal ever to rock the sports community, ensnaring top athletes such as baseball great Barry Bonds and track-and-field legends Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery. For 16 years, Conte swears BALCO Laboratories, his supplement and nutrition company based in the Bay Area, never dabbled in illegal, performance-enhancing drugs - but by 2000, he had become the go-to guy for athletes in search of steroids, fame, and world records. 

Untold: Swamp Kings | Tuesday 22 August

After a blazing run in the 1990s under Coach Steve Spurrier, the University of Florida’s winning streak had dried up by 2005. Enter Urban Meyer, the Gators’ demanding new head coach whose take-no-prisoners style breeds not only a string of legendary victories, but also unrelenting drama that rippled well beyond the locker room. With a riveting play-by-play of some of the Gators’ most blistering wins and losses, this four-episode docuseries zooms in on each turbulent year of Meyer’s reign, tackling the challenging sides of his leadership and the perils of his players being star athletes at such a young age.

Family

Heartstopper S2 | Thursday 3 August

Nick and Charlie navigate their new relationship; Tara and Darcy face unforeseen challenges and Tao and Elle work out if they can ever be more than just friends. With exams on the horizon, a school trip to Paris and a prom to plan, the gang has a lot to juggle as they journey through the next stages of life, love and friendship.

Internationals

Head to Head | Thursday 3 August

Hilarity meets danger when a lovesick chauffeur and a bootleg mechanic mistakenly pick up a retired crime lord, igniting a wild, life-changing adventure.

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead | Thursday 3 August

Akira Tendo works at an abusive company where he suffers endless late hours, power harassment from his boss, and illogical tasks. He spends his days feeling more dead than alive. One morning, the town is overtaken by zombies and the familiar landscape is already devastated. Seeing such destruction, Akira shouts with glee that he doesn’t need to go to the office anymore. Showing his innate positivity, Akira comes up with a list of 100 things he wants to do before he becomes a zombie, including cleaning his home and camping on his balcony and sets out to complete his bucket list.

Zombieverse | Monday 8 August

Seoul has turned into a zombie universe, and a group of contestants must complete challenging quests for survival.

Marry My Dead Body | Thursday 10 August

After finding an odd envelope, Policeman Ming-han's life takes a spooky turn: he's now wed to a ghost husband, and they must solve a crime together.

Mask Girl | Friday 18 August

Kim Mo-mi, an ordinary office worker by day who is insecure about her appearance and a live-streamer by night who covers up her face with a mask, as she becomes embroiled in an unforeseen incident and undergoes a dramatic turn of events.

Netflix Original Films

The Monkey King | Friday 18 August

An action-packed family comedy that follows a charismatic Monkey and his magical fighting Stick on an epic quest for victory over 100 demons, an eccentric Dragon King, and Monkey’s greatest foe of all — his own ego! Along the way, a young village girl challenges his self-centered attitude and shows him that even the smallest pebble can have a big effect on the world.

Choose Love | Thursday 31 August

An interactive romcom that lets viewers choose whether recording engineer Cami Conway ends up with her long-term boyfriend, her first love, or a rock star. Laura Marano, Scott Michael Foster, and Avan Jogia star.