The best TV shows and movies to stream in August

What better way to finish off your summer than by sitting inside, obsessively watching television?

This August, streamers like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu have a broad new group of films and TV series available, some that will occupy you for weeks (or months) and some that might just keep you going for an afternoon.

Whether you want action, laughs or dance (or potentially all three at once), we've picked the five best movies and TV shows newly available to stream. Don't blame us, though, if you call out sick from work to keep binging "Designing Women."

If you need a new (old) sitcom obsession: 'Designing Women'

If you want a nice, long, reliably funny and poignant binge watch to keep you occupied for the month (and perhaps beyond), Hulu is giving you a big gift. The streamer is bringing the iconic "Designing Women" to its service late in August, and it's absolutely worth the wait to spend time with Julia Sugarbaker (Dixie Carter) and the rest. A beautiful and hilarious portrait of women, work and friendship, the series is the kind of show that needs to be introduced to a new generation.

Stream it on Hulu on Aug. 26.

If you wants some swords and Luke Skywalker: 'Knightfall'

If you're a history nerd or just missing the sword-and-shield action of "Game of Thrones," History Channel's drama based on the Knights Templar is a solid binge watch. Set in the 1300s around the search for the Holy Grail, the series is just juicy and gory enough, and the addition of Mark Hamill in Season 2 as a veteran Templar knight gave it the gravitas it needed.

Stream Season 2 on Netflix Aug. 13.

If you love non-stop action: 'Mission: Impossible – Fallout'

The sixth installment in Tom Cruise's high octane "Mission Impossible" franchise is a slight departure for the series. Don't worry, there are still death-defying stunts and cheeky dialogue, but "Fallout" is a direct sequel to 2015's "Rogue Nation" instead of a standalone adventure, and director Christopher McQuarrie is the first director to take on the "MI" series in more than one film. The result is a late entry in an aging franchise that feels fresh and new, especially with Henry Cavill as a burly, mustachioed villain.

Stream it on Amazon Prime or Hulu on Aug. 23.

If you like action that takes a breather but is still great: 'The Bank Job'

Jason Statham may be rocking fast (and furious) cars with Dwayne Johnson in "Hobbs and Shaw," but one of his best action film turns is considerably more low-tech. This '70s-set heist film sees Statham and a band of "villains" (that's British for criminals) breaking into a bank the old-fashioned way: by tunneling into the vault. With some royal intrigue and British spies in the mix, the film is just twisty enough to be compelling, but not so different from your favorite kind of heist film to feel too weird.

Stream it on Netflix.

If you prefer non-stop dancing: 'Step Up'

Before Channing Tatum was "Magic Mike," he was Tyler Gage, a disadvantaged kid who takes the fall for some vandalism he committed with a friend, and is assigned community service at a dance school. There he meets Nora (Jenna Dewan, who would have a short-lived real-life marriage to Tatum) and they fall in love and dance some really great numbers. The sequels are fine and all, but the original is the campy, soapy dance movie of a generation.

Stream it on Hulu.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon streaming: Best new TV, movies in August 2019