July 9 Streaming: Little House, Five Star Weekend & More

Thursday's streaming lineup brings one of the biggest premieres of the month, a star-studded drama with perfect summer vibes, and the return of reality television's most addictive social experiment. Here's what's new across the major platforms today.

Little House on the Prairie (Netflix)

The day's headliner is Netflix's reimagining of Little House on the Prairie, an eight-episode survival drama based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved books. Showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine (The Boys, The Vampire Diaries, Archive 81) brings a grittier, more expansive vision to the frontier story — one that balances the Ingalls family's journey with the parallel experiences of the Osage people on whose land they settle. A full Osage cultural consultant, Julie O'Keefe, worked directly with the production to ensure both sides of the story were told authentically.

The cast is led by Luke Bracey (Elvis, Hacksaw Ridge) as Charles Ingalls, Alice Halsey (Lessons In Chemistry) as Laura, and Crosby Fitzgerald as Caroline. The creative pedigree runs deep: executive producer Joy Gorman Wettels saw an opening to reimagine the classic for a new generation, while Trip Friendly — whose father Ed Friendly produced the original 1974 series — carries on the family legacy. Netflix was confident enough to renew the series for a second season back in March, months before today's premiere.

Early reviews are strong, with the New York Times noting it "trades the sentimentality of the first series for historical realism and visual splendor." It joins Netflix's growing collection of heartfelt family dramas alongside Virgin River.

Fans of Sweet Magnolias and similar cozy-yet-dramatic fare will find plenty to love in this new take on the Ingalls family story.

The Five Star Weekend (Peacock)

All eight episodes of The Five Star Weekend drop today on Peacock, and critics are already on board at 88% on Rotten Tomatoes with a Metacritic score of 74. Jennifer Garner leads an absolutely stacked ensemble — Regina Hall, Chloë Sevigny, Gemma Chan, D'Arcy Carden, and Timothy Olyphant — in this adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand's bestselling novel. The story follows food influencer and cookbook author Hollis Shaw as she gathers four friends from different chapters of her life for a weekend on Nantucket to confront grief and rediscover herself.

Creator Bekah Brunstetter (This Is Us, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist) and director Minkie Spiro (Mad Men, Better Call Saul) bring Hilderbrand's signature beach-read energy to the screen. Collider calls it a "perfect summer binge," and with Garner, Hall, and Sevigny sharing scenes, the chemistry alone is worth the stream. It's the kind of easy-watching drama that pairs well with a glass of something cold.

Big Brother Season 28 (Paramount+)

Love it or hate it, you can't ignore it. Big Brother returns for its 28th season with a "Time Trip" theme and a 90-minute premiere tonight at 8 PM ET on CBS, streaming next day on Paramount+. Host Julie Chen Moonves is back with 14 announced houseguests — including a rocket scientist, an MMA fighter, and a RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars alum — with more players revealed during the premiere. Season 28 also marks Big Brother's 1,000th original episode, a milestone few reality shows ever reach. The live feeds kick off Friday at 9 PM ET on Paramount+.

Also New Today

Netflix recently added the complete 2001 run of The Tick, the Patrick Warburton-led cult superhero comedy that holds an 88% Tomatometer score. It's a perfect palate cleanser between heavier dramas — nine episodes of Ben Edlund's absurdist satire that was canceled far too soon. On Wonder Project, kids get Fluff Piece and stand-up fans get Ola Dada: Husband on Probation.

What to Watch First

Start with Little House on the Prairie if you're in the mood for a sweeping, cinematic family saga with awards-season ambitions. If you need something lighter afterward, The Five Star Weekend on Peacock makes for a perfect beach-read-at-night transition. Reality fans should bookmark Big Brother S28 for tonight's 90-minute premiere.