8 TV Double Features to Rival ‘Barbie’ vs. ‘Oppenheimer’
The big debate of the summer seems to be whether you’re going to see Barbie or Oppenheimer at the movie theaters. Some brave moviegoers are even going for a double feature, screening the films back-to-back, but that choice may not be for everyone.
Fret not, because there are plenty of “Barbenheimer“-like TV double features to embrace, and we’re unveiling a few of them, below. If you like your fill of fantastical with a side of realism, look no further than the pairings in this gallery, which range from Sex and the City and The Sopranos to Only Murders in the Building and Poker Face.
Peruse the matches below or mix and match them any way you please.
Acapulco & Severance
Both hailing from Apple TV+, Acapulco and Severance are shows focusing on vastly different workplaces but blend in enough personal drama and comedy to make a winning pair. While Acapulco is a dance-inducing, music-filled good time, Severance is a dark and severe sci-fi drama that evokes a similar vibe to the Barbie–Oppenheimer effect.
Only Murders in the Building & Poker Face
Murder mysteries your thing? Try this double feature of two streaming favorites with Only Murders in the Building on Hulu and Poker Face on Peacock. While the comedic trio of Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short makes for lighter fare on Only Murders, Natasha Lyonne‘s performance as Charlie Kale offers a darker lens on the genre as she encounters various crimes traveling across the country.
Our Flag Means Death & Good Omens
Max‘s Our Flag Means Death is a pastel-colored comedic delight of a pirate show that promotes going with the flow and the message of embracing one’s true identity. It’s a pirate’s world and viewers are just living in it when aboard the Revenge with Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). Meanwhile, for a higher stakes offering with a complimentary tone, try Prime Video’s Good Omens as angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tennant) try to thwart the apocalypse.
Bridgerton& Outlander
Shondaland’s Netflix hit Bridgerton dazzles with its costumes, grand sets, and magnificent balls and it satisfies romance fans in a soap-like way. It’s not necessarily a historically accurate drama, but the core themes and lessons are relevant to today’s viewers in a way that hopefully empowers, and it features one of Barbie‘s own stars, Nicola Coughlan. As for another period romance, Starz‘s Outlander may feature time traveling, but its high-stakes tale of Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) is enough to put it in the Oppenheimer vibes category.
The Righteous Gemstones & Succession
HBO‘s family dynasties look very different in comedy and drama genres, making The Righteous Gemstones and Succession a perfect double feature. Enjoy the absurdity of the evangelical Gemstone family as they preach in outdated gaudy garb and prove themselves to be hypocrites with mostly good, if not misguided intentions. And get swept up in the dialogue-heavy drama of the Roy family riddled with daddy issues.
Sex Education & The Crown
Considering Netflix’s neon-colored comedy Sex Education features three stars from Barbie itself (Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, and Connor Swindells), it’s a must for this list. Pair it with the streamer’s other British import, The Crown, and you’ve got yourself a perfect double feature with plenty of zany fun and historical drama to stand against “Barbenheimer.”
New Girl & Breaking Bad
In a loft full of Kens, Jessica Day (Zooey Deschanel) is the Barbie of former Fox comedy New Girl, which is a riotous good time. As a teacher, Jess uses her skills for good, but on the flip side, chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is using his knowledge to break bad in AMC‘s Breaking Bad, which makes for a fun and juxtaposing second feature.
Sex and the City & The Sopranos
OGs from HBO’s catalogs, Sex and the City and The Sopranos are a prime example of “Barbenheimer” vibes with the contrast of Carrie Bradshaw’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) fashionable New York City exploits and Tony Soprano’s (James Gandolfini) nuanced mobster who has a taste for Italian cold cuts and physical violence (when necessary).
From TV Guide Magazine
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