What’s Worth Watching: ‘Chair,’ ‘Annette,’ ‘Defeated,’ ‘Reminiscence,’ ‘Grace and Frankie’

This week’s streaming premieres range from comedy to thriller – with a surprise release thrown in for good measure.

“The Chair” (2021)

“Game of Thrones” production duo David Benioff and D.B. Weiss reunite in a totally different genre to create a new, six-part dramedy about the failing English department of a fictional university. Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”) stars as Ji-Yoon Kim, the first woman of color to take over the department. As she struggles against tradition and rises to meet her colleagues’ high expectations, Kim has her work cut out for her.

Created by actress and showrunner Amanda Peet with Annie Julia-Wyman, the series also stars Jay Duplass, Holland Taylor, Bob Balaban, David Morse, Nana Mensah and Everly Carganilla. “The Chair” is available on Netflix.

“Grace and Frankie” Season 7 (2021)

The first four episodes of the final season of this charming comedy series are now available after a surprise release on Netflix. The series follows frenemy-rivals Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin) after their husbands, who have been having an affair for years, reveal that they’ve fallen in love and have decided to start pursuing a relationship out in the open.

The two soon realize that while their worlds are falling apart, they’ll only be able to rely on each other. The remaining episodes of the final season will be released at a later date. “Grace and Frankie” is available on Netflix.

“The Defeated” (2020)

“The war is over, and life in Germany has never been happier,” an American newsreader narrates over historical footage before the picture shifts to reveal a bloodstained diary. Starring Taylor Kitsch and Tuppence Middleton, the series follows detective Elsie Garten (Nina Hoss) as she attempts to solve the murder of a young girl amid the ashes of a ruined city. “The Defeated,” in English and German with English subtitles, is available on Netflix.

“Reminiscence” (2021)

Hugh Jackman stars as Nick Bannister, a private investigator/heartbroken scientist in a post-apocalyptic society who discovers a way to relive the past. Nick knows that “nothing is more addictive.” But when a client (Rebecca Ferguson) goes missing under mysterious circumstances, the addiction becomes his own in a totally new way. “Reminiscence” is available on HBO Max.

“Annette” (2021)

The daughter of an eccentric standup comedian (Adam Driver) and a world-renowned opera singer (Marion Cotillard) is born with an exceptional gift that turns her parents’ glamorous world upside down. “Annette” is available on Amazon Prime.