Streaming guide: Russian Doll could be among best of the year

Natasha Lyonne in a scene from Russian Doll.

Wondering what to watch? Here are four TV shows worthy of your time.

Russian Doll (Netflix)

On the face of it, Russian Doll looks like a pretty simple homage to Groundhog Day, Bill Murray's 1993 classic in which he wakes up and repeats the same day, over and over again. The same thing happens to Natasha Lyonne's character in Russian Doll, except she keeps dying, over and over again. No matter how far she goes in her attempt to cheat death, she just keeps kicking the bucket, rebooting back to the same party, ready to do it all over again. Sound bleak? Not according to critics who have called Russian Doll the first great show of 2019. "Fresh and revelatory," said the Boston Globe. The entire first season is streaming now on Netflix.

The Walking Dead (TVNZ On Demand)

Season nine? They're up to the second half of season nine now? And Rick's gone? What the heck is going on in zombieland? If you're still watching The Walking Dead, you're in the minority: it's long past its prime, ratings have slipped and these days it seems to be recycling the same tired notion: is the enemy those brainthirsty zombies, or is it really the humans that remain? The show's lost quite a few stars now, but none bigger than Rick, the season one survivor who choppered off into the sunset after being found on a riverbank. The big question hanging over the rest of the season isn't whether the show's characters can survive, but whether the show itself can. You can find out from Monday on TVNZ On Demand.

Hounds (Lightbox)

If you're look up definition of the word "cult hit", there's probably a photo of the cast from Hounds. Production house The Downlow Concept, the same people who created 7 Days and Gary of the Pacific, only got to make one season of this excellently awkward comedy show, and it screened in a late night slot on Three back in 2012. It's a shame, because it's a stunner. The show revolves around the awkward antics of a family that inherits a track dog, and starts to race it. That's about it, but it's so full of carefully constructed moments, Josh Thomson antics and endless quotables - "Oh my God! A ranch slider!" - it deserves to named among the best Kiwi comedies ever made. No joke. All six episodes of season one are available on Lightbox.

Velvet Buzzsaw (Netflix)

Netflix films are hit-and-miss, but critics are divided over this bonkers movie. Dan Gilroy reunites with his Nightcrawler star Jake Gyllenhaal in this art world pastiche that asks what happens if art came to life. Yes, this is a movie in which haunted art can, and does, kill people. Gyllenhaal's been praised for his over-the-top portrayal of art critic Morf Vandewalt, and the Associated Press said the film becomes "a litany of [exquisite] death scenes for art-world caricatures". Maybe watch the trailer first before you decide if you're up for this one.