Staying In: What To Watch, Read & Do At Home This August
By
3 weeks ago
Seasonal recipes, buzzy new books, TV launches and gardening inspiration
While the warmer weather often means we’re out and about more, summer at home also brings plenty of joy. This season offers bountiful fresh produce, meaning it’s a great time to get stuck into some seasonal cooking – think juicy strawberries, fresh elderflower and tomatoes aplenty. There’s lots to be getting on with in the garden too, whether that’s getting green-fingered with some flower planting or lying on the grass with a chilled glass of rosé and a good book. And let’s be honest: whatever the weather, we’re always up for a bit of TV time, and thankfully the past couple of months have seen a spate of exciting show launches too. Read on for your ultimate guide to staying in this month.
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The C&TH Staying In Guide: August 2026
WATCH
The Shards
The new TV show everyone’s talking about right now? The Shards, a nine-part drama currently streaming on Disney+. Based on the semi-autobiographical book by Bret Easton Ellis and directed by Ryan Murphy (American Psycho), it follows a group of privileged LA teenagers during the 1980s. Protagonist Bret (Igby Rigney) is shaken up by the arrival of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory (Homer Gere) – as well as the growing fear surrounding a serial killer in the city nicknamed The Trawler. While his friends – including Kaia Gerber as Susan Rynolds – remain unphased, Bret begins to unravel.
New episodes dropping weekly on Disney+
(c) Sky
The Five-Star Weekend
In a world of doom and gloom, television shows aren’t often wholesome and uplifting – so we always take note when they are. The latest addition to our list of comfort watches is miniseries The Five-Star Weekend, which is all about friendship, love and growth (with a star-studded cast to boot). Jennifer Garner leads as Hollis Shaw, a renowned food blogger who, to combat grieving the loss of her husband Matthew (Josh Hamilton), tries to recreate a five-star weekend getaway at her Nantucket home, with four friends from different stages in her life. They are her childhood friend Tatum (Chloë Sevigny), college friend Dru-Ann (Regina Hall), motherhood friend Brooke (D’Arcy Carden), Gigi (Gemma Chan), who she recently met online. Based on the 2023 novel by Elin Hildebrand – the writer behind Netflix’s The Perfect Couple (2024), expect beachy escapism with a lot of heart.
Lucky
Lucky is a new miniseries from Apple TV which has a Day of the Jackal style cat-and-mouse flavour to it. It’s the latest book adaptation brought to our screens by prolific reader and almost-as-prolific producer Reese Witherspoon, who has previously brought books The Last Thing He Told Me, Daisy Jones & the Six and Little Fires Everywhere to the small screen. In Lucky, Anya Taylor-Joy leads as Lucky Armstrong, a con-artist forced to go on the run when a multi-million-dollar heist goes sideways. With both the FBI (led by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Agent Billie Rand) and a ruthless crime boss (Annette Bening as Priscilla Matheson) on her tail, Lucky must fight for her life – and a way out. But that will be even trickier than it sounds, because Priscilla isn’t hunting Lucky for her own crimes but those of her father, smooth talking John Armstrong (Timothy Olyphant) who made her the con artist she is. The first two episodes are streaming now, with five more to come over the next five weeks.
Alice Halsey as Laura Ingalls & Luke Bracey as Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie. (Eric Zachanowich/Netflix © 2026)
Little House on the Priarie
As social media detoxes (and bans) soar, analogue living trends swell and Caro Claire Burke’s searing tradwife satire Yesteryear tops the book charts, Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie reboot premieres at an interesting time. But if you are in the mood for a family-friendly comfort watch, it certainly fits the bill. Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s children’s novels, in turn based on Ingalls Wilder’s own youth, we centre on the Ingalls family, who set out to establish their new forever home in the quickly developing town of Independence, Kansas. But, set as it is in the 1800s, there are plenty of obstacles en route, from fever to wild wolves and fires. And, diverging from the beloved ‘70s-’80s series, there’s another tension at the series’ core: as the Ingalls family settle on land they were told was ‘free’, they will encounter Osage people who have long called the prairie home.
Elle
She got into Harvard, won a murder case, and got her ex-boyfriend begging for her back – all while rocking picture-perfect pink fits and a perfectly quaffed blonde do. What, like it’s hard? If there’s anyone we’d want on our side in a court of law, it’s Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods. Iconic as the original film may be, there’s only so many times we can watch the Reese Witherspoon classic a year – and not even the two sequels plus musical can satisfy our cravings for more. Thankfully for fans of the 2000s film, there’s a new Legally Blonde-inspired series to tune into today. Set six years before the original, Elle takes us back to 1995 as a young Elle Woods (played by newcomer Lexi Minetree) is forced to navigate the tumultuous waters of high school, encountering tricky friendships, forbidden romance and seriously questionable fashion choices.
The Bear
FX’s frenetic kitchen dramedy The Bear is back for its fifth and final season. If you’ve never tuned in, here’s the lowdown: when the older brother of talented haute cuisine chef Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) takes his own life, he inherits his family’s Italian beef sandwich shop in Chicago and leaves behind his world of Michelin-starred restaurants to run it. His brother has left a mountain of unresolved debts, a rundown kitchen and an unruly staff – but Carmy has his own pain and trauma to confront, too. Though we have been waiting a whole year for our return to Chicago’s fine dining scene, The Bear season 5 picks up the morning after season 4’s finale. Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Sugar (Abby Elliott) discover Head Chef Carmy has quit the food industry, leaving the restaurant to them. With no money, a looming sale and a torrential storm on its way, the trio must grapple through one final service, hoping to finally earn that coveted Michelin star.
LISTEN
Caroline Lucas’ Nature Series
Goalhanger – the group behind The Rest Is Politics podcast – has launched an investigative mini-series presented by former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas. This will delve into a suppressed government-commissioned report compiled by the Joint Intelligence Committee which warned that climate breakdown and ecosystem collapse must be treated as a national security threat. Across four episodes, Lucas will speak to voices from diplomacy, food systems, water, climate and geopolitics to explore what these warnings mean for Britain – and ask why they have been largely ignored in mainstream political debate.
Launching 17 July
Outsiding
We have a new podcast for your commute: Outsiding, hosted by broadcaster Caitlin Moran and garden designer Adam Frost. A project from Cold Glass Productions (the company behind the much-loved Dish podcast), the duo will invite a series of celebrity guests to join them outdoors for a chat – with conversations aiming to celebrate the simple joys of nature. First up is comedian Bob Mortimer, who will share memories of his father and rock ‘n’ roll exploits from the Vic & Bob era. Other guests confirmed include singer Charlotte Church, Blur bassist Alex James, comedian Mel Giedroyc and writer Dawn O’Porter. Plus, listen out for snippets of accessible garden advice from Adam and Caitlin.
Staying Open
Presented by restauranteur and Ladies of Restaurants founder Natalia Ribbe, Staying Open is a documentary-style series which delves into the brains behind Britain’s best restaurants, exploring what it really takes to survive in one of the nation’s top-list industries. Natalia has traveled across the UK to meet the operators, chefs, and founders behind some of the UK’s best-known restaurants, including Hawksmoor, Tonkotsu and Rita’s. As the headlines are flooded with news of closures, there’s one question at the centre: How the hell do you stay open? In episode 1, we meet the husband and wife team behind Michelin-starred Bristol restaurant Wilson’s, Jan Austell and Mary Wilson, while episode 2 is all about Tonkotsu with co-founder Emma Reynolds. Both episodes are out now, with more to come on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The Louis Theroux Podcast
Louis Theroux is back with an eighth series of his eponymous podcast, which sees him interviewing cultural influencers from all walks of life with his trademark nuance and humour. Guests in this series include football legend Gary Lineker (the first episode, out today), Spice Girl Mel C, chef Marco Pierre White and YouTuber Andrew Callaghan. New to the podcast? Go back and listen to the back catalogue: Theroux has chatted to Simone Ashley about Bridgerton, Florence Pugh about intimacy coordinators, tennis star Boris Becker on his tumultuous romantic life off the court, singer Lulu on her affair with David Bowie and Marina Abramovic on the stories behind some of her most famous works.
Stories in Colour
Did you know we have access to more than 16 million digital colours? Meanwhile modern chemistry can produce pigments for every hue imaginable. If you love to listen to a new podcast while you do a spot of weekend cleaning, we have a bright new addition to your queue: The National Gallery’s Stories in Colour podcast, which is back for a second series. Exploring the hidden histories woven into colour from antiquity to the present day, it’s a truly enlightening listen. Series 2’s first episode delves into synesthesia, while episode 2 is all about ultramarine – a pigment that was once more expensive than gold. Coming up in series 2, we can expect conversations about lurid oranges and yellows, 19th century mauve madness, forgotten women and more. And if you’re a new listener, delve into the archive: there are discussions about snails, rainbows, toxic greens, and a whopping three-part miniseries about gold’s role throughout history. New episodes every Wednesday.
READ
Big Little Truths, Liane Moriarty
The last time we read about Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata and Bonnie, their lives were ruled by playground politics: birthday parties, playdates and all the whims of five-year-old tastes and tempers as these women mothered their little ones in the exclusive Sydney enclave of Pirriwee. But it’s been 10 years and those days are long over. The kids are now in high school, and drugs, sex and alcohol are the vices that keep these mothers up at night. That is until the high school principal receives a severed human finger in the mail – clearly there are even darker forces infiltrating their picture-perfect town. Having also penned Nine Perfect Strangers and Apples Never Fall (amongst many others), Big Little Truths is Aussie author Liane Moriarty’s very first sequel, plummeting us back into the lives of the women you might know better from Reese Witherspoon’s TV adaptation which starred Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz and more. Whether you read or watched Big Little Lies – or both – Big Little Truths serves even more secrets, lies and hidden truths.
Cool Machine, Colson Whitehead
The third and final novel in Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy is out now. The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner is best known for his novels The Underground Railroad (2016) and The Nickel Boys (2019), a latter of which was adapted into an Oscar-nominated film in 2024. Taking us back to ‘80s Harlem (after Harlem Shuffle’s ‘60s setting and Crook Manifesto’s ‘80s setting), Cool Machine centres on furniture shop owner Ray Carney who leads a double-life as a part-time criminal fence – someone who buys and sells stolen goods. The changing New York City in all of its grit and glamour makes for a rich backdrop – perfect for some summer afternoon escapism.
The First House, Avni Doshi
Avni Doshi, known for her Booker Prize-shortlisted debut Burnt Sugar, is back with her second novel. The First House begins with an unnamed woman’s husband walking into her bedroom and saying he wants a divorce – a huge shock to the narrator, who has always viewed their marriage as a happy one. But in the days and weeks that follow, she begins unravelling: sifting through their life together and noticing warning signs she’d previously ignored. A practising astrologist, she moves between realism, dreams and folklore, exploring how we make sense of real-world issues through mythical patterns and using the surreal and the cosmos to explore themes of motherhood, family and female autonomy.
DO
Dig Out The Darts
Ever since the then 16-year-old Luke Littler exploded onto the scene in 2023 to reach the final of the PDC World Darts Championship, the sport hasn’t looked back. There’s something delicious about the fact that what was once perceived as an old man’s pub game has become a cultural sensation – famous as much for its flamboyant fan costumes as for the fact that anyone can play. Having a darts board at home adds maximum kudos too, especially in the sporting frenzy of the World Cup. So if you’re organising your garden BBQ get-togethers, we suggest amping up the fun with an at-home darts competition. Blade X by Winmau is the board of champions and you can buy it with a tripod for the garden or a surround if you want to mount it on the wall inside. Alternatively, we’ll see you down the pub for a round.
EAT & DRINK
Try A Knepp BBQ Box
Rather than heading down to Sainsbury’s for your BBQ supplies, why not try one of the Wild Range boxes from rewilding estate Knepp? Inside you’ll get a generous helping of pork sausages, pure beef burgers, marinated chicken wings, venison steaks and more, with options for small, medium or large boxes depending on the size of your group. To achieve the perfect smoky flavour, chef Sofian Msetfi (executive chef at Ormer Mayfair by Sofian) recommends adding wood to your BBQ – ‘But be careful not to overdo it as you don’t want an acrid taste,’ he says. ‘Try adding it slowly to let the flavour build gradually.’ Adding some veggies into the mix? ‘Don’t oil vegetables you’re grilling, as burnt oil will overpower the vegetables leaving an unpleasant aftertaste,’ chef Theo Randall tells us. ‘The best way is to make sure your BBQ is the right temperature and grill the vegetables dry, then once cooked place them on a wire rack and marinate in some good olive oil, fresh lemon and herbs. Grill slowly too, so that any fat from meat doesn’t catch fire – a good BBQ should be glowing, not flaming.’ Find more BBQ tips here.
Sip The Drink Of The Summer
Looking for a cocktail to mix up at home? Swap margs for caipirinhas. ‘The margarita has been king for the last few years,’ says drinks expert and author Zoe Burgess. ‘If you’ve been drinking them for that long, a) I don’t know how you still have the stomach for that – the acidity! – and b) you’re probably looking for your next upper drink. If I were to call it now, the caipirinha stands to be the drink of the summer. More bars are running caipirinhas; they’re exotic, visually interesting, and not crazy intense in alcohol.’ For a classic Brazilian caipirinha, muddle one lime with 2-3 teaspoons of sugar in a tumbler, then fill the glass with this, crushed ice and 50-60ml of cachaça. ‘But you can use any seasonal fruits,’ adds the expert, ‘I did one for Decimo at the Standard which uses blackberry with a cinnamon spice syrup.’
