The Heat

The Heat is currently streaming in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on fuboTV and Starz Apple TV Channel, and it delivers exactly the kind of comedy that earns a loyal following. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Sandra Bullock sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Available now on Disney Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

The Heat arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The jokes in The Heat land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. Uptight and straight-laced, FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn is a methodical investigator with a reputation for excellence--and hyper-arrogance. Shannon Mullins, one of Boston P.D.'s "finest," is foul-mouthed and has a very short fuse, and uses her gut instinct and street smarts to catch the most elusive criminals. Neither has ever had a partner, or a friend for that matter. The chemistry Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. The Heat came out in 2013. The timing in The Heat is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in The Heat. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Sandra Bullock anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.