Are you tired of Netflix and want to fire up Stan instead? If so, you’re in luck, because Stan is home to some of the best TV shows and new movies currently available in Australia. Stan is Australia’s home grown answer to Netflix, and in many cases has an edge over its US rival:
- It starts at just $10 per month and its top-tier plan is cheaper than Netflix’s top tier plan
- It has hot programs like Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, plus classics such as Seinfeld and 30 Rock
- It has a plethora of popular Aussie and UK shows and films
In fact, there’s so much great content on Stan that you could easily spend hours trawling through the library deciding what to watch. So we’ve narrowed down some of the best shows and films to cure your boredom and streaming addiction, trying to include something for everyone.
Best TV shows on Stan
The best shows on Stan featured in this page are:
- Minx
- Bel-Air
- The Great
- Love Life
- The Last OG
- A.P. Bio
- Heels
- Walker
- Dr. Death
- Search Party
- Back to Life
- Eden
- Intergalactic
- Girls5Eva
- Bloods
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Minx
If you’re looking for something a bit saucier, Minx may be the show for you. In the changing 70’s, Joyce is looking to add her voice to the fray, and decides that modern women should have their needs met. Her answer? Publishing a porn magazine for women. Of course, it’s not an easy road to travel, but one that’ll give you plenty to look at along the way.
Bel-Air
For some, it’ll be tough to top The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but looks like they’re giving it a go. Bel-Air – which is further based on a fan-film, with Will Smith coming on board as Executive Producer – is a reboot of the classic 90s sitcom, and follows Will Smith (the character) as he moves from Philadelphia to the high-life of Bel-Air, and all the struggles that come with moving schools, and uprooting your life.
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| Brand | Subscription Type | No. of Screens/same time viewing | Advertised Cost^^/month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $10 over one month |
1 | $10 |
Go To Site |
|
min. cost $19 over one month |
2 | $19 |
Go To Site |
|
min. cost $22 over one month |
4 | $22 |
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^^View important information | |||
The Great
Catherine the Great is a formidable historical figure, but maybe not so much in The Great. A show that takes some liberties with accuracy in the name of entertainment, The Great follows Catherine’s journey from arriving in early-20th century Russia through to her eventual coup, where she then takes the throne. Starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Noult, it won’t please the history-nerd in you, but the entertainment-geek may be kept happy.
Love Life
Love Life explores the more realistic side of finding, and re-finding love, with each season following a character’s dating history, from their first love to their last love. Season one stars Anna Kendrick, while season two stars William Jackson Harper, with each episode delving into a new relationship and love, giving you some feel good moments and heartbreaks.
The Last OG
Tray (Tracy Morgan) is an ex-con who has just finished a 15-year stint in prison, and finds himself back in an unfamiliar world when he’s released. Add in that his ex-wife has moved, he discovers that he has twins, and that his beloved Brooklyn has changed, and Tray’s world is well and truly upside down. But add in a support network, a new flame and more than a few laughs along the way, and The Last OG is good viewing no matter which way you look at it.
A.P. Bio
School’s in, and you better be ready to learn, because your teacher, Jack Griffin, certainly isn’t. A Harvard professor who loses his dream job to his rival, Griffin returns to his hometown of Toledo to teach Advanced Placement Biology – something he knows nothing about. Instead of teaching his students however, he enlists their help to exact revenge on his rival to get his old life back, with plenty of classroom shenanigans and high school drama to top it all off.
Heels
There’s nothing quite like the excitement of wrestling, but what about small-town amateur wrestling? Heels is about two brothers – older brother Jack and younger brother Ace – who look to continue their late father’s legacy through the ring spectacle of wrestling. However, their difference of opinion and approach to keeping the business alive has them at odds both inside and outside of the ring, with the show quickly becoming anything but fake.
Walker
A reboot of the 1990s Walker, Texas Ranger series, Walker sees Supernatural star Jared Padalecki stepping into some cowboy boots to play Texas Ranger Cordell Walker, who recently returns home after a lengthy undercover assignment. But as he returns home, Walker realises that he not only has to deal with the seedy folk around, but repair the broken relationships he has with his mother and his daughter, as well as properly mourn the death of his wife. You’ll be bingeing this quicker than the faster gun in the west.
Dr. Death
A mini-series based on a podcast of the same name, Dr. Death focuses on the infamous neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, who purposedly mutilated, and sometimes killed, his patients. The series includes interviews with those close to Duntsch, as well as some of his victims, giving a chilling insight into the extent of Duntsch’s murderous mindset, as well as what would turn into a landmark legal case in the medical field.
Search Party
Search Party is the satire of the decade. Yep, I said it. You might recognise a familiar face in Aalia Shawkwat from Arrested Development, but her new show Search Party puts her in an entirely different light. When Chantal disappears, a group of her former college classmates’ band together to find her. Dora, Portia, Elliot and Drew encapsulate the worst of the millennial stereotypes; they are entitled, rude and self-absorbed, but they are determined to find their missing acquaintance. What starts out as an exercise in vanity in the search for hero’s glory, soon turns dark when the group stumbles across something too big for their abilities.
Back to Life
Back to Life follows Miri, a woman who has just been released from prison after an 18-year stint behind bars, and her struggles fitting back into regular life. Moving back to the small seaside town where she grew up, Miri looks to rekindle friendships and relationships she left behind, as well as deal with the public scrutiny as word gets back about her return. Despite the dark tones, it adds classic British comedy to the situation, making it a lot more light-hearted than it first sounds.
Eden
An Aussie thriller, Eden sees Scout return to her hometown of Eden during her study break, only to find that her best friend, Hedwig, is a completely changed person, and the town feels more sinister. After a night out, Hedwig goes missing, with Scout and the rest of the town setting out to look for her. The series works backwards, meaning they’ll be plenty of twists and turns, along with the stunning Australian landscape.
Intergalactic
If you’re a fan of Orange is the New Black and space, then Intergalactic may be the show for you. Starring Savannah Steyn as Ash Harper, a galactic pilot and police officer who falls on the wrong side of the law and is set to space prison, only to find that the other convicts stage a takeover soon after her arrival. Now on the run, Harper must decide which side to take.
Girls5Eva
In the same vein as The Lonely Island’s Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping, Girls5Eva is a satirical look at one-hit wonder bands as they try to stay in the limelight. With Tina Fey as an executive producer and a range of musically-talented cast members, Girls5Eva looks to take a tongue-in-cheek approach to what can be a very serious industry.
Bloods
If you needed a light-hearted approach to medicine, you’re in luck, with Bloods turning on the siren to give us a clean bill of health. The show follows Maleek (Samson Kayo), a fast-talking paramedic who enjoys what he does, and tries to have as much fun along the way. However, his mojo is impacted when he gets a new partner, Wendy (Jane Horrocks), an overly-friendly middle-aged divorcee who’s new to the job. But, along with saving a few lives, they seem to keep their friendship alive too, with a healthy dose of prescription-strength laughs.
Sign up to Disney+ Australia
Looking from something else? Why not check out Disney+? There are two plan options to choose from – a monthly subscription, or prepay for a year. Both plans include the same features, with unlimited downloads and the ability to stream on up to four screens at the same time. This table includes links to a referral partner.
| Brand | Subscription Type | No. of Screens/same time viewing | Advertised Cost^^/month or year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $13.99 over one month |
4 | $13.99 |
Get Deal |
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min. cost $139.99 over one year |
4 | $139.99 |
Get Deal |
|
^^View important information | |||
Best movies on Stan
The best movies on Stan featured in this page are:
- Gold
- Nitram
- Silk Road
- Wild Mountain Thyme
- High Ground
- Shirley
- Beasts of the Southern Wild
- I Used to Go Here
- The Flood
- I Am Greta
Gold
Zac Efron is back, but it’s no High School Musical. Efron stars as an unnamed man, who lives in a dystopian world where environmental and economic ruin has taken hold. While journeying through a desert, he and another man find a golden nugget, but are unable to remove it. Efron is then left as his partner goes to retrieve proper digging tools, but soon finds the desert, and his mind, become even more inhospitable as time goes by.
Nitram
A divisive film, Nitram (which is ‘Martin’ backwards), centres around the life of Martin Bryant and the lead up to his involvement in one of Australia’s darkest days – the Port Arthur massacre. It won a number of AACTA awards, and gives an insight into the harrowing events and what led to them, but it likely won’t be the pick for the next family movie night.
Silk Road
The dark web can be a scary place to find yourself, with plenty of dark corners for people to hide in, or find what they’re looking for. Silk Road, named after the infamous first unregulated online marketplace that many turned to for drugs and illegal content, follows how the website was created, and how law enforcement looked to shut it down.
Wild Mountain Thyme
Pack your bags for a trip to Ireland, as get ready for a bit of romance. Farmer Rosemary (played by Emily Blunt) has been in love with her neighbour Anthony for as long as she can remember, but has never been able to capture his attention. However, Anthony believes that he has inherited a family curse that means that he is incapable of finding love, something that Rosemary is looking to break. However, there’s a big twist ending, so you’ve been warned.
High Ground
Returning home from the first World War, Travis (played by Simon Baker), becomes a policeman in the Northern Territory, where he becomes part of an operation that goes wrong, which results in the massacre of an Aboriginal tribe, and Travis leaving the force. However, he’s recruited back into the force over a decade later, when settlers are being attacked by an unknown person. Travis recruits Gutjuk to help him track down the main suspect – an Aboriginal warrior known as Baywara – only for Travis’ past to come back and haunt him.
Shirley
A biographical drama based on horror-author Shirley Jackson, Shirley stars Elisabeth Moss as the titular character, who is in the midst of writing what would become known as her ‘Hangsaman’ novel. Newlyweds Fred and Rose meet Stanley and Shirley Jackson, with the newlyweds later moving in the with the Jacksons. From here, Rose becomes a domestic slave and confidant to Shirley, and struggles to hold onto her independence. Based on a 2014 novel by Susan Scarf Merrell of the same name, it’s largely a work of fiction, but enough to give you some chills as the characters intertwine throughout the movie.
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, Beasts of the Southern Wild follows six-year-old Hushpuppy and her father Wink, who live on an island in the Louisiana bayou, in a place where everything in nature has a role. But when the weather turns, the bayou becomes a dangerous place, with a prehistoric creature called an ‘auroch’ unleashed on the residents, forcing Hushpuppy and her community to fight for survival. It’s a chilling tale about the balance of nature, and sure to give you food for thought as well as some entertainment.
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| Brand | Subscription Type | No. of Screens/same time viewing | Advertised Cost^^/month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Kayo One Subscription
min. cost $25 over 1 month |
1 | $25 | Go To Site |
|
Basic Subscription
min. cost $30 over 1 month |
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Back to Stan movies
I Used to Go Here
I Used to Go Here sees Kate Conklin (played by Gillian Jacobs of Community fame), a published author who is returning to her college to give a presentation on writing and the publishing industry. However, at the same time, her personal life is in shambles after her engagement is called off, and her book tour is cancelled due to poor sales, seeing Kate spiral as she struggles with her success and what wisdom she can pass on.
The Flood
An Australian film exploring the harsh truths of Indigenous life in World War II Australia, The Flood follows the story of Jarah and Waru as they meet and are separated in a tumultuous time. Written and directed by Victoria Wharfe McIntyre (with the film her directorial debut), The Flood is a western-style movie with an Australian twist, with cinematography showing off the Kangaroo Valley in NSW.
I Am Greta
Greta Thunberg is a household name, spearheading many environmental discussions and inspiring the younger generation to take action. I Am Greta is a documentary that takes a behind-the-scenes look at the person behind the activist, and how she – and her family – deals with her social anxiety as well as the mounting pressure and criticism that is often placed on her young shoulders.
Don’t just stop at these 15 shows and 10 movies listed above. Stan has a pretty wide range of both shows and movies, and particularly stands out for its Australian content. And if you’re still not satisfied, why not check out our guides on the best shows on Netflix, or maybe the best movies on BINGE?
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