What to Stream Next: Gillian Anderson, From Non-believer To Goddess

Not sure what to stream next? In our latest Streamland episode, you’ll definitely find a new or oldie but goldie show.

This week’s episode is all about that late 90s nostalgia, starting with Eddie Murphy as he comes to American and going up to Gillian Murphy, the iconic actress from X-Files.

We compiled Gillian Murphy’s best performances to help you find what to watch next. Trust us, there’s more to her than meets the eye!

Show transcript:

You ready to take a trip down memory lane, with drama and laughs all the way?

This week, I got two major news for you – and plenty of fantastic shows to watch, all centered around one of the best, and probably most underrated actresses in Hollywood.

Stay tuned for the best Gillian Anderson performances…

But first things first!

On March 3, Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall are back to arguably their best roles – Prince Akeem and his friend slash supervisor Semmi.

That’s right, I’m talking about Coming to America, that charming comedy from 1988…which is getting a sequel in 2021.

This is arguably the best kind of weird – a sequel 30 years later, with the original cast, where the actors don’t really seem to have aged.

And if you want some Eddie Murphy classic right now, I got another tip for you, thanks to my TiVo Stream 4K recommendations.

Eddie Murphy’s The PJs, an incredibly 90s sitcom done entirely on stop motion, is available on Kevin Hart’s very own content platform, laughoutloud.com. 

After binging like 6 episodes once I discovered it, it’s safe to say I fell down that 80s – 90s rabbit hole of entertainment – and I invite you to join me, since that’s where the good stuff is.

The other major news of the week comes from another 90s icon – but this time in the drama zone.

If you were glued to the TV in the 90s, you probably know her from the X-Files – but holy cannoli, that was just the start of Gillian Anderson.

This beloved actress can literally do no wrong, with a career spanning decades of fantastic TV shows.

This week, they announced that she will play Eleanore Roosevelt in a new series called First Lady.

I literally can’t contain my excitement about this show, since it will follow multiple First Ladies and present history from a female perspective.

After Gillian Anderson kicked ass as Margaret Thatcher in a seriously debated season 4 of The Crown, there’s no doubt in my mind she will play an amazing Eleanore Roosevelt.

After all, Eleanor was the First Lady for the longest time in history – 4 terms – and a human rights advocate who shaped history in more ways than one.

And who better to play it than Gillian Anderson, one of the most versatile actresses in the game?

You don’t believe me? Buckle up, cause thanks to my Tivo Stream 4K easy search, I found the best and most surprising roles she did – and I bet you’ll find something good to watch tonight.

I give you…the many faces of Gillian Anderson.

Dana Scully in “The X-Files”

Can’t start anything without first paying homage to the role that cemented her in popular consciousness. Special Agent Dana Scully was the yin to Agent Mulder’s Yang in the long-running and twice-revived The X-Files.

This show ran through all of the 90s, stopped for almost two decades, then came back with 2 epic seasons – and won’t you know it, Gillian Anderson has been on top of her game through all of this, playing one of the most famous law enforcement agents of all time.

Bedelia Du Maurier in “Hannibal”

But that’s not all. She might have started with X-Files but her career took her everywhere…and I do mean everywhere.

In Hannibal, she played the chilling psychiatrist Bedelia Du Maurier, literally the only person that could intellectually match, and even best the serial killer.

Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson in “The Fall”

Then, she went back to a law enforcement role for the excellent The Fall mini-series.

Here, she didn’t just rehash her Scully performance but instead played an incredibly cold and self composed detective faced with catching a seriously twisted killer.

Media in American Gods

Hmm, I can hear you thinking that’s not much range, if all she plays is people who tackle serious killers.

And I have the perfect argument for you.

Gillian Anderson as Media in American Gods. This one of a kind show about mythology and how it could translate in modern times gave Gillian the opportunity to show everything she can do, and she didn’t miss a beat. 

She was flawless as I Love Lucy, Ziggy Stardust and Marilyn Monroe…and that’s just a couple of the characters she did.

Miss Havisham in Great Expectations

Theen, for a truly spectacular showcase of her dramatic chops, I highly recommend you to check out Great Expectations. This is a 3-part series produced by the BBC, where Gillian Anderson plays an unforgettable Miss Havisham.

The best part? It’s also pretty faithful to the book so, if you skipped it in highschool, here’s your chance to know what happens there..but in a fun way.

Jean Milburn in Sex Education

And speaking of fun, I saved the best for last – Gillian Anderson in Sex Education!

This comedy has 2 seasons that you’re going to want to binge right away, and Gillian perfectly plays a modern, understanding mom that you love to love…or hate, because she can embarrass you in front of your friends with a smug look on her face.

Did you know that, when she got the script for this show, Gillian Anderson threw it straight in the trash?

Fortunately, her husband, the creator of The Crown, convinced her to give it a chance…and here we are! Sex Education is one of those fun, lighthearted shows that I keep replaying in my TiVo Stream 4k whenever I want to have something in the background.

And that’s Gillian Anderson for ya!

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