'Platonic' pals, an afterlife comedy and a real life cult: The 4 new TV shows you need to watch this weekend.

Every so often, a week arrives with SO MUCH TV.

This week is one of those: an absolute bumper week of new releases, returning series (have you heard of The Kardashians?) and buzzy films.

To cut through the noise, here are the four worth tuning in for if you've got some spare couch time this weekend – including comedies you can easily get through in a day, and a thriller you'll want to add to your weekly schedule.

In Limbo on ABC iview.

Image: ABC iview.

In the open sequence of In Limbo, Charlie prepares to deliver a eulogy at a funeral. He's helped (or not helped) by advice and support from his friend Nate.

Except, well, Nate's dead. And it's his eulogy Charlie will deliver.

In Limbo is a new local series that will make you laugh and cry. Or both at the same time. It's a show about friendship, mental health, love and grief, starring Ryan Corr and Bob Morley as besties who must face how hard it is to let go of loved ones – especially if they're taken too soon.

When Nate dies, Charlie must face his grief in a way he never expected. Because, uh, his dead bestie starts 'haunting' him. Confronting the loss is the scariest thing Charlie has ever done, and the only comfort is that he is facing it with his best mate by his side - albeit in ghost form.

There are only six episodes, each about half an hour, so it's perfect for an afternoon if you're looking to laugh and cry. 

All episodes of In Limbo are streaming on ABC iview.

Platonic on Apple TV+.

Image: Apple TV+.

It's worth tuning in to Apple TV+'s latest comedic offering just to see the truly hilarious outfits Seth Rogen wears, and against all odds, manages to pull off.

And also because it's a very endearing, silly buddy comedy.

In Platonic, Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen star as former platonic best friends who reconnect after a long rift. 

Sylvia is a stay-at-home mum who is feeling restless, and Will is a recently divorced brewery owner who is not great at the whole 'don't contact your ex' thing.

Their rekindled friendship quickly becomes all-consuming and destabilises their lives in a hilarious way.

Platonic explores their characters' mid-life crises with lots of jokes, but warmth, respect and a beautiful depiction of deep, deep (platonic!) friendship.

Each of the 10 episodes is an easy, breezy 30ish minutes long.

The first three episodes of Platonic premiere May 24 on Apple TV+, followed by new episodes weekly on Wednesdays.

American Born Chinese on Disney+.

Image: Disney+.

American Born Chinese combines a high school outsider, coming-of-age story with a tale of Chinese mythology, and the result is so much fun.

It follows Jin Wang, a high schooler struggling with his school and home life. When he meets Wei-Chen, a new exchange student at his school, worlds collide as Jin is unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.

The show also acts a little like an Everything Everywhere All at Once reunion, starring Oscar winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, as well as nominee Stephanie Hsu in a guest role.

Across eight episodes, American Born Chinese successfully blends the relatability of a coming-of-age tale with very entertaining martial arts fight scenes, while also telling a story of friendship, family and the Asian American experience.

All episodes of American Born Chinese are streaming on Disney+.

The Clearing on Disney+.

Image: Disney+.

The Clearing is Disney+'s first Australian production, and based on J.P Pomare's crime thriller In The Clearing, which is a fictional account of the real doomsday cult, The Family, founded in the 60s.

And it is a fact universally acknowledged that there is nothing more fascinating in this world than cult stories.

The Clearing is a psychological thriller starring Miranda Otto as a charismatic cult leader and Teresa Palmer as a woman who's forced to face demons from her past in order to stop the kidnapping and coercion of innocent children in the future. 

It's an eerie series — be warned: a crowd of small children with the same white blonde bob will probably haunt your dreams — which flicks between dual timelines, and ends each episode with well-earned cliffhangers.

The first two episodes of The Clearing are streaming on Disney+, with new episodes weekly on Wednesdays.

Feature image: Disney+/ABC.