Weekend Entertainment: ‘The Union’ and ‘Emily in Paris’ Debut at #1; ‘Under Paris’ Moves Up on Most Popular List so far in August

When Halle Berry hosts a watch party, fans definitely RSVP. Her new action comedy, The Union, in which she and Mark Wahlberg star as high school sweethearts reuniting to take on an international crime syndicate, debuted at #1 on the English Films List with 33.1M views, making it the most-watched title of the week. The film, which marks the first time the two screen legends have ever shared the screen, was #1 in 63 countries and reached the Top 10 in 93. 

The Olympics may be over, but there was still a big winner in Paris this week. Part 1 of Season 4 of Emily in Paris debuted atop the English TV List with 19.9M views. Needing a refresher on Emily’s très compliqué love life, fans also sent Season 1 of the romantic comedy series to ninth place (1.8M views) and Season 3 to tenth (1.7M views). Haute Girl Summer kicked off with 1000+ fans gathering for the pink premiere, saying bonjour to creator Darren Star and stars Lily Collins, Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, and Lucien Laviscount. Desperate to stay chic until the release of Part 2 on September 12? You can steal Emily’s style using Google Lens to scan looks from the season and be directed to similar fashion items to purchase or live out your Parisian romance fantasy in the Netflix Stories: Emily in Paris game.  

Not to be outdone by Emily, love was in the air elsewhere on the lists. Love is Blind UK said “I do” at #5 on the English TV List with 4M views. On the Non-English TV List, Korean limited series Romance in the House moved up to #1 (2.6M views), and Love Next Door entered at #5 (1.1M views). And the romantic comedy I Can’t Live Without You took #4 on the Non-English Films List. Limited series Miss Night and Day (Korea) spent its 24th week on the list at #7 (1M views).

Also chomping at Emily’s Louboutins was Under Paris, which claimed seventh (1.4M views) in its 11th week on the list. The shark thriller also moved up to #2 on the Most Popular Films List (Non-English).

American Murder: Laci Peterson debuted in second place on the English TV List with 12.4M views, and Matt Rife: Lucid – A Crowd Work Special entered in fourth (4.9M views). Returning favorites on the list included the fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy in third place (7.6M views), A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder in sixth (3.7M views), Season 10 of the preschool series Gaby’s Dollhouse in seventh (1.9M views), and Simone Biles Rising in eighth (1.8M views), in its fifth week on the list. 

The documentary Inside the Mind of a Dog, narrated by Rob Lowe, debuted at #6 on the English Films List (5M views). Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, produced by Nickelodeon Animation, returned to the list at #5 (6.2M views). Families gathered around for more animated films, with The Emoji Movie, Ferdinand, and Trolls Band Together all on the list. 

The action-comedy Mission: Cross (Korea) kept the top spot on the Non-English Films List (8.9M views), and the emotional drama Lolo and the Kid (Philippines) moved up to second place (8.1M views). 

Jim Williams is the Washington Bureau Chief, Digital Director as well as the Director of Special Projects for Genesis Communications. He is starting his third year as part of the team. This is Williams 40th year in the media business, and in that time he has served in a number of capacities. He is a seven time Emmy Award winning television producer, director, writer and executive. He has developed four regional sports networks, directed over 2,000 live sporting events including basketball, football, baseball hockey, soccer and even polo to name a few sports. Major events include three Olympic Games, two World Cups, two World Series, six NBA Playoffs, four Stanley Cup Playoffs, four NCAA Men’s National Basketball Championship Tournaments (March Madness), two Super Bowl and over a dozen college bowl games. On the entertainment side Williams was involved s and directed over 500 concerts for Showtime, Pay Per View and MTV Networks.