What to watch this weekend.
Credit: Warner Bros / Apple / Netflix
Tense political thrillers, new animated feature films based on beloved children’s books and scary horror films. These and more land on a streaming service near you this weekend. Whether you’re a Netflix diehard or subscribe to half a dozen different streaming services, there’s something for everyone including a number of TV shows airing weekly on Apple TV, HBO Max and Prime Video.
In entertainment news, the runtimes for the first four episodes of Stranger Things 5 were revealed this past week. They’re not as long as the rumors suggested, which I think is a very good thing. My worry is that they’ll still be overly bloated, which was a real problem in Season 4.
The Peacemaker Season 2 finale also left fans divided, but whether or not it was a good finale for the show, it certainly set up a lot of interesting things for the future of the DCU.
For more additions to your weekend watchlist, check out the 20 movies on Netflix in October according to Rotten Tomatoes right here. You can also peruse the Top 10 movies new to Netflix in October though not all of those are out just yet.
As usual, I have scoured the internet for the best movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV, Disney+ and everywhere else. We’re already past the halfway mark in October somehow, and new shows and movies are dropping almost as fast as the leaves are falling.
If you have any tips or I missed something, shoot me a message on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. You can check out last weekend’s streaming guide right here. Let’s dive right in!
New Shows & Movies This Weekend
The Diplomat — Season 3 (Netflix)
The Diplomat
Credit: Netflix
Keri Russell plays diplomat Kate Wyler in this tense political Netflix thriller. Rufus Sewell plays her playboy husband, Hal Wyler. The story blends political intrigue with personal drama as both the Wyler’s marriage and various international crises unfold. Season 3 is reviewing quite well—a little higher than Season 1, a little lower than Season 2. I need to catch up, as I’ve only watched the first season so far, which I liked but didn’t love. Russell’s The Americans is a much better and more intense political thriller, also about a rather fraught marriage. You can watch all six excellent seasons of that series on Hulu.
The Twits (Netflix)
If you’re a fan of Roald Dahl’s wonderful children’s books, you might want to give Netflix’s new animated film, The Twits a watch this weekend. Then again, the movie appears to make some significant changes from the book and is currently at 50% on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s not actually terrible for a Netflix Original, and I’m sure this one will be a crowd-pleaser for kids.
Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV+)
Mr. Scorsese
Credit: Apple
Mr. Scorsese is a docuseries all about the life and works of acclaimed American film director, Martin Scorsese, featuring never-before-seen footage and interviews with actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and other film directors, including Steven Spielberg. The limited series from director Rebecca Miller has a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Boston Blue (Paramount+)
Donnie Wahlberg reprises his role as Danny Reagan in this Blue Bloods spinoff. The police procedural, now set in Boston, also stars Sonequa Martin-Green (Star Trek: Discovery) as Danny’s new partner, Lena Silver. The police procedural will air Fridays on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
Companion (Hulu)
Companion
Credit: Warner Bros.
Sophie Thatcher and Dennis Quaid star in this horror-sci-fi thriller about a couple on a weekend retreat with friends at a remote cabin. Things go wrong when it’s revealed that one of the guests is actually a robot companion. You might recognize Thatcher from Yellowjackets, and Quaid is one of the main stars of The Boys. I haven’t seen this one yet, but it’s produced by Weapons director, Zach Cregger, and it looks pretty freaky. The 93% Rotten Tomatoes score doesn’t hurt, either. Companion lands on Hulu this Saturday.
Everything Streaming Weekly
We have a couple big series finales this week, including the final episode of HBO’s crime thriller, Task and the finale of AMC’s The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. A couple new shows join the rotation as well.
The Chair Company (HBO Max)
The Chair Company
Credit: HBO
Tim Robinson plays Ronald Trosper, a manager of a mall company who finds himself embroiled in a wild conspiracy after an embarrassing workplace incident that leaves him obsessed and increasingly off-the-rails. The first episode was hilarious and weird and should please fans of Robinson’s other work. New episodes land on Sundays.
Slow Horses — Season 5 (Apple TV+)
Slow Horses Season 5
Credit: Apple
Gary Oldman plays Jackson Lamb in Apple TV’s brilliant spy thriller, Slow Horses. The band of MI5 misfits faces a new threat as terrorists run an elaborate op against MI5 filled with misdirection and intrigue. New episodes of the series land on Apple TV+ on Wednesday evenings.
The Lowdown — Season 1 (FX/Hulu)
The Lowdown is a fun crime dramedy from Reservation Dogs director, Sterlin Harjo. Ethan Hawke stars as citizen journalist and “truthstorian” Lee Raybon as he goes toe-to-toe with local corrupt businessmen and white supremacists, seeking truth and justice and maybe just a bit of glory on the way. New episodes drop on Tuesdays. Read my review here.
Task — Season 1 Finale (HBO)
HBO’s excellent crime drama is a cat-and-mouse thriller about an FBI agent, Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo) hunting down a group of home invaders led by Robbie Prendergrast (Tom Pelphrey) who have been knocking down stash houses belonging to a violent biker gang. Task is easily the best show on TV at the moment. The series finale airs this Sunday.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon — Season 3 Finale (AMC+)
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
Credit: AMC
Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride return as Daryl and Carol in this globetrotting The Walking Dead spinoff. Season 3 finds our heroes shipwrecked in Spain, though this version of post-apocalyptic Spain feels more like The Three Amigos than anything. The season finale airs this Sunday, and I’m long overdue for a review. I admit, I’m having a hard time staying invested in this franchise which ran its course many years ago.
Gen V — Season 2 (Prime Video)
Amazon’s The Boys spinoff, Gen V, is reaching the end of its second season and while I’ve been a little turned off by this franchise lately, a number of readers have told me that I really should be watching. So I have some catching up to do. The series follows college students at a university for “supes” as they face threats new and old, including the current dean, Cipher (Hamish Linklater). New episodes land on Wednesdays on Prime Video.
Only Murders In The Building — Season 5 (Hulu)
Only Murders in the Building
Credit: Hulu
Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez return for the fifth and final season of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, airing Tuesdays on Hulu. I’ve been really disappointed this season, which so far ranks as the worst in the series so far. What once was the coziest murder mystery on TV with a fun podcast twist has effectively run out of steam, relying far too much on celebrity guest stars instead of its wit and charm. The billionaire plotline this season is far less interesting than what I suspect was originally a mafia mystery. C’est la vie.
Maigret (PBS / Masterpiece)
Maigret
Credit: PBS / Masterpiece
Maigret follows Parisian Chief Inspector Jules Maigret (Benjamin Wainwright) as he investigates crimes in Paris, France. The show, based on the popular Maigret detective novels by Georges Simenon, airs on PBS/Masterpiece Sunday evenings.
Abbott Elementary — Season 5 (Hulu)
Abbott Elementary
Credit: Hulu
The popular mockumentary style series Abbott Elementary, follows teachers and staff at a Philadelphia public school as they navigate the pitfalls of education and workplace drama. New episodes of Season 5 land on Hulu every Wednesday.
Billy The Kid — Season 3 (MGM+)
Billy The Kid
Credit: MGM+
This Western drama from Michael Hirst, the creator of Vikings, is in its third and final season on MGM+. Billy The Kid follows the infamous gunslinger’s misadventures, with Tom Blyth saddling up as the titular hero. New episodes land on Sundays.
Tulsa King — Season 3 (Paramount+)
Tulsa King
Credit: Paramount
Sylvester Stallone stars in this Taylor Sheridan production about a mobster sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma where he begins to form his own crew. Samuel L. Jackson joined the cast in Season 3 and is set to star in a spinoff, NOLA King, which is slated to premiere in 2026. New episodes of Tulsa King drop Sundays.
Be sure to check out last weekend’s streaming guide right here.
And that’s all folks! Let me know what you’re watching and if I missed anything you think I should add to this guide. If there’s anything upcoming on your radar, let me know about that as well! You tell me: What else did I miss? What should I put on this list or add to my backlog? Let me know on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook.
