Multiple times per week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.
TIE: 10. Enola Holmes 2 (Netflix movie)
Henry Cavill might be everywhere right now (and will leave The Witcher building soon), but for now, you can enjoy him in this charming followup to Millie Bobby Brown’s introduction as Sherlock Holmes’ plucky little sister. She’s got her own detective shingle now, and she’s digging into a case that strongly resembles infamous match-factory happenings. That subject’s a grave one, but the mood stays relatively breezy nonetheless. Get ready for more madcap hijinks.
TIE: 10. Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (Netflix series)
October might be over, but the spooks continue with this anthology series that’s chock full of sinister happenings and led by an array of passionate directors, including The Babadook helmer Jennifer Kent and O.G. Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke. Who says the witching season should only be confined to one month out of the year? Especially with Daylight Savings time ending, you gotta get in on the literal darkness by enjoying episodes starring Ben Barnes, Andrew Lincoln, Rupert Grint, and more.
9. All Quiet On The Western Front (Netflix movie)
There’s a surplus of WWII films, and plenty of them lately, but this one happens to be the best of the most recent bunch. No gimmicks here, only pure-war drama. It’s visually stunning and viscerally grueling, and fortunately, Daniel Brühl (Inglorious Basterds) shows up because that’s practically obligatory at this point.
8. Don’t Worry Darling (New Line/WB Film on HBO Max)
Finally, the steep PVOD price has yielded to HBO Max streaming, so you can see what all the fuss is about after Harry Styles didn’t spit on Chris Pine after all. That was only the beginning because Olivia Wilde drummed up enthusiasm about the sex scenes and then didn’t seem to understand why people were excited about them. Yet the actual movie itself failed to scintillate as much as one would expect. Still, it’s not a bad way to spent 2 hours and 3 minutes, give or take.
7. From Scratch (Netflix series)
Are you in the mood to cry? Well, you’re in luck, and you wouldn’t be alone. This series (starring Zoe Saldana) adapts the From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home memoir by Tembi Locke, and tells the story of loss and love that reaches beyond the grave. Saldana’s Amy falls in love with an aspiring chef in Italy, and the story moves to Los Angeles, where everything should be perfect, but then a tragedy strikes. Yes, it sounds like a Nicholas Sparks novel for solid reason, but it’s good counter programming for all the superhero and dark-fantasy shows that have recently prevailed on streaming.
6. The White Lotus (HBO series streaming on HBO Max)
The second season’s debut episode dissed Ted Lasso; for better or worse, and this season’s already hitting satiric beats with Aubrey Plaza and Theo James’ uncomfortable exchange. Everyone wants to know who that floating body belongs to, and I’m secretly hoping that it’s the latter, or maybe Murray Bartlett’s Armond made it all the way to Sicily after his demise? Don’t put it past this franchise to go there, but the best thing about this season is that Jennifer Coolidge returns for one hell of an awkward sex scene. There’s been no poop in a suitcase yet, but this season is young, so we’ll see what happens.
5. Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix series) and Conversations With A Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes (Netflix docuseries)
This late serial killer won’t stop dominating the Netflix charts, first with Ryan Murphy’s dramatized limited series (starring Evan Peters) and next with Joe Berlinger’s docuseries that takes a more hard-hitting approach to a serial killer who flourished until “that smell” brought him down. Yes, this is difficult subject matter to watch, but that hasn’t stopped the masses from continuing to binge this content.
4. The Watcher (Netflix series)
More Ryan Murphy. You can’t escape him, and given his twin Fall 2022 successes practically guarantee that his Netflix contract will be re-upped into infinity. In this inspired-by-real-life limited series, Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannivale portray the heads of a terrorized family who’s receiving threatening letters after they moved into what they thought would be their dream abode. Soon enough, they’re questioning everything, and everyone is truly a suspect. The series has fun with every conceivable possibility while also remaining relatively innocuous in terms of triggering any old memories that you might have. The story might not be prestige TV, but the cast (including Margo Martindale, Mia Farrow, and Jennifer Coolidge) qualifies it as much.
3. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (Roku movie)
Daniel Radcliffe continues to give no f*cks while proving that there’s truly creative life after starring in a franchise for over a decade. He’s obviously “Weird” Al Yankovic, the king of musical parody, in this accordion-wielding, semi-fictional biopic that co-stars Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna. Man, this will bring back memories of watching float parades themed to “Like A Virgin” while your grandmother mutters about the disgrace in front of her. The 1980s ruled.
2. Manifest (NBC-turned Netflix series)
Showrunner Jeff Rake received a second chance (after an NBC cancellation while this show sat atop the Netflix charts), and he’s attempting to bring this turbulent ride in for a semi-crash landing. This show still doesn’t make sense, and Flight 828 passengers are as clueless as the public at large when it comes to why they disappeared for five years from the mainstream human timeline. Cal is suddenly a teenager, and I’m waiting for an announcement about the Olive-only spinoff. Justice for Olive, and down with Angelina. Manifest superfan Stephen King must have some theories for this batch of episodes, and hopefully, we’ll hear about them soon.
1. Interview With The Vampire (AMC series streaming on AMC+)
If you haven’t tuned into this reboot yet, then you are sorely missing out. Lestat and Louis have decloseted their relationship, and Lestat throws the biggest tantrum over Claudia beating him at a chess game. Seriously though, this show is not only greater than the 1990s movie starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, but the show has also been renewed for a second season. It won’t love and leave you, in other words, and Jacob Anderson has moved well beyond his stoic Game of Thrones role with Sam Reid giving Lestat some irresistible swagger for the ages. This one’s about to wind down for the year, so get on it.