Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that’s before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!
Don’t be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We’ve got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you’re seeking something brand-new (or just new to streaming), we’ve got you covered there, too.
Mashable’s entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of the week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you’re hankering to go back to school with Abbott Elementary, experience one of the most intense horror releases of the year, or dig into a fresh and scandalous new comedy, we’ve got something just for you.
15. Monster: The Ed Gein Story
In the latest of Ryan Murphy’s Monster series based on real murderers, Charlie Hunnam takes on 1950s Wisconsin serial killer and grave robber Ed Gein. Watching the trailer for this Netflix project seems like enough, as Hunnam promises to deliver an unsettling performance among Murphy’s characteristically shocking horror elements (based on Gein’s own). It’s worth noting previous instalments of the Monster series have faced criticism for factual inaccuracy, especially the release on serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Suzanna Son, Tom Hollander, Laurie Metcalf, Vicky Krieps, Olivia Williams, Joey Pollari, Tyler Jacob Moore, Charlie Hall, Will Brill, Mimi Kennedy, Robin Weigert, Lesley Manville, Addison Rae
How to watch: Monster: The Ed Gein Story premieres on Netflix Oct. 3.
14. Love Is Blind, Season 9
Love Is Blind has so many international iterations by this point, but the original U.S. series is back with a ninth season. The concept remains the same: Strangers looking for love enter an experiment in which they date in pods without seeing each other. If they want to meet IRL, they must propose, committing to further stages of the experiment like a holiday “pre-honeymoon period,” moving in together, meeting the family, and getting hitched in the space of about six weeks. You’ll start off vaguely interested and end up hooked — just like the experiment.* — S.C.
How to watch: Love Is Blind Season 9 premieres on Netflix Oct. 1.
13. The Lost Bus
Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera lead The Lost Bus, a disaster film that delves into real events among the terror of the 2018 Camp Fire, California’s deadliest wildfire. Directed by Paul Greengrass (the Bourne series, Captain Phillips, United 93), the Apple TV+ film follows the true story of school bus driver Kevin McKay (McConaughey), teacher Mary Ludwig (Ferrera), and a class of 22 children, caught amid the deadly flames.
But is the film itself worth the watch? As Mashable entertainment editor Kristy Puchko writes in her review, “What might have been a spectacle, channeling real-world heroism into the dynamic derring-do of an American action hero, instead becomes a rocky ride, taking turns into the maudlin one moment and the theatrically threatening the next. The result is a movie that is gripping, but only in gasps.”* — S.C.
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Ashlie Atkinson, Yul Vazquez, and Spencer Watson
How to watch: The Lost Bus premieres on Apple TV+ Oct. 3.
12. The Murky Stream
Disney+’s Korean historical drama The Murky Stream transports you to Joseon, the 500-year-spanning dynasty which ran from the 14th to the 20th century and features in many a K-drama. The series premiered at this year’s Busan International Film Festival in September and will (murkily) hit streaming this week.
Former SF9 member and K-drama star Rowoon (The King’s Affection, Extraordinary You) leads the series as Si-yul, a young man trying to scrape together a living in the lawless ports along the murky Gyeonggang River. Also striving to make their mark are savvy and ambitious merchant Choi Eun (The Glory star Shin Ye-eun), and aspiring government official Jung Chun (former KNK member and Semantic Error star Park Seo-Ham). — S.C.
Starring: Rowoon, Shin Ye-eun, Park Seo-ham, Park Ji-hwan, Choi Gwi-hwa, and Jeon Bae-soo
How to watch: The Murky Stream is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
11. Fight or Flight
We’re absolutely loving Josh Hartnett’s repossession of his thriller faculties, with unsettling runs in Black Mirror, M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap, and now, in lighter thrills mode, James Madigan’s Fight or Flight. In the action film penned by Brooks McLaren and D. J. Cotrona, a bleach-blonde Hartnett plays Lucas Reyes, a man on a mission to track down a black hat hacker known as “The Ghost.” Problem is, the target has a worldwide bounty on their head, and the plane they’re suspected of being on is now full of contract killers eager for the gold — including Lucas. So, amid the plane bathroom punch-ups, he might need a little help from Bridgerton‘s Charithra Chandran as flight attendant Isha.* — S.C.
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Charithra Chandran, Marko Zaror, and Katee Sackhoff
How to watch: Fight or Flight is now streaming on Paramount+.
10. Hard Hat Riot
On May 8, 1970, while the war in Vietnam raged overseas, America was divided. Student protests broke out at college campuses across the nation, pleading for peace. In one such event at Kent State, the National Guard fatally shot four young people, spurring further activism. The student protesters outrage over the war irritated not only President Nixon but also the working class of New York City, whose resentments bubbled over into a violent clash called “the Hard Hat Riot.”
Documentarian Marc Levin takes audiences back to this tumultuous time through archival footage and interviews with the “hardhats” (construction workers), students, and cops who were there. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating to see how they reflect and regret, or just don’t. Not only does this short and intense doc illustrate the class divide and political strategy that turned the tide for a Republican president facing growing protests, but it serves as a harrowing reminder of the lingering impact of this era. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor
How to watch: Hard Hat Riot premiered on PBS on Sept. 30.
9. The Toxic Avenger
Get ready to enjoy the goriest, gloppiest superhero movie of the year from the comfort of your own home. A remake of Troma Entertainment’s 1984 cult classic of the same name, The Toxic Avenger introduces down-on-his-luck janitor Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage), who finds himself with super strength (and an unfortunate toxic makeover) following a chemical accident. Said accident leads Winston on a bloody rampage for justice and vengeance against the evil bigwigs running his town, played to exquisite evil perfection by the likes of Kevin Bacon and Elijah Wood. What follows is a madcap antidote to superhero fatigue, even if The Toxic Avenger still plays it safer than its predecessor.
As I wrote in my review out of 2023’s Fantastic Fest, “Once The Toxic Avenger truly gets the ball rolling, you’re in for the kind of sheer, stupid insanity you won’t find in other major superhero IP. Let the blood and guts rain down — here, there’s no such thing as overkill.”* — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
Starring: Peter Dinklage, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood.
How to watch: The Toxic Avenger is now available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.
8. Prime Minister
Jacinda Ardern’s journey as New Zealand’s 40th prime minister saw many landmark moments: youngest female government leader at 37, second elected government leader to give birth while in office, first New Zealand PM to march in a Pride parade, the move to ban all new offshore oil and gas exploration and plastic bags — the list goes on. But there’s plenty between the major milestones, all of which directors Lindsay Utz and Michelle Walshe look into in their documentary Prime Minister.
Documenting Ardern’s five-year tenure as prime minister, the film examines the public and private life of the world leader, including major events such as the 2019 Christchurch massacre, up until her resignation in 2023. — S.C.
How to watch: Prime Minister is streaming on HBO Max.
7. Tempest
A former diplomat plunges into the heart of an international conspiracy in Tempest, Disney+’s new K-drama that blends espionage, thrills, and romance. Korean star Jun Ji-hyun leads as ex-U.N. official Seo Munju, who discovers that a presidential candidate targeted with assassination has been accused of espionage associated with North Korea, among other state secrets. Getting dangerously close to the truth, she finds protection with mysterious mercenary Paik San-ho (Gang Dong-won). But this diplomatic storm goes all the way to the White House, people.
Tempest has some huge talent behind it; it’s co-directed by Kim Hee-won (Vincenzo, Queen of Tears) and iconic martial arts director Heo Myeong-haeng, and written by Decision to Leave‘s Chung Seo-kyung. — S.C.
Starring: Jun Ji-hyun, Gang Dong-won, John Cho, Lee Mi-sook, Park Hae-joon, Christopher Gorham, Michael Gaston, and Spencer Garrett
How to watch: Tempest is streaming on Hulu.
6. The Naked Gun
One of the funniest movies of the year is now on streaming. The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer directs a star-studded cast led by Liam Neeson for a reboot that pays proper tribute to the comedy classic that came before.
Playing Frank Drebin Jr. (the son of Leslie Nielsen’s iconic cop), Neeson brings his tough-guy grumpiness to outrageously silly punchlines, hilarious slapstick, and a sexy and strange romance with Pamela Anderson, who holds her own with a scat solo that is next-level loony. In my review for Mashable, I cheered, “The Naked Gun is back and as silly and stupid as ever. And I can’t think of higher praise than that.”* — K.P.
Starring: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, Danny Huston, Dave Bautista, and Cody Rhodes
How to watch: The Naked Gun is now streaming on Paramount+.
5. Steve
Max Porter’s novella Shy is adapted into a movie ensemble drama with Steve. Cillian Murphy stars as the eponymous teacher who’s on a first-name basis with his students, rowdy teen boys who are seeking a second chance at a remote reform school in rural England.
As I wrote in my review out of TIFF, “Steve offers complicated portraits of the troubled youth in a reform school, and the grown-ups assigned to their care. The resulting film is an emotional roller coaster and a call to action, demanding its audience rethink their views of such schools and those within them.”
It’s a heartwarming film overall. But for potential trigger warnings on sensitive topics, please check out our full review. — K.P.
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, Simbi Ajikawo (Little Simz), and Emily Watson
How to watch: Steve debuts on Netflix on Oct. 3.
4. Honey Don’t!
From Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, the dynamic duo that brought us Drive-Away Dolls, comes Honey Don’t!, a crackling crime comedy about a small-town detective on a curious case involving a mysterious church. The Substance star Margaret Qualley headlines as private eye Honey O’Donahue.
In my review for Mashable, I cheered Coen and Cooke’s sexy and silly crime comedy, writing, “Honey Don’t! pulls from film noir inspirations, as do several previous Coen Bros movies… and hundreds of other movies before that. But this crusty California setting gives fresh air to tropes like the femme fatale or the double cross. Where Drive-Away Dolls dug into the rich Americana and queer culture to be found in road trip attractions and lesbian bars, Honey Don’t! embraces a less-familiar clutch of gnarly characters, sunbaked and deranged.” — K.P.
Starring: Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Charlie Day, Billy Eichner, and Chris Evans
How to watch: Honey Don’t premieres on Peacock on Oct. 3.
3. Chad Powers
Glen Powell stars in Hulu’s sports comedy Chad Powers, about disgraced college quarterback Russ Holliday who makes one last-ditch effort to play football again. He dons a face full of prosthetic makeup (and a bad wig) and takes the field as “Chad Powers,” a goofy, folksy football prodigy. Chaos ensues as Russ attempts to juggle his dual identities… and maybe learns to be a better person along the way.
Despite its sporty premise and a healthy dose of jock bro humor, Chad Powers also proves a stealthy love letter to Hollywood prosthetics, adding surprising layers to the football-centric show. Powell shines in his dual role, cementing himself as not just a reliable leading man, but as a comedy star, too. As I wrote in my review, “It’s a high-wire performance of duality, but Powell makes it look effortless.”
Starring: Glen Powell, Steve Zahn, Toby Huss, Perry Mattfeld, Clayne Crawford, Wynn Everett, Frankie A. Rodriguez, Colton Ryan, Keese Wilson, Xavier Mills, and Quentin Plair
How to watch: Chad Powers is now streaming on Hulu.
2. Bring Her Back
In 2023, filmmaking duo Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou awed critics and horror fans with their haunted hand hit Talk to Me. Now, they return with a gnarly psycho-biddy horror offering starring two-time Academy Award–nominee Sally Hawkins. The result is a nail-biting film that might have you gagging, covering your eyes, or experiencing some hard-won catharsis.
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The Philippou brothers probe into grief once again, exploring how this unmooring feeling can make the world around us feel unreal, hostile, and strange. In Bring Her Back, Hawkins stars as a foster mom named Laura, who takes in young orphans like Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), and siblings Piper (Sora Wong) and Andy (Billy Barratt). But despite Laura’s chipper demeanor, 17-year-old Andy realizes something is off in her remote forest home. But can he stop the hell that’s coming?
In my review for Mashable, I wrote, “Bring Her Back is extraordinary. For those who found Talk to Me sensationally scary, this follow-up will thrill with its deeply deranged tale of heartache and body horror. But the Philippous went deeper, presenting a character-driven drama with flares of psycho-biddy and religious horror. That heady combination not only makes for a satisfyingly scary as hell movie, but also a profound one.” — K.P.
Starring: Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, Jonah Wren Phillips, and Sally-Anne Upton
How to watch: Bring Her Back debuts on HBO Max Oct. 3.
1. Abbott Elementary, Season 5
School is back in session at Abbott Elementary, the beloved sitcom from Emmy winner Quinta Brunson. Season 4 brought in a lot of change, further exploring the relationship between Janine (Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams), and also firing (and rehiring) Ava (Janelle James). What could possibly be in store for the staff at Abbott this season? Apparently a lot, as the description for the Season 5 premiere promises “new faces and big changes on the horizon.” We can’t wait to get back in the classroom to figure out what that could mean. — B.E.
Starring: Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Chris Perfetti, Lisa Ann Walter, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and William Stanford Davis
How to watch: Abbott Elementary Season 5 airs on ABC Oct. 1 before streaming on Hulu and Disney+ Oct. 2.
(*) denotes a blurb has come from a prior list.
