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 looking for a Halloween-worthy watch, outrageous comedy, or your next true crime fixation, or some pulse-pounding animation, we've got something just for you.
11. R.L. Stine's Pumpkinhead
Seeking a horror movie for the young adult in your household? Well, we're happy to help you pick a perfect spooky season watch, from die-hard scare fans to Halloweenies. For kids who are new to bone-chilling terror, start them out with something more on the level of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps — like this movie inspired by his classic short story collection The Haunting Hour.
R.L. Stine's Pumpkinhead offers folk horror for the YA crowd. Written and directed by Jem Garrard, this bit of seasonal cinema centers on Sam, a teen boy who's new to Redhaven, a farming community that's really, weirdly into harvest season. After messing with a local farmer, Sam realizes his brother Finn has gone missing. And stranger still, people's memories of Finn are vanishing in the blink of an eye. Can Sam and his friend Becka save Finn before it's too late? Or will they be the next to fall to the curse of Pumpkinhead? — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor
Starring: Bean Reid, Adeline Lo, Matty Finochio, Troy James, Kevin McNulty, Bob Frazer, Seth Isaac Johnson, and Kendra Anderson
How to watch: R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead debuts on Tubi on Oct. 17.
10. Other
Last year, writer/director David Moreau gave horror lovers the audaciously long-take and pulse-pounding zombie contagion thriller MadS. This year he offers Other, a home-invasion thriller that's creepy but not compelling.
Olga Kurylenko stars as Alice, a woman long-estranged from her abusive mother, but drawn back home by the news of the old woman's death... by having face eaten off. Unclear on the specifics of this grisly demise, Alice wanders around her childhood home, haunted by bad memories of a mother that demanded she be picture perfect for beauty pageants. But something forgotten and frightening lurks here with her, not just in her past but in the walls.
This movie is utterly bizarre but not in an entertaining way. The dialogue all sounds like it was recorded later, giving the film a strange quality right out of the gate. Then the story becomes a barrage of tiresome horror tropes we've seen before, tossed together in a way that's gruesome, confounding, and unsatisfying. — K.P.
Starring: Olga Kurylenko, Jean Schatz, and Lola Bonaventure
How to watch: Other debuts on Shudder on Oct. 17.
9. The Twits
Phil Johnston (Wreck-It Ralph, Zootopia) has found his latest inspiration in children's author Roald Dahl with this adaptation of Dahl's 1980 book The Twits.
A scuzzy, loud, and ever-rude couple called The Twits dreams of making an amusement park, but they've gone about in every wrong way you can — including imprisoning the mythical creatures the Muggle-Wumps to power the place. Thankfully, thanks to two brave and plucky orphans, Beesha and Bubsy, the Muggle-Wumps are freed. But that doesn't mean the Twits will give up. What follows is a gnarly tale of grown-ups trusting devious folks who promise a good economy and leadership, only to deliver hardship and hatred. Full of wild humor, cuddly critters, and life lessons, The Twits could be your kiddo's next obsession. But be warned for the sensitive of stomach: This one gets gross. Like, a man's butt explodes, as a plot point. — K.P.
Starring: Margo Martindale, Johnny Vegas, Natalie Portman, Emilia Clarke, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Ryan Lopez, Jason Mantzoukas, Timothy Simons, Alan Tudyk, and Nicole Byer
How to watch: The Twits debuts on Netflix on Oct. 17.
8. Loot, Season 3
You could always use more Maya Rudolph in your life, so be sure to get your required Rudolph dose with Season 3 of Loot.
The show follows billionaire Molly Wells (Rudolph), who's on a mission to use her $87 billion divorce settlement to do good with her philanthropic organization, the Wells Foundation. On top of Rudolph, Loot boasts a stacked ensemble cast that includes Joel Kim Booster, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Nat Faxon, and Ron Funches.* — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
Starring: Maya Rudolph, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Ron Funches, Nat Faxon, Meagen Fay, and Stephanie Styles
How to watch: Loot Season 3 debuted on Apple TV on Oct. 15 and is now streaming.
7. Murdaugh: Death in the Family
Before they were a focus of true crime media, the Murdaugh family was well-respected in their community, representing wealth, power, and justice as several generations of lawyers. Then came the boating accident that killed a young woman. Underage and drunk Paul Murdaugh was facing legal consequences for his recklessness. The resulting case threw a spotlight on his father Alex and mother Maggie that unearthed more secrets and led to more violence.
Inspired by the Murdaugh Murders Podcast by Mandy Matney, Murdaugh: Death in the Family explores beyond the headlines, forensic evidence, and court documents in an attempt to show what it was like living inside that mansion as their lives went from high-on-the-hog to absolute hell. Created by Michael D. Fuller and Erin Lee Carr, this docu-drama series might stir more empathy for the Murdaughs than you might have predicted. And yet, these scorching portrayals by Jason Clarke, Patricia Arquette, and Johnny Berchtold won't let any of the guilty off the hook. — K.P.
Starring: Jason Clarke, Patricia Arquette, J. Smith-Cameron, Johnny Berchtold, and Brittany Snow
How to watch: Murdaugh: Death in the Family premiered Oct. 15 on Hulu, and the first three episodes are now streaming.
6. The Perfect Neighbor
Director Geeta Gandbhir's documentary The Perfect Neighbor scored much praise out of its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival last January. And now you can see why.
This film tracks the ongoing dispute between two neighbors, and how that culminated in deadly violence. Rather than the standard talking-head interviews and reenactments, Gandbhir uses bodycam footage from police officers to illustrate how an everyday relationship turned so contentious. And there was a lot of footage to choose from, all because of one woman's dozens of 911 calls. Why? The answers might not shock you, but they'll definitely enrage you. — K.P.
How to watch: The Perfect Neighbor debuts on Netflix on Oct. 17.
5. Splinter Cell: Deathwatch
Sam Fisher is back, people. The first-ever screen adaption of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell lands on Netflix this week, with the Ubisoft-produced animated series subtitled Deathwatch. Directed by Guillaume Dousse, the eight0episode series sees Liev Schreiber voicing the franchise's iconic protagonist, who's pulled out of retirement for “one last job” alongside a young agent with a mission to complete. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
Starring: Liev Schreiber, Janet Varney, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Joel Oulette
How to watch: Splinter Cell: Deathwatch debuted on Netflix on Oct. 14 and is now streaming.
4. Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy
One of America's most notorious serial killers gets the true crime drama treatment in Peacock's Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy. Created by Patrick Macmanus, the show examines the arrest and trial of Gacy (Severance's Michael Chernus), who kidnapped, raped, and murdered 33 men and teenage boys from 1972 to 1978.
Unlike other hot-button true crime dramas of the moment (looking at you, Monster), Devil in Disguise works hard not to sensationalize Gacy's crimes. You won't see any of Gacy's murders play out, for example. Instead, Devil in Disguise dives into the lives of Gacy's victims before they crossed paths with him, hoping to show that there's more to their stories than just their deaths. The effect can be disjointed at times, and Devil in Disguise isn't totally immune to ogling at the lurid details of the Gacy case. Still, it's fascinating to watch a true crime drama reckon with its own genre, and Devil in Disguise proves these series can be chilling even without grisly on-screen murders. — B.E.
Starring: Michael Chernus, Gabriel Luna, James Badge Dale, Marin Ireland, and Michael Angarano
How to watch: Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy debuts on Peacock on October 16.
3. The Diplomat, Season 3
Debora Cahn's The Diplomat returns for more international crises, sharp scripts, and suppressed sexual tension. Season 2 ended with a major pivot involving U.S. Vice President Grace Penn (Allison Janney), and U.S. ambassador Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) knows too much about it to keep the White House's eyes off her. Meanwhile, as tensions between the U.S. and UK simmer, the new First Gentlemen (Bradley Whitford) arrives, UK Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi) continues to be Kate's handsome ally, and Kate finds herself in political and personal quicksand. — S.C.
Starring: Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi, Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear, and Ato Essandoh
How to watch: The Diplomat Season 3 debuts on Netflix on Oct. 16.
2. Solar Opposites, Season 6
Solar Opposites is coming to an end with Season 6. But fret not, as this spacey sendup of family sitcoms has 10 more episodes of mayhem and extreme lunacy before its final curtain.
Shlorpians in the suburbs, Korvo, Terry, Yumyulack, and Jesse are facing an outrageous series of misadventures, involving hi-tech doo-dads, life-threatening bonk fests, and some kooky callbacks coming home to roost. Then, of course, there's the grand conclusion of the saga in The Wall. From the wild mind of Mike McMahan, Solar Opposites has become a dependable source of laughs for Rick & Morty fans, who love irreverence with their sci-fi. They will be missed, but what a terrifically bonkers way to go out. — K.P.
Starring: Thomas Middleditch, Sean Giambrone, Mary Mack, and Dan Stevens
1. An Intimate Evening with Adam Pally
You might remember Adam Pally from the beloved sitcom Happy Endings, his recent mockumentary series with Stephen Curry Mr. Throwback, or from a barrage of film appearances in everything from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to Iron Man 3 and The Gutter. But you've never seen Pally quite like this.
An Intimate Evening with Adam Pally might sound like a stand-up special. However, the audience who attended this sold-out performance at The Bell House in Brooklyn was exposed to something silly, musical, and most strange. As teased in the trailer above, Pally "plays guitar at" his audience, launching into earnest covers of original songs — ones that they couldn't get the licensing rights to for the special. That means at-home audiences will see Pally playing his heart out while hearing audio of him arguing with doc director Brent Hodge instead of — for example — songs from Bruce Springsteen, Tears for Fears, and Oasis.
Similar disruptions occur, making this comedy special a collection of song, jokes, and meta humor that parodies the concept of the stand-up special doc itself. The result is a wild ride at just 56 minutes, but one we'd definitely recommend. — K.P.
Starring: Adam Pally
How to watch: An Intimate Evening with Adam Pally debuts on HBO Max on Oct. 17.
(*) denotes a blurb comes from a previous list.
