Our friends from Netflix US know full well that when the temperature drops, the binge-watching rises and so this time-honoured equation is celebrated with a truckload of new content. Of course, here in Australia, we’re heading towards summer, not away from it, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need fresh TV shows and movies to view. So thank goodness for Netflix US. Let’s check out some streaming highlights for October.
What’s generating the most buzz this month? Well, that’s got to be Season 2 of Netflix Original Stranger Things. Season 1 was a huge hit for the series critics have described as a “love letter to the ‘80s classics.” Though it was a comeback for disgraced actress, Winona Ryder (Heathers), it’s the kids in this supernatural drama that viewers have fallen hard for. The story revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a young boy and the quest to get him back turns a once peaceful small town upside down. Tune in to Season 2 from October 27.
Mindhunter is a new Netflix Original series. Starring Jonathan Groff (Glee) and Australian Anna Torv (Fringe), it’s a crime drama set in the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit proving that viewers just can’t get enough of serial killers and rapists. Not sure what that says about society as a whole but you can catch Mindhunter from October 13.
Kingdom of Us is the Netflix Original documentary by filmmaker Lucy Cohen who spent three years with a British family after husband and father, Paul Shanks, committed suicide. In the aftermath, his wife and seven children are left to make sense of the tragedy and rebuild a life that is in ruins – including financially. It’s a heartbreaking look at loss and grief.
Also exploring grief but via the vehicle of humour is Patton Oswalt: Annihilation. This stand-up special for Netflix is actor/comedian Oswalt’s first since he endured the sudden and unexpected death of his wife in April 2016. In addition to material on using comedy to heal emotional pain, Oswalt’s routine discusses “the angst of social media, the current political climate and being tricked by robocalls.” Streaming from October 17.
Cleverman is the Australian fantasy Sci-Fi series which draws on Aboriginal culture and folklore to tell the tale of ancient creatures come to life in the modern world and forced to fight for their survival. Starring Hunter Page-Lochard (Wentworth Prison) and Deborah Mailman (Offspring), the first season garnered critical praise. Catch Season 2 from October 1.
And if you’re looking for films, consider cult classic Donnie Darko starring Jake Gyllenhaal; 2006 thriller Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio or comedy I Love You, Man starring Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) and Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother).
Read on for a full list of what’s coming and going this month on Netflix.
Available October 1
88 Minutes
A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song
Before Midnight
Blood Diamond
Boogie Nights
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Cleverman: Season 2
Death Sentence
Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Eagle vs. Shark
Eyes Wide Shut
Generation Iron 2
Ghost Patrol
I Love You, Man
Ice Guardians
Lockup: Disturbing the Peace: Collection 1
Made of Honor
Miss Congeniality
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
Must Love Dogs
Never Let Me Go
No Reservations
Penelope
PJ Masks: Season 1
Set Up
The Reaping
Tokyo Idols
Tommy Boy
Vanished
Veronica
October 2
Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown
Sleeping with Other People
October 3
13 Demons
Rodney Carrington: Here Comes The Truth — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Cult of Chucky
The Survivalist
October 4
Raw
October 5
Bonus Family (Bonusfamiljen): Season 1 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Schitt’s Creek: Season 3
The Fosters: Season 5
October 6
ID-0: Season 1 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Skylanders Academy: Season 2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Suburra: Season 1 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Word Party: Season 3 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
October 7
Middle Man
Chris Brown: Welcome To My Life
October 10
The Skyjacker’s Tale
Christina P: Mother Inferior — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
October 11
Donnie Darko
October 12
Fe de etarras — NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM
October 13
El Especial de Alex Fernández, el Especial — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Kingdom of Us — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
MINDHUNTER: Season 1 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Super Monsters: Season 1 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
The Babysitter — NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) — NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM
Voltron: Legendary Defender: Season 4 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
October 15
LEGO: City: Season 1Money
OtherLife
She Makes Comics
Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses
West Coast Customs: Season 6
October 17
Patton Oswalt: Annihilation — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Slasher: Guilty Party — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
October 19
Wedding Unplanned
October 20
1922— NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM
Haters Back Off: Season 2— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
One of Us— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Smurfs: The Lost Village
The Day I Met El Chapo: The Kate del Castillo Story— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Wheelman — NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM
October 23
While We’re Young
Meet the Robinsons
October 24
Wanted: Season 1— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Wanted: Season 2— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Mist: Season 1
October 25
The Hateful Eight
The Final Master
La Querida del Centauro: Season 2
October 26
Strange Weather
October 27
Stranger Things 2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
October 28
Pup Star: Better 2Gether
October 30
Judah Friedlander: America Is The Greatest Country In The United States— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
October 31
Zumbo’s Just Desserts: Season 1 - NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Leaving October 1
30 Rock: Seasons 1 - 7
A Love in Times of Selfies
Across the Universe
Barton Fink
Bella
Big Daddy
Carousel
Cradle 2 the Grave
Crafting a Nation
Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest
Daddy’s Little Girls
Dark Was the Night
David Attenborough’s Rise of the Animals: Triumph of the Vertebrates: Season 1
Day of the Kamikaze
Death Beach
Dowry Law
Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief
Friday Night Lights: Seasons 1 - 5
Happy Feet
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison
Hellboy
Kagemusha
Laura
Love Actually
Malcolm in the Middle: Seasons 1 - 7
Max Dugan Returns
Millennium
Million Dollar Baby
Mortal Kombat
Mr. 3000
Mulholland Dr.
My Father the Hero
My Name Is Earl: Seasons 1 - 4
One Tree Hill: Seasons 1 - 9
Patton
Picture This
Prison Break: Seasons 1 - 4
The Bernie Mac Show: Seasons 1 - 5
The Shining
The Wonder Years: Seasons 1 - 6
October 19
The Cleveland Show: Seasons 1 - 4
October 21
Bones: Seasons 5 - 11
October 27
Lie to Me: Seasons 2 - 3
Louie: Seasons 1 - 5
Hotel Transylvania 2
October 29
Family Guy: Seasons 9 - 14
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Angie Maddison is a contributor for Streambly. You can follow Angie on Twitter.