“Wondering what to watch on Netflix this month? We’ve got you sorted! With thousands of titles available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. To help you avoid endless scrolling, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 best new and returning TV shows and films coming to the streaming platform in October, arranged by release date. Enjoy!”
15. The Diplomat Season 2
Starring: Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi, Ali Ahn
Genre: Drama/Political Thriller
How to Watch: Season 2 of The Diplomat premieres October 31 on Netflix.
The Diplomat is a political drama that explores the intense highs and lows of United States ambassador Kate Wyler’s (Russell) career as she adjusts to her new role in the United Kingdom. From navigating international crises to building strategic alliances, the series offers a gripping and binge-worthy experience, earning Russell a nomination at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards.
14. Simone Biles Rising: Part Two
Starring: Simone Biles
Genre: Documentary
How to Watch: Simone Biles Rising: Part Two premieres October 25 on Netflix.
Simone Biles Rising: Part Two follows the gymnast’s journey back to the Olympics, capturing her experiences at the 2024 Paris Olympics and her groundbreaking path to becoming the most decorated gymnast in history.
13. Woman of the Hour
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Nicolette Robinson, Tony Hale
Genre: Crime/Thriller
How to Watch: Woman of the Hour premieres October 18 on Netflix.
Anna Kendrick makes her directorial debut with Woman of the Hour, a gripping film based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala. In 1978, Alcala appeared on the television game show The Dating Game during his killing spree, winning a date with contestant Cheryl Bradshaw. The shocking revelation of his murder of five women earned him the nickname “The Dating Game Killer.” Kendrick portrays Bradshaw, while Daniel Zovatto takes on the role of Alcala in what promises to be a thrilling film.
12. The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3
Starring: Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Neve Campbell, Becki Newton, Angelica Maria
Genre: Legal Drama
How to Watch: Season 3 of The Lincoln Lawyer premieres October 17 on Netflix.
Based on Michael Connelly’s book series, The Lincoln Lawyer follows defense attorney Mickey Haller (Garcia-Rulfo), who operates out of his chauffeur-driven Lincoln Navigator in Los Angeles. Each season adapts a different book from Connelly’s collection, with the first season covering his 2008 novel The Brass Verdict and the second adapting The Fifth Witness from 2011.
Renowned for its unexpected twists and turns, Season 3 is set to be the most dramatic yet for The Lincoln Lawyer.
11. A Quiet Place: Part II
Starring: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Djimon Hounsou, John Krasinski
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic/Horror
How to Watch: A Quiet Place: Part II premieres October 12 on Netflix.
Building on the massive success of its predecessor, A Quiet Place: Part II immerses audiences once again in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by blind extraterrestrial creatures that hunt based on sound. The film follows a family’s struggle to survive in complete silence to protect themselves and their children from these deadly predators.
Filled with jump scares and moments of intense gore, A Quiet Place: Part II is a thrilling continuation of what has evolved into a three-part franchise created by John Krasinski.
10. Scream
Starring: Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Neve Campbell
Genre: Horror/Slasher
How to Watch: Scream premieres October 11 on Netflix.
Released in 2022, Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin’s Scream revitalizes the franchise with a new cast of characters facing off against Ghostface’s infamous killing sprees. Set 25 years after a wave of brutal murders shook Woodsboro, California, the film introduces a new killer donning the Ghostface mask, bringing chaos once again.
With Courteney Cox and Neve Campbell reprising their iconic roles, Scream delivers a blend of fresh thrills, slasher mayhem, and the sharp black comedy that has defined the franchise.
9. The Menendez Brothers
Starring: Lyle and Erik Menendez
Genre: Documentary
How to Watch: The Menendez Brothers premieres October 7 on Netflix.
Following the release of Ryan Murphy’s drama series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, Netflix is preparing to launch a documentary about the Menendez case, featuring insights from the brothers themselves for the first time in 30 years. Convicted in 1996 for the m*rder of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, Erik and Lyle will share their perspective and discuss the alleged abuse they endured from their parents.
Calling in from the Donovan Correctional Facility where they are currently incarcerated, the brothers express in the documentary’s trailer their desire to reveal the “truth,” while the film also delves into their trial and its lasting impact on popular culture.
8. The Platform 2
Starring: Hovik Keuchkerian, Milena Smit
Genre: Horror
How to Watch: The Platform 2 premieres October 4 on Netflix.
A sequel to the 2019 horror sensation, The Platform films are set in a vertical prison system where a free-floating platform delivers food to inmates who are desperate to secure their share. While the first film focused on a prisoner striving to achieve fair food distribution across all levels of the prison, The Platform 2 shifts its focus to the inmates’ attempts to escape the dystopian environment.
7. Heartstopper Season 3
Starring: Kit Connor, Joe Locke, Olivia Colman, Stephen Fry
Genre: Romantic Comedy/Drama
How to Watch: Season 3 of Heartstopper premieres October 3 on Netflix.
Based on Alice Oseman’s webcomic and graphic novel, Heartstopper is a coming-of-age series that follows a group of high school students as they explore love, s*xuality, and their futures. The show centers on the evolving relationship between classmates Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), who begin to discover that their bond may be deeper than just friendship.
Upon the release of its first season, Heartstopper received widespread acclaim from critics and fans for its heartfelt romance and authentic representation of LGBTQ themes. The first two seasons are currently available to stream on Netflix.
6. Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 5
How to Watch: Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 5 premieres October 2 on Netflix.
This reboot of the beloved, long-running docuseries Unsolved Mysteries features episodes dedicated to intriguing stories that have left people puzzled, ranging from paranormal phenomena to cold cases. Revived by Netflix in 2019, the series is led by its original creators, John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer.
5. Love is Blind Season 7
Starring: Nick and Vanessa Lachey
Genre: Reality
How to Watch: Season 7 of Love is Blind premieres October 2 on Netflix.
Hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, Love is Blind invites a group of singles to connect in pods where they converse for weeks without seeing each other, all in the name of exploring whether love truly is blind. Once their time in the pods concludes, the couples finally meet face-to-face and must decide if their newfound connection is strong enough to lead to marriage.
This season, set in Washington D.C., promises to be wild, daring, and utterly captivating. The first six episodes will be available on Netflix starting October 2, with episodes 7 to 9 dropping the following week on October 9, and episodes 10 and 11 on October 16. The finale is set to air on October 23.
4. It Chapter Two
Starring: Bill Skarsgård, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader
Genre: Horror
How to Watch: It Chapter Two premieres October 1 on Netflix.
Based on Stephen King’s beloved novel, the It films follow a group of friends who discover that their seemingly peaceful town harbors a dark evil that enjoys taking the form of a k!ller clown. While the first film, released in 2017, depicts the group confronting Pennywise the Clown (Skarsgård) as children, It Chapter Two fast-forwards a couple of decades, showcasing their efforts to finally defeat Pennywise as adults.
The film is both spooky and unexpectedly humorous, making it an ideal choice for the Halloween season.
3. 22 Jump Street
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Ice Cube
Genre: Comedy/Action
How to Watch: 22 Jump Street premieres October 1 on Netflix.
Released in 2014, 22 Jump Street serves as a sequel to the beloved 21 Jump Street, featuring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill as undercover police officers infiltrating a college to dismantle a drug ring. While it may not quite reach the heights of its predecessor, 22 Jump Street still delivers plenty of hilarious antics, showcasing Tatum and Hill’s undeniable comedic chemistry, making it a perfect choice for a fun movie night at home.
2. Yellowjackets Season 1
Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Ella Purnell, Sophie Thatcher
Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Horror
How to Watch: Season 1 of Yellowjackets premieres October 1 on Netflix.
Often considered one of the most underrated shows on TV, Yellowjackets is a survival/supernatural thriller that unfolds across two timelines. One timeline, set in 1996, follows a high school girls’ soccer team, the Yellowjackets, whose plane crashes en route to a national tournament, leaving them stranded in the Ontario wilderness for 19 months.
The other timeline occurs in the present day, exploring the adult lives of the survivors and revealing how they managed to endure their harrowing experience as teenagers, all while hinting at the possibility of something far more sinister at play.
The show is thrilling, exceptionally well-crafted, and boasts one of the strongest first seasons I’ve ever seen. While only the first season of Yellowjackets will be available on Netflix, you can catch the second season on Paramount+ or Prime Video.
1. Halloween
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, James Jude Courtney, Nick Castle
Genre: Horror/Slasher
How to Watch: Halloween premieres October 1 on Netflix.
Netflix is launching the spooky season with the addition of David Gordon Green’s 2018 film, Halloween.
The eleventh entry in the Halloween film franchise (which disregards all previous sequels), Halloween features Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her iconic role as Laurie Strode. The film plunges her back into a familiar battle against the notorious serial killer Michael Myers. Praised by both critics and fans, Halloween is widely regarded as the best installment since the original 1978 film, making it the perfect choice to kick off the holiday month.