As we start moving into the holiday season and all the preparations that come with it, there are some great series and movies hitting streaming. The Diplomat checks all the boxes with funny dialog and international intrigue, while the Lioness comes with plenty of action to keep you on the edge of your seat. Of course, Halloween may be over, but if you’ve got room for one last bloody movie, check out Time Cut on Netflix for oddly familiar blend of Scream and Back To The Future.
Then take a look back at the history of cinema’s greatest musical scores with Music by John Williams, or catch up on the history of Martha Stewart, America’s favorite homemaker and unlikely friend to Snoop. And finally, for some pure feel-good watch time, catch the final season of Somebody Somewhere, or a father-son road trip in Ezra.
7 The Diplomat
Netflix — Season 2 — October 31
If you want the espionage and intrigue, but with less violence, The Diplomat is also making its return. In fact, Netflix has already renewed it for a third season, largely based on the first season becoming the streamer’s most-watched show when it came out.
The series began with Keri Russell (The Americans) playing a career diplomat who is appointed Ambassador to the UK when a plane is bombed. This turns into a winding road of plot twists, betrayals, and general mayhem. It’s a fast-paced and engaging show that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
All six episodes of the new season of The Diplomat are available now on Netflix.
6 Lioness
Paramount+ — Season 2 — October 27
Lioness was a sleeper hit with its first season, gaining fans with its stacked action scenes and weighty storytelling. Now going into its sophomore season, the series promises to go even deeper into the lives of the CIA’s Lioness team, an anti-terrorism special ops unit tasked with some of the most sensitive and dangerous missions. If you enjoyed 24 and Homeland, this is probably right up your alley.
Zoe Saldana leads as Joe, the badass and headstrong leader of the squad. She’s also a wife and mother, constantly being pulled in two directions by her duty to country and to her family. The series features some heavyweight names like Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman.
The first two episodes of the new season launched on October 27, and a new episode of Lioness will be rolling out every Sunday through December 8.
5 Time Cut
Netflix — Movie — October 30
Did you watch last year’s Totally Killer and wish it was a little more like Scream and less like Back To The Future? Let me tell you about Time Cut.
We’ve got the same concept… A teen travels back in time to stop a serial killer from murdering a family member. Sure, there are a few tweaks, but at its core, this is still a comedy-slasher flick with a thick layer of generational nostalgia — this time we’re going back to the mid-2000s.
Rather than a bright and bubbly romp through 80s tropes, Time Cut takes on the self-awareness and darker aesthetic of slashers like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer.
4 Music by John Williams
Disney+ — Documentary — Nov 1
It’s impossible not to be thrown into nostalgic bliss — or anxiety — as soon as we hear the iconic music of Star Wars, Jaws, Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones. These films and so many others are instantly memorable thanks to the musical scores created by John Williams.
Music by John Williams is a documentary taking us back through the work of history’s greatest film composer. It includes interviews with Williams himself, along with directors Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Ron Howard; plus other musicians, including Chris Martin and Yo-Yo Ma.
3 Martha
Netflix — Documentary — October 30
Catch a bit of history about the famous, and sometimes infamous household name, Martha Stewart. She has built an empire around home and hospitality, including magazines, television, cookbooks, home and kitchen products, and so much more.
From her early years as a model through to building her business and brand, and of course the conviction for insider trading, and then rebuilding even bigger than ever. Netflix’s documentary Martha takes us through the history of the first woman to become a self-made billionaire.
2 Somebody Somewhere
Max — Season 3 — October 27
After a month of horror and thrills, it may be time to slow down and relax into the calm embrace of comedy. After taking home a Peabody award, the third and final season of Somebody Somewhere closes as the quirky characters of Manhattan, Kansas are making big changes in their lives and preparing for next phases.
It’s a casual slice-of-life comedy that finds happiness in the small things and the funny moments, all while embracing the reality and drama of a complicated family and the imperfections of life.
The first episode of the final season dropped on October 27th, and the schedule calls for a new episode each Sunday. Of course, if this is your first time hearing about Somebody Somewhere, it’s a great time to start on the first season and slowly catch up until the final episode airs on December 8th.
1 Ezra
Paramount+ — Movie — October 28
When stand-up comedian Max gets the break he’s been waiting for, he decides to take his autistic son Ezra on a cross-country road trip filled with bonding and understanding. It’s a touching film about working through the challenges of life and finding happiness on the other end.
Ezra stars Bobby Cannavale (Bupkis, MaXXXine) and William A. Fitzgerald as the titular character, and also includes great performances by Rose Byrne, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robert De Niro, among several other very familiar faces. After launching in theaters over the summer and then taking a spin on rental services, Ezra is now available to watch on Paramount+ with a subscription.
