Steinbeck opens the month. On October 1, Netflix releases East of Eden, and HBO premieres War the same day. If you are deciding what to watch in October, those two make a strong start. The rest of the calendar fills in around them, with a Stephen King remake, a spy drama’s return, and a stand-up hour from Kate Berlant. Dates and casts here come from TV Guide‘s October guide and from BBC Culture. We have not seen these shows yet, so treat this as a preview rather than a review. If your viewing this week also includes runways, our guide to watching Paris Fashion Week explains where the shows stream.
What to watch in October, week one
East of Eden (Netflix, October 1)
Zoe Kazan adapts John Steinbeck’s novel as a seven-episode limited series. Florence Pugh plays Cathy Ames, according to TV Guide. The cast also includes Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist, Tracy Letts, Martha Plimpton, and Ciarán Hinds.
The project carries a family echo. Kazan’s grandfather, Elia Kazan, directed the 1955 film, which starred James Dean. Steinbeck published the novel in 1952, and it follows two families in California’s Salinas Valley across generations. BBC Culture reports that the new series covers the novel’s full timeline. Pugh told Vanity Fair, as BBC Culture reported, “It was really important to me not to warm her up or make excuses for her.” So expect a Cathy with sharp edges.
War (HBO, October 1)
George Kay, who created Lupin, is behind this one. That show made Omar Sy a gentleman thief in Paris, so expect a writer who likes a plot with moving parts. The story follows the divorce of a tech entrepreneur, played by Dominic West, and an actress, played by Sienna Miller. Rival British law firms circle the split. HBO has already renewed it, and TV Guide reports that Marisa Tomei and Kelly Macdonald are part of season two.
Tip Toe (Starz, October 2)
Next comes a smaller title from Russell T Davies. Alan Cumming and David Morrissey lead the cast, per TV Guide. It arrives on a Friday, so it suits a weekend start.
Horror for the spooky weeks
Carrie (Prime Video, October 7)
Mike Flanagan takes on Stephen King’s first novel for Prime Video. Summer H. Howell and Samantha Sloyan are in the cast. Flanagan made The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass for Netflix, and he has adapted King before with Doctor Sleep. So this is the title horror fans will circle first. Brian De Palma’s 1976 film still casts a long shadow, which gives the new version a high bar.
Crystal Lake (Peacock, October 15)
Meanwhile, Peacock heads back to the lake from Friday the 13th. Linda Cardellini leads the series.
If you prefer films when choosing what to watch in October, TV Guide lists Barbarian, Midsommar, Hereditary, and The Substance on Hulu this month. For more film and television, browse our Culture section.
Week two: the sea and Silicon Valley
Below (Netflix, October 8)
Josh Hartnett plays Calvin Penney, a fisherman in Newfoundland. Mackenzie Davis plays a marine biologist, and Charlie Heaton plays Calvin’s rebellious son, Wade. BBC Culture sums up the mood in five words: “The shadow of Jaws looms.” That makes it the pick for anyone who likes cold water and slow dread.
Small Prophets (Apple TV, October 7)
Also early in the month, Mackenzie Crook returns with a new comedy. BBC Culture notes that Michael Palin is in the cast. It is the gentlest pick for what to watch in October.
Cupertino (CBS, October 8)
Robert and Michelle King created The Good Wife, and now they turn to the tech world. Mike Colter and Rachel Keller star. Because it airs on broadcast, it is the one show here that needs no streaming plan at all.
Mid-month returns
The Lowdown, season two (FX and Hulu, October 14)
Ethan Hawke is back, with Betty Gilpin and Tommy Lee Jones in the cast. Hulu carries FX series, so one subscription covers it.
VisionQuest (Disney+, October 14)
Paul Bettany leads Marvel’s new series, and James Spader returns as Ultron. Spader first voiced the robot in Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015, so this is a long-awaited rematch for fans.
The Diplomat, season four (Netflix, October 15)
Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell return as Kate and Hal Wyler, the diplomatic couple whose marriage drives the plot. Allison Janney, who won an Emmy for season three according to TV Guide, returns as the president, and Bradley Whitford returns as the first husband. Both are now series regulars. For viewers who like politics with a pulse, this is the month’s main event.
Kate Berlant: Parmesan (HBO, October 16)
Finally, a comedy special. Berlant’s hour lands on HBO two weeks after War, which makes HBO an easy one-month choice.
Late October
Netflix keeps going with Nobody Wants This season three on October 22. Kristen Bell and Adam Brody lead that romantic comedy. After that, Lupin season four arrives on October 23, so Omar Sy and George Kay bookend the month for anyone who started with War.
Prime Video has The Terminal List season two on October 21, with Chris Pratt back as Navy SEAL James Reece. Then Apple TV closes the month with Nocturne on October 30, starring Liev Schreiber and Stephen Graham.
Five of the premieres in this guide are on Netflix, between October 1 and October 23.
What to watch in October, by mood
Not every week calls for the same kind of evening. Here is what to watch in October, sorted by the mood you are in.
- For a big literary drama: East of Eden. It has the strongest cast list of the month and a classic novel behind it.
- For something sharp and grown-up: War on HBO or The Diplomat on Netflix. Both turn marriages into high-stakes politics.
- For a scare: Carrie, then Crystal Lake. Add Below if you prefer dread to gore.
- For a laugh: Kate Berlant: Parmesan, Small Prophets, or Nobody Wants This.
- For a thriller binge: The Terminal List or Lupin, both late in the month.
How to plan what to watch in October without five subscriptions
Netflix carries the heaviest load in this guide, with five of our picks premiering between October 1 and October 23. So it is the one service worth keeping all month. The other services for what to watch in October cluster, which makes them easy to rotate.
First, write the dates on one calendar. Group them by service. Then pick one extra service per stretch of the month. That way, what to watch in October decides what you pay for, rather than the other way around. For example:
- Early October: HBO for War, then stay through October 16 for Kate Berlant: Parmesan.
- Mid-October: Disney+ for VisionQuest, or Hulu for The Lowdown and the horror films.
- Late October: Apple TV for Nocturne, plus Small Prophets if you skipped it earlier.
Next, binge in windows. A limited series like East of Eden runs seven episodes, which fits two quiet evenings. Before you sign up anywhere, read the service’s cancellation terms. Plans and billing dates vary, and they change often.
What to watch in October: quick answers
What premieres on October 1?
East of Eden on Netflix and War on HBO, per TV Guide and BBC Culture.
What to watch in October on Netflix?
Netflix has the most of our picks, with East of Eden, Below, The Diplomat, Nobody Wants This, and Lupin. Those five premieres run from October 1 to October 23.
What to watch in October on HBO?
Start with War on October 1. Then add Kate Berlant: Parmesan on October 16. Those two fit inside a single month of HBO.
What to watch in October on Apple TV?
Small Prophets arrives on October 7, and Nocturne follows on October 30. If you only want one month of Apple TV, wait until the end of October and watch both.
Is there anything for a Halloween night in?
Yes. Start with Carrie on October 7 and Crystal Lake on October 15. After that, add the horror films on Hulu.
Our short version of what to watch in October: keep Netflix, rent HBO for the first half of the month, and save Nocturne for the night of October 30.