October has arrived with crisper air and pumpkin-flavored monstrosities at every turn. In your living room, Power, Gen V, and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon are still going strong after last month, but there are many more new and returning shows to navigate, so we are singling out the standout selections. And yes, Hollywood actors are still on strike as of the beginning of October, but the streaming services stacked up so much content that your viewing habits shall not be disturbed.
This month, new seasons of hit shows including Loki, Rick And Morty, Lupin, and The Gilded Age return. The same somehow goes for Frasier because streaming services cannot resist rebooting everything. Mike Flanagan also rolls back into town with the spookiest show on this list, and AMC’s zombie franchise is about to put a long-running spinoff down for the count to make way for Michonne to save Rick Grimes because she’s a badass like that.
Here are the must see shows for October.
Our Flag Means Death: Season 2 (Max series streaming 10/5)
This pleasant little surprise of a show has been (for obvious reasons) compared to What They Do In The Shadows, only with pirates. Rhys Darby’s Captain Stede Bonnet is loosely based upon the 18th century pirate and his swashbuckling adventures. No longer a gentleman, he’s still attempting to win over a crew that could descend into mutiny at any moment. Taika Waititi portrays the infamous Captain Blackbeard, who changes everything. And if you are in the mood for a romcom of the high seas, then you’d best drop anchors.
Lupin: Part 3 (Netflix series streaming 10/5)
The Gentleman Thief returns with Assane in hiding but not for long. He comes back to Paris and proposes a new plan to Claire and Raoul, but of course, the police and Assane’s enemies make this much easier said than done. At least he’ll look stylish while dealing with past ghosts and scheming like hell to escape that framing for murder.
Loki: Season 2 (Disney+ series streaming 10/6)
Everyone’s favorite ice-giant trickster brings back his patented charisma to hopefully resurrect interest in the MCU after a bout of “too much”-inspired fatigue. This season will see Loki learning exactly what it means to have “glorious purpose,” and the show also dives back into the concept of free will while Miss Minutes is probably still trolling everyone. Also, hopefully Loki can navigate into a reality where Mobius remembers him again. Sylvie shall also surface and so will Kang the Conqueror, which could get awkward.
The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix limited series streaming 10/12)
Mike Flanagan fans, get ready. The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass showrunner is back along with Carla Gugino, who will spook your soul right out of your bod and deliver a “consequential” evening to “a collection of stunted hearts” that is the Usher family. Yikes. Do not expect a literal adaptation of the Edgar Allen Poe short story. The story focuses here on the hell created by ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher, who built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege, and power. Horrible secrets shall surface when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman, portrayed with glee by Gugino.
Frasier: Season 1 (Paramount+ series streaming 10/12)
Those tossed salads and scrambled eggs are heading back to Boston to go enjoy a beer. This sounds familiar in so many ways, and the show that began as a Cheers spinoff is now a revival because no studio can resist resurrecting everything these days. The story will follow Dr. Frasier Crane in a new era of life, where he’s back in his old stomping grounds and forging new relationships and tackling new challenges. The old-new setting is by design, so no one has to really wonder whether certain characters will show up (they most likely won’t). Sadly, that includes the terminally uptight Niles Crane, but we will get to know Frasier’s son, Freddie, who will hopefully give his dad sh*t.
Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+ series streaming 10/13)
Brie Larson has never shied away from speaking out for feminist causes, and in this series, she stars in the adaptation of Bonnie Garmus’ bestselling novel, Lessons In Chemistry. Garmus became an overnight “a literary rock star” at age 66 for this impressive debut novel that is all the rage in book clubs everywhere. That will give the show a built-in audience as Larson portrays a brilliant chemist who is fired for a sexist double standard. This leads to an unexpected career change as a cooking show host. This high-profile new platform allows her to sandwich in other nuggets of wisdom for housewives as well as demonstrating how to bake yummy cookies.
Rick and Morty: Season 7 (Adult Swim series returning 10/15)
This show became the subject of much upheaval after Justin Roiland was fired amid a series of disturbing allegations. Adult Swim ended up doing the unthinkable and replacing him as the voice for the leading duo, and as one can hear above, the new versions don’t sound too terribly different. The synopsis also takes the p*ss a bit: “Rick and Morty are back and sounding more like themselves than ever!”
Big Mouth: Season 7 (Netflix series streaming 10/20)
These hormone monsters are somehow still going in this penultimate season, and the characters are now in high school, dealing with change and more puberty. This season, Megan Thee Stallion, Lupita Nyong’o, Padma Lakshmi, Zazie Beetz, Billy Porter, and Stephanie Beatriz join the voice cast.
Fear the Walking Dead: Season 8B (AMC series returning 10/22)
The final episodes of The Walking Dead‘s first spinoff are finally at hand, after we saw June cutting off trigger fingers before the scene shifted to PADRE. Madison’s previous return will be complicated by both happy and unhappy reunions. There’s no word of whether this will include Alicia, but we will definitely see Victor Strand, who returns by stating his intent to help Madison save PADRE. Can he be trusted? We will soon find out, but he and Madison go way back, and he’s also a survivor, so it’s in his best interest to redeem himself. Additionally, Troy — who is beyond redemption — will somehow come back to life, and not as a walker, to shake up everyone’s little world.
The Gilded Age: Season 2 (HBO series streaming 10/29)
Those who adored Downton Abbey adored this series that begins in 1882 New York City, where a great upheaval is in motion on both a financial and cultural level. Old traditions are replaced by old standards, and rural Pennsylvania native Marian Brook must adjust to life in the city while being trapped in conflict between her old-money aunt and newly rich neighbor who climbed society’s ladders as a railroad tycoon.
