This week’s crop of new TV shows and movies is a healthy mix of horror (if you want to get into the Halloween spirit), lighter fare—like HBO’s Camping—and documentaries, so there’s something for everyone. Including country music fans! (The CMT Artists of the Year ceremony airs this week.) Here are all the things to keep an eye out for.
Camping: From creators Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner comes this new series about a woman (Jennifer Garner) who takes her husband on a camping trip for his 45th birthday, only to have it derailed by the eclectic group staying on the grounds. 10 P.M. ET on HBO
Charmed: This highly-anticipated reboot has Madeleine Mantock, Madeleine Mantock, and Sarah Jeffery stepping into the iconic witch sisters’ shoes. Expect more progressive storytelling, not to mention a directing credit from Gina Rodriguez. (She’s helming the 11th episode of the season.) 9 P.M. ET on The CW
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The Sentence: This documentary tells the true story of Cindy Shank, who was sentenced to a mandatory 15 years in jail for her ex-boyfriend’s crimes. 8 P.M. ET on HBO
Arrow: Stephen Amell is back setting thirst trap and yet another season of this popular CW series set in the DC comics universe. 8 P.M. ET on The CW
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The Conners: The highly-anticipated second reboot of Roseanne, this time without Roseanne Barr, kicks off tonight. 8 P.M. ET on ABC
black-ish: Tracee Ellis Ross, Anthony Anderson, and company are back for a fifth season. 9 P.M. ET on ABC
CMT Artists of the Year: Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott are the seven women CMT will honor at this year’s ceremony, the first one that features only female tributes. 8 P.M. ET on CMT
Haunted: Real people recount their stories with the paranormal and the occult in this new Netflix series, which includes creeping re-imaginings Streaming on Netflix
Lore: Season two of this horror anthology series, which features a self-contained—and horrifying— story in every episode, begins tonight. Streaming on Amazon Prime
Making a Murderer, season 2: The appeals cases of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey are even more gripping than their ones for murder. Streaming on Netflix
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Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash: Sadly, Bette Midler won’t be a part of this reunion, but Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and more cast members from Hocus Pocus will be there. 8:15 P.M. ET on Freeform
Halloween is only a few weeks away, which means you have to squeeze in as many scary movie marathons as you can. I don’t make the rules! That’s just what you do in October! Thankfully, there are plenty of new spooky, semi-spooky, and not-spooky-but-still-spooky things premiering this month to enjoy if you’ve already worn out Hocus Pocus. Well, actually, you can never wear out Hocus Pocus, but these 22 new movies and TV shows are great to watch in between screenings. Here they are, below, ranked by scariness.
In dead last for scariness (but first place for deliciousness) is the new Netflix series about a baker who fills her home with all sorts of spooky confections, crafts, and creatures. But creepy in, like, the fun way.
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Want to see how Disney World suits up for Halloween? Tune in to this annual special, which shows how much work it takes to make the happiest place on earth haunted.
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Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and several of the OG cast members from Hocus Pocus (no Bette Midler, though) reunite for this twenty-fifth anniversary celebration of the beloved film. There will be music, drag queens, and a heavy dose of nostalgia. What more could you want, really?
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It’s hard to believe Wicked debuted on Broadway 15 years ago, but Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, and special guests like Ariana Grande are getting together to celebrate it. It’s time to try defying gravity.
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Aside from that creepy dummy with the chattering mouth, not much about the second Goosebumps movie is capital-S scary—despite what the title might suggest.
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Comedy-horror series tend to lean more on the comedy than horror, and Stan Against Evil is no exception. Season three of the hit IFC series debuts tonight.
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The title of this thriller is pretty self-explanatory: A seemingly normal 17-year-old girl’s world is flipped upside down when she stars exhibiting zombielike symptoms. Because this is a Lifetime movie, though, expect more over-the-top laughs than actual scares—which, let’s be real, is more fun, anyway.
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Madeleine Mantock, Melonie Diaz, and Sarah Jeffery are the stars of this 2018 take on Charmed. There’s a feminist tone that drives this reboot, making it both fitting and fun for the times.
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From Hulu comes a classic teen thrill ride that will surely satiate your appetite for movies like Prom Night and When a Stranger Calls. This story centers on a group of teenage girls who must deal with the supernatural aftermath of playing a game of Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board. The horror part comes in when they start dying off in the exact same way the game predicted.
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Based on a true story, this movie centers on two 12-year-old girls who think a monster in the woods will hurt them and their families unless they give it a human sacrifice. So they plot to kill their other friend, who miraculously survives the attack, leading to the arrest of her two friends.
Make no mistake: This isn’t a remake of the classic nineties series starring Melissa Joan Hart. Instead, we’re introduced to a new Sabrina, played by Kiernan Shipka, who must decide on her sixteenth birthday if she wants to stay mortal or become fully a witch—and give her soul to the devil in the process.
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Because what’s scarier to watch on Halloween than a group of people investigating actual paranormal activity in real time?
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Actually, I know the answer to that: monsters. It’s scarier watching people try to find monsters.
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Kim Cattrall stars in this new series from CBS All Access, in which your favorite childhood stories are retold through a psychological thriller lens.
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The second season of this gripping and creepy series will document the appeals of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey, who were found guilty in 2007 for the murder of Teresa Halbach.
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The second season of this horror anthology series, based on the popular podcast, will be available on Amazon streaming on October 19. Each episode has its own self-contained—and horrifying— story, so it’s hard to say what you should expect. Besides, ya know, scariness.
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Syfy’s genuinely terrifying anthology show is back with a whole new Creepypasta story. This one centers on a newlywed couple who discovers a hidden door in their house.
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Dan Stevens stars in this atmospheric period film about a brother who travels to an isolated island to rescue her sister from a cult that kidnapped her.
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Based on the 1959 book of the same name, this new series from Netflix follows a family who returns to their old house and rediscovers all the eerie reasons they left it in the first place.
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The truth is always stranger (and scarier) than fiction, which is why this new Netflix series—in which real people retell their experiences with the paranormal—will send a shiver down your spine.
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Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton star in this truly disturbing remake of the classic seventies horror film, in which a young American dancer joins a prestigious Berlin ballet academy unaware of the fact that it’s run by witches.
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It would feel wrong if this highly anticipated sequel didn’t top our list. Jamie Lee Curtis returns to the role that made her a household name, only this time she’s older, wiser, and hellbent on killing Michael Myers when he returns to her neighborhood on Halloween night.
Netflix is debuting a new reality TV show next month, and it’s basically the IRL version of A Star Is Born. On Thursday (October 11), the streaming giant dropped the trailer for this new show, which is called Westside and follows nine aspiring singer-songwriters as they attempt to pursue their dreams of stardom.
In the clip, the celebrity hopefuls alternate between belting their hearts out, butting heads over their competing egos, and casually dropping one-liners like, “We’re going to mine our lives for the truths we want to share.” Yup. It goes deep!
You may recognize some of the faces of Westside. According to Entertainment Weekly, the cast includes Pia Toscano, who appeared on the 10th season of American Idol and placed ninth, as well as Taz Zavala, Arika Gluck, James Byous, Caitlin Ary, Leo Gallo, Alexandra Kay, Austin Kolbe, and Sean Patrick Murray, all of whom have already released a few songs on their own, to minor success. On the show, they’ll put out at least 18 songs, per EW, likely a mix of solo singles and group collabs.
Watch the trailer for yourself, below:
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Westside starts streaming on Netflix November 9. If you’re already hungry for more of this Glee meets The Hills goodness, you can stream one of the songs featured in the trailer, “We Are the Ones,” right now.
This isn’t the only music-inspired movie or TV show premiering this year. You also have Bohemian Rhapsody, the Freddy Mercury biopic, to look forward to in November, as well as Vox Lux, the explosive indie movie coming out in December where Natalie Portman plays a Gaga-esque pop star.
Now that we’re fully into October, it’s time to queue up some scary TV shows and movies. Thankfully, this week’s TV and movie slate covers all levels of spookiness—from the harmless (Halloween Cake-Off) to the unnerving (Light as a Feather). Of course, there are other things premiering that are just fall-inspired and have next to no scares, like Hallmark’s Under the Autumn Moon. And if you want something in between, there’s always Riverdale.
Below, here are all the TV shows and movies airing this week to look out for:
The Walking Dead: Nine seasons in, and we still haven’t fully solved that whole zombie apocalypse issue. 9 P.M. ET on AMC
Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker’s turn as the first female Doctor in this long-running series kicks off tonight. 1:45 P.M. on BBC America
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Halloween Cake-Off: It’s a pretty self-explanatory title. If last year’s spooky dessert competition is any indication, we’re in for some delicious entertainment. 10 P.M. ET on Food
2018 American Music Awards: Taylor Swift will open up tonight’s show with a performance of “I Did Something Bad,” which should’ve absolutely been a single off Reputation. There’s still time to make that happen, Tay. 8 P.M. ET on ABC
The Flash: Don’t worry, millennials: Your weekly dose of Grant Gustin is returning. 8 P.M. ET on The CW
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Riverdale: Archie’s on trial. Betty’s mom might be joining a cult. Toni and Cheryl are finally couple! There’s so much intrigue going into the season three premiere of Riverdale. We’re excited to see what happens. 8 P.M. ET on The CW
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Supernatural: Because we know you’re still watching this show. (Don’t worry, millions of people are, too.) Season 14 (yup, 14) begins tonight. 8 P.M. ET on The CW
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Light as a Feather: An innocent round of Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board goes horribly wrong for five high school girls, who start dying off in the way the game predicted. Streaming on Hulu
The Romanoffs: Is it possible that eight people with different backgrounds from all around the world are a part of the same royal family? We’ll find out when this fun new series from Amazon drops. Streaming on Amazon
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The Wedding of Princess Eugenie of York Jack Brooksbank: Royal wedding fans, you’re in luck. TLC is airing the full wedding, plus other coverage surrounding the nuptials of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank! Coverage starts 4:25 A.M. ET on TLC
Under the Autumn Moon: An executive finds herself falling in love with a small town ranch owner in this picturesque Hallmark movie. Sometimes you just want to watch something sweet, am I right? 9 P.M. ET on Hallmark
The wait is over, people: A Star Is Born, the highly-anticipated remake directed by Bradley Cooper and starring Lady Gaga (and Cooper!), comes out this Friday, October 5. What? You haven’t been counting down for this moment since June? Just me? Cool.
In all seriousness, this movie is going to be all anyone talks about after the weekend. With an impressive 94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s already won the hearts of critics, not to mention Gaga’s legion of fans. How will it fare with the general public, though? We’ll have to wait and see.
There are other exciting movies and TV shows dropping this week, as well. Below, a non-exhaustive list.
God Friended Me: An atheist receives the surprise of a lifetime when actual God sends him a friend request in Facebook. Yeah, the title is pretty on the nose. 8:30 P.M. ET on CBS
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Queen of the World: Meghan Markle and her wedding dress make an already-iconic appearance in this new documentary about Queen Elizabeth II. 8 P.M. ET on HBO
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Broken Things: From bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes this new mystery about three young women whose friendship is tested after suspicious events happen in their town. Book available now
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RBG: This moving documentary about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is now available for your streaming pleasure. Streaming on Hulu
Will & Grace: Season two of the insanely popular Will & Grace reboot kicks off tonight. Here’s hoping it includes another episode of Will explaining to 23-year-old gays why Madonna is important (something I, a 25-year-old gay, do on a daily basis). 9 P.M. ET on NBC
I Feel Bad: The first season of NBC’s new show, from producer Amy Poehler, about a mom constantly plagued with unnecessary guilt, officially begins tonight after a preview from September 19. 9:30 P.M. ET on NBC
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In the Dark: From Jason Blum comes a new anthology horror series that will air new super-sized installments every month. Good luck sleeping. Streaming on Hulu
The Man in the High Castle: This dystopian alternate history series is truly nerve-wracking, and it starts its third season today. Alexa Davalos and Rupert Evans star. Streaming on Amazon
Super Mario Party: Because who doesn’t need another Mario game to pass the time?! Video game now available
A Star Is Born: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper star in the fourth remake of this classic story about a male star on the decline who helps a female performer achieve fame beyond her wildest dreams…at a major cost. In theaters
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Falling for You: A local radio DJ hosts a Bachelor Bake-Off to raise funds for her station in this charming new movie from Hallmark. 9 P.M. ET on Hallmark
For more than 15 years, Amy Poehler has been developing her own TV shows with her Los Angeles–based production company, Paper Kite. And one look at her latest slate of projects—from a crafting competition series to a cult-loved comedy about stoner besties—proves the 47-year-old Emmy winner has anything but narrow tastes. Here, four projects that got her to “yes.”
