October brings 28 new television series and seasons, as well as films, from the UK and Canada to the US, plus more titles that will debut on select public television stations.
For updates about shows from the UK, Canada, and Ireland added to US linear TV and streaming channels throughout the month, see the British TV Viewing Guide.
(For details about the premieres of shows from Australia, New Zealand, and countries in Europe and other continents, visit The Down Under TV Place, The Euro TV Place, and The Global TV Place.)
Programs and dates are subject to change without prior notice.
Videos below may contain content that is not suitable for everyone.
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NATIONAL PREMIERES
Joan (UK)
Set in the 1980s, this crime drama stars Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, The Staircase) as notorious jewel thief Joan Hannington. Prior to becoming a criminal, Joan is a fiery and uncompromising but deeply-scarred and vulnerable twenty-something woman — a devoted mother to her six-year-old daughter, Kelly (Mia Millichamp-Long), but a wife trapped in a disastrous marriage with a violent criminal named Gary.
When Gary goes on the run, Joan seizes the opportunity to create a new life for herself and her daughter. Adopting new identities and making new acquaintances along the way, Joan becomes a masterful jewel thief. Using her sharp intelligence, charm, and talent for impersonation and performance, she embarks on a thrilling, high-stakes journey that challenges her every limit, driven by her desire to care for Kelly and create a secure home for them both.
Costars include Frank Dillane (Fear the Walking Dead) as Boisie, a London antiques dealer; Kirsty J. Curtis (Match Not Found) as Nancy, Joan’s older sister and a salon worker; Gershwyn Eustache Jr. (I May Destroy You) as Albie, an old acquaintance of Boisie who’s made a new life in Spain; and Laura Aikman (The Split) as Val, Albie’s wife.
Joan premieres in the US on Wednesday, October 2, at 9pm ET, on The CW.
Sullivan’s Crossing: Season 2 (CA)
Based on the best-selling “Sullivan’s Crossing” book series by Robyn Carr, this drama’s new season opens just hours after the Season 1 finale, when neurosurgeon Dr. Maggie Sullivan (Morgan Kohan, When Hope Calls) learned about her father, Sully’s (Scott Patterson, Gilmore Girls), stroke. With her life thrown into turmoil, Maggie opts to delay her return to Boston to care for Sully, and finds herself back in Sullivan’s Crossing. Here, she must face her conflicted feelings about her father once again and address her growing attraction to Cal (Chad Michael Murray, Agent Carter), as she struggles to come to terms with the realities of her pregnancy and the impact it may have on her career.
Sullivan’s Crossing: Season 2 premieres in the US on Wednesday, October 2, at 8pm ET, on The CW.
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“Sullivan’s Crossing” books by Robyn Carr
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Heartstopper: Season 3 (UK)
In the new season of this coming-of-age comedy-drama series, based on the “Heartstopper” graphic novels by series creator Alice Oseman, Charlie (Joe Locke, Agatha All Along) would like to tell Nick (Kit Connor, His Dark Materials) that he loves him, while Nick also has something important to say to Charlie. As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realize that the school year will come with both joys and challenges. And as they learn more about each other and their relationships, plan social events and parties, and start thinking about university choices, everyone must learn to lean on those they love when life doesn’t go to plan.
Heartstopper: Season 3, a Netflix Series, premieres globally on Thursday, October 3, exclusively on Netflix.
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Heartstopper graphic novels by Alice Oseman
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Suspect: Season 2 (UK)
Picking up from where Season 1 left off, the eight-part second season of this psychological mystery-crime drama finds Dr. Susannah Newman (Anne-Marie Duff, Bad Sisters, The Salisbury Poisonings) on a quest to find the truth about her daughter’s tragic death. When a mysterious new client named Jon (Dominic Cooper, Preacher, Mamma Mia!) makes a disturbing confession under hypnosis, Susannah is forced to embark on her own deadly mission to save a life, the way she couldn’t do with her own daughter.
Costarring in the second season are Ben Miller (Professor T, Paddington 2) as Detective Superintendent Richard Groves, Tamsin Greig (Friday Night Dinner, Belgravia) as Natasha Groves, Vinette Robinson (Boiling Point, The Lazarus Project) as Louisa McAdams, Eddie Marsan (The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, Ray Donovan) as Alistair Underwood, Celine Buckens (Showtrial, The Ex-Wife) as Sapphire, Nicholas Pinnock (Top Boy, For Life) as Joseph Buckley, and Gina McKee (Bodyguard, Our Friends in the North) as Kate.
Suspect: Season 2, a BritBox Original, premieres in North America on Thursday, October 3, exclusively on BritBox. Episodes will drop daily in pairs.
The Franchise (US-UK)
This new comedy series follows the crew of an unloved franchise movie fighting for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. It shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero movie-making to ask the question: How exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every f*ck-up has an origin story.
The cast of the eight-episode series includes Himesh Patel (Yesterday), Aya Cash (The Boys), Jessica Hynes (W1A), Billy Magnussen (The Offer), Lolly Adefope (Ghosts), Darren Goldstein (Ozark), and Isaac Powell (American Horror Story). Recurring guest stars include Richard E. Grant (The Outlaws) and Daniel Brühl (The Alienist).
The Franchise, an HBO Original, premieres in the US on Sunday, October 6, at 10pm ET/PT, on HBO, with streaming available on Max.
The Graham Norton Show: Season 32 (UK)
This BAFTA Award-winning talk show is back with a new season featuring the biggest celebrities and the brightest conversation on television. The guest lineup for Episode 1 includes Demi Moore, Lady Gaga, Colin Farrell, and Richard Ayoade, and Episode 2 features Hugh Grant, Sebastian Stan, Greg Davies, and Neneh Cherry. The Graham Norton Show: Season 32 premieres in the US on Tuesday, October 8, on BBC America (11pm ET), AMC+, and Acorn TV.
The Inheritance (UK)
This drama follows siblings Daniel (Robert James-Collier, Downton Abbey), Sian (Gaynor Faye, Emmerdale Farm), and Chloe (Jemima Rooper, Lost in Austen), who are part of a seemingly close and loving family. The trio are left reeling after the sudden death of their father, Dennis (Larry Lamb, EastEnders), and are later devastated to discover that they have not been left their expected inheritance in his will. This leads them to question whether he really did die in an accident, as they were told, or if he was murdered. Their investigation takes them down a dangerous path and sees secrets unravel, relationships ripped apart, and lives lost.
Costarring Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey), Risteard Cooper (No Offence), and Adil Ray (Ackley Bridge), amongst others, The Inheritance premieres in North America as a four-episode binge on Wednesday, October 9, exclusively on BritBox.
The Hunt for the Chameleon Killer (UK)
This true-crime docuseries focuses on presumed serial killer Elaine Parent. After a headless, handless body is discovered in a Florida canal in 1990, law enforcement begins a search for the killer, which takes them all the way to London before the trail goes cold. What ensues is a string of stolen identities, wrongful accusations, and a twelve-year cat-and-mouse chase across multiple countries as authorities close in on the most wanted woman in the world. Exploring all of the crimes of Elaine Parent, the program uncovers every potential victim and determines whether law enforcement is correct in their belief that she was a serial killer.
The Hunt for the Chameleon Killer, a Sundance Now Original Series, premieres in the US on Thursday, October 10, exclusively on Sundance Now and AMC+.
Sweetpea (UK)
Ella Purnell (Fallout, Yellowjackets) stars in this dark comedy-drama as Rhiannon Lewis, a quiet wallflower who doesn’t make much of an impression on anyone: People walk past her in the street without a second glance; she’s continually overlooked for a promotion at work; and the guy she likes won’t commit. On top of all that, her dad is really, really sick. When Rhiannon is pushed over the edge, she loses control and the wallflower is replaced by a young woman capable of anything, including murder.
The cast of the six-episode series includes Nicôle Lecky (Mood), Jon Pointing (Smothered), Calam Lynch (Bridgerton), Leah Harvey (Foundation), Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso), and Dustin Demri-Burns (Slow Horses).
Sweetpea premieres in the US on Thursday, October 10, at midnight on the Starz app. On linear, it debuts on Starz at 8pm ET/PT in the US and on Friday, October 11, at 10pm ET/PT in Canada. The show moves to its regular Friday timeslot starting October 18, dropping at midnight on the Starz app and airing on linear at 8pm ET/PT in the US and 10pm ET/PT in Canada for the rest of the season.
Daddy’s Head (UK)
In this horror film, a young boy is left in the eerie solitude of a sprawling country estate with his newly-widowed stepmother after his father’s untimely death. His stepmother, struggling to navigate the overwhelming task of parenthood, grows distant, leaving their fragile bond at risk of collapse. Amidst the growing tension, the boy begins to hear unsettling sounds echoing through the corridors. Soon, he is haunted by the presence of a grotesque creature bearing a disturbingly familiar resemblance to his late father. But as the boy’s warnings are dismissed as the imagination of a grieving child, the sinister entity tightens its grip on their crumbling lives.
Starring Julia Brown (Shetland), Kaisa Hammarlund (Hijack), and Charles Aitken (The Knick), Daddy’s Head, a Shudder Original Film, premieres in the US on Friday, October 11, exclusively on Shudder and AMC+.
Disclaimer (UK-US)
Written and directed by five-time Academy Award® winner Alfonso Cuarón (Roma, Gravity), and based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Renée Knight, this seven-part psychological thriller stars Academy Award® winners Cate Blanchett (The Aviator, Tár) and Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda, French Kiss).
The series follows Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett), an acclaimed journalist who built her reputation by revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others. When she receives a novel from an unknown author, she is horrified to realize that she is now the main character in a story that exposes her darkest secrets. As Catherine races to uncover the writer’s true identity, she is forced to confront her past before it destroys both her own life and her relationships with her husband, Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7), and their son, Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee, Elvis).
The ensemble cast also includes Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread), Louis Partridge (Medici), Leila George (Animal Kingdom), and Hoyeon (Squid Game).
Disclaimer premieres globally with its first two episodes on Friday, October 11, exclusively on Apple TV+. New episodes will drop every Friday through November 15.
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Disclaimer: A Novel by Renée Knight
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Race Across the World: Seasons 3-4 (UK)
In the third season of this BAFTA-winning reality TV competition series, five pairs of intrepid travelers race across North America from ocean to ocean. Starting at the very edge of the Pacific in Vancouver, Canada, the teams journey over 16,000 kilometers across six time zones, all at ground level, to the finish line perched on St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, North America’s most easterly city on the rugged Atlantic coast. Without the use of air travel or any of the trappings of modern-day life, the pairs must navigate their way through the very edges of civilization, taking in vast prairies, untouched wilderness, and great lakes, with only the cash equivalent of the airfare to their final destination.
The setting for Season 4 is Eastern Asia, where five new intrepid duos battle it out in a breathtaking 15,000-kilometre race across several countries. From northernmost Japan, they will cross six seas and eight borders, skirting the path of the volcanic Ring of Fire, the most geologically unstable region on the planet, to reach the finish line in Lombok, an idyllic Indonesian island paradise. Leaving behind their smartphones, internet access, and bank cards, the race will test the five teams like never before, pushing them to both their physical and emotional limits. But with their feet on the ground and their eyes wide open, the rewards will be great and the memories will be everlasting. Only one team can emerge victorious as they all vie to be first and claim the cash prize of £20,000.
Race Across the World: Season 3 premieres in North America as a nine-episode binge on Friday, October 11, on BritBox, followed by the complete Season 4 on Friday, October 18.
Beyond Black Beauty (CA)
This new family drama series follows young equestrian Jolie Dumont (Kaya Coleman, Dangerous Game: The Legacy Murders), whose Olympic dreams are dashed when her mother moves them from Belgium to her family’s urban ranch in Baltimore. An angry Jolie wants to escape until she bonds with a spirited horse named Black Beauty. Jolie will learn to embrace her heritage while continuing toward her Olympic-hopeful future and discover the value of family and home.
Costarring Gina James (Transplant), Sagine Sémajuste (Grand Army), Lisa Berry (Supernatural), and Gilles Marini (Sex and the City), Beyond Black Beauty, an Amazon Original series, premieres in the US and UK on Tuesday, October 15, exclusively on Prime Video. (You can add it to your watchlist now.)
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Add Beyond Black Beauty to your watchlist
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Ancient Apocalypse: The Americas (UK)
In this spinoff docuseries, presenter Graham Hancock explores the Americas in search of a prehistoric society whose ancient knowledge has been passed down and spread across the continents.
Ancient Apocalypse: The Americas, a Netflix Documentary, premieres globally on Wednesday, October 16, exclusively on Netflix. (You can set a reminder for it now.)
I Am a Killer: Season 5 (UK)
From a man who killed his grandmother to an armed robber who claims he didn’t know his gun was loaded, convicted murderers recall their crimes firsthand in the new season of this true-crime docuseries.
I Am a Killer: Season 5, a Netflix Documentary, premieres globally on Wednesday, October 16, exclusively on Netflix.
Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare (UK)
From the producers of The Tinder Swindler and American Nightmare comes this documentary about a catfishing story. After Kirat accepts a friend request from a guy named Bobby, their online-only relationship slowly turns to romance and she falls for him, never guessing that he is not all that he appears to be and that their virtual relationship will end up upending her life for years.
Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare, a Netflix Documentary, premieres globally on Wednesday, October 16, exclusively on Netflix. (You can set a reminder for it now.)
The Midwich Cuckoos: Village of the Damned (UK)
Based on the novel The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham, this horror-mystery drama sees every person inside the small English village of Midwich suddenly and inexplicably fall unconscious on a summer evening. As they recover from the devastating effects of the blackout, a horrifying discovery is made. Something deeply disturbing and supernatural has taken root, and the idyllic town will never be the same again.
Starring Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard), Max Beesley (The Gentlemen), Ukweli Roach (Annika), and Aisling Loftus (A Discovery of Witches), amongst others, The Midwich Cuckoos: Village of the Damned premieres in the US on Thursday, October 17, on Acorn TV, Sundance Now, and AMC+. New episodes will drop weekly on Thursdays through November 28.
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The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
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Passenger (UK)
In this mystery series, Katie (Rowan Robinson, A Haunting in Venice) is driving Oskar home through the eerily silent, snow-covered forest outside their village of Chadder Vale when something scary crashes into her car. After she stops and follows whatever the thing is, it abducts her. Called to investigate the disappearance is DS Riya (Wunmi Mosaku, Loki), a local policewoman who’s always searched for that “one big crime” — that one challenge that will make her feel completely alive again.
Then Katie returns the next day, and none of this sits right with Riya. Where did Katie go? Why does she seem changed now that she’s back? And why won’t she open up about what happened? Katie’s disappearance is the first of a series of strange happenings that start unfolding within the village. The other villagers ignore them or resort to shortsighted theories, blaming outside influences for what’s going on. As Riya investigates strange things that keep happening, her discoveries add up to something bigger and weirder, leading her to a mind-blowing secret that’s been hidden beneath the village bread factory for years…
Costars include David Threlfall (Shameless), Barry Sloane (The Bay), Arian Nik (Still So Awkward), Ella Bruccoleri (Call the Midwife), Natalie Gavin (Gentleman Jack), Daniel Ryan (The Bay), and Sean Gilder (Mary & George), amongst others.
Passenger, a BritBox Original, premieres with two episodes on Thursday, October 17, starting at 9pm ET, exclusively on BritBox. New episodes will be released in pairs through the finale on October 31.
The Devil’s Hour: Season 2 (UK)
Following on from the events in Season 1, the new season of this supernatural/sci-fi mystery series sees social worker Lucy Chambers (Jessica Raine, Patrick Melrose) and serial killer Gideon (Peter Capaldi, Criminal Record) form an uneasy alliance in order to prevent a recurring tragedy and hunt down an elusive monster. Lucy’s double life sees her torn between family and duty, as she finds herself in the crosshairs of DI Ravi Dhillon (Nikesh Patel, Starstruck), her past-life husband. Assisting Dhillon in his investigation is DS Sam Boyd (Saffron Hocking, Top Boy), who was mentored by DI Lucy Chambers in a previous life. Meanwhile, Lucy’s son, Isaac (Benjamin Chivers, Napoleon), is discovering new emotions every day and struggling to keep his balance in a reality that rejects his existence.
Also returning for the new season are Rhiannon Harper-Rafferty (Midsomer Murders), Meera Syal (Goodness Gracious Me), Alex Ferns (Chernobyl), Thomas Dominique (Stay Close), Barbara Marten (Sanctuary), and Phil Dunster (Ted Lasso).
The Devil’s Hour: Season 2, an Amazon UK Original Series, premieres globally on Friday, October 18, exclusively on Prime Video.
Rivals (US-UK)
Based on the book Rivals by Dame Jilly Cooper, the second title in her best-selling “Rutshire Chronicles” novels, this series, set in the (fictional) county of Rutshire against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England, dives headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986.
A long-simmering power struggle between Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell, The Boys), a dangerously charismatic rake, ex-Olympian, and Member of Parliament, and Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant, Doctor Who), the controller of Corinium Television and Rupert’s single-mindedly ambitious and egotistical adversary, threatens to boil over when the two men lock horns over the future of Corinium. Caught in the crossfire of the long-simmering feud between them is Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner, Poldark), a fiercely intellectual journalist and TV presenter with an even fiercer temper.
After being wooed to Corinium TV from the BBC by Baddingham himself, Declan feels he’s been swindled when Tony refuses to deliver on his promises. Furious with Tony, Declan vows to get his revenge. This leaves Declan’s tender-hearted and strong-willed eldest daughter, Taggie (Bella Maclean, Sex Education), to keep the O’Hara family together, including her fickle, bohemian, former-actress mother, Maud (Victoria Smurfit, Bloodlands), and her younger and wilder sister, Caitlin (Catriona Chandler, Pistol). Taggie also becomes an unexpected temptation for Rupert.
Meanwhile, Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams, Black Lighting), a ferociously talented American TV executive who is brought to England by Tony to produce Declan’s new prime-time talk show, soon finds herself caught between these two powerful men, both of whom deeply underestimate her… at their peril. And romantic novelist Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson, Here We Go) is suffering from a distinct lack of romance in her life due to being consistently overlooked by her preening and self-centered TV presenter husband, James Vereker (Oliver Chris, The Crown).
The eight-episode series also stars Danny Dyer (EastEnders) as the honorable, loyal, and lovable self-made electronics millionaire Freddie Jones; Lisa McGrillis (Mum) as Freddie’s social-climbing wife, Valerie; Claire Rushbrook (Sherwood) as Lady Monica Baddingham, Tony’s dependable, upper-crust wife; Luke Pasqualino (The Musketeers) as the charming Basil “Bas” Baddingham, Tony’s younger brother and the proprietor of Cotchester’s hot spot, Bar Sinister; Rufus Jones (Home) as Deputy Prime Minister Paul Stratton; and Emily Atack (The Inbetweeners) as Paul’s new wife, Sarah.
Rivals premieres in the US on Friday, October 18, exclusively on Hulu.
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“Rutshire Chronicles” novels by Jilly Cooper
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Whitstable Pearl: Season 3 (UK)
In the new season of this fan-favorite mystery-crime drama series, based on the much-loved “Whitstable Pearl Mysteries” book series by Julie Wassmer, Pearl Nolan’s (Kerry Godliman, After Life) restaurant, the Whitstable Pearl, is thriving, as is her detective sideline. After some time away, DCI Mike McGuire (Howard Charles, Top Boy) returns to Whitstable, reenergized, and determined to make progress in his quest for self-healing. He and Pearl continue to make a formidable team as they work through various cases together, with Pearl never needing Mike’s help as much as he needs hers. As cracks start to show in Pearl and Tom’s (Robert Webb, Back) relationship, and Mike finally comes to terms with how his wife died, will Pearl and Mike finally acknowledge their deep feelings for one another?
As far as investigations go, Pearl wants to know why a young mum, who went missing seven years ago, is back after being spotted on Whitstable Beach. And after a little girl goes missing at the Whitstable Psychic Fair, Pearl has to join forces with a psychic to help find her.
Costarring Frances Barber (The Chelsea Detective), Isobelle Molloy (EastEnders), and Sophia del Pizzo (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Whitstable Pearl: Season 3, an Acorn TV Original, premieres in the US on Monday, October 21, exclusively on Acorn TV. New episodes drop on Mondays through November 25.
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“Whitstable Pearl Mysteries” novels by Julie Wassmer
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Canary Black (UK)
Kate Beckinsale (The Widow, “Underworld” films) stars in this action thriller as Avery Graves, a top CIA operative who is blackmailed by terrorists into betraying her own country to save her kidnapped husband. Cut off from her team, she turns to her underworld contacts to survive and help locate the coveted intelligence that the kidnappers want. Betrayed at every turn, she must rely on her cutting-edge training and primitive fighting skills in a deadly race to deliver a ransom that could trigger a global crisis.
Costarring the late Ray Stevenson (Vikings), Rupert Friend (Anatomy of a Scandal), Jaz Hutchins (The Ipcress File), Goran Kostic (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan), and Ben Miles (The Capture), Canary Black, an Amazon Original Film, premieres globally on Thursday, October 24, exclusively on Prime Video. (You can add it to your watchlist now.)
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Add Canary Black to your watchlist
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The Marlow Murder Club (UK)
Adapted from the novel The Marlow Murder Club, the first title in “The Marlow Murder Club” series of mystery stories penned by Robert Thorogood, the creator of the hit shows Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise, this four-part whodunit series stars Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey, Home Fires) along with Jo Martin (Doctor Who, Back to Life), Cara Horgan (The Sandman, Traitors), and Natalie Dew (Sandylands, The Capture).
The story centers on retired archaeologist Judith Potts (Bond), who lives alone in a faded mansion in the peaceful town of Marlow, filling her time by setting crosswords for the local paper. During one of her regular swims in the Thames, Judith hears a gunshot and believes a brutal murder has taken place. When the police are reluctant to believe her story, Judith finds herself forming an unlikely friendship with local dog-walker and empty-nester Suzie Harris (Martin) and unfulfilled vicar’s wife Becks Starling (Horgan), and the three amateur sleuths start an investigation of their own. Eventually asked to assist with the official police investigation, headed by newly-promoted DS Tanika Malik (Dew), the women must piece together clues, grill suspect witnesses, and face down real danger as they work against the clock to stop the killer in their tracks.
The Marlow Murder Club premieres in the US on Sunday, October 27, at 9pm ET on PBS (check your local listings), with streaming available on PBS.org, the PBS app, the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel, and PBS Passport.
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The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood
“The Marlow Murder Club” novels by Robert Thorogood
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Murder in the Village: Who Killed the Doctor’s Wife? (UK)
This two-part true-crime docuseries investigates one of Britain’s most baffling cold cases. Dr. Robert Jones was the beloved local GP in the picture-perfect town of Coggeshall in Essex. Married to the beautiful Diane Jones, the couple lived in a stunning 16th-century farmhouse and their lives appeared idyllic. But in July 1983, Diane suddenly vanished and, tragically, her body was later discovered with clear signs that she had been murdered. Despite an extensive police investigation, no culprit was ever found. Forty years later, the show explores new evidence to investigate who killed her. With first-person testimony from police detectives, friends, and neighbors, this series peels back the shocking layers to reveal that truth is stranger than fiction, and that the reality of Diane’s secret life was far from what anyone imagined.
Murder in the Village: Who Killed the Doctor’s Wife? premieres in North America on Monday, October 28, exclusively on BritBox.
Inside No. 9: Season 9 (UK)
It’s a bittersweet return of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s critically-acclaimed and BAFTA Award-winning anthology series, as the ninth season is the final season. From the elegance of an Edwardian country house to the grim reality of the last train home, from nosy neighbors to grave robbers, and from illicit visits to the toilet to a ticking clock in a sinister escape room, this last-ever collection of stories, each one set behind a door marked No. 9, is sure to send the series off with a bang.
Once again, there are exceptional guest stars to look forward to, including Dorothy Atkinson (Mum), Mark Bonnar (Guilt), Charlie Cooper (This Country), Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones), Philippa Dunne (Derry Girls), Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley), Joel Fry (Plebs), Katherine Kelly (The Long Shadow), Matthew Kelly (Cold Blood), Eddie Marsan (Vera Drake), Vinette Robinson (Boiling Point), Adrian Scarborough (The Chelsea Detective), Hayley Squires (Adult Material), and Susan Wokoma (Chewing Gum).
Inside No. 9: Season 9 premieres in North America as a six-episode binge on Wednesday, October 30, exclusively on BritBox.
The Manhattan Alien Abduction (UK)
A woman claims to have been abducted from her bedroom in Manhattan. This docuseries explores whether it was an elaborate hoax or proof of alien life.
The Manhattan Alien Abduction, a Netflix Documentary, premieres globally on Wednesday, October 30, exclusively on Netflix. (You can set a reminder for it now.)
The Diplomat: Season 2 (UK-US)
In the new season of this Emmy®-nominated political thriller, a deadly explosion in the heart of London shatters US Ambassador Kate Wyler’s (Keri Russell, The Americans) world. Struggling to rebuild the lives that broke and the team that split apart, Kate’s worst fears unfold: The attack that brought her to the UK didn’t come from a rival nation; rather, it came from inside the British government. As Kate chases the truth, her only real ally is her almost-ex-husband, Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell, The Man in the High Castle), who is very much alive and very much involved. Now, Kate faces a fraught marriage, a complex dynamic with British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi, Carnival Row), and a threatening visit from Vice President Grace Penn (guest star Allison Janney, Mom).
Costars include Ali Ahn (Orange Is the New Black), Rory Kinnear (Bank of Dave), and Ato Essandoh (Chicago Med), along with Celia Imrie (Better Things), Michael McKean (Better Call Saul), Nana Mensah (Presumed Innocent), and Miguel Sandoval (Station 19).
The Diplomat: Season 2, a Netflix Series, premieres globally on Thursday, October 31, exclusively on Netflix.
LOCAL/REGIONAL PREMIERES
Chopin Saved My Life (UK)
Featuring commentary from four of the world’s greatest pianists — Vladimir Ashkenazy, Lang Lang, Imogen Cooper, and Stephen Hough — and two young pianists from opposite sides of the world, this documentary film from BAFTA- and Emmy® Award-winning director James Kent (Fellow Travelers) powerfully illustrates how Chopin’s masterwork, “Ballade Number 1,” can still transform lives in extraordinary ways. Chopin Saved My Life is confirmed for airing on or after Tuesday, October 1, on these public TV stations and state/regional networks: Idaho Public Television, KUEN, Nebraska Public Media, PBS Hawai’i, WNED, WNEO, and WPSU.
Ghost Stories (UK)
This anthology series features six spooky half-hour horror dramatizations inspired by the short stories of M.R. James and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, each written and directed by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock).
- Episode #101 — “The Tractate Middoth” — Apparently, Dr. Rant’s wicked streak continues from beyond the grave. After a relative, John Eldred (John Castle, Agatha Christie’s Marple: A Murder Is Announced), goes to the university library to find the book The Tractate Middoth, young librarian William Garrett (Sacha Dhawan, The Great) is drawn into a family feud over a will and its legacy… with terrifying consequences.
- Episode #102 — “The Dead Room” — Aubrey Judd (Simon Callow, Four Weddings and a Funeral), the veteran radio presenter of “The Dead Room,” soon realizes that elements of his past are not as dead and buried as he had hoped.
- Episode #103 — “Martin’s Close” — John Martin (Wilf Scolding, Andor), on trial for his life in 1684, is facing the infamous “hanging judge” George Jeffreys (Elliot Levey, We Were the Lucky Ones). However, this is not a cut-and-dried murder case, as the girl the lad is accused of killing has been seen after her death. Peter Capaldi (The Devil’s Hour) also stars.
- Episode #104 — “The Mezzotint” — It’s 1822, and Mr. Williams (Rory Kinnear, Quantum of Solace) receives a mysterious mezzotint from a London art dealer. It seems to be an uninteresting picture of a large country house at night, but he soon realizes that a sinister figure in the picture moves each time he looks at it.
- Episode #105 — “Count Magnus” — Mr. Wraxhall (Jason Watkins, The Crown), an author of travelogues, stumbles across an ancient manor house inhabited by a lonely Swedish aristocrat, a descendant of the late Count Magnus, known locally as a merciless landowner who would burn down houses he felt encroached on his land, sometimes with tenants inside. As Wraxhall delves deeper into the tyrannical figure, he discovers the Count made an unholy pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Legend has it that he brought something, or someone, back with him, and Wraxhall’s inquiries lead him on a terrifying journey of discovery.
- Episode #106 — “Lot 249” — In 1884 Oxford, university life is disrupted when Bellingham (Freddie Fox, Slow Horses), an expert in Eastern languages with an unhealthy interest in arcane practices, falls into a dead faint. Has the young student’s passion for Egyptian artifacts, including a blackened mummy, gone too far? Rumors grow. There’s talk of strange sounds emerging from Bellingham’s room deep in the night. One student is strangled. Another is hurled in the river. Both had bad blood with Bellingham. Has a student spat spiraled out of control? Or are supernatural powers in play? Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) also stars.
Ghost Stories is confirmed for its US linear TV debut to start on or after Tuesday, October 1, on these public TV stations and state/regional networks: KERA, KLRU, KTWU, KWSU, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, PBS Wisconsin, WLRN, WNED, and WPTO.
(For viewers whose public TV stations aren’t on the above list, fret not! The first four episodes are currently available for streaming on BritBox.)
NON-PREMIERE PROGRAMS BEING ADDED TO STREAMING SERVICES
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on Acorn TV and its digital channels, including Acorn TV on Prime Channels.
Des (UK)
This true-crime drama centers on serial killer Dennis Nilsen (David Tennant, Broadchurch), a civil servant who lured boys and young men on the streets of London’s Soho back to his flat, where he murdered them. When Nilsen was finally caught on February 9, 1983, he had murdered a total of fifteen men over a five-year period between 1978 and 1983, making him Britain’s most prolific serial killer of the time. Des begins streaming Monday, October 7.
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The Scarlet Pimpernel (UK)
In this classic adventure and romance period drama, based on the novels The Scarlet Pimpernel and Eldorado by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, British aristocrat Sir Percy Blakeney (Anthony Andrews, Brideshead Revisited) appears to be a vain and shallow man, but, in the guise of his alter ego, the Scarlet Pimpernel, he is a courageous swordsman. As the Pimpernel, Blakeney works to free Gallic nobility from death during the fervor of the French Revolution. However, Blakeney’s life of luxury with his beautiful bride, Marguerite (Jane Seymour, Harry Wild), is threatened when the French send sinister operative Chauvelin (Sir Ian McKellen, “Lord of the Rings” films) to stop the Pimpernel at any cost. The Scarlet Pimpernel begins streaming Monday, October 7.
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Collected Works of Baroness Emma Orczy
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Missing: Seasons 1-2 (UK)
Pauline Quirke (Broadchurch) stars in this drama as DS Mary Jane “MJ” Croft, who heads a team at a busy Missing Persons Unit that solves disappearances, reunites families, and brings closure to those left behind. Missing: Seasons 1-2 begins streaming Monday, October 14.
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on BritBox and its digital channels, including BritBox on Prime Channels.
Shameless: Seasons 1-5 (UK)
This BAFTA-winning dramedy series starring David Threlfall (Code of a Killer) is the show the hit American series is based on. Set in Manchester, it revolves around the Gallaghers, a dysfunctional, working-class family living on the (fictional) Chatsworth council estate. Shameless: Season 1 begins streaming Tuesday, October 1, followed by Season 2 on October 8, Season 3 on October 15, Season 4 on October 22, and Season 5 on October 29.
Prison: Seasons 1-2 (UK)
Filmed over seven months inside HMP Durham, this docuseries offers unprecedented access to life behind bars. With a rare opportunity to film inside an English prison, the three-part series tells the human story of both the staff and prisoners and the real issues they face. Prison: Seasons 1-2 begins streaming Monday, October 14, 2024
Not Going Out: Seasons 2-4 (UK)
Following Megan Dodd’s (MI-5) departure from the show, Sally Bretton (Beyond Paradise) joined the cast of this long-running comedy series created by and starring Lee Mack (Would I Lie to You?). Bretton plays Lucy, Tim’s (Time Vine, The Sketch Show) sister and (the fictional) Lee’s new flatmate and landlord. Also new to the cast in Season 2 is Katy Wix (Ghosts) as Daisy, Tim’s ditzy girlfriend. Not Going Out: Seasons 2-4 begins streaming Friday, October 25.
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on Hulu.
Coroner: Complete Series (CA)
Inspired by the best-selling series of “Coroner Jenny Cooper” novels by Matthew Hall, this drama stars Serinda Swan (Reacher) as the recently-widowed Dr. Jenny Cooper, a new coroner who investigates suspicious, unnatural, or sudden deaths in Toronto. Reflecting the rich diversity of the city, each death brings Jenny into a new arena and sparks on buzzworthy themes. Jenny taps into her intuition as much as her intellect and heart as she solves cases with the help of homicide detective Donovan McAvoy (Roger Cross, Dark Matter), a man who isn’t afraid of challenging the status quo; pathologist Dr. Dwayne Allen (Lovell Adams-Gray, Power Book II: Ghost) and his assistant River Baitz (Kiley May, Soft); and Alison Trent (Tamara Podemski, Outer Range), Jenny’s assistant who keeps it real. And while Jenny solves mysterious deaths, she also deals with clinical anxiety and her teenage son, Ross (Ehren Kassam, Degrassi: Next Class), who is still grieving the death of his father and dealing with the prospect of starting a new relationship with the enigmatic Liam (Éric Bruneau, The Night Logan Woke Up). All 4 seasons of Coroner begin streaming Tuesday, October 8.
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“Coroner Jenny Cooper” books by Matthew Hall
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Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on Netflix.
See for Me (CA)
In this thriller film, visually-impaired former skier Sophie (Skyler Davenport, NCIS: Los Angeles) is house-sitting a wealthy client’s luxurious, secluded mansion when a group of thieves breaks in to rob the place. To get help, Sophie uses the “See for Me” smartphone app, which connects her to Kelly (Jessica Parker Kennedy, The Flash), an army veteran and gamer living across the country, who uses the app to see Sophie’s surroundings and guide her actions. See for Me begins streaming Sunday, October 6.
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Did you miss any of the new shows from previous days, weeks, or months? Check out the British TV Viewing Guide and Archives to find out.
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