Streaming highlights: Don't miss it this October

Luca Fontana

1.10.2022

Translation: machine translated

New month, new streaming tips. Whether Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+ or Prime Video: Here you can find out what's on streaming services this October.

The end of an era that has seen an arguably unprecedented zombie boom across the entertainment industry. After all, TV zombies never looked so scary or posed such a terrifying and real-feeling threat before - I mean... the Bicycle Girl, my god. Plus a compelling, clever storyline, with interesting main characters and moral dilemmas. At least for five seasons, when the hype peaked at over 17 million viewers per episode.

Then the decay began. Beloved characters were killed off, new ones were half as interesting at best. The storytelling became dull and stupid. But most of all, the titular zombies - the walkers - lost their terror. Became clumsy extras in their own series. "The Walking Dead" lost its drive. Its audience. Only 3 million people tuned in on average per episode during the tenth season. Time to (hopefully) close the chapter gracefully after nearly twelve years - with the last eight episodes of the final, eleventh season.

Start: 3 October
. Where: Disney+ (Star)

Werewolf by Night

Already in my article on the D23 Fanexpo I wrote: "A trailer I celebrate for its otherness." Visually, the nearly 50-minute TV special "Werewolf by Night" is namely strongly reminiscent of the 1950s black-and-white horror films from the house of Hammer Film Productions. This fits in with the Marvel comics of the same name: at the centre is Jack Russell, a Romanian descendant of a family that was once cursed by Count Dracula himself. Since then, all family members turn into wild beasts on their eighteenth birthday. Russell does manage to control his bloodthirsty urges. Over time, he even repeatedly helps other Marvel heroines fight monsters, including Moon Knight. But first and foremost, he is still trying to break the family curse.

The short film, like all Marvel material, appears on Disney+. All the more surprising that the trailer looks pleasantly creepy and even bloody. It is also directed by Michael Giacchino, actually a film composer, among others for "Doctor Strange", the "Spider-Man: Homecoming" trilogy and "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story". An interesting choice.

Start: 7 October
. Where: Disney+

Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes

It's the series that came out on Netflix just a few days ago that got me thinking about this documentary: "DAHMER". It centres on the horrific and gruesome story of Jeffrey Dahmer (Evan Peters), who cruelly killed seventeen black, homosexual people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin between 1978 and 1991. He almost always followed the same pattern: First, he lured the victims into his flat. Then he drugged them. Abused them. Strangled them. Finally, he dismembered the bodies. Photographed his trophies. Skulls. Fingers. Other body parts. Some of which he ate.

Families, acquaintances and neighbours of the victims tried for years to stop Dahmer. They raised the alarm. Begged the authorities to do something. But systemic racism and the institutional failure of the police let him continue his killing spree unnoticed for over a decade. Ghastly. Unbelievable. Rarely have I felt so much rage while watching a series - and I'm only halfway through. Needless to say, I'll be watching the documentary, which features real audio recordings from conversations with Dahmer after his arrest.

Start: 7 October
. Where: Netflix

The Resort

Nothing is as it seems. The premise of "The Resort" is neither new nor innovative. And yet it pulls. Because Emma (Cristin Milioti) and Noah (William Jackson Harper) want nothing more than to give their ten-year-old, stalled marriage a new lease of life. To do this, they are going to a beautiful resort in Mexico. When Emma finds an ancient mobile phone during a trip in the jungle, it puts her on the trail of an unsolved, 15-year-old mystery. Just my thing, this series.

Start: 7 October
. Where: Sky Show with Entertainment Pass

Shantaram

For me, it is the backstory that is most fascinating about "Shantaram". The series is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Gregory David Roberts, and the novel is based on Roberts' own life story. The Australian Roberts was once a 19-year-old convict convicted of robbery. In 1980, he managed to escape from Pentridge Prison in Victoria, New Zealand, in broad daylight. This made him the most wanted man on the continent.

Roberts had to keep moving. Under a false name, he made his way to Bombay, which would not be called Mumbai until 1995. Bombay, however, was to be only a stopover. As part of the Commonwealth, he was finally on the wanted list there too. But then Roberts was robbed. Without money and a forged passport, he could not possibly leave. Roberts had no choice but to go to the slums, where he could hide from the authorities. And so the supposed stopover became a school of life: in the midst of poverty and suffering, he learned not only about culture, people and customs, but also how conflicts are resolved in this densely packed community - until one day he himself spoke fluent Marathi, the local language, and set up a free health clinic to do his bit. And all this is only the beginning of the story...

Start: 14 October
. Where: Apple TV+

Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities

An anthology. What is that actually? In literature, a collection of selected texts or text excerpts, in the broader sense even a thematic compilation of literary, musical or graphic works, published by and under the responsibility of a single editor. In this case, by the master of beautiful and equally terrifying horror: Guillermo del Toro. His "Cabinet of Curiosities" consists of eight short stories he invented, each with its own self-contained plot. They are narrated by some of the most respected horror filmmakers of our time - including the directors of "The Babadook", "Splice", "Mandy" and "Hannibal". Friends of horror: this is your show.

Start: 25 October
. Where: Netflix

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi

From one anthology to the next. But not with eight short stories, but six. And not with horror either, but with "Star Wars" at the centre - I'm not far from fanboy on that one. The short stories were written by "Clone Wars" creator Dave Filoni, who takes on the back stories of two Jedi in "Tales of the Jedi": Count Dooku and Ahsoka Tano. I'm especially curious about Dooku. After all, we've only seen him as a Sith Lord so far. Yet Dooku was once a highly respected member of the Jedi Order, a disciple of Yoda and himself the teacher of none other than Qui-Gon Jinn.

The format has potential. In future seasons, Filoni could also tell short stories from completely different eras. For example, from the "Old Republic" era, with Darth Revan at the centre. Or from the "High Republic" era, which has been told mostly in novels for a few years now. I would so be on board for that. Until that happens, I'll keep watching "Andor". And just so it's said again, "Andor" is fantastic, the best "Star Wars" since "The Mandalorian". Check it out if you haven't already.

Start: 26 October
. Where: Disney+

Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.» more

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