Monster: The Ed Gein Story
From Friday, October 3rd, Netflix
Your grandparents were terrified by Hitchcock’s Psycho; your parents were creeped out by Silence of the Lambs. But both films were inspired by one monster who ruled them all: Ed Gein, perhaps the United States’ most notorious serial killer. A psychotic loner with a twisted Oedipus complex, Gein perpetrated his gruesome deeds in a lonely house in the snowy wastes of Wisconsin in the 1950s, abducting and killing his victims, and using their corpses to make human masks and suits. Gein’s horrific crimes have long fascinated Hollywood, and his influence is visible in an entire genre of slasher movies, including The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Charlie Hunnam immerses himself in the role of Gein, with Laurie Metcalf as his mother, Augusta, the object of his deadly obsession, and Addison Rae as Evelyn, believed to have been one of his many victims. This is the third instalment in the Monster anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, following The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
Boots
From Thursday, October 9th, Netflix
Back in the 1990s it was illegal for gay people to be in the military, so many young recruits had so stay under the radar. This comedy-drama series follows a closeted marine recruit, Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer), as he navigates the hazards of boot camp while trying to hide his true self. He’s also dealing with a chaotic family life and a self-centred mom (Vera Farmiga) who refuses to take responsibility for her irresponsible actions. Cameron’s best friend, Ray McCaffey (Liam Oh), is also struggling to fit in: his father is a decorated marine, and Ray has an enormous weight of expectation on his shoulders. Cameron’s mentor is the elite marine Sgt Sullivan (Max Parker), who is harbouring a few secrets of his own. The series is based on The Pink Marine, Greg Cope White’s memoir.
The Last Frontier
From Friday, October 10th, Apple TV+
A plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness, but fortunately the passengers appear to have survived. The only problem is that the plane is transporting prisoners, and its passengers are all violent convicts. Now they’re all at large, and it’s up to US marshal Frank Remnick (Jason Clarke) to protect his town from the escapees. But he soon begins to suspect that the crash was no accident and that something big is being planned. Sounds reminiscent of the 1990s blockbuster Con Air, in which a gang of thoroughly bad eggs led by John Malkovich hijack their plane.
Loot
From Wednesday, October 15th, Apple TV+
You’d think giving away an $87 billion fortune would be a piece of cake, but here we are in series three of the hit comedy series and Molly (Maya Rudolph) is still trying to divest herself of her dosh. Having won the divorce jackpot after breaking up with her tech-bro husband, Molly heads the philanthropic Wells Foundation, which is dedicated to using Molly’s billions to help those less fortunate than her (pretty much 99.9 per cent of the human race: no pressure). At the end of series two Molly was dealing with a backlash from other billionaires who were unwilling to ratchet up the generosity. But Molly and her motley crew are still determined to fulfil their mission to give all that moolah away.
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Murdaugh: Death in the Family
From Wednesday, October 15th, Disney+
Alex Murdaugh and his wife, Maggie, had it all: part of a successful legal dynasty that went back generations, highly respected by and influential within their South Carolina community, and enjoying all the trappings of wealth and privilege. But beneath it all was something darker and deadlier, and when their son Paul is involved in a tragic boat accident, skeletons – and corpses – start emerging from the Murdaugh closet. When both Maggie and Paul are found dead, the spotlight turns on Alex. This true-crime story, which is inspired by the hit podcast The Murdaugh Murders, stars Jason Clarke as Alex and Patricia Arquette as Maggie.
To Cook a Bear
From Wednesday, October 15th, Disney+
It seems like ages since we’ve had a good Nordic noir series to get stuck into. Here’s a sort of OG Nordic noir thriller, set in the mid-19th century and dealing with dark, mysterious doings in a remote village in northern Sweden. Its stunning landscapes, marauding bears, fire and brimstone, and member of the Skarsgard acting clan should be noir enough for anyone. Gustaf Skarsgard, from Vikings and Oppenheimer, is the new pastor of the village of Kengis, and he quickly dispenses with the niceties and starts delivering fiery sermons to his new flock. But something evil is afoot: people are vanishing, and some villagers are whispering about bear attacks. The pastor sets out to investigate – and what he finds threatens to drive the community to the edge of madness.
The Diplomat
From Thursday, October 16th, Netflix
If you think Donald Trump’s White House is a mad circus, get ready for total Capitol lunacy in the third series of the political thriller starring Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell and Alison Janney. Russell is Ambassador Kate Wyler, and she’ll need to muster all her diplomatic skills to deal with a new crisis facing the administration. The president has died, and Kate’s husband, Hal, was the last person to speak with him. The volatile vice-president, Grace Penn (Janney) – who Kate has accused of being behind a terrorist plot – takes over as commander-in-chief, and it’s not long before things go pear-shaped and the US is preparing to go to war with – you guessed it – the UK. Meanwhile, Hal continues to push for Kate to become the next veep, but who is the handsome stranger, played by Aidan Turner, spotted flirting outrageously with her? Get ready for another wild West Wing adventure.
Harlan Coben’s Lazarus
From Wednesday, October 22nd, Prime Video
Pick a word, any word. Now put Harlan Coben’s name in front of it, and what have you got? Another twisty, creepy hit series that’s guaranteed to mess with your mind. This latest psychological thriller from Coben and Danny Brocklehurst, the bestselling author and Bafta-winning screenwriter, stars Sam Claflin as the forensic psychologist Joel Lazarus, who is plunged into a personal nightmare after his father, Dr Jonathan Lazarus (Bill Nighy), dies by suicide. Soon Joel is being tormented by unexplained events, including the seeming return of his dad from the dead. Could these strange encounters be connected to the murder of Joel’s sister, 25 years ago? Or is Joel just going mad? We’re expecting the completely unexpected.
Nobody Wants This
From Friday, October 23rd, Netflix
Kristen Bell and Adam Brody are reunited for a second series of the romantic comedy drama. Clearly, everybody wants this. Bell returns as the iconoclastic podcast host Joanne, who doesn’t really do the organised-religion thing. Brody plays Noah, the “hot” rabbi, who takes an unconventional approach to his role as a religious leader in his Jewish community. Their differences are apparent, but their mutual chemistry proves too strong to ignore, so here we are in series two, and the mismatched couple are determined to turn their spark into an eternal flame. But watch out: there are more obstacles, and with luck a few more laughs, in store.
Down Cemetery Road
From Wednesday, October 29th, Apple TV+
Fans of Mick Herron, the Slow Horses author, will relish this latest televisual treat, adapted from his novel of the same name, starring Ruth Wilson and Emma Thompson. It all starts in a quiet suburb of Oxford, where a huge explosion in a house shatters the peace. Neighbour Sarah Tucker (Wilson) and private investigator Zoë Boehm (Thompson) soon become embroiled in a wide-reaching conspiracy, where long-deceased people seem to be mysteriously back from the dead. Worse, there seems to be no shortage of living people suddenly swelling the ranks of the dead. Sarah and Zoë will have to unravel this mystery before they end up among the ex-living.
