Boy, did September bring us some great and satisfying TV to watch. From the highly anticipated and powerful release of The Penguin, Matt Reeves’ BatVerse spin-off; to the reboot of Matlock, starring none other than the one and only Kathy Bates; to the electrifying return of the crime drama Tulsa King, produced by Paramount+.
The good news is that October also comes packed with good TV.
October 2024 arrives full of novelties on both broadcast TV and streaming services, including popular series returning with new seasons and premieres that promise big thrills.
Highlights on the fall horizon include the following premieres: the long-awaited debut of the horror-thriller series Teacup under the executive production of James Wan; the intense Mexican sports drama La Máquina, produced by Hulu; and we’ll also see Cate Blanchett take on a challenging role in Apple TV+’s upcoming psychological thriller Disclaimer.
Other must-see series include: Rivals, Jilly Cooper’s sizzling novel adaptation; the juicy return of legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer; and Prime Video’s latest offering, Like a Dragon: Yakuza, based on the archiconical video game.
If you want to make your TV and streaming plans for October, here is our selection of the titles that are guaranteed to cause a sensation.
La Máquina
Hulu/Disney+ | Season Premiere | Release date: Wednesday, October 9
Nearly 25 years after Y Tu Mamá También, and more than 15 since Rudo y Cursi, talented Mexicans Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna are teaming up again to star in and produce La Máquina (The Machine), Hulu’s first Spanish-language series, developed by Searchlight Television.
Directed by Gabriel Ripstein (600 Miles), and written and executive produced by Marco Ramirez (Daredevil), La Máquina tells the story of an aging boxer (Gael García Bernal) whose shrewd manager (Diego Luna) secures him one last shot at the coveted title. The original series, showcasing boxing at its most brutal and dangerous, premieres with all episodes on October 9, 2024 on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.
“After a devastating loss, Esteban “La Máquina” Osuna (Gael García Bernal) is at a low point in his boxing career. Lucky for him, his manager and best friend Andy Lujan (Diego Luna) is determined to get him back on top. But when a nefarious organization rears its head, the stakes of this rematch become life or death. While struggling to mount a comeback, Esteban must also juggle his own personal demons and protect his family, including his ex-wife Irasema (Eiza González), a journalist who finds herself on a collision course with the dark side of the boxing world,” describes the official synopsis.
The new Mexican miniseries is reminiscent of works such as Toro Salvaje, Rocky, Southpaw and Manos de Piedra Duran, in which an unlikely hero has to struggle in and out of the ring to become the person he needs to be.
According to the show’s creators, La Maquina promises to comfort viewers looking for an old-fashioned story of action and redemption.
Teacup
Peacock | Season Premiere | Release date: Thursday, October 10
The spooky season brings a new horror and suspense series called Teacup. The Peacock original series is based on Stinger, the best-selling novel by Robert McCammon, and follows a group of people in Georgia trying to survive a mysterious threat.
James Wan, one of the biggest names in horror today, is the executive producer of Teacup. Wan is joined by Ian McCulloch, who wrote the series, and E.L. Katz, who directs. Wan is best known for being the co-creator of the Saw series and for directing successful horror films such as Insidious, The Conjuring and Malignant.
“Teacup easily defied labels,” said executive producer James Wan in a statement. “It’s a genre-bending blend of horror, mystery and drama, with layers that unfold like a captivating puzzle. It goes beyond chills and thrills and holds up a mirror to humanity, exploring the darkness that resides within us all”
Teacup features a very talented cast that includes Yvonne Strahovski, Scott Speedman, Chaske Spencer, Kathy Baker, Boris McGiver, Caleb Dolden, Emilie Bierre and Luciano Leroux. It will premiere with its first two half-hour episodes on October 10, followed by two weekly episodes through Halloween.
Disclaimer
Apple TV+ | Season Premiere | Release date: Friday, October 11
Did you think Apple TV+ was done giving us hit series this 2024? There is one in particular that fans can’t wait to see and it will arrive in just a few days. We are talking about Disclaimer.
Written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, the Oscar-winning filmmaker responsible for Gravity and Roma, the series Disclaimer is an adaptation of the best-selling book of the same name by author Renée Knight.
This seven-part psychological thriller sees the chameleonic Cate Blanchett take on the role of Catherine Ravenscroft, a reputed journalist who discovers disturbing details of her own secret past in the pages of a lurid novel.
Check out the synopsis below:
“Acclaimed journalist Catherine Ravenscroft built her reputation revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others. When she receives a novel from an unknown author, she is horrified to realize 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 and their son Nicholas.”
The series stars Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline in the title roles. They are joined by Sacha Baron Cohen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, HoYeon Jung, Louis Partridge, Lesley Manville, and Leila George. If you like psychological thrillers (and let’s face it, who doesn’t), the Apple TV+ announcement of Disclaimer is certainly something to get excited about.
The first two episodes premiere on Friday, October 11, followed by a new episode through November 15.
The Lincoln Lawyer
Netflix | Season 3 | Release date: Thursday, October 17
The streaming giant has announced that the third season of the popular 10-episode legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer will arrive on Thursday, October 17. Fans can’t wait to see what’s in store for charismatic defense attorney Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) as he navigates the complexities of the Los Angeles legal system.
For those who need a reminder, The Lincoln Lawyer is a television series created by the prolific David E. Kelley and based on Michael Connelly’s acclaimed legal thriller. The drama follows Mickey Haller’s life as a defense attorney who, instead of an office, prefers to work from the backseat of his Lincoln. With compelling performances, an addictive plot and vibrant pacing, The Lincoln Lawyer is an easy series to follow. When you finish it, it leaves you wanting more.
The third season of The Lincoln Lawyer will be based on the fifth book in Michael Connelly’s series, The Gods of Guilt, which was published in 2013. The latest installment will pick up where the second left off, with Mickey taking on a new personally significant case.
This time, the defense attorney faces a new client, Julian La Cosse, who was discussed in the last episode of the second season. LaCosse had been arrested for the murder of Glory Days, although he claimed he was innocent. Because Glory Days is a mutual friend of Mickey and Julian, Mickey agrees to represent him, and from then on, everything becomes quite heated.
In addition to García-Rulfo at the head of the cast, fans can expect the return of Becki Newton, Jazz Raycole, Angus Sampson and Yaya DaCosta. The season will also introduce new faces, including Merrin Dungey, Elliott Gould and Devon Graye, among others.
With a mix of intriguing courtroom drama and personal challenges the upcoming season promises to captivate viewers once again. Seasons 1 and 2 of The Lincoln Lawyer are available on Netflix.
Rivals
Disney+/Hulu | Season Premiere | Release date: Friday, October 18
Rivals is an adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s 1988 novel of the same name. Starring Emily Atack (The Inbetweeners), David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Aidan Turner (Poldark), the eight-episode series is “packed with romantic entanglements, dastardly dealings, sex and wit,” and centers on the cutthroat world of 1980s independent television.
According to the official synopsis:
“In the fictional upper-class county of Rutshire, a long-standing rivalry between two powerful men is about to boil over: ex-Olympian, Member of Parliament, and notorious womaniser Rupert Campbell-Black, and his Rutshire neighbour Tony Baddingham, controller of the independent TV franchise Corinium Television. As tensions rise and rivalries deepen, there are spilled secrets, forged alliances, and snatched liaisons that draw wives, lovers, colleagues, friends, and families into their battle.”
The adaptation will premiere on Hulu in the U.S. and on Disney+ internationally. Rivals is produced by ITV Studios’ Happy Prince and written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade.
Like A Dragon: Yakuza
Prime Video | Season Premiere | Release date: Thursday, October 24th
Like A Dragon: Yakuza joins the wave of video games being adapted for television, which includes Peacock’s Twisted Metal, HBO’s The Last of Us, and Amazon’s live-action version of Fallout. Sega, the publisher of the source game, has already had success expanding projects like Sonic the Hedgehog.
Prime Video’s latest offering will be available in two batches of three episodes each. The first batch will premiere on October 25, and the second on November 01. In case you’re not a gamer, the story centers on Yakuza warrior Kazuma Kiryu, who grows from a young Japanese boy to a rising figure in Tokyo’s underground crime world.
The six-part action thriller is directed by Take Masaharu (100 Yen Love) and Takimoto Kengo (Kamen Teacher), and stars Takeuchi Ryoma as Kazuma Kiryu, the title character. Takeuchi is a big star in his native Japan, where he has spent the last decade appearing in series such as Love as the World Ends and Roppongi Class, as well as several films such as My Love, and My Teacher.
Prime Video’s official synopsis reads:
“The series depicts the lives of fierce yet passionate gangsters and people living in a huge entertainment district, Kamurochō, a fictional district modeled after the violent Shinjuku ward’s Kabukichō, that acts as the backdrop of the gameplay. The show will center on the conflict between Yakuza warrior Kazuma Kiryu and his childhood friend turned foe, Akira Nishikiyama — aka Nishiki.”
Prime Video has announced that the series will take place over two time periods – 1995 and 2005 – and will follow Kiryu as he and his friends deal with the repercussions of their actions in the past and present.
After what seems like decades of terrible movies based on beloved video game franchises, we’re currently experiencing a golden age that will hopefully continue. Our fingers are crossed for this long-awaited production!