{"id":916326,"date":"2026-10-01T07:46:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T07:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/916326\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T07:46:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T07:46:24","slug":"17-must-watch-shows-and-movies-to-watch-in-october-2026-terminal-list-the-diplomat-visionquest-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/916326\/","title":{"rendered":"17 must-watch shows and movies to watch in October 2026: \u2018Terminal List,’ ‘The Diplomat,’ ‘VisionQuest’ and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

The leaves are falling, and so is a new batch of shows and movies to watch in October 2026 on Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV and other major streaming services<\/a>, as well as broadcast and cable TV.<\/p>\n

We’re keeping tabs on the month\u2019s biggest returns and buzzy new arrivals, from \u201cThe Diplomat\u201d season 4 and \u201cNobody Wants This\u201d season 3 to the action-packed return of Chris Pratt in \u201cThe Terminal List\u201d season 2. Marvel fans have \u201cVisionQuest\u201d to look forward to, while spooky season gets into full swing with \u201cCarrie\u201d and \u201cCrystal Lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

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There are also some intriguing movies on the way, including Ben Affleck’s thriller \u201cAnimals\u201d and the romantic drama \u201cLove of Your Life.\u201d Whether you\u2019re after political intrigue, superhero weirdness, bloody scares or a good old-fashioned love story, here\u2019s what to watch in October 2026, sorted by premiere date.<\/p>\n

Latest Videos FromTom’s Guide<\/p>\n

\u2018East of Eden\u2019 (Oct. 1, Netflix)<\/p>\n

East of Eden | Official Trailer | Netflix – YouTube
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Zoe Kazan has a pretty significant family connection to \u201cEast of Eden\u201d: Her grandfather, Elia Kazan, directed the 1955 James Dean movie. Now she\u2019s putting her own spin on John Steinbeck\u2019s sprawling saga with this seven-part adaptation, starring Florence Pugh as the deeply fascinating Cathy Ames. Her story collides with the Trask family, including Adam (Christopher Abbott), Charles (Mike Faist) and twins Cal (Joseph Zada) and Aron (Joe Anders), as generations of family baggage get passed down. \u2014 Kelly Woo<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 1 on Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

\u2018War\u2019 (Oct. 1, HBO)<\/p>\n

WAR | Official Trailer | HBO Max – YouTube
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The \u201cWar\u201d in question not only refers to a high-profile divorce, but the battle between two rival London law firms, complete with billion-dollar stakes and dirty tricks. When movie star Carla Duval (Sienna Miller) splits from tech mogul Morgan Henderson (Dominic West), lawyers Serena Byrne (Phoebe Fox) and Nicholas Taylor (James McArdle) square off against the formidable St. John Smallwood (Pip Torrens) and Beatrice \u201cQueen Bea\u201d Ubosi (Nina Sosanya). Caught between them is Johnny Warren (Archie Renaux), an ambitious outsider willing to do almost anything to get ahead. \u2014 KW<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 1 on HBO and HBO Max<\/a><\/p>\n

Sign up to the weekly Tom’s Streaming Guide to stay in the loop with the latest releases and top recommendations across your favorite streaming services. We\u2019ve got you covered with a complete guide on what\u2019s worth watching.<\/p>\n

\u2018Kill Jackie\u2019 (Oct. 2, AMC+)<\/p>\n

Kill Jackie | Official Trailer ft. Catherine Zeta-Jones | Premieres October 2 | AMC+ – YouTube
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\u201cKill Jackie\u201d is a new revenge thriller based on Nick Harkaway\u2019s bestselling novel \u201cThe Price You Pay,\u201d and it\u2019s being billed as a stylish mix of \u201cJohn Wick\u201d and \u201cKilling Eve.\u201d Catherine Zeta-Jones stars as Jackie Price, a former international drug smuggler who has spent the past 20 years leaving her old life behind and enjoying a quiet existence as a wealthy London art dealer. That all changes when an assassination attempt goes wrong and Jackie discovers there\u2019s a huge bounty on her head. Rather than run away and hide, she decides to fight back, using the skills she thought she\u2019d left behind to track down the mercenaries coming after her. It looks like a seriously fun thriller. \u2014 Alix Blackburn<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 2 on AMC+<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Carrie\u2019 (Oct. 7, Prime Video)<\/p>\n

Carrie \u2013 Official Trailer | Prime Video – YouTube
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\u201cThe Haunting of Hill House\u201d creator Mike Flanagan is heading to Prime Video for his latest horror show, and it\u2019s an adaptation of Stephen King\u2019s first novel, \u201cCarrie.\u201d The eight-episode series stars Summer H. Howell as the eponymous Carrie White, a young girl tormented by bullies at school and cruelly chastised by her devout mother (Samantha Sloyan) at home. When she discovers she possesses telekinetic powers, a prom night joke that goes way too far turns into a bloodbath. I\u2019m not totally convinced Prime Video\u2019s \u201cCarrie\u201d will surpass the legendary 1976 movie, but improving on the wretched 2013 remake seems very possible. \u2014 Rory Mellon<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 7 on Prime Video<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Below\u2019 (Oct. 8, Netflix<\/p>\n

BELOW | Official Trailer | Netflix – YouTube
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Netflix is no stranger to thrillers, and its upcoming series \u201cBelow\u201d certainly looks like an intriguing one. Set in the remote fishing town of Snook\u2019s Arm off the coast of Newfoundland, the mystery thriller follows Calvin Penney (Josh Hartnett), a local fisherman still haunted by his father\u2019s mysterious death decades earlier. Things take a much darker turn when an unidentified sea creature emerges from the North Atlantic and starts attacking boats, putting the entire community in danger. I\u2019m already completely on board with this one, and it\u2019s easily one of my most anticipated shows of fall 2026. \u2014 AB<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 8 on Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Animals\u2019 (Oct. 9, Netflix)<\/p>\n

Animals | Official Trailer | Netflix – YouTube
\n\"Animals<\/p>\n

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Ben Affleck already has one Netflix success story under his belt in 2026, co-starring with Matt Damon in the platform\u2019s most-watched movie of the year so far, the warmly received \u201cThe Rip.\u201d Hopefully he goes two-for-two with \u201cAnimals,\u201d a crime thriller that sees Affleck lead in front of and behind the camera. Affleck has form as a director in this genre, having helmed \u201cGone Baby Gone,\u201d \u201cThe Town\u201d and the Best Picture-winning \u201cArgo.\u201d \u201cAnimals\u201d centers on an L.A. mayoral candidate (Affleck) forced to turn to the city\u2019s seedy underworld to score the money to pay a hefty ransom after his son is kidnapped. Sounds promising. \u2014 RM<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 9 on Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Love of Your Life\u2019 (Oct. 14, Prime Video) <\/p>\n

Love of Your Life – Official Trailer | Prime Video – YouTube
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I\u2019m a sucker for a good romance movie, and Prime Video\u2019s upcoming \u201cLove of Your Life\u201d is already looking like it has No. 1 potential. Directed by Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison, the romantic drama follows Maya (Margaret Qualley), a nurse whose chance meeting with Charlie (Gabriel Basso) leads to an unexpected relationship and a future she never saw coming. But when that future is suddenly taken away from her, Maya is forced to start over and figure out what comes next. Years later, she finds herself navigating new relationships and experiences as she tries to build a new life. I have a feeling this one is going to be a serious tear-jerker. \u2014 AB<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 14 on Prime Video<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018The Lowdown\u2019 season 2 (Oct. 14, FX)<\/p>\n

The Lowdown | Season 2 Official Trailer | FX – YouTube
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Ethan Hawke\u2019s truthstorian is back, and Lee Raybon has somehow found an even bigger mess to investigate. In season 2, Lee gets pulled into a case involving a missing prisoner, two murders and an allegedly dirty sheriff\u2019s department, with public defender Ginger (Betty Gilpin) as his unlikely partner in crime-solving. And his personal life is no less complicated: His estranged father, Lee Sr. (Tommy Lee Jones), suddenly turns up, despite Lee telling his daughter her grandfather was dead. \u2014 KW<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 13 on FX and next day on Hulu<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018VisionQuest\u2019 (Oct. 14, Disney+)<\/p>\n

Paul on Vision | Marvel Television’s VisionQuest | Stream October 14 on Disney+ – YouTube
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It\u2019s about time we found out where the hell Vision has been all this time. \u201cVisionQuest\u201d is the final chapter in the trilogy that began with \u201cWandaVision\u201d and continued with \u201cAgatha All Along.\u201d Paul Bettany returns as White Vision, who is living in hiding while trying to rebuild his identity. Although he has some of his memories left, he no longer has any emotional connection to them, leaving him unsure of who he really is. By day, he disguises himself as a human, while at night he retreats into his own virtual \u201cMindspace,\u201d where he encounters familiar Stark A.I.s and even Ultron (James Spader). However, his quiet life quickly changes when a bounty is placed on him. \u2014 AB<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 14 on Disney+<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Crystal Lake\u2019 (Oct. 15, Peacock)<\/p>\n

Crystal Lake | Official Trailer | HBO Max – YouTube
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\u201cCrystal Lake\u201d has been one of my most anticipated shows ever since it was announced, so getting it during the spooky season makes me even more excited. Produced by A24 for Peacock, this \u201cFriday the 13th\u201d prequel takes us back to the early 1970s, several years before the events of the original 1980 movie. The series focuses on Pamela Voorhees (Linda Cardellini), a devoted mother working at Camp Crystal Lake while raising her son Jason (Callum Vinson). The story really begins after Jason goes missing and is presumed drowned following an accident at the camp, setting the stage for a much darker story about the Voorhees family and the infamous Camp Crystal Lake. \u2014 AB<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 15 on Peacock<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018The Diplomat\u2019 season 4 (Oct. 15, Netflix)<\/p>\n

The Diplomat: Season 4 | Official Trailer | Netflix – YouTube
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If The Diplomat has taught us anything, it\u2019s that marriage counseling doesn\u2019t really work for the most powerful of couples. Season 4 finds Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) discovering that her husband, Hal (Rufus Sewell), and President Grace Penn (Allison Janney) have been conspiring to steal Russia\u2019s most powerful weapon, putting the U.S. on a path to war. Meanwhile, Kate\u2019s marriage is barely holding together, and First Gentleman Todd Penn (Bradley Whitford) becomes her unlikely ally. \u2014 KW<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 15 on Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Tenzing\u2019 (Oct. 16, Apple TV)<\/p>\n

Tenzing \u2014 Official Trailer | Apple TV – YouTube
\n\"Tenzing<\/p>\n

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\u201cTenzing\u201d is an Apple Original biographical drama with an impressive 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and that alone has piqued my interest. The movie tells the story of the historic 1953 expedition to Mount Everest, following Tenzing Norgay (Genden Phuntsok), a highly skilled Sherpa climber who had spent years helping mountaineers tackle some of the world\u2019s toughest peaks. Tenzing is recruited alongside New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary (Tom Hiddleston) by expedition leader Colonel John Hunt (Willem Dafoe), as the team sets out to accomplish something no one had managed before: reach the summit of Mount Everest. \u2014 AB<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 16 on Apple TV<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Phony\u2019 (Oct. 20, Hulu)<\/p>\n

Phony | Official Trailer | Hulu – YouTube
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Connie Britton and Sam Nivola have a quasi-\u201dWhite Lotus\u201d reunion (they starred in different seasons) in this coming-of-age comedy-mystery. After a car accident, Sonny Cooke wakes up to a nightmare that\u2019s somehow worse than the accident itself: His mom, Ellen, has been replaced by an impostor. There\u2019s just enough creepiness to make you question whether Sonny\u2019s onto something \u2014 or simply spiraling. \u2014 KW<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 20 on Hulu<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018The Terminal List\u2019 season 2 (Oct. 21, Prime Video)<\/p>\n

The Terminal List Season 2 – Official Trailer | Prime Video – YouTube
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After forever four years, James Reece is finally back, and apparently retirement was never really on the table. Chris Pratt returns as the Navy SEAL, this time trading his revenge quest for a globe-trotting espionage mission inspired by Jack Carr\u2019s True Believer. Reece gets a pardon in exchange for joining a new operation, only to uncover a conspiracy stretching from Moscow to Langley and into his own family history. With Tom Hopper, Constance Wu and Gabriel Luna along for the ride, expect bigger stakes and plenty of bullets. \u2014 KW<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 21 on Prime Video<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Nobody Wants This\u2019 season 3 (Oct. 22, Netflix)<\/p>\n

Nobody Wants This | Season 3 Official Trailer | Netflix – YouTube
\n\"Nobody<\/p>\n

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The rom-com series is finally ditching the will-they-won\u2019t-they nonsense. Joanne (Kristen Bell) and Noah (Adam Brody) are moving in together, tackling all the firsts that come with sharing a home, from brushing their teeth together to figuring out Joanne\u2019s conversion to Judaism. But the supporting cast has plenty of romantic mess to offer. Sasha (Timothy Simons) and Esther (Jackie Tohn) are newly single and back in the dating pool, while Morgan (Justine Lupe) insists she\u2019s focusing on herself. Uh huh, sure. \u2014 KW<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 22 on Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Lupin\u2019 season 4 (Oct. 23, Netflix)<\/p>\n

Lupin: Part 4 | Official Trailer | Netflix – YouTube
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It\u2019s been a very long three years since we last saw the gentleman thief of the French mystery thriller. \u201cLupin\u201d finally brings Omar Sy back as Assane Diop, who\u2019s been cooling his heels in prison since turning himself in at the end of season 3. He\u2019s ready to finish his sentence and reunite with his family in Senegal, until a mysterious copycat calling themselves \u201cLupin\u201d starts pulling off simultaneous museum heists and somehow frames Assane for them. So much for retirement. To clear his name, Assane will have to break out and become (the real) Lupin again. \u2014 KW<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 23 on Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Newlyweds\u2019 (Oct. 23, NBC)<\/p>\n

Newlyweds (2026) First Look | NBC | T\u00e9a Leoni | Tim Daly | NBC Series | Release Date |Cast and Crew – YouTube
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Talk about art imitating life. Real-life married couple T\u00e9a Leoni and Tim Daly star as Jeanie and James, a free spirit and buttoned-up professor who impulsively tie the knot after a whirlwind courtship. The comedy marks their return to playing spouses after \u201cMadam Secretary,\u201d only this time they actually are married. James\u2019 plans for a quiet life go sideways fast once Jeanie enters the picture, with Jamie Lee Curtis recurring as his ex-wife. \u2014 KW<\/p>\n

Premieres Oct. 23 on NBC and next day on Peacock<\/a><\/p>\n

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