7 best movies and TV shows to watch this weekend on Max, Netflix, Starz, and more

The Halloween season is still going strong as half of this week’s list will leave you with nightmares. Start off with something a bit comical, while darkly humorous with Sweetpea. M. Night Shyamalan is back with the thriller Caddo Lake, and things aren’t at all what they seem. Teacup takes you to rural Georgia to survive a mysterious evil that’s coming to kill everybody.

If you’re not feeling horror, try the next closest thing: superheroes. The Franchise is actually a comedy, but it’s all about making a superhero movie, so there’s some unavoidable darkness there. Apple TV+ is featuring Disclaimer*, a story about how secrets never stay secret forever. Lonely Planet provides some escape with a romantic story and beautiful travel. And finally, delve into more backstory of the world’s second(?) favorite archaeologist in Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.

7 The Franchise

Max — Season 1 — October 6

For those that miss the unfortunate early passing of Avenue 5, creator Armando Iannucci is back with a new show that’s a bit more down to earth, or wherever. The Franchise is a comedy series about the actors and crew making a superhero movie that is well into development hell. They’ve gone over budget, the script and direction are confusing, the studio wants changes, and the actors hate each other.

The show centers around Himesh Patel as Daniel, the First Assistant Director, as he puts out fires and attempts to keep everything on track. If you want to see how the sausage is made while laughing at the absurdity of how badly everything is run, The Franchise premiered October 6 on HBO and streams on MAX, and new episodes will be rolling out every Sunday through November 24.

6 Sweetpea

Starz — Miniseries — October 11

Who doesn’t love a little casual murder? Ella Purnell leads this quirky dark comedy as Rhiannon Lewis, the serial killer nobody saw coming. All her life, she’s barely made an impression on the people around her, and she’s tired of being a victim to their irreverence.

The mini series dodges between comedy and thriller, self-righteousness and moral ambiguity. Internal monologues detail her desire to murder, and somehow maintain her innocence — because that’s how it works, right? The 6-episode series kicked off on October 10th, and airs a new episode each Thursday through November 15th.

5 Caddo Lake

Max — Movie — Oct. 10

Caddo Lake is quickly gaining a reputation as the twist movie of the decade, in part due to the fact that reviewers with early access to the film were strictly prohibited from revealing almost any details, even including the genre. But twist movies are, after all, the bread and butter of the film’s prominent producer, M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense). The one thing reviewers seem to agree on: It’s a really good movie that’s worth the watch.

When an 8-year-old girl goes missing at Caddo Lake, it’s suspiciously similar to a series of previous deaths and disappearances in the area. Starring Dylan O'Brien and Eliza Scanlen, the story explores family trauma after the loss of a parent on the backdrop of mysterious elements that aren’t always as they appear.

4 Teacup

Peacock — Season 1 — October 10

If you prefer a blend of psychological and physical horror, Teacup embraces the darkness within us. Inspired by the 1988 novel Stinger by Robert McCammon and brought to you by James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring), both serving as executive producers, Teacup is a blend of mystery and drama with a dose of sci-fi.

Something evil is coming and it promises to kill anything in its way. Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck, Dexter) and Scott Speedman (Underworld, You) star in this tense and unsettling series set in a rural Georgia town. Their family and neighbors have to quickly figure out what is happening and come together to survive.

The first two episodes aired on October 10th, and two new episodes will air each Thursday to wrap up on Halloween.

3 Disclaimer*

Apple TV+ — Miniseries — Oct 11

Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline headline the new Apple TV+ mini series about a documentary journalist who is known for breaking open the dark secrets about respected institutions. Her life is turned upside down when a new book tells a story with her as a main character, and it opens up one of the biggest secrets she had believed would never come to light.

The first two episodes are out today, and two more are coming next friday. However, there will be a gap on Black Friday before the remaining episodes come out one at a time over the next three weeks.

2 Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft

Netflix — Season 1 — October 10

Lara Croft’s is just as iconic as any video game character, if not more-so, but her story is about to go much deeper with the new Netflix animated series, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. There’s plenty of action and crawling through ancient ruins in search of treasures, but the 10-episode series also explores Lara’s traumatic past.

You don’t need to know the previous Tomb Raider franchise, but this series fills in gaps left by many of the games and movies, giving a complete picture of how Lara became something of a loner and recluse. Reviewers have been split almost down the middle, with some loving the emotional and historical exploration of the high-octane archaeologist, and others clearly disappointed that it wasn’t more like her other globe-trotting romps. Either way, the entire first season dropped all at once, so it’s binge-ready on Netflix any time you’re ready.

1 Lonely Planet

Netflix — Movie — October 11

While everything else on the list has elements of isolation, or downright horror, Lonely Planet is the romantic escape. There had to be one, right? Laura Dern plays an author whose life at home is holding her back from finishing the next book. She decides a getaway trip to Morocco will clear things up, but she meets a younger man (Liam Hemsworth) who is traveling with his girlfriend, an author herself. Things become complicated as the two find themselves quickly growing closer to each other.

Lonely Planet is written and directed by Susannah Grant, who is also known for co-writing hits like Erin Brockovich and Ever After: A Cinderella Story. It’s a dreamy and beautifully shot tour through the Moroccan countryside with a relatable story of life’s complicated relationships.