7 new movies and TV shows to watch at home this weekend (October 2)

We've officially entered the final three months of 2026. And, while it feels like we've collectively blinked and missed half of the year, we can console ourselves by watching one or more of the new movies and TV series that have debuted on the world's best streaming services.

Just like our September 18 streaming round-up, this week's recommendations list is predominantly populated by new shows. Top of my watch-list are a new period drama starring Florence Pugh, and a joint HBO-Sky drama with Sienna Miller and Dominic West that seems like it'll be the talk of the town for the next few weeks.

Want to know what our other top five picks are? You'll need to read on to learn more, so hop to it! — Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

East of Eden (Netflix)

I'll watch anything that Florence Pugh is in — and, if that means I have to sit through Netflix's new period drama (they're not usually my kind of thing) to see her latest powerhouse performance, I'll do just that.

To be fair, East of Eden might actually be worth streaming. For one, it's based on John Steinbeck's best-selling 1952 novel of the same name — and, while there's no guarantee that this TV adaptation will do justice to this utterly absorbing story, its star-studded cast and experienced crew suggest it'll be, at the very least, a very good watch.

All seven episodes are out now on Netflix, so Pugh fans like myself have got their weekend binge watch sorted. — TP

• Watch East of Eden on Netflix

War (HBO Max)

I did a double take when I saw how many times War's trailer had been viewed on YouTube. Sure, it looks like another must-see HBO TV Original that's brimming with star power. As I said about East of Eden, though, that doesn't mean this HBO Max program will be any good.

And yet, based on the 117 million (!) views its official trailer has accrued just two weeks before War premiered, it's clear that many of us will be seated for this explosive legal drama. Story-wise, it'll pit two prestigious law firms against each other as part of a messy divorce case involving a wealthy tech entrepreneur (Dominic West) and his film star wife (Sienna Miller).

Also available to watch on Sky/Now TV in the UK, new episodes of War will come out every week until November 19. If it's half as good as other prestige TV shows on HBO, such as Succession, we're in for a whale of a time. — TP

• Watch War on HBO Max

Scrubs season 2 (Hulu/Disney+)

Need some prescribed laughs after the long work week? I'd advise you to check back into Sacred Heart and catch up with its lovable and goofy crew for the Scrubs revival's second season.

Out now on Hulu and Disney+, this season's two-episode premiere picks up numerous threads from last season's finale, including — spoiler warning — J.D. continuing to treat Doctor Cox's recently discovered autoimmune disease.

If I've learned anything from watching this medical comedy-drama since it first aired in September 2001, it's that we can expect plenty of tears to go alongside the laughs. In short: have a box of tissues handy because you never know when Scrubs will emotionally sucker punch you. — TP

• Watch Scrubs season 2 on Hulu and Disney+

Evil Dead Burn (HBO Max)

One of many new horror movies to arrive in time for spooky season, Evil Dead Burn is all you'll need to watch if you're in the mood for lots of blood and gore.

Evil Dead Burn follows a grieving widow who fights for survival when her late husband's family turns into Deadites, aka the franchise's iconic demonic creatures, which seriously disrupts her plans to grieve in a peaceful setting.

It's a relentless, blood-soaked entry but, in my Evil Dead Burn review, I noted that it seems to prioritize jump scares over a good story. The grizzly set-pieces are highly entertaining, though, if you can look past its basic narrative. — Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer

• Watch Evil Dead Burn on HBO Max

Kill Jackie (Prime Video)

Catherine Zeta-Jones stars as wealthy art dealer Jackie Price in Prime Video's new TV Original, which is adapted from the Nick Harkaway novel The Price You Pay.

In it, Jackie's seemingly normal life is turned upside down when she realizes she's the target of a lethal squad of hitmen. Across eight episodes, this Amazon project follows the titular character as she refuses to run, instead relying on her dark web connections and her own ingenuity to hunt down the killers one by one in a revenge plot where she hopes to make it out alive.

Now that Reacher season 4 is over, this could be your next action-packed binge watch. — LB

• Watch Kill Jackie on Prime Video

The Widower: 'Til Death Do Us Part (Netflix)

Netflix's latest true crime docufilm focuses on Thomas Randolph, a Las Vegas man whose wives kept dying under mysterious circumstances. Although one death might not be suspicious, four is certainly cause for concern.

Of Randolph's six wives, only two of them survived, resulting in him eventually being convicted of murder. But, the journey to that point was complicated, prompting Dateline's Dan Slepian to make a documentary exploring this shocking case, as he works alongside filmmaker Chris Smith and local detectives to create The Widower: 'Til Death Do Us Part. True crime lovers won't want to miss this. — LB

• Watch The Widower: 'Til Death Do Us Part on Netflix

Africa: Earth's Wild Home (National Geographic/Disney+)

Africa: Earth's Wild Home follows conservationists, scientists, and local communities as they fight to save the future of the animals living in the continent.

Shocking stats show that over the last 50 years, Africa’s wildlife population has dwindled by nearly 80%, which has been a call to action for those passionate about saving the natural world.

Animals such as the armored pangolin, frequently hunted for its scales, appear in this documentary where scientists have found ways to help save the species. It's a glimmer of hope amid a world where many animals are endangered, and you'll learn a lot about ongoing conservation efforts, too. — LB

• Watch Africa: Earth's Wild Home on National Geographic and Disney+

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