A new month upon us means fresh content is heading our way via the streaming services.
Netflix's hit series You has another season and Zack Snyder is also returning with Army of Thieves, his prequel to Army of the Dead. Meanwhile Apple TV+ will unveil a new film centered on an alien invasion of Earth.
Whether it's the return of popular shows, or a blockbuster film, such as Marvel's Black Widow, there's plenty to get excited about in October.
Here, we round up the new series, films and documentaries coming to streaming platforms in the UAE this month ...
'Maid', Netflix, October 1
Inspired by The New York Times best-selling memoir, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land, the limited series follows the story of a single mother named Alex who has to turn to housecleaning to make ends meet after she escapes an abusive relationship and has to overcome homelessness in order to create a better life for her daughter.
'Grey’s Anatomy', OSN Streaming, October 1
Now in its 18th season, the US medical drama series focuses on the personal and professional lives of surgical residents and their interns. It follows the titular character Dr Meredith Grey, who fans have seen go from intern to chief of general surgery over the course of the show.
'Diana: The Musical', Netflix, October 1
The musical is based on a book by Joe DiPietro on the life of Diana, Princess of Wales. Starting with Diana Spencer at age 19 and newly engaged to a prince she barely knows, the musical explores how she struggles to navigate her way within the British royal family. While she finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, she soon finds her voice by helping those in need. The show takes a closer look at how she created a legacy that’s still long admired even after her death in 1997.
'Black Widow', OSN Streaming, October 3
The stand-alone Marvel film tells the story of Scarlett Johansson's character Natasha Romanoff and takes place after the events of Captain America: Civil War. It shows her confronting her history as a spy and the broken relationships she left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
'Bad Sport', Netflix, October 6
From the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic figure skating scandal to South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje’s fall from grace, a new docuseries looks at six true stories of sports and crime as told by the athletes, coaches and law enforcement officials who were at the centre of it all.
'Justin Bieber: Our World', Amazon Prime, October 8
Fans can go behind-the-scenes with Canadian pop star Justin Bieber as he prepares for his first concert in three years as part of T-Mobile Presents New Year’s Eve Live with Justin Bieber. Closing out 2020 from the Beverly Hilton Hotel rooftop, the concert was live-streamed to millions of fans around the world. The film follows Bieber and his close-knit team in the month leading up to the show while also capturing personal moments between Bieber and his wife Hailey.
'The Sinner', OSN Streaming, October 14
Now in its fourth season, the show stars Bill Pullman as Harry Ambrose, a police detective who investigates crimes committed by unlikely culprits and attempts to uncover their motivations behind them. Only Pullman appears in every season, with the rest of the cast changing for each story.
'You', Netflix, October 15
The third season of the American psychological thriller series sees Joe and Love now married and raising their newborn son in the suburb Madre Linda in northern California. However, Joe continues to repeat a cycle of obsession with a growing interest in their next-door neighbour Natalie.
'I Know What You Did Last Summer', Amazon Prime Video, October 15
A reboot of the 1997 film, which is based off of a 1973 novel by Lois Duncan of the same name, I Know What You Did Last Summer is now a TV series. The show centres on a group of teenagers a year after their graduation night when a fatal car accident results in the death of a man. However, rather than reporting it, they decide to cover it up instead. The group is bound together by the incident but also being stalked by a killer who claims to know their secret.
'The Velvet Underground', Apple TV+, October 15
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Todd Haynes, The Velvet Underground is the first major documentary to focus on the legacy of the American rock group. Formed in 1964, the band didn’t find much commercial success while together but in later years would be recognised as being one of the most influential. The film features in-depth interviews with key people at the time as well as never-before-seen performances and a special collection of recordings.
'Hightown', StarzPlay, October 17
The second season of the American crime drama follows a National Marine Fisheries Service agent named Jackie Quinones who has a hard-partying lifestyle. One evening she discovers the body of a murdered woman on the beach and takes her first steps towards becoming sober because of this trauma. However, she soon takes it upon herself to solve the murder and begins to spiral.
'Succession', OSN Streaming, October 18
The American satirical comedy show explores the themes of power, politics and family through the eyes of an ageing, ultra-wealthy media mogul and his four grown children. Now about to start its third season, the series centres on the Roy family, who are dysfunctional owners of Waystar RoyCo and fight for control of the company amid uncertainty over the health of the family’s patriarch, Logan Roy.
'Invasion', Apple TV+, October 22
After a series of strange events begin happening around the world, it soon becomes evident that they are connected. Set across many continents, the 10-episode series follows an alien invasion through the different perspectives of five ordinary people as they try to make sense of what’s happening around them.
'Love Life', StarzPlay, October 29
The first season of the HBO Max original followed the love life of Darby Carter (Anna Kendrick) from her first love to her last over the course of 10 episodes. Season two will pick up a similar format but follows a new main character, Marcus Watkins (William Jackson Harper), after he comes out of a long-term relationship with a woman he thought was going to be his forever person.
'Mesh Ana', OSN Streaming, October 29
The Arabic film stars Tamer Hosny as Hassan, who has fraying mental health after he wakes up one morning without full control of his limbs and spends the ensuing days physically lashing out at friends, family and members of the public. Each unprovoked attack is met with the plea “mesh ana", meaning "it’s not me". However, the comedy-drama also centres on his strong relationship with his sick mother, who is the centre of his life.
'Army of Thieves', Netflix, October 29
A prequel to Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead, the Netflix original film focuses on a small town bank teller named Dieter who gets drawn into an adventure when a mysterious woman recruits him to join a crew of criminals on Interpol’s most wanted list. Together they will attempt a heist of impossible-to-crack safes across Europe.
'Colin in Black & White', Netflix, October 29
From co-creators Ava DuVernay and Colin Kaepernick, the six-episode scripted drama tells the story of Kaepernick's formative years, looking at the experiences from his adolescent life that shaped him into the activist he is today. The series is narrated by Kaepernick, who appears as himself, and was written by Michael Starrbury, who serves as executive producer alongside DuVernay and Kaepernick.
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