The best new streaming shows this week: Disclaimer and more

We’re back with a new list for the week — and we’ve got a mystery starring Cate Blanchett this time! There’s also a much-awaited new season for a beloved show and a dating reality show set in the unlikeliest of places. 

The best new streaming shows this week

Feel free to click on any links that pique your interest.

• Release date: October 10, 2024 
• Genre: Reality, Romance
• Rating: TV-MA 
• Director: Chris Coelen
• Cast: Elham Ali, Khaled Saqer

This new spin-off of the popular Love Is Blind franchise brings the social experiment to the Arab world for the first time. A group of singles from various Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, and Iraq, enter the pods in Dubai hoping to find true love. As in previous versions, the participants go on a series of “blind” dates, communicating only through audio without being able to see each other. Those who form strong connections can get engaged before even seeing their partner face-to-face.

After the engagements, the newly formed couples finally meet in person and are whisked away on a romantic retreat to test their physical chemistry. Then, they return to Dubai to live together and merge their lives in the real world, meeting each other’s family and friends. Throughout the process, the couples must decide if their emotional connection is strong enough to overcome physical or lifestyle incompatibilities.

• Release date: October 10, 2024 
• Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, Shannon Burke
• Cast: Chase Stokes, Madelyn Cline, Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss, Rudy Pankow, Drew Starkey, Charles Esten

The Pogue’s plans for a quiet life are quickly derailed when a mysterious new threat emerges. A dangerous rival group learns of another legendary treasure with ties to John B’s family history. Soon the friends are pulled into a new hunt that takes them to uncharted territories and puts them in the crosshairs of powerful enemies. As they follow the clues, they uncover shocking secrets about the island’s past and John B’s parents.

Action-packed sequences unfold as the Pogues face treacherous terrains, deadly traps, and ruthless adversaries in their quest. Old foes like Rafe and Topper resurface, complicating matters further. The stakes are higher than ever as the friends must rely on their bond to survive escalating dangers. Expect stunning coastal scenery, heart-pounding chases, narrow escapes, and emotional twists that will keep you on the edge of your seats.

• Release date: October 11, 2024 
• Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
• Rating: TV-MA 
• Director: Alfonso Cuarón
• Cast: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, Lesley Manville, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Louis Partridge, Leila George

This psychological thriller series, based on the novel by Renée Knight, stars Cate Blanchett as Catherine Ravenscroft, a successful television documentary filmmaker. Catherine’s carefully curated life is thrown into chaos when a mysterious novel called “The Perfect Stranger” appears on her bedside table. As she begins reading, she’s horrified to realize the book contains a thinly veiled account of a secret from her past that she’s kept buried for decades.

The series accurately describes the stories we tell ourselves to justify our actions. It keeps you guessing about the exact nature of Catherine’s truth and whether revenge is justified. Shocking twists and reveals build to a climax where long-buried truths finally come to light, forcing Catherine to face the consequences of her past.

• Release date: October 10, 2024 
• Genre: Comedy, Drama
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Kirstie Swain
• Cast: Ella Purnell, Nicôle Lecky, Jonathan Pointing, Calam Lynch, Leah Harvey, Jeremy Swift, Dustin Demri-Burns

By day, Rhiannon works as a junior copywriter at the local newspaper and maintains a facade of normalcy. But she harbors a deadly secret — she’s a serial killer with an insatiable appetite for murder. The series delves into Rhiannon’s troubled past, revealing the traumas that shaped her into the complex antihero she’s become.

We see her navigating everyday life. But all the while, she’s meticulously planning her next kill. As the body count rises, Rhiannon must stay one step ahead of suspicion. To make matters worse, her carefully compartmentalized worlds begin to collide when a figure from her past resurfaces, threatening to expose her true nature.

• Release date: October 10, 2024 
• Genre: Action, Drama, Science Fiction
• Rating: TV-MA 
• Director: Alessandro Fabbri
• Cast: Matilda De Angelis, Lorenzo Cervasio, Maurizio Lombardi, Julia Piaton, Thekla Reuten, Giordana Faggiano, Daniele Paoloni

Diana is ostensibly a loyal Manticore operative, but in reality, she’s a double agent working to uncover the truth behind Citadel’s fall and her parents’ mysterious deaths years earlier. As the series opens, Diana is tasked with tracking secret meetings between French and German Manticore factions, hinting at power struggles within the organization.

The series is packed with sleek, futuristic tech and elaborate action sequences. Diana utilizes an array of high-tech gadgets and weapons as she engages in heart-pounding chases through Milan’s streets and treacherous infiltration missions. Her skills are put to the test as she faces off against other highly trained operatives and grapples with Manticore’s advanced surveillance capabilities.

What was new and worth watching over the last month

Missed our other lists? Here’s a quick recap. Also, check out our list of streaming movies if you’re in the mood for something longer this weekend.

• Release date: October 1, 2024
• Genre: Reality
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Erin Ebbing
• Cast: Anzu Lawson, Eric Ebbing, Damla Yaraman

This new reality series follows the glamorous lives and professional dramas of luxury real estate agents in sun-soaked Marbella, Spain. At high-end brokerage Homerun Brokers, ambitious agents compete to sell multi-million euro properties to wealthy international clients.

Founder Eric Ebbing struggles to keep his unruly team in line as they balance beach club partying with closing big deals. Rising star Robert Bazo eyes a promotion to the C-suite, but faces opposition from rival Miah van der Bilt. Meanwhile, Eric’s wife Jennifer cracks the whip on the marketing team. With stunning villas, yacht parties, and plenty of backstabbing, it’s Selling Sunset meets the Costa del Sol.

• Release date: October 2, 2024
• Genre: Documentary
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: David Gelb
• Cast: Evan Funke, Guirong Wei, Peppe Guida, Nite Yun, Jeff Gordinier

The latest season of this acclaimed documentary series spotlights four master noodle makers from around the world. Episodes profile chefs who have dedicated their lives to perfecting pasta, ramen, and other noodle dishes. Featured chefs include Evan Funke, a Los Angeles-based pasta expert who learned his craft in Bologna, Italy.

You get an intimate look at the painstaking techniques, cultural traditions, and personal stories behind these chef’s noodle-making artistry. With the show’s signature stunning cinematography, this season promises to be a feast for the senses.

• Release date: October 3, 2024
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
• Rating: PG-13
• Director: Tze Chun
• Cast: Izaac Wang, Ming-Na Wen, BD Wong, A.J. LoCascio, Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, Eric Bauza, Grey DeLisle

The mischievous Mogwai are back for more mayhem in this animated series. In Season 2, Gizmo and his pals head to San Francisco on a mission to capture evil Mogwai. But the City by the Bay holds new dangers and adventures, from escape attempts to run-ins with local Chinatown gangs.

As always, keeping the cute but troublesome creatures away from water and midnight snacks proves challenging. With a blend of humor and mild scares, this series continues the legacy of the beloved Gremlins films for a new generation.

• Release date: October 2, 2024
• Genre: Comedy, Drama
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: Zoltan Spirandelli, Oliver Lansley
• Cast: Heike Makatsch, Axel Stein, Lea Drinda, Nikeata Thompson, Leo Simon, Palina Rojinski, Kostja Ullmann

This German-language series puts a darkly comic spin on the missing person drama. When 17-year-old Wanda vanishes without a trace, her parents Dedo and Carlotta Klatt take increasingly desperate and illegal measures to find her. As the 100-day mark approaches — after which chances of finding her alive plummet — the Klatts resort to secretly bugging their neighbor’s homes.

Their amateur sleuthing efforts lead to mishaps and unexpected revelations about their small town. Blending crime thriller suspense with outrageous humor, the show keeps viewers guessing about Wanda’s true fate.

• Release date: October 4, 2024
• Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
• Rating: TV-G
• Director: Jim Cooper, Jeff Dixon
• Cast: Andre Robinson, Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, Lyric Lewis, Reid Scott, Rhys Darby, James Marsters, Rhea Perlman

This animated series for kids continues the adventures of siblings Pandora and Russ as they work to break an ancient family curse. With help from their mother Sky and magical companions like Stanley the wooden idol, they search for mystical artifacts that may hold the key to freeing their petrified father.

Each episode sees the Vanderhoven family tackling a new supernatural challenge tied to myths and legends from around the world. Blending action, comedy, and mild scares, the show aims to introduce younger viewers to the world of fantasy-adventure storytelling.

• Release date: September 24, 2024 
• Genre: Drama
• Rating: N.A. 
• Director: Mel Eslyn, Mark Duplass
• Cast: Megan Stott, Krisha Fairchild, Amber Wolfe Wollam, Cynthia Geary, Austin Abrams, Barry O’Neil, Eddie Lee Wollrabe

16-year-old Penelope abandons her modern life for a solitary journey into Washington state. Feeling disconnected from the world around her, Penelope steals camping equipment and sneaks into a national park, determined to live off the land and find herself in nature.

As she struggles to adapt to life in the forest, Penelope faces physical and emotional challenges that test her resolve. She learns survival skills, builds a makeshift shelter, and forms an unlikely bond with the local wildlife. Along the way, she encounters an eccentric guitarist, a group of religious teens on a retreat, and an elderly conservationist dedicated to protecting the ancient trees.

• Release date: September 26, 2024 
• Genre: Drama
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Francesco Bruni
• Cast: Federico Cesari, Andrea Pennacchi, Bianca Nappi, Ricky Memphis, Filippo Nigro, Fotinì Peluso, Lorenzo Renzi

Two years after his transformative experience in a psychiatric ward, Daniele Cenni finds himself facing a new chapter filled with unexpected challenges and profound personal growth. Now a father to young Maria, Daniele must navigate the complexities of co-parenting amidst a turbulent custody battle with his ex-partner, Nina.

Driven by a desire to give back to the community that once supported him, Daniele makes a bold career change. He returns to the psychiatric hospital where he was once a patient, this time as a nurse. The fine line between caregiver and patient blurs, challenging Daniele’s resolve and forcing him to question whether he can truly save others while still fighting for his own salvation.

• Release date: September 24, 2024 
• Genre: Documentary
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: Ben Klein
• Cast: Steve Iavarone, Pamela Perry, W. Scott Poole

This new true crime docuseries examines real-life criminal cases with bizarre paranormal elements. The series premiere focuses on a 2020 explosion in downtown Nashville, tied to a man deeply invested in the “lizard people” conspiracy theory. There are other cases too, explored in the subsequent episodes.

Through interviews with experts, witnesses, and law enforcement, the show examines the evidence behind these cases and the impact of paranormal beliefs on criminal investigations. While maintaining a skeptical approach, Out There: Crimes of the Paranormal invites viewers to consider the unexplained and question the boundaries between fact and fiction in the criminal justice system.

• Release date: September 26, 2024 
• Genre: Reality
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: Harbinder Singh
• Cast: Joel McHale, Curtis Stone, Yolanda Gampp, T Lawrence-Simon, Fadi Odeh, Amber Croom, Yassmeen Haskins

The hit culinary detective competition returns with a sweet new twist. This season, instead of pairing professional and amateur bakers, Crime Scene Kitchen brings together teams of friends and family members to test their combined sleuthing and baking skills.

The competition is divided into two rounds per episode. In the first “safety bake,” teams investigate the crime scene kitchen and attempt to replicate the dessert. The team that comes closest earns immunity and advances to the next week. The remaining teams face an elimination round, where they must bake another mystery dessert. The weakest performing team is sent home each week until a winner is crowned.

• Release date: September 24, 2024 
• Genre: Documentary, Sport
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: FredAnthony Smith
• Cast: Michael Vick, Jamie Foxx, Common, Larry Wilmore 

This docuseries explores the rich and complex history of Black quarterbacks in professional football. Through archival footage, interviews with players past and present, and expert commentary, the series traces the journey of African American athletes in the most prominent and scrutinized position on the field.

The show examines the persistent myths and biases that kept Black players from the quarterback position, including false narratives about intelligence and leadership abilities. It also celebrates the unique talents and playing styles that Black quarterbacks brought to the game, reimagining the position and the sport as a whole.