Which streamers do you need in October, and which do you not?
Which streamers do you need in October, and which do you not?
It’s a pretty big month of premieres in October, which means there are some hard choices to be made when picking services to cancel.
Say sayonara to September, because Spooky Season has arrived! October is here, and with it will come the true trappings of the fall: jack-o-lanterns, falling leaves, crisp temperatures, and a ton of great TV shows and movie premieres on top streaming services as well. Don’t you just love this time of year?
After looking through the release schedules of top streaming services this month, we think we’ve identified which streamers you can safely cancel during the month — and which ones you must have at all costs, lest you miss out on the top premieres all your friends will be discussing.
Which streamers should you keep, and which can you cut this month?
Streamers you need
HBO Max
Our list starts with HBO Max, which has the perfect series to celebrate Spooky Season coming in October. “IT: Welcome to Derry” premieres on HBO Max on Oct. 26, and will explore the origins of the terrifying creature that eventually comes to be known as Pennywise the Clown, and how he arrived in the sleepy Maine town of Derry. The series has been hotly awaited by Stephen King fans since it was first announced, and it’s finally ready to roll out.
Watch the trailer for ‘Welcome to Derry’:
Also coming to HBO Max in October is the Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin comedy series “The Chair Company.” This series premieres on Oct. 12, and follows the story of a man who stumbles into an embarrassing situation at work, only to discover that a wide-ranging conspiracy is simmering just underneath the surface — one that only he can put a stop to!
There are lots more Halloween-themed titles to stream on HBO Max in October, and the NHL season on TNT starts during the month as well, so customers of the ad-free HBO Max tiers can stream pro hockey matchups at no additional cost before October is out.
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.
Netflix
The Emmy-nominated series “The Diplomat,” starring Keri Russel, is returning to Netflix with its third season on Oct. 16. The show picks up immediately following the events of Season 2, with President Rayburn dead. Vice President Grace Penn is now ascending to the top office, and Kate Wyler (Russel) is left to deal with the fallout, having earlier accused Penn of masterminding a terror attack.
Watch the trailer for ‘The Diplomat’ Season 3:
Viewers will also be able to stream the new season of the Adam Brody comedy series “Nobody Wants This” Season 2 starting Oct. 23, and fans of the “Splinter Cell” video game series will be excited to know that the animated series “Splinter Cell: Deathwatch” will be available to stream starting on Oct. 14. It’s a big month for Netflix, which usually has something or other of intrigue in the pipeline.
Viewers can subscribe to Netflix for just $8 per month, a subscription price I don’t expect to last for much longer, given price hikes for other ad-supported streaming plans around the industry. Keep it in mind, but for now, enjoy Netflix at a good price and watch the new hits coming to the service in October.
Paramount+
Let’s start with a new season of a Taylor Sheridan-helmed favorite when talking about Paramount+. Season 4 of Sheridan’s “Mayor of Kingstown,” starring Jeremy Renner, comes out on Oct. 26. The Russians have been eliminated, but now Mike McClusky (Renner) must deal with the fallout of his decisions — and his actions — in bringing that about, both for himself and the family he’s responsible for protecting.
Watch a trailer for ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ Season 4
Paramount+ also gets next-day streams of primetime shows on CBS, and there are a huge number of these returning with new seasons in October. Titles from “Ghosts” to “Matlock” to “Tracker” are premiering throughout the month of October; in the week between Oct. 12 and Oct. 19, a dozen beloved CBS titles will return with new episodes, and Paramount+ will have them on-demand.
Like Netflix, Paramount+ is one of the last remaining ad-supported streaming plans that costs less than $10 per month. Its ad plan is $8, and you can upgrade to ad-free streaming for $13 per month to watch all your favorites without commercials.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.
Streamers to cancel
Hulu
This isn’t just because Hulu is raising prices on Oct. 21, and will cost a minimum of $12 per month going forward. There’s also just not a ton of big-name titles headed to Hulu in October; the service is getting a new season of “Solar Opposites,” and new episodes of the fifth season of “Only Murders in the Building” during the month as well. Other than that, however, there aren’t a huge number of eye-grabbing choices on Hulu during the month.
Hulu
Hulu is a video streaming service that gives access to thousands of full seasons of exclusive series, hit movies, kids shows, and Hulu Originals like “Only Murders in the Building,” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Disney+
Look, I promise, I’m REALLY not trying to just pile on Disney streaming services for raising prices in October. It’s just that Disney+ doesn’t have a ton going for it during the month of October. A new season of “Star Wars: Visions” is arriving, but not until Oct. 29. There are a few other eyebrow-raising releases here and there, but nothing in the vein of a new Marvel or Pixar movie, or anything else that will really get fans hyped for Disney+ in October.
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”