October has already brought several big-name streaming releases to the fore – Beckham, The Fall of the House of Usher and Loki season 2 to name just a few – but this weekend sees the likes of Netflix and Prime Video dial down the hype in favor of some more understated productions.
The biggest arrival is Bodies on Netflix, a Stephen Graham-led detective adventure with a time-traveling twist, while The Burning Girls and If You Were the Last mark this week’s headline additions to Paramount Plus and Peacock, respectively.
Below, you’ll find our pick of the best new movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, Max and more this weekend.
Bodies (Netflix)
In case you hadn’t heard: Netflix is on the up. Launches from David Beckham and, uh, Edgar Allen Poe have provided a nice boost to viewership numbers in October, and the streamer will be hoping that Bodies – its latest thriller series – builds on that success.
An eight-part adaptation of the graphic novel by Si Spencer, this Paul Tomalin-directed mystery has a cracking tagline: “Four detectives. Four timelines. One body.” Essentially, it follows four London detectives, across four different time periods, as they investigate a homicide involving the same victim (yes, you read that right: the same victim).
Stephen Graham and Kyle Soller are among the show’s cast, and Bodies has been praised by critics for being “a thrilling cop drama that leaves you wanting more.” In other words, this could be one of the best Netflix shows of 2023.
Now available to stream on Netflix.
The Burning Girls (Paramount Plus)
It’s been a while since the last good show about a remote community with a terrible secret, but The Burning Girls has arrived on Paramount Plus to rectify that situation.
This six-episode adaptation of the novel by C.J. Tudor stars Samantha Morton (Minority Report) as a well-meaning vicar who, after moving to the country in hope of a fresh start, discovers that her new village neighbors are not what they seem.
Ruby Stokes, Jack Roth and Conrad Khan also star in The Burning Girls, which critics have described as “everything you could possibly want from a pre-Halloween frightfest.” All episodes are available to stream now.
Now available to stream on Paramount Plus.
Bosch: Legacy season 2 (Amazon Freevee)
Attention, dads everywhere: Bosch: Legacy season 2 is now streaming (for free) on Amazon Freevee.
This spin-off to Prime Video’s excellent, seven-season Bosch series continues with Titus Welliver’s Harry Bosch resuming his search for his missing daughter, Maddie. This time, though, both Bosch and his partner, Chandler, are being pursued by the FBI (classic!).
The first four episodes of Bosch: Legacy season 2 are now available to stream on Amazon Freevee, with the remaining six episodes due to arrive in pairs every Friday through November 10.
Now available to stream on Amazon Freevee.
If You Were the Last (Peacock)
Having debuted to positive reviews at SXSW festival back in March, new sci-fi rom-com If You Were the Last finally lands on Peacock this weekend.
This feature directorial debut from Kristian Mercado stars Anthony Mackie and Zoë Chao as Adam and Jane, two astronauts who, after becoming stranded on a derelict spaceship, must decide if their friendship should become something more.
Sure, that basic premise sounds familiar, but critics have nonetheless praised If You Were the Last for its neat interstellar twist and two charismatic leads. Might it prove the movie that finally helps Peacock compete with Netflix? Watch this space.
Now available to stream on Peacock.
Upload season 3 (Prime Video)
Prime Video’s off-beat, inventive and thoroughly under-appreciated comedy series, Upload, continues with its third season this weekend.
New episodes find the show’s lead, Nathan, grappling with the reality of being back in, well, reality, after season 2 concluded with the character successfully returning to the land of the living. But how will Nathan fare in the same dimension as his longtime love interest, Nora? If Upload season 3’s trailer is anything to go by, the answer is: not well.
Now available to stream on Prime Video.
The Pigeon Tunnel (Apple TV Plus)
The first of this week’s two documentary picks is The Pigeon Tunnel on Apple TV Plus.
This feature-length production, from acclaimed documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, chronicles the life and career of former British spy David Cornwell, who later became better known as spy novelist John le Carré.
Based on le Carré’s own best-selling memoir of the same name, The Pigeon Tunnel spans six decades and includes the final interview given by the author prior to his death in 2020. This one is essential viewing for John le Carré fans.
Now available to stream on Apple TV Plus.
Navajo Police: Class 57 (Max)
Recent films on indigenous American culture have focused on the troubled relationship between Native Americans and the US government, but Navajo Police: Class 57 – which is now streaming in its entirety on Max – offers a different perspective.
This three-part production gives unprecedented insight into the Navajo Nation’s police academy, focusing specifically on the journey of several young cadets as they develop from wide-eyed trainees into full-blown reservation officers.
Critics haven’t had a chance to weigh in on Navajo Police: Class 57 just yet, but the documentary’s truly unique subject matter should be enough to make it worth watching.
Now available to stream on Max.
Didn’t see anything you like? Take a look at our guides on the best Apple TV Plus shows, best Paramount Plus movies, best Hulu movies, and new Max movies.
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