October is shaping up to be an excellent one for TV viewing, and that’s particularly true on Netflix.
In fact, the streaming service is serving up a plethora of programming this month, ranging from the anticipated return of some hit series (both comedy and drama), docuseries that dig deep into the life of some famous figures, an already-acclaimed adaptation of a literary classic, and much more.
To find out more, read on for a roundup of 10 can’t-miss shows arriving in October 2026
1. ‘East of Eden’
“This limited series spans generations of the Trask family … and Florence Pugh as the ultimate antihero, Cathy Ames,” notes Netflix of director Zoe Kazan’s limited series based on John Steinbeck’s novel.
“The thing that was really important to me was to stay rooted in the text of the book when it came to exploring who Cathy is,” Kazan tells Tudum. “Basically everything that’s in the series has at least a root in the book.”
The saga follows Cathy’s life as it becomes intertwined with that of the Trask family — which includes patriarch Cyrus (Tracy Letts), sons Adam (Christopher Abbott) and Charles (Mike Faist), and Adam’s sons Aron (Joe Anders) and Cal (Joseph Zada) — during the years after the Civil War through to the early days of World War 1. Premiered: October 1
2. ‘Below’
Josh Hartnett stars in this series as Calvin, “a fisherman whose small village is under attack by a violent creature,” reads the synopsis.
“As locals succumb to mayhem brought on by strange events, and Calvin’s son Wade (Charlie Heaton) exhibiting terrifying new symptoms, our hero teams up with Fonda (Mackenzie Davis), a marine biologist, to uncover what secrets lie beneath the water,” the synopsis adds.
“I read the first two scripts so quickly, in less than an hour,” Hartnett told Tudum. “The voice was so clear, the concept was so engaging, and the character was fantastic. I’d never read anything like it before.” Premiere: October 8
3. ‘Is It Cake? Halloween’ Season 2
“Is It Cake?” has become a pop-culture phenomenon unto itself, and Nefflix viewers can’t get enough of this series in which contestants try to guess whether an object is the real deal of a hyper-realistic cake creation.
Last year’s Halloween-themed edition proved to be such a big hit that it’s returning for a second edition. As always, “Saturday Night Live” cast member Mike Day hosts. Premiere: October 9
4. ‘Tyson’
Throughout the course of his career, Mike Tyson has been beloved, despised, feared and mocked. Now, one of the most polarizing figures in sports tells his story in his own words through this four-part docuseries.
“From Tyson’s chaotic upbringing in Brooklyn, New York, to his meteoric rise to global superstardom, ‘Tyson’ traces a life shaped by extraordinary success as well as fame, influence, and controversy. After stunning the boxing world and taking the heavyweight title at age 20, he reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Nearly four decades later, at age 58, he stepped back into the ring in 2024 to face Jake Paul in the most-streamed live sporting event of all time,” notes Netflix’s description.
“Most people are too scared to look at their lives objectively, wanting to paint themselves as the hero of their own story,” Tyson told Tudum. “But if we are truly objective, we know we can never be the hero in our own story. We have to be able to face the man in the mirror — taking the good with the bad — to give a full account of our contributions in this life.” Premiere: October 13
5. ‘Hollywood Arts’
Viewers who enjoyed Nickelodeon hit “Victorious” won’t want to miss this new reboot series.
“Daniella Monet, who starred as Trina Vega during the show’s four-season run, will reprise her role as an aspiring actor who still hasn’t gotten her big break,” notes Tudum. “Hijinks ensue when she returns to her alma mater to teach a whole new generation of performing arts students.”
“Coming back as Trina alongside such a dynamic, powerful cast of newcomers is something I feel very lucky and grateful to do,” Monet shared. “’Victorious’ was in a lot of ways life-changing for all of us. Our cast is forever bonded by that experience, and to think that I have an opportunity to steward anything close to that is a feeling I can’t begin to describe.”Premiere: October 15
6. ‘The Diplomat’ Season 4
The critically acclaimed drama is back for a fourth explosive season, with U.S. ambassador to the U.K. Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) scrambling as the fragile peace deal she’s just brokered threatens to collapse — along with her shattered marriage.
“In Season 4 of ‘The Diplomat,’ two marriages threaten to eat each other alive,” reads Netflix’s logline for the upcoming season. “One catastrophic moment shatters the fragile peace Kate Wyler brokered between the U.S. and U.K., as well as the crumbling marriage she’s trying to save. While she fights to stem the bleeding, President Grace Penn and VP Hal Wyler’s conspiracy to steal Russia’s most powerful weapon hurtles the United States toward war. Kate and Todd, at best an uneasy pair, unite to stop the Grace-Hal alliance from upending the balance of power abroad and at home,” the logline adds, concluding: “Four Emmy nominees paint an unmissable portrait of two marriages: Keri Russell as Ambassador Kate Wyler, Rufus Sewell as Vice President Hal Wyler, Allison Janney as President Grace Penn and Bradley Whitford as Todd Penn.” Premiere: October 15
7. ‘The New Stanford Prison Experiment’
“More than 50 years after Philip Zimbardo’s infamous 1971 study became one of psychology’s most notorious cautionary tales, the Stanford Prison Experiment is back under the microscope — this time reimagined as a new unscripted series,” notes the Netflix synopsis for this bold new social experiment.
“‘The New Stanford Prison Experiment’ picks up the original’s central question and pushes it further: Does power corrupt? Reframed for a moment when questions about authority, conformity, and human nature feel newly urgent, 30 willing participants enter a real prison and are randomly assigned as guards or prisoners,” the synopsis adds. Premiere: October 21
8. ‘Nobody Wants This’ Season 3
Kristen Bell and Adam Brody are back for a third season of the hit rom-com centering on a podcaster and a rabbi. In the new season, their occasionally rocky relationship has settled into domesticity as the two take a big step and move in together.
“After recommitting to each other at the end of last season, Joanne (Bell) and Noah (Brody) are moving into a home — and a relationship — that finally feels solid, embracing every exciting ‘first’ that comes with building their life together,” the synopsis notes. “Sasha (Timothy Simons) and Esther (Jackie Tohn) are thrust back into the dating world, whether they like it or not, stumbling through all the awkwardness (and unexpected thrill) of getting to know someone new, right as Morgan (Justine Lupe) takes her career to the next level, on her way to becoming an (almost) media sensation,” the synopsis adds. “Meanwhile, Sasha and Morgan have been circling something neither of them has been able to admit to.” Premiere: October 22
9. ‘Lupin’ Season 4
Racking up 100 million views, this French thriller has become a favorite with viewers beyond its homeland. “Lupin” follows “gentleman thief” Assane Diop (played by Omar Sy), who has devoted his life to avenging the death of his father, who took his own life in prison after being falsely accused of stealing a priceless diamond necklace by his wealthy employer.
“Lupin Part 4 begins four years after the end of the previous part,” reads the Netflix synopsis. “Assane is still in prison. For him, Lupin is no more: he wants to serve out his sentence and keep the promise he made to his son to go and meet their family in Senegal. But his plans are turned upside down by a mysterious announcement signed by Lupin: multiple museums are to be hit with simultaneous heists! In spite of heightened security, the thefts go off as planned. Assane proclaims his innocence, but everything points to his guilt. A camera even shows him in one of the museums during a robbery in which Captain Belkacem is seriously injured. To prove his innocence and unmask the copycat, Assane must escape and don the Lupin costume once more!” Premiere: October 23
10. ‘The One About Matthew Perry’
Fans of “Friends” have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this new three-part docuseries that delves into the troubled life of Matthew Perry.
“Told through intimate testimonies from close family and friends, this documentary event reveals the real Matthew Perry — generous, funny, vulnerable, larger than life — and the battles he fought to become the man behind the icon,” reads the logline. “A raw record of a life lived in full, and the honesty that became his greatest legacy.” Premiere: October 27
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10 Must-Watch Shows on Netflix This October