It’s that time of the week again. No matter how busy or relaxing the past five working days have been for you, it’s time to kick back and watch numerous new movies and TV shows that have recently debuted on the world’s best streaming services.
There’s plenty to check out on Netflix, too, with the return of hit shows in Arcane and Outer Banks, plus the debut of Netflix’s first holiday season film of 2024 (yes, they’re releasing earlier each year). If you’re not signed up to Netflix, though, we come bearing gifts from three of its streaming rivals as well, so you’ll find something entertaining to watch before Monday arrives. Enjoy! – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
Arcane season 2 (Netflix)
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I love Arcane. Ask anyone who I work alongside, or my family and friends, and they’ll all claim that there isn’t a bigger fan of Netflix’s first League of Legends animated adaptation than I.
Almost exactly three years after one of the best Netflix shows’ first season absolutely blew me away, its follow-up’s highly-anticipated and long overdue debut is upon us. Arcane season 2 is finally here, and I’ve never been happier for one of my all-time favorite series to return. Before you watch it, check out my Arcane season 2 review to see me wax lyrical about how utterly gorgeous, action-packed, melodramatically soul-crushing, and epic it is. Be sure to visit our Arcane tag page, too, because there’s lots of exclusive content from my recent chat with co-creator Christian Linke that’s worth reading.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to watch season 2 act 1, aka its first three chapters, for the third time this week.
Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
Outer Banks season 4 part 2 (Netflix)
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We already know Outer Banks has been renewed for season 5 and that it’ll be the final outing. Thankfully, we’re not done with season 4 yet, and the second part is finally here. You’ve no doubt been quietly cursing them after episode 5’s shocking finale, too – indeed, if you think ending a two-part season on a cliffhanger is cruel, you’re not alone!
Don’t worry, though, you’ll get all the answers (we hope!) in part 2, which has five more episodes to devour. While we haven’t had to wait quite as long as some gaps between episodes (I’m still frustrated about the wait for Severance season 2, just saying), you’ll be forgiven for wanting to cancel your weekend plans and find out what happens next. I’m not judging.
Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
The Old Man season 2 (Disney Plus)
If you’re from the US, you’ll likely have seen that The Old Man season 2 is already out on Hulu. For the rest of us, who’ve been patiently waiting to see what the next installment of the thriller series has in store, we’ll finally be able to this weekend as the whole season was made available on Disney Plus on November 6.
Reviews on Rotten Tomatoes reveal season 2 doesn’t have a similarly high critical rating as season 1 did, but that shouldn’t stop you from finding out what happens next to Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges). The first season earned a place on our best Hulu shows list for its thrilling story and Bridges’ compelling performance, and there’s even talk of a third season on the cards, according to Variety. Will there be one last mission? We wouldn’t put it past Chase to take on another.
Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
Meet Me Next Christmas (Netflix)
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Christmas has certainly come early with one of November’s new Netflix movies Meet Me Next Christmas. The festive rom-com sees Layla (Christina Milian) race across New York City to find a ticket to a sold-out Pentatonix Christmas Eve concert to reconnect with the man of her dreams.
Milian is no stranger to Netflix’s romance section with movies like Falling Inn Love and Resort to Love, so it’s bound to be a charming affair with her as the lead. While we wait and see if Meet Me Next Christmas becomes one of the best Netflix movies, I can’t wait to kick off the holiday season with this feel-good rom-com.
Grace Morris, entertainment writer
Citadel: Honey Bunny (Prime Video)
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Some of the best Prime Video shows and best Prime Video movies are action packed, and Citadel: Honey Bunny has the potential to join our line-up of recommended action hits. Not only that, but it’s a spin-off to mainline show Citadel, which my colleague Tom Power wasn’t a fan of upon its debut in April 2023. The spin-off is directly linked, too, as the two main characters here are – spoilers! – the parents of Chopra’s character Nadia, so expect plenty of backstory.
There are two separate timelines, swapping between 1992 and 2000, picking up with Bunny, a stuntman in films, who recruits a struggling actor Honey for a side gig that endangers her life. The six-part series will focus on their relationship and Nadia’s early life, so it’s a must watch if you need more Citadel in your life.
Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
My Old Ass (Prime Video)
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My Old Ass is the latest collaboration between LuckyChap and Amazon MGM Studios, and following the movie’s standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, I have high hopes for one of November’s new Prime Video movies. The studios have previously worked together on Saltburn and are co-producing The Sims movie next, so I’m excited to see how their latest project turned out as it sounds like another wild trip.
No, really. The plot for this coming-of-age comedy involves a mushroom trip, which is the catalyst for a sci-fi scenario where an 18-year-old Elliott (Maisy Stella) suddenly comes face-to-face with her 39-year-old future self (Aubrey Plaza). You can expect plenty of epiphanies to come next as you follow Elliott on this heartfelt journey of discovery as she prepares to leave home. Make sure to check in on our best Prime Video movies guide to see if it makes the cut.
Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
The Day of the Jackal (Peacock)
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The Day of the Jackal, which is already out on Sky in the UK, is a modern day reimagining of Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel of the same name. In this cat-and-mouse thriller, Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) stars as the steely contract killer hired to assassinate a powerful tech tycoon. Trying to put an end to his killing spree is MI6 agent Bianca (Lashana Lynch) – but can she stop him before it’s too late?
If Oscar-winning actor Redmayne and the captivating Lynch (No Time to Die) wasn’t enough to have me tune in to this action-packed killer thriller, the rave reviews certainly will. The Standard wrote that The Day of the Jackal is “slick, stylish, and cinematically cool” and that “Redmayne is at his most enigmatic in the role of a chilly killer in this breathless thriller series.” Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to watch this series – and I most certainly accept.
Grace Morris, entertainment writer
For more streaming suggestions, read our guides on the best Disney Plus movies, best Hulu shows, best Paramount Plus movies, and best Apple TV Plus shows.
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