Also, Saturday Night Live makes a comeback, AMC broadens its Anne Rice Universe, and Monster delves into the story of Ed Gein.
Get ready for a spine-tingling television lineup next month. October brings with it two gripping true-crime series, Netflix’s Monster and Peacock’s Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy. HBO is set to launch its eagerly awaited It prequel series featuring Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise; AMC introduces Talamasca into its Anne Rice collection; and Prime Video releases a sinister series co-written by Harlan Coben. On the lighter side, television staples like Abbott Elementary and Law & Order: SVU make their return. There are also some fresh offerings, including a comedy both starring and co-created by Tim Robinson and Cooper Raiff’s family dramedy Hal & Harper. Here’s The A.V. Club’s rundown of television to watch in October.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story (October 3, Netflix)
Following their explorations of Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez Brothers, Monster co-creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan turn their attention to serial killer Ed Gein (Charlie Hunnam), who admitted to killing two women in the 1950s and was suspected of grave robbing. His eerie crimes—shown in the chilling trailer above—served as inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock’s (Tom Hollander) Psycho. The series also introduces characters such as Ted Bundy (John T. O’Brien) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre director Tobe Hooper (Will Brill). [Saloni Gajjar]
Saturday Night Live season 51 (October 4, NBC)
SNL is coming off a big year with its 50th season celebrations and a notable cast departure during the summer involving favorites like Ego Nwodim, Michael Longfellow, and Heidi Gardner. The iconic sketch show returns with new additions like Dropout’s Jeremy Culhane and TikTok sensation Veronika Slowikowska, with Bad Bunny, show veteran Amy Poehler, and Sabrina Carpenter stepping in as hosts. [Saloni Gajjar]
The Chair Company (October 12, HBO)
“I’m right about a lot of things that people have zero clue that they even know is going on,” declares project leader William Ronald Trosper (Tim Robinson) in HBO’s conspiracy-driven comedy. The latest venture from Robinson and Zach Kanin, who previously delivered the acclaimed sitcom Detroiters and I Think You Should Leave, features Lake Bell, Sophia Lillis, and Will Price, with contributions from writers like The Other Two‘s Sarah Schneider and MacGruber‘s John Solomon. [Tim Lowery]
DMV (October 13, CBS)
Harriet Dyer (Colin From Accounts) leads this new CBS sitcom alongside the ever-dependable Tim Meadows. Created by Friends writer Dana Klein, the comedy dives into the daily quirks encountered by employees at East Hollywood’s DMV, who, as Dyer’s character states in the trailer, “work in a dead-end job for lousy pay and no hope of happiness.” The cast also includes SNL‘s Molly Kearney and The Righteous Gemstones‘ Tony Cavalero. [Saloni Gajjar]
Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy (October 16, Peacock)
In Devil In Disguise, Michael Chernus takes on the role of John Wayne Gacy, also known as the Killer Clown, with Gabriel Luna playing a key detective. The eight-part series delves into the Midwestern murderer’s heinous acts, the bureaucratic oversights that postponed his arrest, and the suffering endured by the victims’ families. [Saloni Gajjar]
Hal & Harper (October 19, MUBI)
Cha Cha Real Smooth‘s Cooper Raiff writes, directs, and stars in this dramedy, which debuted at Sundance earlier this year and is set to stream in the U.S. and France on MUBI. Raiff and Lili Reinhart portray the show’s closely-knit siblings, who grapple with the news that their father (played by Mark Ruffalo, quite active this season) and his girlfriend (portrayed by Betty Gilpin) are expecting a child. [Tim Lowery]
Lazarus (October 22, Prime Video)
Co-created by bestselling author Harlan Coben (whose novel Shelter was adapted into a Prime Video series) and Danny Brocklehurst, Lazarus focuses on a forensic psychologist (played by Sam Claflin) who returns to his hometown following his father’s (portrayed by Bill Nighy) suicide. As he investigates cold cases—including the murder of his sister 25 years ago—he starts experiencing bizarre events that challenge his perceptions. [Saloni Gajjar]
IT: Welcome To Derry (October 26, HBO)
Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) brings his reign of terror just in time for Halloween in this It prequel. Set in 1962, the series follows a couple (played by Jovan Adepo and Taylour Paige) who relocate to the infamous Maine town with their son. Welcome To Derry explores the town’s sinister past and links it to canonical events in Stephen King’s universe, including the burning of a juke joint and a gang massacre. Chris Chalk, James Remar, and Madeleine Stowe also star. [Saloni Gajjar]
Talamasca: The Secret Order (October 26, AMC)
AMC’s Anne Rice Universe expands with the third series in the franchise, which centers on the group tasked with monitoring supernatural beings worldwide. In the series, Nicholas Denton’s character Guy Anatole is nearing his law school graduation when he is recruited by a covert organization and finds himself entangled with immortals. Look for cameo appearances by Eric Bogosian and Justin Kirk, who reprise their roles from Interview With The Vampire here. [Saloni Gajjar]
Down Cemetery Road (October 29, Apple TV+)
Apple TV+ continues its collaboration with Mick Herron with this thriller, based on his novel of the same name from the Slough House series. Emma Thompson stars as a private detective hired by a concerned citizen (played by Ruth Wilson) to unravel a mystery involving an explosion and a missing child that disrupts a tranquil Oxford suburb. Four Lions‘ Adeel Akhtar, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Happy-Go-Lucky‘s Sinéad Matthews also star. [Tim Lowery]
More October premieres
October 1
Abbott Elementary season five (ABC)
Shifting Gears season two (ABC)
Chicago Med season 11 (NBC)
Chicago Fire season 14 (NBC)
Chicago P.D. season 13 (NBC)
October 2
Karen Pirie season two (BritBox)
October 3
The Sisters Grimm (Apple TV+)
October 5
Brian And Maggie (PBS)
Smiling Friends season three (Adult Swim)
October 9
Boots (Netflix)
9-1-1 season nine (ABC)
9-1-1 Nashville (ABC)
Grey’s Anatomy season 22 (ABC)
October 10
The Last Frontier (Apple TV+)
October 12
Elsbeth season three (CBS)
Matlock season two (CBS)
The Neighborhood season eight (CBS)
FBI season eight (CBS)
Watson season two (CBS)
Solar Opposites season six (Hulu)
October 14
Splinter Cell: Death Watch (Netflix)
NCIS season 23 (CBS)
NCIS: Origins season two (CBS)
NCIS: Sydney season three (Paramount+)
October 15
Loot
Avery Sandridge has an unmatched love for storytelling and the screen. From detailed analyses of your favorite shows to behind-the-scenes scoops, Avery offers a fresh and engaging take on everything TV series.