By Stacy Lee Kong

I am on the record as feeling overwhelmed at the amount of TV that… uh, exists in the world. There are legit so many options, and I for one cannot possibly watch everything that trends on Twitter. So! In an attempt to narrow the list down, I’m rounding up 17 movies, shows and documentaries that a) look really good and b) are streaming on Netflix Canada, Amazon Prime, Crave and CBC Gem this month, from the spooky (Vampires vs. the Bronx; Monsterland; Trickster) to the funny (Sarah Cooper’s new comedy special) to the thought-provoking (Lessons Injustice; Influence). Happy binge-watching!

Netflix Canada

Emily In Paris (premieres October 2)

Emily, an ambitious twenty-something marketing executive from Chicago, unexpectedly lands her dream job in Paris. Her new life is filled with intoxicating adventures and surprising challenges as she juggles work, friendships, and romance.

Song Exploder (premieres October 2)

Based on the acclaimed podcast of the same name, and from host Hrishikesh Hirway and Oscar®-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville, each episode of Song Exploder features some of the world's greatest musicians as they reveal how they brought one of their songs to life. The series weaves together in-depth interviews, archival footage, and raw recordings as each artist breaks down their song, layer by layer, sharing intimate insight into the personal inspiration behind the music and lyrics. Featured artists include 15-time Grammy® Award-winning artist, songwriter, and producer Alicia Keys, who breaks down “3 Hour Drive” from her 2020 album, Alicia; Pulitzer Prize, Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning composer, lyricist, and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, who delves into the creation of “Wait for It” from the musical phenomenon Hamilton; Rock & Roll Hall of Famers R.E.M. who open up about the influences behind the life-changing track “Losing My Religion”; and Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and producer Ty Dolla $ign who discusses the inspiration behind “LA,” the deeply personal opening track from his gold-certified major label debut album, Free TC.

Vampires vs. the Bronx (premieres October 2)

A group of young friends from the Bronx fight to save their neighborhood from a band of vampires. 

Deaf U (premieres October 9)

In this docuseries, a tight-knit group of deaf students share their stories and explore the perks and pitfalls of life at Gallaudet University.

The Forty-Year-Old Version (premieres October 9)

Desperate for a breakthrough as she turns 40, down-on-her-luck New York playwright Radha reinvents herself as a rapper and searches for her true voice.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (premieres October 16)

What was intended to be a peaceful protest at the 1968 Democratic National Convention turned into a violent clash with police and the National Guard. The organizers of the protest—including Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Bobby Seale—were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and the trial that followed was one of the most notorious in history. 

Rebecca (premieres October 19)

After a whirlwind romance in Monte Carlo with handsome widower Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer), a newly married young woman (Lily James) arrives at Manderley, her new husband’s imposing family estate on a windswept English coast. Naive and inexperienced, she begins to settle into the trappings of her new life, but finds herself battling the shadow of Maxim’s first wife, the elegant and urbane Rebecca, whose haunting legacy is kept alive by Manderley’s sinister housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (Kristin Scott Thomas). Directed by Ben Wheatley (High Rise, Free Fire) and produced by Working Title Films (Emma, Darkest Hour), Rebecca is a mesmerizing and gorgeously rendered psychological thriller based on Daphne du Maurier’s beloved 1938 gothic novel.

Over the Moon (premieres October 23)

Fueled with determination and a passion for science, a bright young girl builds a rocket ship to the moon to prove the existence of a legendary Moon Goddess. Directed by Oscar®-Winning Filmmaker & Animator, Glen Keane, and produced by Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou. Starring Cathy Ang, Phillipa Soo, Robert G. Chiu, Ken Jeong, John Cho, Ruthie Ann Miles, Margaret Cho, Kimiko Glenn, Artt Butler and Sandra Oh.

Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine (premieres October 27)

An hour of funny single-camera vignettes dealing with issues of politics, race, gender, class and other light subjects.

Amazon Prime Video

Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 2 (premieres October 2)

As a follow up to last year’s ground-breaking event, this year’s Savage X Fenty Show is raising the bar. Debuting the bold and fearless Fall 2020 line, Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 2 will include performances from an all-star lineup including hip-hop icon Travis Scott and international superstars Bad Bunny, Ella Mai, Miguel, Mustard, Roddy Ricch, and Rosalia during the experience. 

Crave

Charm City Kings (premieres October 8)

HBO Max’s Charm City Kings follows fourteen-year-old Mouse (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) who desperately wants to join The Midnight Clique, the infamous Baltimore dirt bike riders who rule the summertime streets. When Midnight’s leader, Blax (Meek Mill), takes Mouse under his wing, Mouse soon finds himself torn between the straight-and-narrow and a road filled with fast money and violence. The film is executive produced by Jada Pinkett Smith (Hala, The Karate Kid), Will Smith (The Karate Kid, Bad Boys For Life), and James Lassiter (The Karate Kid, Hala, Bad Boys for Life).

Cats (premieres October 17)

The 2019 musical Cats follows a tribe of cats called the Jellicles who must decide annually which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life. The film has a star-studded cast including Taylor Swift (Valentine’s Day, The Lorax), Jennifer Hudson (Dream Girls, Sex and the City), James Corden (Into The Woods, Trolls) Jason Derulo (Empire), Judi Dench (Skyfall), Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect, Bridesmaids), Idris Elba (Molly’s Game, Luther), and breakout star Francesca Hayward.

Monsterland (premieres October 31)

Encounters with mermaids, fallen angels, and other strange beasts drive broken people to desperate acts in Monsterland, an anthology series based on the collection of stories from Nathan Ballingrud’s North American Lake Monsters.

CBC Gem

Trickster (premieres October 7)

Jared is only sixteen but feels like he is the one who must stabilize his family's life. He puzzles over why his maternal grandmother has never liked him, why she says he's the son of a trickster.

Influence (premieres October 9)

Starring Margaret Thatcher, Nelson Mandela, and F.W. de Klerk, Influence is a profile of the morally slippery British reputation manager, Lord Timothy Bell. In 1998, Bell co-founded the legendary PR firm Bell Pottinger. The film examines the politicization of modern communication over the last 40 years—the winding journey from advertising to algorithms; television to Twitter. 

Lessons Injustice (premieres October 16)

A father sets out on a car ride with his teenage son and reflects on the conversation he knows he will soon have to have: how to conduct himself as a young black man in Canadian society while facing the harsh realities of racial discrimination.

Mohawk Girls Season 4 (premieres October 23)

Mohawk Girls is a comedic look at the lives of four modern-day women trying to stay true to their roots while they navigate sex, work, love, and the occasional throw down. This is life on the reserve like you've never seen it before—modern, tough, and funny.