PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Welcome to the first edition of KYW Newsradio’s What to Watch!
Fall’s here, and we know it’s nice outside. You could go out and do things — or you could veg out and watch TV after a long week. (They’re all long weeks now, anyway.)
With so much content already available on streaming, and even more debuting every week, we’re here to help you sift through it all. Here are our picks for the first weekend of October.
The Many Saints of Newark
The much-awaited prequel to “The Sopranos” comes to movie theaters and HBO Max this weekend. The movie — written by “Sopranos” creator David Chase — explores young Tony Soprano’s relationship with his uncle, Dickie Moltisanti, against the backdrop of the 1967 Newark race riots.
Early reviews have been mixed, but if you’re a “Sopranos” fan, it doesn’t matter. Any chance to revisit that world is essential viewing.
In theaters and streaming on HBO Max starting Friday.
Squid Game
A group of young people is pitted against each other in a deadly, winner-take-all game. Sounds familiar, right? Well, Netflix’s “Squid Game” shares the class consciousness of fellow Korean import “Parasite,” while adding its own devious twists. Netflix itself seems to be surprised at its success, as Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos shared it’s on track to be the streamer’s biggest hit — while admitting they didn’t see that coming. Currently streaming on Netflix.
And if you like “Squid Game,” check out “Battle Royale,” the pinnacle of “kids in deadly, winner-take-all games” movies. Currently streaming free with ads on Tubi, Pluto TV and IMDb TV/Prime Video.
Reservation Dogs
This FX comedy just wrapped its first season last week, and it’s absolutely worth binging. Created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, “Reservation Dogs” follows a quartet of Indigenous teens pulling petty crimes and other money-making schemes in an attempt to ditch their reservation and move to California.
What the show does best, though, is devote time to seemingly every character, allowing us to fall in love with its entire world. Especially Willie Jack. Everyone we know loves Willie Jack.
Currently streaming on Hulu.
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Seinfeld
After years on Hulu, everyone’s favorite Manhattan misanthropes have migrated to Netflix, just as we’re all shifting into soup mode. For those of you still smarting over Netflix losing “The Office” and “Friends,” having “Seinfeld” back should help.
Streaming on Netflix starting Friday.
Seance
A supernatural mystery at an exclusive boarding school sounds like the perfect way to kick off the spooky season. Simon Barrett, writer of “You’re Next” and “The Guest” (as well as the “Blair Witch” reboot), makes his directorial debut with “Seance,” a twisty slasher making its streaming debut this weekend on horror service Shudder.
Currently streaming on Shudder.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Speaking of the spooky season, it isn’t October without a visit from Freddy Krueger. All of the “Nightmare on Elm Street” movies (with the apparent exception of the stellar “New Nightmare”) debut on Peacock this weekend, and most of them are worth watching.
If there’s one to recommend over the others, it’s the third, which sees Patricia Arquette and the original film’s Heather Langenkamp lead a group of wayward teens with special abilities into battle with the dreaded dream demon. It’s not quite as scary as the first movie, but it’s a wild adventure with a surprising heart.
Streaming on Peacock starting Friday.
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Universal Horror
Sure, Freddy Krueger’s an elder statesman of scares, but if you want some really vintage horror, Criterion Channel’s got you covered with a selection of Universal Monsters films. “The Mummy,” “The Invisible Man,” “Bride of Frankenstein,” “The Wolf Man,” and “Creature from the Black Lagoon” are all present, joined by “The Black Cat” and “The Raven.”
Most notably, Criterion is including the Spanish-language version of “Dracula,” shot with more or less the same script at the same time as the English version, but longer and more atmospheric.
Streaming on the Criterion Channel starting Friday.
LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales
The LEGO Star Wars specials have long been a bright spot in the franchise, balancing all-ages humor with deep fan references. If “Terrifying Tales” is anything like the delightful “LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special,” then we’re in for a treat.
Streaming on Disney Plus starting Friday.
Sorry to Bother You
2018’s “Sorry to Bother You” was one of the brashest, most radical movies in years. Musician Boots Riley’s directorial debut stars LaKeith Stanfield as Cassius Green, an employee at a call center whose career skyrockets once he learns to “use his white voice.” Also starring Tessa Thompson, Danny Glover, Steven Yeun and Terry Crews, “Sorry to Bother You” is a truly acidic comedy about success, solidarity and the terrible things people do to themselves and each other for money.
Currently streaming free with ads on IMDb TV/Prime Video.
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La Brea
Remember “Primeval,” the BBC drama about a rift between our dimension and a prehistoric world? Well, I’m definitely getting those vibes from NBC’s “La Brea,” the latest network ensemble drama about a cataclysmic disaster. In this case, it’s a sinkhole that opens up in the middle of Los Angeles, dumping a group of unlucky Angelenos into a similar prehistoric plane.
If “La Brea” is even half as deeply weird and fun as “Primeval,” we’re in for an entertaining ride.