As October rolls in and the end of the year approaches, the streaming landscape starts to feel like a cinematic buffet—overflowing with prestige dramas, cozy comedies, and dark thrillers fighting for attention before awards season hits its peak. Some projects are built to challenge you; others simply remind you why we fall in love with storytelling in the first place.
This week, we’re highlighting four completely different releases that reflect just how wide the streaming spectrum can be. From an inventive romantic comedy to a surprisingly emotional courtroom reboot, a heartfelt documentary about one of comedy’s most beloved figures, and a chilling true-crime drama that might just keep you up at night—there’s a little something here for everyone.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Simply put, Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story will make your skin crawl.
This new installment in Ryan Murphy’s anthology series turns its focus to Ed Gein, the 1950s grave robber and murderer whose crimes inspired some of cinema’s most notorious villains—from Norman Bates in Psycho to Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs.
Charlie Hunnam delivers an unsettling and deeply human performance as Gein, playing him not as a horror caricature but as a man shaped by trauma, repression, and mental illness. Rather than leaning on shock value, the series takes a psychological approach, exploring how isolation, societal neglect and untreated illness can warp the human mind.
When I spoke with Hunnam, he explained that the creative intent behind the show was not to excuse Gein’s crimes, but to understand how someone could descend into such darkness. “I mean, I think that’s the essential obsession with the show—how a human being turns into a monster,” Hunnam said. “And we’re certainly not trying to absolve him, but we’re also not trying to vilify him. We’re just trying to understand the truth.”
He went on to describe how that truth ended up being more disturbing than anyone expected. “It was terrifying because he was a victim of things that I think we all in society are exposed to,” he said. “He was abused, which hopefully not everybody has to endure in life, but there was isolation, and that played a huge factor. These negative images he was exposed to coming out of the Second World War and then untreated mental health—all of which are very relevant things we should be concerned about in society today.”
The result is a haunting, introspective look at evil—not as a supernatural force, but as something born from pain, neglect, and human frailty. Monster: The Ed Gein Story refuses to sanitize or sensationalize Gein’s life; instead, it holds up a mirror to the darker corners of human experience.
Anchored by Hunnam’s chilling performance and Murphy’s signature flair the series is both disturbing and thought-provoking, a grim reflection on how horror sometimes grows from the most ordinary places. Monster: The Ed Gein Storyis now streaming on Netflix.
Maintenance Required
Romantic comedies have been quietly making a comeback in the streaming era, and Maintenance Required may be one of the most charming examples yet. The film stars Madelaine Petsch—best known for Riverdale and her recent horror work in The Strangers: Chapter 2—as Charlie, an ambitious, grease-stained mechanic who owns an all-female auto shop. Her friends are always pushing her to have a life beyond her work, but she insists she’s happy the way things are.
What she doesn’t realize is that her anonymous pen pal on a Reddit automotive thread—a fellow gearhead she’s bonded with over late-night engine debates—is actually her professional nemesis. Bo (played by Bad Boys for Life standout Jacob Scipio) is a smooth corporate executive whose company is opening a massive chain repair shop just blocks away from Charlie’s business.
As fate would have it, these two online confidants are also rivals in real life, each unaware that the other’s the person behind the keyboard. The setup plays like You’ve Got Mail for the modern age—complete with text notifications, digital misunderstandings, and clever winks at how we connect (and misconnect) in the internet era.
For Petsch, the project represented a welcome change of pace and a chance to play a character who didn’t have to look perfect doing it. “I felt like I needed a breath of fresh air for sure,” Petsch said. “And I loved the idea of getting my hands dirty and playing a character that doesn’t really care about how she looks. I fell in love with the story easily—the elements of female friendship, and the idea of playing someone who’s maybe a little closed off to love and needs some coaxing out of that.”
She continued, “That’s rare to see on screen, but I really resonate with it. And honestly, I just wanted to have some fun. I wanted to do something a little lighter.”
That looseness and sense of play carried through the entire production. The film leans heavily on improvisation, and much of its charm comes from the natural chemistry among the cast—especially in scenes with comedian Jim Gaffigan, who appears in a hilarious supporting role.
Scipio said working opposite Gaffigan often meant trying not to laugh through takes. “It was hard to keep it together, to be fair,” he admitted. “Jim’s just so funny—he’s a pro. He came in and totally owned the set. There was a lot of improvisation and trust throughout this movie, and when you’ve got a pro like that, you’ve got to let him rip. Man, he’s a peacock—you’ve got to let him fly.”
With its quick wit, warm chemistry, and heart firmly in the right place, Maintenance Required is a refreshing spin on a familiar formula. It’s a light, charming reminder that even when love is messy, it’s still worth getting your hands dirty.
Maintenance Required on Amazon Prime, October 8.
Matlock: Season 2
When Matlock first hit television in 1986, it was a folksy courtroom drama anchored by Andy Griffith’s charm and small-town wit. Nearly four decades later, the idea of rebooting that legacy seemed risky—until Kathy Bates was announced in the title role.
In this reimagined version, Bates plays Maddie Matlock, a brilliant attorney who uses the name of the famous TV lawyer as her cover while secretly working to expose corruption inside one of the country’s most powerful law firms. It’s a clever meta twist: rather than pretending the original show never existed, the new Matlock acknowledges it as pop culture and flips it on its head.
What emerges is a legal drama with a conspiratorial edge—smart, layered, and surprisingly emotional. Bates brings the same gravitas and sly humor that have defined her career, and she’s backed by a talented ensemble.
The result is a modern Matlock that honors its namesake while carving out something entirely new—a sharp, character-driven legal drama with warmth, humor, and a touch of intrigue. Season 2 premieres Sunday, October 12 on CBS and streams the next day on Paramount+.
Editor’s Note: On October 9, a day after this story was originally published, several news outlets reported that David Del Rio was fired from Matlock after an alleged sexual assault and has been walked off the set. As of press time, this is only an accusation but given the seriousness of the accusation and the immediate actions of Paramount executives, we’ve decided to remove the extended earlier interview we’d had with him for this story.
John Candy: I Like Me
Comedy legends come and go, but few radiated warmth like John Candy. From Planes, Trains & Automobiles to Uncle Buck and Cool Runnings, Candy had an ability to make you laugh one moment and tear up the next—a quality this new documentary captures beautifully.
Directed with affection and insight by Colin Hanks, John Candy: I Like Me uses never-before-seen footage, outtakes, home movies, and photographs to paint a portrait that goes beyond the punchlines. Through interviews with Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Catherine O’Hara, Bill Murray, Macaulay Culkin, and others, the film examines both his comedic genius and his inner battles—his insecurities, his kindness, and the weight of fame.
The title comes from a line Candy delivers in Planes, Trains & Automobiles: “I like me. My wife likes me. My customers like me.” It’s a line that sums up everything about him—earnest, human, and unguarded. The documentary doesn’t shy away from his health issues or the pressures of Hollywood, but it ultimately celebrates a man who brought joy to millions while never losing sight of his humanity.
This isn’t just a trip down memory lane—it’s a reminder of the kind of heart and humor that rarely comes along twice. John Candy: I Like Me premieres October 10 on Amazon Prime, and it’s one of the most emotionally rewarding watches of the month.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.