What are you going to be watching this week? We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+.
The biggies
All the Light We Cannot See (on Netflix from November 2)
A decade ago, it seemed the title of this book was haunting me everywhere, on every Whitcoulls bookshelf throughout the nation. Now, it can haunt me on Netflix. This miniseries adaptation follows the lives of two teenagers during the height of World War II: Marie-Laure, a blind French girl, and Werner, a German boy forced to fight for the Nazi regime. Shawn Levy, whose work includes the Night at the Museum franchise, will surely bring his trademark hilarity to the table here./ Sam Brooks
Love Island Games (on TVNZ+ from November 1)
Just when you thought the franchise was on its last legs, Love Island has extended out a single acrylic nail and beckoned former contestants back to the island for a whole new iteration of the series. Much like the United Nations, Love Island Games sees representatives from each Love Island territory (UK, Australia, USA) together to live, love and slide down a waterslide in a mermaid tail together. And this time, we’re told, “the challenges determine everything” rather than solely being a chance to spray foam on young women in slow motion. May the odds be ever in your favour. / Alex Casey
Anika Moa Unleashed (on TVNZ+ from November 1)
New Zealand’s best interviewer is back for a third season and thank god for that, because what the world needs now is Anika, sweet Anika. The new season sees Moa sitting down with interviewees including Aotearoa’s TV Personality of the Year Nix Adams, musician Benee and TikToker Uncle Tics with her trademark lack of filter and extremely forward way of asking the questions that nobody else would dare to. / SB
The notables
The Gilded Age (season two on Neon from October 30)
The first season of The Gilded Age asked the question, “What if Downton Abbey were set in America and involved a lot of silly accents and massive hats?” And we answered with, “Another season please!”. This show from Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes hasn’t attracted the following of his previous worldwide phenomenon, but I’d argue that the conflict between the new moneyed Russells (led by a wondrously hammy Carrie Coon) and the more established van Rhijn-Brook family (played by the equally delightful Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon) is just as enthralling as the Crawleys, if not better. / SB
Black Cake (limited series on Disney+ from November 1)
This new series, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Charmaine Wilkerson, bills itself as a “family drama wrapped up in a murder mystery” that stretches back decades. A widow named Eleanor Bennett dies, leaving her two adult children a flash drive with previously untold stories of her journey from the Caribbean to America. Mia Isaac, Adrienne Warren and Chipo Chung star./ SB
Spartacus (all seasons on ThreeNow from November 1)
Man, remember when Spartacus seemed to dominate our entire film industry? Were we ever so young. If you weren’t around when Spartacus was all the rage, it is a very loosely historical drama revolving around Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. There is a lot of blood, a lot of sand, and a whole lot of sex. It’s pretty fun! / SB
The films
Nyad (on Netflix from November 3)
Based on the life of record-breaking swimmer Diana Nyad, this drama floats onto Netflix after receiving positive notices out of Toronto Film Festival. Nyad, probably the most famous long-distance swimmer in the world, is played by Annette Bening, while Jodie Foster is her long-suffering partner Bonnie. It’s co-directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, who also made the excellent documentary Free Solo. / SB
Fingernails (on AppleTV+ from November 3)
Oscar nominee Jessie Buckley stars as Anna, a former teacher who joins a company offering a test to determine if a couple is truly in love. Thought-provoking! Rounding out this AppleTV+ sci-fi offering is a stacked cast including Jeremy Allen White, Riz Ahmed, Annie Murphy and Luke Wilson. / SB
Quiz Lady (on Disney+ from November 3)
Well, this sounds goddamned delightful. Anne (Awkwafina), a tightly wound, game show-obsessed young woman, has to join forces with her chaos energy sister Jenny (Sandra Oh) to help pay off their mother’s gambling debts. When Anne’s dog is kidnapped, the sisters have to set off on a journey in order to get the money they need. No surprises: Anne’s game show obsession comes into play. / SB
Netflix
November 1
Wingwomen
Nuovo Olimpo
Locked In
Hurricane Season
Mysteries of the Faith
Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering vs Haysom
November 2
All The Light We Cannot See
Cigarette Girl
Higuita: The Way of the Scorpion
Unicorn Academy: Chapter 1
Onimusha
November 3
Ferry: The Series
The Tailor: Season 3
Selling Sunset: Season 7
Daily Dose of Sunshine
Vacaciones de verano
Nyad
Sly
Erin & Aaron
Blue Eye Samurai
Don’t Breathe 2
Neon
October 30
The Gilded Age: Season 2
Christine
October 31
Mafia Mamma
November 1
Essex Murders
Being Mary Tyler Moore
The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring
Richie Rich
November 2
I Am Shauna Rae
Love Island Australia: Season 5
Mama’s Boy
Rocketman
The Book of Eli
November 3
38 at the Garden
John Wick: Chapter 4
November 4
John Early: Now More Than Ever
The Fisher King
November 5
After the Bite
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
TVNZ+
October 30
Luther: Season 1-5
October 31
Christmas with the Kranks
Wolf Creek
November 1
Anika Moa Unleashed
Love Island Games
November 3
Crahsed: $800 Million Festival Fail
ThreeNow
November 1
Spartacus: Seasons 1-4
November 3
Celebrity Goggle-box UK: Season 1
Celebrity IOU: Season 3
Disney+
November 1
Black Cake
Behind the Attraction: Season 2
The Three Detectives
Big City Greens: Season 3
November 3
Quiz Lady
The Mill
Prime Video
November 1
Christmas with the Kranks
The Night Before
This Christmas
November 2
Knuckle Girl
November 3
John Wick: Chapter Four
Invincible: Season 2
Romancero
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Apple TV+
November 3
Fingernails
AMC+
N/A
Acorn
N/A
Shudder
November 1
I Saw The Devil
A Tale of Two Sisters