A big batch of new movies and TV shows arrives this weekend, and not to say they’re welcome, but at least one entry is bumming us out. The Ted Lasso season 2 finale is here and we’re all sad-face about it. Fortunately, once we’re done with it, there are plenty of other options to watch on Netflix, Disney Plus and other streaming services.
Two concert films headline this weekend’s lineup: Madame X from Madonna and If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power from Halsey. Also twinning are two new baking shows, the engineering-minded Baking Impossible and the amateur vs. pro faceoff Baker’s Dozen.
To fill the teen murder mystery void in your life, try One of Us Is Lying. For more light-hearted fare, check out the ‘80s resort-set comedy Acapulco.
- 9 shows and movies to watch after Squid Game
- Why the Squid Game ending let me down
- Ted Lasso season 3: Everything we know so far
And that’s not all: There are a ton of new TV shows and specials available on broadcast and cable. If you’ve cut the cord, just sign up for one of the best cable TV alternatives for access to your favorite channels.
Here are our picks for the new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend.
Ted Lasso (Apple TV Plus)
Season 2 finale | Episode 12 (TV-MA) | Watch now
We can’t BELIEVE the second season of Ted Lasso is already over. Feels like it started last week. So much has happened since the premiere! Ted revealed his past trauma (dad’s suicide) and finally opened up to Doctor Sharon. Roy joined AFC Richmond as an assistant coach. Rebecca hooked up with Sam. Coach Beard went on a trippy late night adventure in London. Santa Claus is real (let’s forget that one, shall we?). But two big conflicts loom over the finale: Nate’s heel turn into a jerk and the Roy/Keeley/Jamie love triangle. The latter seems a silly bit of nonsense — Keeley and Roy’s relationship seems rock solid and she has never expressed regret about Jamie. But Nate’s transformation into a villain has been building all season and we can’t wait to see the payoff.
Muppets Haunted Mansion (Disney Plus)
Special | 49 min (TV-PG) | Watch now
The Muppets have starred in several Christmas outings, but this is their first Halloween special. And it’s exactly what it sounds like: the popular theme park attraction but with the Muppets. The Great Gonzo has seen and done it all, but now he takes on the greatest challenge of his life: spending the night in the Haunted Mansion. He and pal Pepe the Prawn visit the creepy abode of the magician The Great MacGuffin. Miss Piggy appears as herself and the crystal ball’s Madame Pigota. The special features three new original songs, "Rest In Peace," "Life Hereafter" and "Tie The Knot Tango.”
One of Us Is Lying (Peacock)
Series premiere | Episodes 1-3 (TV-MA) | Watch now
Fans of teen murder mysteries like 13 Reasons Why Not will flock to Peacock’s adaptation of Karen M. McManus’ novel. The story follows five kids who get detention on the first day of school at Bayview High. But this is no Breakfast Club, as they learn when one of them mysteriously dies. Everyone is a suspect and everyone has something to hide. The surviving four students must work together to figure out who killed Simon and why — and if they might be next.
Acapulco (Apple TV Plus)
Series premiere | Episode 1 (TV-14) | Watch now
Celebrated Mexican comedian Eugenio Derbez loosely based this English and Spanish language series on his movie How to Be a Latin Lover. Derbez reprises his role of Máximo Gallardo, a wealthy resident of Malibu in the present day. He narrates flashbacks to 1984, when he was a 20-year-old (played by Enrique Arrison) who gets a job as a cabana boy in Acapulco’s ritziest resort. But he discovers upward mobility is harder than it looks. Máximo must juggle the demanding clientele and a mercurial mentor with a home life complicated by an ultra-religious mother (Vanessa Bauche) and leftist sister (Regina Reynoso).
Fauci (Disney Plus)
Documentary | 1 hr 44 min (PG-13) | Watch now
A worldwide pandemic turned Dr. Anthony Fauci from a widely respected infectious disease specialist into a cultural icon. The documentary, directed by John Hoffman (The Antidote) and Janet Tobias (No Play on Earth), chronicles Fauci’s life from childhood through his professional career which has seen him serve under seven presidents during outbreaks of HIV/AIDS, SARS and Ebola. Naturally, there’s a heavy focus on Fauci’s role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film features interviews with Fauci’s family, friends and former patients, as well as big names like former President George W. Bush, Bono and Bill Gates.
Madame X (Paramount Plus)
Special | Length and rating unknown | Watch now
Madonna has never had trouble expressing herself and she certainly doesn’t hold back in the concert film that shares a title with her 14th studio album. The documentary was filmed in January 2020 in Lisbon, before the pandemic shut the world down. Directed by Ricardo Gomes and SKNX, Madame X features dramatic, theatrical staging — a rococo cabaret for the ages. She sings many of her greatest hits, including “Express Yourself” with her three daughters. And of course, she performs tracks off the Madame X album, in character as the sexy and deadly secret agent.
Baking Impossible (Netflix)
Series premiere | Episodes 1-6 (TV-PG) | Watch now
The success of The Great British Baking Show has led to a bunch of copycats. Baking Impossible might be one of the most unique, since it teams up bakers and engineers. You’ve heard how baking involves a lot of math; now, there’s even more of it, plus physics to boot. In every episode, the teams face a mission that involves creating a mostly-edible structure that can withstand a stress test. For instance, the first challenge has the teams building a boat that can float across a tank without sinking. One group chose Rice Krispie treats as the hull, while another tried chocolate. The losing team goes home, while the winners get an advantage in the next round. The ultimate winning team gets a prize of $100,000.
Baker’s Dozen (Hulu)
Series premiere | Episodes 1-8 (TV-14) | Watch now
And here’s yet another bake-off. Baker’s Dozen is hosted by Tamera Mowry-Housley (yes, the Sister, Sister star) and former White House pastry chef Bill Yosses. Thirteen amateur bakers face off against professional pastry chefs in a series of baking challenges — making everything from cakes to pies to tarts. The surprise is that the amateurs really go toe-to-toe with the pros. The lucky winner gets a cash prize and a golden rolling pin.
Sexy Beasts (Netflix)
Season 2 premiere | Episodes 1-6 (TV-14) | Watch now
When Sexy Beasts debuted, it sounded like a dating show dreamed up by someone who was high. Taking looks out of dating is certainly not a new idea (Netflix already did it with Love Is Blind). Having people put on animal heads is wild. The first season was definitely a trip, but also kind of sweet. Season 2 ups the weirdness of the costumes, with this round featuring an armadillo, a hairy pig, a buck-toothed rabbit and a creature that resembles a goblin. As the Armadillo says in the trailer, “This could be the beginning of an epic love story. — or it could be a disaster." Hey, doesn’t sound much different than Tinder!
Halsey: If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power (HBO Max)
Special | 50 min (TV-MA) | Watch now
The art film described as an “evocative, horror-tinged fairytale” accompanies Halsey’s fourth album, which was released in August. The singer stars as the pregnant Queen Lila, who unlocks a paranormal power after a shocking event. Halsey collaborated on the album with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails. The result is a mix of alt-rock, shoegaze, punk and grunge pop with lyrics that meditate on feminist themes. The film first debuted in IMAX theaters earlier this year and is streaming now, coinciding with Halsey serving as Saturday Night Live’s musical guest alongside host Kim Kardashian West on October 9.
The Billion Dollar Code (Netflix)
Series premiere | Episodes 1-4 (TV-MA) | Watch now
What if The Social Network had been told from the point of view of the Winklevoss brothers? That’s basically the premise of The Billion Dollar Code, but instead of Facebook, the tech subject is Google. Based on real events, this limited series tells the story of two German developers who sue Google 25 years after claiming they invented a precursor to Google Earth called Terravision. In real life, in 2014, the Berlin-based company ART+COM took Google to court for patent infringement, alleging that Google Earth was remarkably similar to their system. But like The Social Network, Billion Dollar Code is less about tech achievements and more about friendship and loyalty.
- Read next: The best streaming services, ranked
