Somehow, October is already here. After you scream into the void about the passage of time, take a moment to reconsider your streaming subscriptions. No longer is streaming our cheap future; if you have several of the best streaming services, your monthly bill might rival cable.
If you're looking to tighten your budget, you could get rid of a streaming service for the month. You can always re-subscribe down the road when the quantity and quality of content are too high to ignore.
For October 2023, I would cancel Netflix. The undisputed king of streamers has a lackluster lineup this month, with few mega-hit series on the calendar. Here's why you should consider canceling Netflix for now.
Where are the TV hits, Netflix?
Netflix has some of the biggest, buzziest hits in television — but none of them are rolling out new episodes this month.
October 2023 features only a few returning Netflix series: Lupin part 3, Elite season 7 and Big Mouth season 7.
While all of them are great — I'm a huge fan of Lupin, in particular — none of them are major draws like Stranger Things or Wednesday or even Emily in Paris.
Elite and Big Mouth don't come back until Oct. 20, so it would be easy to cancel Netflix this month, sign back up in November and binge them then. As for Lupin, even this fan can wait.
As far as new TV premieres, there are several interesting titles. Horror maestro Mike Flanagan has a new limited series, The Fall of the House of Usher. The British detective drama Bodies looks like a thrill. And Korean imports Ballerina, Doona and Castaway Diva are likely solid binges.
But otherwise, Netflix's TV programming in October 2023 is quite underwhelming.
Netflix movies won't excite you
Netflix's TV lineup is mostly yawn-inducing, and the movies' side is worse.
The most notable titles are the erotic thriller Fair Play, the bro comedy Old Dads and the opioid tragedy Pain Hustlers starring Emily Blunt and Chris Evans.
As usual, Netflix welcomes a batch of licensed films. Among them are some entertaining titles — Dune (2021), A Beautiful Mind, Scarface, Saving Private Ryan and the first four Mission: Impossible Movies. Plus, October seems to be Julia Roberts month at Netflix, as the streamer is getting My Best Friend's Wedding and Runaway Bride.
But no big theatrical releases are debuting on Netflix in October. You'll have to see the likes of Barbie and Oppenheimer elsewhere.
Documentaries are Netflix's strongest hand
If anyone should stick with Netflix in October, it's documentary fans.
The month kicks off with Beckham, a four-part docuseries about global soccer superstar David Beckham. It chronicles his rise from humble working-class beginnings in east London to his legacy as one of the greatest and most recognizable athletes of his generation.
Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul is a cautionary tale about a Silicon Valley company that flew too close to the sun and went up in smoke.
Last but not least, Life on Our Planet comes from producer Steven Spielberg and is narrated by Morgan Freeman. It looks back in time to explore what happened to the once-great species that roamed the Earth. Special effects by Industrial Light & Magic bring long-extinct creatures back to life.
Yet, as interesting as these documentaries look and sound, I'm not sure they're worth the price of a subscription. I can practice some patience and watch them in November.
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