If getting cozy on the couch is on your agenda, you should check out all the top new TV shows premiering this week on Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services, as well as broadcast and cable TV channels.
This week's new TV lineup is led by two returning favorites, the school comedy "Abbott Elementary" season 4 and teen adventure drama "Outer Banks" season 4. Several star-studded debuts take place this week, including the psychological thriller "Disclaimer" with Cate Blanchett, the boxing drama "La Máquina’" with Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna, and the NBA docuseries "Starting 5" with LeBron James. Here's our guide on the top new TV shows to check out this week.
‘Ali Wong: Single Lady’ (Netflix)
In previous specials, Ali Wong has riffed on marriage, having babies and now, aptly, getting divorced. Call it the circle of modern life. The comedian’s latest set, filmed at the Wiltern in Los Angeles during her sold-out Netflix Is a Joke Fest residency last spring, delves into the highs and lows of being a divorced mom, including dating. Wong even dishes on how now-boyfriend Bill Hader pursued her, though she jokes that she nearly turned him down because she’d paid for a dating app: “I gotta get my money’s worth!”
Premieres Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 3 a.m. ET on Netflix
‘La Máquina’ (Hulu)
Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna have collaborated several times since they starred in 2001’s “Y Tu Mamá También, but have largely charted separate careers in Hollywood. Now, they reunite again in this boxing drama, Hulu’s first Spanish-language original. Boxer Esteban "La Máquina" Osun (García Berna) is at a low point after a devastating loss, but his manager and best friend Andy Lujan (Luna) is determined to get him back on top with a high-profile match. When they run afoul of a nefarious organization, the match portends deadly consequences for the longtime friends.
Premieres Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 12 a.m. ET on Hulu
‘Abbott Elementary’ season 4 (ABC)
The "will they or won't they" romantic push-pull between Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) has finally been resolved — they confessed their feelings for each other and K-I-S-S-E-D in the season 3 finale. So now what? Their new status will surely require some adjustments, for them and for their fellow Abbott teachers. And as usual, a new school year means new shenanigans, like classroom pets and (shudder) a case of ringworm. Education has many perils.
Premieres Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC (via Sling or Fubo)
Episodes stream next day on Hulu
‘Starting 5’ (Netflix)
Netflix’s latest sports docuseries gives basketball fans an intense, behind-the-scenes look at the 2023-24 NBA season through the eyes of five of the league’s superstars: LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, and Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings. As they chase greatness, they push through injuries and balance the demands of family and legacy.
Premieres Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 3 a.m. ET on Netflix
‘Outer Banks’ season 4 (Netflix)
Forget prestige TV. Forget even mid TV. Sometimes, I just want to indulge in a guilty pleasure. And that’s definitely what “Outer Banks” is — just a vehicle to watch dumb, pretty people go on fun, completely unrealistic adventures. The season 3 finale ended with an 18-month flash-forward that saw the Pogues receive a lucrative and tantalizing offer to find Blackbeard’s treasure. Season 4 backtracks to show viewers how they got to that moment. After finding the gold at El Dorado, the Pogues return home to their “normal” lives. Together, they run a bait, tackle and charter tour shop. But after some financial setbacks, they decide to take part in the treasure hunt — which naturally comes with new enemies hot on their heels.
Premieres Thursday, Oct. 10 at 3 a.m. ET on Netflix
‘Teacup’ (Peacock)
‘Tis the season for thrills and chills served by various new horror projects, like “Teacup” from executive producer James Wan (“The Conjuring” universe). A disparate group of people who are trapped on a farm in rural Georgia must come together in the face of a mysterious threat in order to survive. The cast includes Yvonne Strahovski, Scott Speedman and Chaske Spencer. Wan describes the show as “a genre-bending blend of horror, mystery, and drama, with layers that unfold like a captivating puzzle.” You might want to keep the lights on while you watch.
Premieres Thursday, Oct. 10 at 3 a.m. ET on Peacock
‘Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft’ (Netflix)
This animated series spinoff of the video game franchise picks up where the Survivor trilogy left off. It follows Lara Croft’s next chapter of globetrotting adventures. More than 25 years after her first appearance, Lara (voiced by Hayley Atwell) continues to explore ancient mysteries and uncover lost truths across breathtaking — and dangerous — destinations. Netflix has been on a roll with animated series based on big franchises (see: “Terminator Zero”) and this new “Tomb Raider” could join good company.
Premieres Thursday, Oct. 10 at 3 a.m. ET on Netflix
‘Sweetpea’ (Starz)
Breakout “Yellowjackets” cast member Ella Purnell is landing lead roles left and right. Earlier this year, she headlined Prime Video’s “Fallout” video game adaptation, which earned good reviews and 16 Emmy nominations. Now, she’s starring in this darkly comic “coming of rage” story as a quiet wallflower who breaks bad. Rhiannon Lewis is bored with her life. She’s constantly passed over for promotions at work, her boyfriend doesn’t want to marry her and people walk past her on the street without even glancing at her. One day, when she’s pushed to the limit, Rhiannon loses control — and discovers a vengeful and intoxicatingly liberating taste for murder.
Premieres Thursday, Oct. 10 at 9 p.m. ET on Starz
‘Disclaimer’ (Apple TV Plus)
A trio of Oscar winners teams up for this psychological thriller limited series: Alfonso Cuarón as the writer/director and Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline as the stars. The ensemble cast also includes Sacha Baron Cohen, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Lesley Manville. Based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Renée Knight, the story follows an acclaimed journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett), who has built her reputation revealing the misdeeds of others. Then, she receives a novel by an anonymous author that exposes her darkest secrets. As Catherine races to uncover the writer’s identity, she’s forced to confront her past before it destroys her life and relationships.
Premieres Friday, Oct. 11 at 12 a.m. ET on Apple TV Plus
