So, what’s everyone been watching this week? Hmmmm?
Just to get a sense of what everyone’s streaming, we’ve used data from streaming aggregator Reelgood, which gathers viewership numbers from hundreds of streaming services in the U.S. and UK. Each week, the most streamed TV shows and movies come down to a few elements — sheer buzz, a big finale, smart marketing, star power, critical acclaim, or word-of-mouth that leads uninterested people to finally watch it out of spite.
This week, with Halloween almost here, the scarier watches are ramping up, with Netflix’s The Watcher, Halloween Ends, Hellraiser, and The Midnight Club all making the top 10.
But just because a lot of people are watching something doesn’t make it…good. Here they are, the 10 most streamed TV shows and movies of the week, where to watch them, and what Mashable critics thought.
1. The Watcher
Ryan Murphy’s latest production is getting all the streams this week, a seven-episode horror anthology based on true crime stories. Based on a 2018 article published by The Cut, The Watcher is centred on New Jersey residents the Brannock family, who start receiving highly unsettling letters from an anonymous author. The Watcher is based on a real case, and the makers got permission from the family who actually lived through it (unlike the makers of Netflix’s Dahmer series). — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
How to watch: The Watcher is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Interview With the Vampire
Revisiting Anne Rice’s 1976 classic for a series, Interview With the Vampire brings back lovers Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) and Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson). Season 1 just landed on AMC, with a second season already locked in. — S.C.
How to watch: Interview With the Vampire is now streaming on AMC+.
3. Halloween Ends
Laurie Strode has been fighting the same Haddonfield monster since 1978, when Michael Myers first barged his way into a closet and into horror history with the first Halloween. And now, the saga is ending (probably) after 45 years, with Jamie Lee Curtis returning to her iconic role to take on the masked murderer one last time. In last film of the relaunched franchise following 2018’s Halloween and Halloween Kills, the David Gordon Green-directed Halloween Ends promises to do exactly that: pit Laurie and Michael against each other for the ultimate showdown.
Set four years since the events of the last film, this time Laurie is writing her memoir while living with her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and seemingly free from her tormentor. But when a babysitter, Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell) is accused of murder, a series of violent events can only mean one thing. — S.C.
What we thought: After over 40 years of a franchise and a slew of cast-aside sequels, that Halloween Ends isn’t boring is nothing to sniff at. — Jenni Miller
How to watch: Halloween Ends is now showing in cinemas and streaming on Peacock.
4. House of the Dragon
There is simply no denying the power of Game of Thrones, a franchise that has roared back into our lives with the release of prequel series House of the Dragon. Taking place nearly 200 years before Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen existed, House of the Dragon follows House Targaryen at the height of its power in Westeros. There’s just one small problem: King Viserys (Paddy Considine) doesn’t have a male heir. With the line of succession in question, you can bet on scheming, bloodshed, and mayhem. Oh, and many, many dragons. Let fire and blood reign! — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
What we thought: If you’re worried about House of the Dragon after getting burned by the final season of Game of Thrones, don’t be. HBO’s epic new series is excellent through and through, juggling memorable characters, high fantasy, and intense emotions with practiced ease. You’ll be sucked in faster than you can say « Dracarys. » — B.E.
How to watch: House of the Dragon is now streaming on HBO Max. New episodes premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.
5. Luckiest Girl Alive
Writer Jessica Knoll adapted her own mystery novel into this Netflix movie, which follows a New York woman (Ani Fanelli, played by Mila Kunis) as she struggles to deal with the trauma of her teenage years. Although it’s popular, it’s worth noting that the film features themes of school shootings and sexual assault, and has drawn criticism for its lack of adequate trigger warnings. — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor
How to watch: Luckiest Girl Alive is now streaming on Netflix.
6. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings series, The Rings of Power, is still going strong. According to the company, it was viewed by 25 million viewers globally over the first 24 hours the series’ first two episodes dropped, a record debut for a Prime Video show. But most importantly, the series does what no other J.R.R. Tolkien adaptation has done: it places people of color and women front and center. — S.C.
What we thought: The Rings of Power turns out to be a rousing tale of perseverance in the face of evil, a sumptuous re-introduction to Tolkien’s world, and just all-around great TV. You won’t just feel like you’ve returned to Middle-earth: You’ll feel like you never left. — B.E.
How to watch: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is now streaming on Prime Video.
7. Terrifier
It must be Halloween because Damien Leone’s 2016 film Terrifer is one of the most streamed of the week — the sequel is out Oct. 24, and is also reportedly making viewers vomit and pass out, so that also helps. David Howard Thorton stars as Art, a murderous clown who’s after Tara, Vicky, and Dawn (Jenna Kanell, Samantha Scaffidi, Catherine Corcoran) on the scariest night of the year. — S.C.
How to watch: Terrifier is now streaming on FuboTV.
8. Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Ryan Murphy’s Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has upset a lot of people — but of course, people are still watching it. The Netflix series has been accused of sensationalizing the American serial killer’s crimes, and the streaming service has been in hot water for its questionable tagging of the series. The series follows Dahmer (Evan Peters) through the lens of his victims, and looks at the lack of action from police even when neighbour Glenda Cleveland (Niecy Nash) tried to report him. — S.C.
How to watch: Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is now streaming on Netflix.
9. Hellraiser
David Bruckner’s reboot of the famous horror franchise tells a new story, but it still takes its cues from author Clive Barker’s novella and movie adaptation that kickstarted the whole nightmarish saga. The story follows a recovering addict, Riley (Odessa A’zion) who stumbles across a strange puzzle box — and finds herself haunted by creatures from another realm when she tampers with it. (If you find yourself feeling winded by the ending after you’ve watched, you can read our explainer here.) — S.H.
How to watch: Hellraiser is now streaming on Hulu.
10. The Midnight Club
Given that The Midnight Club‘s creator, Mike Flanagan, is responsible for the likes of The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, it’s really no big surprise that his latest series is also a big success. Based on the books of Christopher Pike, this horror/mystery series follows a group of terminally ill young adults who meet to share scary stories at their hospice. — S.H.
What we thought: Unafraid to talk about death, life, friendship, trauma, and love, The Midnight Club is a deeply moving horror series whose unique characters and their stories (the real ones and made-up fireside ones) will stay with you long afterward. Using horror to confront the idea of dying through this particular group of young people eliminates all the bullshit and cuts straight to what matters in the end. But it’s also a highly enjoyable ride through horror fiction and a compelling mystery. — S.C.
How to watch: The Midnight Club is now streaming on Netflix.
