7 Best New Netflix Shows to Watch This October

October is a high point in the year for watching TV. Whether it’s getting into spooky season with eerie new shows or embracing a comfort watch while cozying up on the couch, the month is practically made for streaming. Fortunately, Netflix is stepping up to the plate with plenty of new programming. From two returning fan-favorite series to a brand action thriller that is poised to become a smash hit, there’s a little bit of something for everyone. Read on for the best new Netflix shows coming out in October 2025.

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Just because you’re leaning into spooky season doesn’t mean you need to limit yourself to horror shows. Fortunately, everyone’s favorite absurd yet undeniably entertaining competition show, Is It Cake?, is coming back with a special Halloween edition this year, putting contestants to the test to answer the question: Is that decorative black cat statue actually a baked good?

I understand that on paper, the ridiculous premise of this show sounds like something out of 30 Rock. But after a few viewings, I can report that this unique concept is good background TV at worst and downright hilarious at its best. Especially during a month when a lot of programming can be scary or jarring, it’s nice to have something to turn on while you turn your brain off.

Besides the fact that it’s genuinely impressive to see what some of these chefs are capable of, the Halloween theme should work especially well!

There are few political thrillers in production today that pack the thrilling punch The Diplomat has in just two seasons. When we last left off, American ambassador to the U.K. Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) picked a fight with the Vice President Grace Penn (played phenomenally by Alison Janney) by accusing her of coordinating a terrorist attack—only to have the President die unexpectedly soon thereafter.

Now, Kate finds herself swept up by her understated ambition as she lands on the shortlist as a potential Vice President for her newly minted nemesis.

Whether you’re a political thriller fan or not, you simply cannot deny that this show is currently one of the best in Netflix’s stable. It manages to combine a Tom Clancy-esque adherence to tense reality while peppering in Mission: Impossible-style elements of surprise and plot twists.

Russell has done a fantastic job building her character, whose reluctant success always seems to take her by as much surprise as the wild events unfolding around her. And don’t worry about taking too much time to catch up: This nailbiter is absolutely the kind of show you’ll binge in two sittings!

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If there’s anything scarier than a slasher movie during Halloween month, it’s a true horror story. For its third season, this revolving miniseries from producer Ryan Murphy is covering the bone-chilling case of Ed Gein (played by a completely unrecognizable Charlie Hunnam).

In a true case of reality topping fiction, the American serial killer’s spree in 1950s Wisconsin was so grotesque that it inspired multiple horror film franchises.

While I’m not always the biggest fan of his shows, I gladly admit that Murphy has a true penchant for making seriously scary material (at least half of the American Horror Story seasons are top-tier horror TV). Marrying that with his ability to take pulpy real-life news stories and turn them into engaging television, and you’re left with a bona fide trail of entertaining television—which I think bodes well for this truly horrifying subject matter.

Also, I’m not sure how Murphy has managed season after season of flawless casting, but landing Laurie Metcalf to play Gein’s overbearing mother is sure to be nothing short of an unmissable performance.

Military-focused shows are nothing new for Netflix. But this eight-part dramedy miniseries, which is based on the pivotal memoir The Pink Marine by Greg Cope White, follows closeted new recruit Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer) and his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh) in the 1990s when being gay in the armed forces was still illegal.

At a time when it feels like everything in the world is changing, there’s nothing like a heartfelt story with a few laughs peppered in to bring everything back into perspective. This setup also provides a unique backdrop for a coming-of-age story, alongside a recent historical travesty that rarely receives the attention it deserves. Keep this one at the ready if you’re ready to embrace a fall of “feels.”

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It’s safe to say that Nobody Wants This was one of the biggest breakout hits of last year, which followed the unlikely budding relationship between sex and dating podcaster Joanne (Kristen Bell) and young rabbi Noah (Adam Brody). Without giving too much away, this season picks up where the first left off, providing a new set of challenges for the fledgling couple, as well as their families.

A lot of the hype around this show came from elder millennials who were thrilled at the opportunity to see Brody create genuine on-screen chemistry for the first time since his time on The O.C. as Seth Cohen two decades ago.

Even though I was initially a little skeptical, I found myself hooked just two episodes in, thanks to the punchy writing and relatable storylines. It’s the kind of low-stakes, endearing, and genuinely funny television that has become all too rare as of late, and I think it works perfectly as a palate cleanser between heavier (or scarier) shows and movies that will be dominating the streaming services this month. Give it a shot, and I doubt you’ll be disappointed!

Shows often pull off major casting or plot changes over time. But after three seasons of this high-budget fantasy adaptation of the Andrzej Sapkowski novels, behind-the-scenes drama led to a significant shake-up at the top billing that will see Liam Hemsworth replace Henry Cavill as the white-haired main hero, Geralt of Rivia.

As someone who’s never read the source material, I’ve still been nothing short of impressed by this well-produced show. Fans of the novels appear to appreciate the series’ handling of the plot, which is also no small miracle for the genre.

However, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in seeing if Hemsworth can pick up where Cavill left off and keep the positive momentum going. Regardless, you’ll have until the end of the month to catch up if you want to start streaming the new season right away when it goes live on Oct. 30.

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What more is there to say about this over-the-top dating program that hasn’t already been said? As always, a new set of contestants is making their way into the pods in hopes of matching up with their soul mate and agreeing to marry them—all before they ever set eyes on their newly discovered lifelong partner.

Speaking of wallpaper television, this show has long remained an odd fascination for me (how are there nine seasons?!), if only because it offers a glimpse into some people’s approach to relationships that typically only therapists get to see. Is it borderline nauseating to see some of the toxic and narcissistic behavior? Of course. But this is reality television, where those two attributes are practically par for the course!

Tune in if you’re looking for water-cooler gossip fodder peppered with glimmers of hope and genuinely heartfelt moments that intercede some of the inevitable trainwreck aspects of this show.