The best new streaming shows this week: Lioness, The Diplomat, and more

We’re back with a new list for this week. We have a spy thriller, a family show, and even a political thriller — so take your pick!

The best new streaming shows this week

Feel free to click on any links that pique your interest.

• Special Ops: Lioness Season 2
• Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
• The Diplomat

Lioness Season 2 – October 27

• Release date: October 27, 2024
• Genre: Spy thriller
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director:  Taylor Sheridan
• Cast: Zoe Saldaña, Genesis Rodriguez, Dave Annable, Jill Wagner

Special Ops is back for a second season. Starring Zoe Saldaña of Guardians of the Galaxy fame. The famed actress stars as a  CIA intelligence officer in charge of the Lioness program, a highly clandestine operation that recruits women operatives known as Lionesses. These agents are then placed secretly undercover in order to discover and stop terrorist activity around the world.

If you have yet to catch the first season you can find all eight episodes of season 1 and the first two episodes of season 2 streaming now on Paramount Plus. New episodes will debut every Sunday from November 3 to its conclusion on December 8.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place – Oct 29

• Release date: October 29, 2024
• Genre: Family, Fantasy
• Rating: TV-PG
• Creator: Todd Greenwald
• Cast: Janice LeAnn Brown, Alkaio Thiele, Taylor Cora, David Henrie

Years after the conclusion of the original series and its followup made-for-TV special, Wizards Beyond Waverly returns to the world of the Russos but with a twist. This time Justin is all grown up and living the life of a mortal. His family doesn’t even know about the wizard world or his connection to it.

When his sister shows up with a wizard-in-training that needs extra guidance in order to fulfill a prophecy and save the world. After years of turning his back on magic, Justin must embrace it once again and use it to train the next generation of wizards. 

The Diplomat, Season 2 – Oct 31

• Release date: October 31, 2024
• Genre: Political thriller
• Rating: TV-MA
• Creator: Debora Cahn
• Cast: Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi

Netflix’s most famous political thriller of all time may arguably still be House of Cards, but The Diplomat is slowly starting to take its place among Netflix fans. The series centers on a new United States ambassador to the United Kingdom as she helps to defuse an international crisis. The thing is that Kate Wyler isn’t used to being in the spotlight, but now the attention is on her and the stakes are higher than ever. All the while, her personal life continues to unravel as her marriage to fellow career diplomat Hal Wyler begins to deteriorate. 

The second season largely takes off where the last season ended, but we don’t want to dive too deep to avoid spoilers. If you’ve yet to check it out, the entirety of both seasons are now available, which comprises of fourteen episodes in total. 

What was new and worth watching over the last month

Missed our other lists? Here’s a quick recap. Also, check out our list of streaming movies if you’re in the mood for something longer this weekend.

Beauty in Black – October 24, Netflix

• Release date: October 24, 2024
• Genre: Drama
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Tyler Perry
• Cast: Taylor Polidore, Crystle Stewart, Amber Reign Smith, Xavier Smalls, Julian Horton, Steven G. Norfleet, Richard Lawson

A dark drama following two women from vastly different worlds whose lives become dangerously intertwined. Kimmie is a stripper struggling to escape her circumstances after being thrown out by her mother at a young age. Mallory is a formerly orphaned woman who has risen to become wealthy and successful, running her own company. Their paths cross through their connections to powerful and wealthy men, leading to a complex web of scandals, family drama, and moral corruption.

The first part features multiple plot twists and a large cast of morally ambiguous characters. Explore class divide, power dynamics, and female survival neatly packaged into a fast-paced 8-episode series.

Hellbound (Season 2) – October 25, Netflix

• Release date: October 25, 2024
• Genre: Crime, Drama, Fantasy
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Yeon Sang-ho, Choi Gyu-seok
• Cast: Kim Hyun-joo, Kim Shin-rock, Yang Ik-june, Lee Re, Lee Dong-hee, Yoo Ah-in, Kim Sung-cheol

Years after the events of season one, where supernatural creatures delivered violent death sentences called “demonstrations” to sinners, society has fractured into competing factions. The story follows four major organizations fighting for control of public sentiment in this new reality.

Senior Secretary Lee Su-gyeong, a manipulative government official played by Moon So-ri, attempts to wrestle power from the Arrowheads by positioning the resurrected Park Jung-ja and New Truth as divine messengers. Meanwhile, Min Hye-jin works in the shadows to uncover the truth while protecting a special four-year-old child named Toughie. The situation becomes more complex when Jung Jinsu joins the list of resurrected individuals, sparking a race to establish a new religious messiah.

What We Do in the Shadows (Season 6) – October 22, Hulu

• Release date: October 21, 2024
• Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Jemaine Clement
• Cast: Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, Mark Proksch, Kristen Schaal, Anthony Atamanuik

The final season of this beloved vampire comedy launches with an ambitious three-part premiere that will kick off its 11-episode farewell. The season begins with the vampires reconnecting with an old friend, followed by Guillermo taking on a new job while Colin Robinson and Laszlo go on a dangerous mission together.

The rest of the season promises exciting adventures including a trip to New Hampshire, attendance at a human dinner party, a celebration for The Baron, and even demon conjuring. Most significantly, this season marks the first time Guillermo isn’t driven by his desire to become a vampire, creating a major shift in the group’s dynamic as the other characters struggle with his newfound independence — from debating who gets his old room to learning how to function without him as the glue holding their supernatural household together.

Before – October 25, Apple TV Plus

• Release date: October 25, 2024
• Genre: Drama
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: Sarah Thorp
• Cast: Billy Crystal, Judith Light, Rosie Perez, Jacobi Jupe, Maria Dizzia, Ava Lalezarzadeh, Julia Chan

Billy Crystal stars as Eli, a child psychiatrist still grieving his wife Lynn’s suicide during her battle with cancer. He’s largely withdrawn from his practice and relationships, including with his daughter Barbara, and won’t even enter the bathroom where his wife died. His life changes when he takes on a mysterious 8-year-old patient named Noah who exhibits disturbing behavior, including speaking in strange languages and violent outbursts.

As Eli works with Noah’s foster mother Denise, he begins to sense their connection goes beyond the rational explanations he usually believes in. This thriller explores themes of grief, faith versus rationality, and unexplained phenomena while building toward the connection of Noah’s condition with Eli’s past.

Star Trek: Lower Decks (Season 5) – October 24, Paramount Plus

• Release date: October 24, 2024
• Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
• Rating: TV-14
• Director: Mike McMahan
• Cast: Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, Dawnn Lewis, Gillian Vigman, Jerry O’Connell

The fifth and final season of this animated Star Trek comedy launches with “Dos Cerritos,” an ambitious episode where the crew encounters their parallel dimension doubles, offering glimpses of alternate lives — like what if Mariner had become captain or if other key characters had taken different paths.

As the final season progresses, fan-favorite characters face new challenges: Boimler attempts to grow facial hair to match his more confident parallel self (shown evolving awkwardly across episodes), Tendi gets to embrace her Orion heritage with more pirate action (while maintaining her uniquely non-lethal, brainy approach), and Rutherford struggles with emotional challenges that lead to an unexpected grand gesture from his Vulcan friend T’Lyn.

Breath of Fire – October 23, Max

• Release date: October 23, 2024
• Genre: Documentary
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Hayley Pappas, Smiley Stevens
• Cast: Sundeep Morrison, Amanda Montell, Philip Deslippe

A four-part documentary series examining the controversial world of Kundalini Yoga, focusing on two key figures: Yogi Bhajan, who brought the movement to the United States in the 1970s, and Guru Jagat, who claimed to be Bhajan’s chosen successor when she opened the Ra Ma Institute in Los Angeles in 2012.

The series explores how Jagat built a massive social media following and profitable business empire while raising questions about her claimed connection to Bhajan. It also investigates controversies surrounding both leaders, including Bhajan’s profitable business ventures like Yogi Tea, his practice of mainly employing young women and accusations of cultural appropriation from the Sikh community.

I Am a Killer (Season 5) – October 16, Netflix

• Release date: October 16, 2024
• Genre: Documentary, Crime
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Franckie Williams, Romaine Chapman
• Cast: Lindsay Haugen, Mark Arthur, Brandon Hutchinson, Leo Little, Linda Lee Couch, Joseph Murphy, Cavona Flenoy

The season opener focuses on Jamel Dontez Hatcher, who shot and killed his girlfriend Danielle Boone in 2005, leaving behind their three-week-old daughter. Now, after serving 15 years of a 20-year sentence, Hatcher claims he’s rehabilitated and deserving of early release. Detective Jeff Cook, who originally investigated the crime, remains skeptical of Hatcher’s sincerity.

As the season progresses, you can expect more complex cases that challenge your notions of justice, redemption, and the nature of evil. Each episode promises to present both sides of the story, allowing the killers to explain their actions while also giving voice to the victim’s families and law enforcement. The series continues its signature style of direct-to-camera confessions, creating an intimate and often unsettling viewing experience that forces audiences to confront difficult questions about crime, punishment, and the possibility of change.

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (Season 2) – October 17, Netflix

• Release date: October 17, 2024
• Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
• Rating: TV-PG
• Director: Scott Kreamer, Zack Stentz
• Cast: Paul-Mikél Williams, Sean Giambrone, Darren Barnet, Raini Rodriguez, Kausar Mohammed, Kiersten Kelly, Anaiya Asomugha

The thrilling animated series returns with even higher stakes as the beloved characters from Camp Cretaceous face new dangers and uncover shocking conspiracies. Season 2 picks up shortly after the events of the first season, with the Nublar Five — Darius, Brooklynn, Kenji, Sammy, and Yaz — stowed away on a cargo ship filled with dinosaurs, uncertain of their destination.

As the story progresses, the line between ally and enemy blurs, and the Nublar Five must rely on their wits, skills, and each other to survive. With its blend of character-driven drama, pulse-pounding action, and the beloved Jurassic World mythology, season 2 promises to be a wild ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh – October 17, Prime Video

• Release date: October 17, 2024
• Genre: Comedy
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: Vijal Patel
• Cast: Arjun Sriram, Sahana Srinivasan, Sindhu Vee, Ashwin Sakthivel, Alison Deon, John Tench, Larry Day

Loved Fresh Off the Boat? You’ll love this too. This charming new comedy series follows the Pradeep family as they navigate the challenges of immigrating from India to Pittsburgh, offering a fresh and humorous take on the classic fish-out-of-water story. The show begins with the family’s arrival in snowy Pittsburgh two years before the main storyline, setting the stage for their ongoing adventures and misadventures in American suburbia.

The Pradeeps’ attempts to assimilate into their new community lead to hilarious cultural clashes and misunderstandings, particularly with their next-door neighbors, the Mills family. As the season progresses, the Pradeeps face various challenges, including bullying at school, financial difficulties, and the struggle to maintain their cultural identity while adapting to American life. Sudha’s sharp wit and Mahesh’s easygoing nature often clash with the local customs, leading to comedic situations that highlight both the differences and similarities between cultures.

Rivals – October 18, Hulu

• Release date: October 18, 2024
• Genre: Drama
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: Elliot Hegarty
• Cast: David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Danny Dyer, Alex Hassell, Nafessa Williams, Bella Maclean, Katherine Parkinson

Set in the fictional county of Rutshire, the series follows a cast of colorful characters competing for power, love, and success in the cutthroat world of television production. The rivalry between two men at the heart of the story: the dashing, aristocratic Rupert Campbell-Black, a former show-jumping champion turned cabinet minister, and the ambitious, working-class Tony Baddingham, who runs the independent TV franchise Corinium Television.

Their bitter feud sets the stage for interconnected plotlines filled with romance, betrayal, and corporate intrigue. As the season progresses, alliances shift, secrets are revealed, and careers hang in the balance. Enjoy its mix of biting satire, passionate romances, and larger-than-life characters.

The Devil’s Hour (Season 2) – October 18, Prime Video

• Release date: October 18, 2024
• Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Tom Moran
• Cast: Jessica Raine, Peter Capaldi, Nikesh Patel, Phil Dunster, Benjamin Chivers, Talia Walker Bassols, Rhiannon Harper-Rafferty

The mind-bending thriller returns with an even more complex and twisted narrative, picking up directly after the shocking events of the first season. Lucy Chambers awakens with memories of what seems to be a past life, following her near-death experience and encounter with the enigmatic serial killer Gideon.

As the season progresses, more is revealed about Gideon’s true nature and the extent of his ability to manipulate time and reality. With each episode, the puzzle pieces of Lucy’s fragmented existence slowly come together.

Love Is Blind, Habibi – October 10, Netflix

• Release date: October 10, 2024 
• Genre: Reality, Romance
• Rating: TV-MA 
• Director: Chris Coelen
• Cast: Elham Ali, Khaled Saqer

This new spin-off of the popular Love Is Blind franchise brings the social experiment to the Arab world for the first time. A group of singles from various Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, and Iraq, enter the pods in Dubai hoping to find true love. As in previous versions, the participants go on a series of “blind” dates, communicating only through audio without being able to see each other. Those who form strong connections can get engaged before even seeing their partner face-to-face.

After the engagements, the newly formed couples finally meet in person and are whisked away on a romantic retreat to test their physical chemistry. Then, they return to Dubai to live together and merge their lives in the real world, meeting each other’s family and friends. Throughout the process, the couples must decide if their emotional connection is strong enough to overcome physical or lifestyle incompatibilities.

Outer Banks (Season 4) – October 10, Netflix

• Release date: October 10, 2024 
• Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, Shannon Burke
• Cast: Chase Stokes, Madelyn Cline, Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss, Rudy Pankow, Drew Starkey, Charles Esten

The Pogue’s plans for a quiet life are quickly derailed when a mysterious new threat emerges. A dangerous rival group learns of another legendary treasure with ties to John B’s family history. Soon the friends are pulled into a new hunt that takes them to uncharted territories and puts them in the crosshairs of powerful enemies. As they follow the clues, they uncover shocking secrets about the island’s past and John B’s parents.

Action-packed sequences unfold as the Pogues face treacherous terrains, deadly traps, and ruthless adversaries in their quest. Old foes like Rafe and Topper resurface, complicating matters further. The stakes are higher than ever as the friends must rely on their bond to survive escalating dangers. Expect stunning coastal scenery, heart-pounding chases, narrow escapes, and emotional twists that will keep you on the edge of your seats.

Disclaimer – October 11, Apple TV Plus

• Release date: October 11, 2024 
• Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
• Rating: TV-MA 
• Director: Alfonso Cuarón
• Cast: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, Lesley Manville, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Louis Partridge, Leila George

This psychological thriller series, based on the novel by Renée Knight, stars Cate Blanchett as Catherine Ravenscroft, a successful television documentary filmmaker. Catherine’s carefully curated life is thrown into chaos when a mysterious novel called “The Perfect Stranger” appears on her bedside table. As she begins reading, she’s horrified to realize the book contains a thinly veiled account of a secret from her past that she’s kept buried for decades.

The series accurately describes the stories we tell ourselves to justify our actions. It keeps you guessing about the exact nature of Catherine’s truth and whether revenge is justified. Shocking twists and reveals build to a climax where long-buried truths finally come to light, forcing Catherine to face the consequences of her past.

Sweetpea – October 10, Starz

• Release date: October 10, 2024 
• Genre: Comedy, Drama
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Kirstie Swain
• Cast: Ella Purnell, Nicôle Lecky, Jonathan Pointing, Calam Lynch, Leah Harvey, Jeremy Swift, Dustin Demri-Burns

By day, Rhiannon works as a junior copywriter at the local newspaper and maintains a facade of normalcy. But she harbors a deadly secret — she’s a serial killer with an insatiable appetite for murder. The series delves into Rhiannon’s troubled past, revealing the traumas that shaped her into the complex antihero she’s become.

We see her navigating everyday life. But all the while, she’s meticulously planning her next kill. As the body count rises, Rhiannon must stay one step ahead of suspicion. To make matters worse, her carefully compartmentalized worlds begin to collide when a figure from her past resurfaces, threatening to expose her true nature.

Citadel: Diana – October 10, Prime Video

• Release date: October 10, 2024 
• Genre: Action, Drama, Science Fiction
• Rating: TV-MA 
• Director: Alessandro Fabbri
• Cast: Matilda De Angelis, Lorenzo Cervasio, Maurizio Lombardi, Julia Piaton, Thekla Reuten, Giordana Faggiano, Daniele Paoloni

Diana is ostensibly a loyal Manticore operative, but in reality, she’s a double agent working to uncover the truth behind Citadel’s fall and her parents’ mysterious deaths years earlier. As the series opens, Diana is tasked with tracking secret meetings between French and German Manticore factions, hinting at power struggles within the organization.

The series is packed with sleek, futuristic tech and elaborate action sequences. Diana utilizes an array of high-tech gadgets and weapons as she engages in heart-pounding chases through Milan’s streets and treacherous infiltration missions. Her skills are put to the test as she faces off against other highly trained operatives and grapples with Manticore’s advanced surveillance capabilities.

Curses! (Season 2) – October 4, Apple TV Plus

• Release date: October 4, 2024
• Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
• Rating: TV-G
• Director: Jim Cooper, Jeff Dixon
• Cast: Andre Robinson, Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, Lyric Lewis, Reid Scott, Rhys Darby, James Marsters, Rhea Perlman

This animated series for kids continues the adventures of siblings Pandora and Russ as they work to break an ancient family curse. With help from their mother Sky and magical companions like Stanley the wooden idol, they search for mystical artifacts that may hold the key to freeing their petrified father.

Each episode sees the Vanderhoven family tackling a new supernatural challenge tied to myths and legends from around the world. Blending action, comedy, and mild scares, the show aims to introduce younger viewers to the world of fantasy-adventure storytelling.