What’s new on Canadian streaming and TV in October 2021?

Welcome to the October 4, 2021 edition (#39) of This Week in WCIW, the weekly newsletter from Where Can I Watch – covering the latest news on where TV shows and movies will be available in Canada.

Most of this week's edition will be our (belated) monthly summary of notable new programming coming to streaming services and TV channels in Canada. This is not intended as a complete list, but where practical we will provide links to fuller information. While we do mention a few reality and documentary shows and the like (particularly for channels without much else), our main focus is mainly on notable scripted programming.

There is one other news item further down – Rogers announced some changes to Sportsnet Now late last week. We've also received a couple of reader questions over the past few days, but due to our own time constraints this past week, these will have to wait for a future edition – thanks for your patience.

Prices are listed by WCIW for convenience, and are subject to change by the providers. Listed prices do not include any applicable sales taxes, which vary by province.

The web version of this post may be updated occasionally during the month.

Netflix

Netflix costs between $9.99 and $18.99 per month in Canada, depending on the number of streams and picture quality you need.

Netflix Canada posts its monthly listings on its Twitter account, and sends additional details to media outlets on its mailing list. Since we aren't on that list at present, we've cross-referenced against other posts as well as other sources.

Because of the sheer amount of content Netflix releases each month, we've decided to be considerably more judicious with the number of items listed compared to other services, so we encourage you to consult the full lists if there's a program you're waiting on. Occasionally, there are programs not on our radar like Squid Game (released September 17) that break through globally, but it's hard for us to predict in advance which will do so.

New programs are normally released at 3:00 a.m. ET (midnight PT) on the date indicated, unless otherwise noted.

Notable original series

• On My Block (season 4 of the teen comedy-drama) – Monday, October 4
• Baking Impossible (competitive baking reality series featuring creations subjected to engineering stress tests) – Wednesday, October 6
• Sexy Beasts (season 2 of the Rob Delaney-hosted version of the reality format) – Thursday, October 7
• The Baby-Sitters Club (season 2 of the novel series adaptation begun in 2020) – Monday, October 11
• Another Life (season 2 of the sci-fi drama starring Katee Sackhoff) – Thursday, October 14
• You (season 3 of the psychological thriller) – Friday, October 15
• Locke & Key (season 2 of the supernatural drama) – Friday, October 22
• Colin in Black & White (limited series dramatizing the teenage years of Colin Kaepernick) – Friday, October 29

Notable exclusive-distribution "original" series

• Dynasty (season 4 of the CW series) – Friday, October 22

Notable original (or exclusive-distribution "original") films and specials

• Diana: The Musical (filmed performance of the stage musical about the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, which has yet to debut on Broadway) – Friday, October 1
• The Guilty (crime thriller adapted from the 2018 Danish film, starring Jake Gyllenhaal) – Friday, October 1
• Escape the Undertaker (WWE Studios-produced interactive horror film featuring the titular character and The New Day) – Tuesday, October 5
• Night Teeth (horror thriller starring Jore Lendeborg Jr. and Megan Fox) – Wednesday, October 20
• Army of Thieves (heist romcom prequel to Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead) – Friday, October 29

Notable licensed programming

• Prodigal Son (both seasons of the 2019–21 drama previously aired on Fox / Global, via Warner Bros. TV) – Friday, October 1
• Seinfeld (all nine seasons of the 1989–89 sitcom, previously aired on NBC / Global, via Sony) – Friday, October 1
• The Blacklist (season 8) – Wednesday, October 13
• This is Us (season 5) – Wednesday, October 27

Disney+

Disney+ currently costs $11.99 per month, or $119.99 per year, in Canada. Star, its mature programming hub, is included at no extra charge in the Canadian service.

Disney+ sends its Canadian monthly listings to media outlets on its mailing list. Despite our efforts, we are not yet getting these monthly listings, so we have to rely on outside posts, which we cross-reference with other sources as much as practical. New programs are normally released at 3:00 a.m. ET (midnight PT) on the date indicated, unless otherwise noted.

Notable premiere or new-release films and specials

• Lego Star Wars Terrifying Tales (animated Halloween special) – Friday, October 1
• Black Widow (2021 Marvel film, becoming available without Premier Access) – Wednesday, October 6
• Fauci (2021 National Geographic documentary about the immunologist) – Wednesday, October 6
• Muppets Haunted Mansion (special based on the Disney parks ride and co-starring Will Arnett, Ed Asner, and Taraji P. Henson) – Friday, October 8

Notable Disney+ original series

• Among the Stars (National Geographic docuseries about NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy) – all six parts available Wednesday, October 6
• Just Beyond (horror comedy anthology series inspired by the R.L. Stine graphic novel) – all eight episodes available Wednesday, October 13
• Ongoing, new episodes weekly (Wednesdays): Turner & Hooch (through October 6); What If...? (through October 6); Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life (through October 13); Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.

Notable Star original series

• Ongoing, new episodes weekly: Only Murders in the Building (Tuesdays through October 19); Reservation Dogs (Wednesdays through October 20)

Notable library programming

• Black-ish (season 4) – Friday, October 22

Crave

Bell Media's Crave costs $9.99 per month (or $99.99 per year) for its base service, or a total of $19.98 per month or $199.98 per year for the upgraded Crave + Movies + HBO tier, when subscribing directly. Prices may vary through a TV provider.

Crave's full list of arrivals is posted on Bell Media's press site. New programs are normally released at midnight ET on the date indicated (equivalent to 9:00 p.m. PT on the previous date), though some (including HBO Max programs) may be released at 3:00 a.m. ET, and others (including mainline HBO programs) are released simultaneously with their linear premieres at the indicated times. Starz is dealt with in a separate section below.

Crave (or other Bell Media) original programming

• A.rtificial I.mmortality (Canadian documentary feature about a "post-biological" world directed by Ann Shin) – Thursday, October 7
• Creative Soles (Canadian special – possibly a brand partnership?) – Thursday, October 7
• Let's Brunch (Canadian series previously aired on CTV Life, seasons 1-2) – Friday, October 8
• Canada's Drag Race (season 2 of the localized version of the RuPaul's Drag Race format) – Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. ET starting October 14
• Northern Ties (Uninterrupted Canada documentary about Canadian talent in the NFL) – Friday, October 15 (also airing on TSN on October 8)
• Oscar Peterson: Black + White (Canadian documentary feature about the musician, directed by Barry Avrich) – Friday, October 22
• Corner Gas Animated: "Haunt for Dread October" (season 4, episode 12 – Halloween-themed episode; will have already aired on CTV Comedy) – Friday, October 29
• Ongoing, new episodes weekly: Dark Side of the Ring (Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. ET)

Showtime original programming

• Buried (docuseries about the first criminal case based on a recovered memory) – Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET starting October 10; all four parts available to stream at the same time
• Wakefield (Australian psychological drama starring Rudi Dharmalingam, via ABC  Australia and BBC Studios) – Mondays at 9:00 p.m. ET starting October 18
• Ongoing, new episodes weekly: The Circus (Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET); Billions (season finale Sunday, October 3 at 9:00 p.m. ET); American Rust (Sundays at 10:00 p.m. ET); Work in Progress (Sundays at 11:00 p.m. ET until Oct. 10); The L Word: Generation Q (Mondays at 9:00 p.m. ET until Oct. 11)
• Weekly topical programming: Desus & Mero (resumption of season 3 – Sundays and Thursdays at 11:00 p.m. ET starting October 17)

Other notable licensed programming in base tier

• R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (2010–14 Canadian-American horror fantasy series) – seasons 1-2: Friday, October 8 (see CBC Gem below for seasons 3-4)
• Awkwafina is Nora from Queens (season 2, previously aired on CTV Comedy) – Friday, October 15
• Dark Side of the 90s (season 1 of the Vice TV series derived from the Dark Side of the Ring format) – Friday, October 15
• Star Trek: Prodigy (full first season series premiere of the animated spinoff for younger viewers, starring the voice of Kate Mulgrew; also airing on CTV Sci-Fi) – Thursday, October 28
• Chapelwaite (season 1, previously aired on CTV Sci-Fi) – Sunday, October 31
• Ongoing, new episodes weekly: Doom Patrol (Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. ET)

New / recent release movies (in Movies + HBO tier)

• French Exit (2021 Canadian black comedy starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges, via Elevation) – Friday, October 1
• Safer at Home (2021 American thriller starring Jocelyn Hudon, via eOne / Vertical) – Friday, October 8
• Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021 American drama starring Angelina Jolie, via Warner Bros.) – Friday, October 8 [listing added Oct. 8]
• Fear of Rain (2021 American psychological thriller starring Katherine Heigl, via Lionsgate; already available on Starz) – Friday, October 15
• The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open (2019 Canadian drama co-directed and co-written by and starring Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, via LevelFilm) – Tuesday, October 19
• The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw (2019 Canadian drama starring Morningstar Angeline, via LevelFilm) – Tuesday, October 19
• Fatale (2020 American thriller starring Hilary Swank and Michael Ealy, via Lionsgate; already available on Starz) – Friday, October 22
• Skyfire (2019 Chinese action film, via ScreenMedia?) – Friday, October 22
• The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021 horror sequel, via Warner Bros.) – Friday, October 29
• Spell (2020 supernatural horror thriller starring Omari Hardwick and Loretta Devine, via Paramount?) – Friday, October 29

HBO original programming (in Movies + HBO tier)

• We're Here (season 2 of the unscripted small-town drag series with Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O'Hara and Shangela) – Mondays at 9:00 p.m. ET starting October 11
• Succession (season 3 of the satirical drama with an ensemble cast including Brian Cox, Sarah Snook, and Jeremy Strong) – Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET starting October 17
• Four Hours at the Capitol (BBC co-produced documentary about the events of January 6, 2021) – Wednesday, October 20 at 9:00 p.m. ET
• Ricky Velez comedy special (title TBC) – Saturday, October 23 at 10:00 p.m. ET
• Insecure (fifth and final season of the comedy starring Issa Rae) – Sundays at 10:00 p.m. ET starting October 24
• Curb Your Enthusiasm (eleventh season of the cringe comedy starring Larry David) – Sundays at 10:30 p.m. ET starting October 24
• Ongoing, new episodes weekly: Scenes from a Marriage (Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET until Oct. 10); Nuclear Family (Sundays at 10:00 p.m. ET until Oct. 10)
• Weekly topical programming (new episodes air "live" on the HBO linear channel and are posted on-demand the next day): Real Time with Bill Maher (Fridays at 10:00 p.m. ET except Oct. 15); Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Sundays at 11:00 p.m. ET except Oct. 17); Axios (resumed Oct. 3; Sundays at 6:00 p.m. ET until Oct. 24)

HBO Max original programming (in Movies + HBO tier)

• Craftopia (season 2A: "Holiday Showdown") – all first four episodes available Thursday, October 7 (update: rest of season coming in November)
• 15 Minutes of Shame (documentary about public shaming, from executive producers Monica Lewinsky and Max Joseph) – Thursday, October 7

Starz

In Canada, Starz costs $5.99 per month as an add-on to Crave (also available there for $59.99 per year), and on Apple TV Channels and Prime Video Channels.

Starz Canada arrivals are including in the Crave listings, but we list them separately here since it's also possible to subscribe to Starz separately from Crave, including through Amazon and Apple.

Airtimes listed for Starz original programs are for linear premieres, but most become available to stream earlier on the indicated date.

Starz original series

• Hightown (season 2 of the Cape Cod-set crime drama) – Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET starting October 17
• Ongoing, new episodes weekly: BMF (Sundays at 10:00 p.m. ET); Heels (Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET until Oct. 10)

New / recent release movies

• Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021 horror spinoff of the Saw franchise, via Lionsgate) – Friday, October 15
• Slumber Party Massacre (2021 remake of the 1982 film, via Shout! Studios) – Sunday, October 17

Notable library programming

• Numerous classic horror and Halloween-themed movies and franchises throughout the month, including A Nightmare on Elm Street (Oct. 1), Evil Dead (Oct. 22), and Scary Movie (Oct. 22)

Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video is only available in Canada as part of an Amazon Prime membership, which is $7.99 per month or $79.00 per year, with a one-month trial available in most areas for first-time subscribers.

Prime Video's full monthly listings for Canada are emailed directly to us, among other media outlets.

Original (or exclusive Canadian distribution) programming

• All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs (first NHL edition of the Amazon sports documentary franchise, narrated by Will Arnett) – Friday, October 1
• My Name is Pauli Murray (documentary about the American lawyer and activist) – Friday, October 1
• Welcome to the Blumhouse (volume 2 of the horror anthology): Bingo Hell and Black as Night (both Friday, October 1); Madres and The Manor (both Friday, October 8)
• Justin Bieber: Our World (documentary about the pop star's preparations for his New Year's Eve 2020 show) – Friday, October 8
• I Know What You Did Last Summer (horror series based on the 1973 novel, previously adapted as a film in 1997) – Friday, October 15
• Voyagers (sci-fi film starring Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp, and Colin Farrell; released in the U.S. by Lionsgate earlier this year) – Friday, October 22
• Fairfax (adult animated comedy series about middle school best friends in Los Angeles' centre of hypebeast culture) – Friday, October 29
• Maradona: Blessed Dream (biographical drama series about Diego Maradona) – Friday, October 29

New-release films

• The Father (2020 British drama starring Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman, via Elevation) – Friday, October 1
• Chaos Walking (2021 dystopian sci-fi adventure starring Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland, via Lionsgate / eOne?) – Friday, October 15
• The Unholy (2021 horror film, via Sony / Screen Gems) – Friday, October 22
• Minari (2021 American drama about a family of Korean immigrants, via Elevation / A24) – Friday, October 29

Notable licensed programming

• Limetown (sole season of the drama starring Jessica Biel and Stanley Tucci, previously released on Facebook Watch) – Friday, October 1
• The Kids in the Hall (all five seasons of the original 1989-1995 CBC series, most recently available on CBC Gem) – Friday, October 8
• Why Women Kill (season 1 of the Marc Cherry-produced dark comedy anthology series, previously released on W Network and Paramount+) – Friday, October 29

CBC Gem

CBC Gem's monthly listings are posted in full on the CBC's media website. Other than programs marked as "original" or "premiere", programs may have aired previously in Canada on other services. Some programs may be initially available only on CBC Gem's ad-free Premium tier, but are made available on the free tier at a later date.

Notable Canadian programming

• Sort Of (original dramatic comedy series co-created by and starring Bilal Baig) – streaming Tuesday, October 5 (will air on CBC Television starting November 9, and HBO Max in the U.S. at a later date)
• Firecrackers (2018 drama film written and directed by Jasmin Mozaffari) – Friday, October 8
• R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (2010–14 Canadian-American horror fantasy series) – season 3: Friday, October 15; season 4: Friday, October 29 (see Crave above for seasons 1-2)
• The Great Canadian Baking Show (season 5) – Sundays starting October 17 (also airing on CBC Television)
• Dragons' Den (season 16) – Thursdays starting October 21 (also airing on CBC Television)
• Fatima in Kabul (2021 short documentary directed by Brishkay Ahmed) – Friday, October 22

Notable premiere international programmg

• War of the Worlds (season 2 of the European adaptation of the novel) – Wednesdays starting October 6 (also airing on CBC Television)
• Smother (2021 British-Irish drama series starring Dervla Kirwan) – Friday, October 22
• Pen15 – "Jacuzzi" (animated episode being released standalone; technically season 2, episode 8; released by Hulu in the U.S. in August) – Friday, October 29
• Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street (2021 documentary directed by Salima Koroma, previously aired on CNN) – Friday, October 29

Other notable international programming

• Call the Midwife (season 8, originally aired 2018-19) – Friday, October 1
• The Office (UK, season 1, originally aired 2001) – Friday, October 1
• Ripper Street (season 2, originally aired 2013) – Friday, October 1
• Sherlock (season 2, originally aired 2012) – Friday, October 15
• A Suitable Boy (2020 BBC miniseries, previously released in Canada via Acorn TV) – Sundays starting October 17 (also on CBC Television)

Notable new programming on other channels and services

• CTV: Young Sheldon (season 5 – Thursdays starting Oct. 7); B Positive (season 2 – Thursdays starting Oct. 14); Queens (Tuesdays starting Oct. 19)
• Global: CSI: Vegas (Thursdays starting Oct. 7); Ghosts [U.S.] (Thursdays starting Oct. 7); The Equalizer (season 2 – Mondays starting Oct. 11); The Blacklist (season 9 – Thursdays starting Oct. 21)
• Citytv: Bachelor in Paradise Canada (Sundays starting Oct. 10); The Bachelorette (season 18 – Tuesdays starting Oct. 19); Hudson & Rex (season 4 – Thursdays starting Oct. 21 Oct. 7) [corrected, thanks Tish!]
• CTV Sci-Fi: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (season 7 – Wednesdays starting Oct. 13); Death Walker and Day of the Dead (both Fridays starting Oct. 15)
• Showcase: Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol (Mondays starting Oct. 11); Batwoman (season 3 – Wednesdays starting Oct. 13); The Sinner (season 4 – Wednesdays starting Oct. 13); Legacies (season 4 –Thursdays starting Oct. 14); Chucky (Tuesdays starting Oct. 19); All American [season 4] and 4400 (both Mondays starting Oct. 25)
• AMC+: Fear the Walking Dead (season 7 – Sundays starting Oct. 10; also on AMC TV starting Oct. 17)
• Apple TV+: Acapulco (Fridays starting Oct. 8); The Velvet Underground (documentary film – Friday, Oct. 15); Invasion (Fridays starting Oct. 22)
• BritBox: 8 Out of 10 Cats (series 22 – October 1); Brideshead Revisited (4K remaster – October 12); House of Cards [UK] trilogy (October 15)

Finally: Peacock series One of Us is Lying, which debuts in the U.S. on October 7, is currently listed as "coming soon" on W Network's website; we have not yet found a confirmed Canadian broadcast date, and it's not yet certain whether it will in fact air here in October.

Other news

Rogers has (again) made changes to its Sportsnet Now platform. There's now a permanent "free" tier which will include occasional access to live events plus Plays of the Month-type compilations, while the original "standard" service which includes most content from the Sportsnet mainstream linear channels is now $14.99 per month or $149.99 per year, down 25%.

Additionally, WWE Network, which includes access to all of that professional wrestling organization's monthly events (yes, we know it's scripted), is now finally available in Canada as a standalone over-the-top service authenticated through SN Now, for $14.99 per month on its own or an extra $10 per month if added to SN Now Standard. Going forward, this "WWE Network on SN Now" product will also include recent Raw and SmackDown broadcasts on demand, while SN Now Standard by itself will not.

The old SN Now+ service, which added NHL Live and some content from Sportsnet World, is now SN Now Premium, which costs $34.99 per month (up from $27.99) or $249.99 per year, and also includes WWE Network content.

Subscribers to Sportsnet's linear channels through a TV provider continue to be able to access those channels and associated content through the SN Now apps. There is still no way to upgrade to SN Now Premium as a linear subscriber, even through Rogers Cable – though you can still subscribe individually to NHL Centre Ice, WWE Network or Sportsnet World.

(Finally, a reminder to Rogers: Newfoundland and Labrador is part of Atlantic Canada, but is not part of the Maritimes.)

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