What to watch on streaming in September 2022

September has a bevy of blockbuster TV shows and movies hitting streaming services. You’re going to be busy.

What’s new to streaming in September? Loads.

Andor (Disney+, September 21): This Star Wars series is a prequel to Rogue One – it would have to be a prequel, wouldn’t it, considering how Rogue One ended. Diego Luna reprises his role as Cassian Andor in this grounded origin story for the thief turned Rebel Alliance spy.

American Gigolo (Stan, September 10): A remake of Paul Schrader’s seminal film, this streaming version stars Jon Bernthal in the part which catapulted Richard Gere to fame. When sex worker Julian Kaye is released from prison after serving 15 years for a murder he didn’t commit, he’s out to discover who framed him. Co-starring Rosie O’Donnell and Gretchen Mol.

Heartbreak High (Netflix, September 14): The seminal 1990s teen soap is re-imagined for the 21st century but it remains as gritty and socially engaged as its legacy. The drama at Hartley High starts with the falling out between best friends Amerie and Harper, and a giant wall detailing the students’ sexcapades.

Heartbreak High is on Netflix.

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon Prime Video, September 2): The most expensive TV show ever made ($US715 million and counting), the expansive and visually impressive series is a prequel to The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, set in the Second Age of Middle-earth. Some familiar characters – elves Galadriel and Elrond – as well as a raft of new ones will battle an emerging dark force as uber-villain Sauron starts to amass power.

This is England (Binge and Foxtel*, September 22): Watch Kenneth Branagh disappear into Boris Johnson in this five-part series which charts England’s response to the first wave of the Covid pandemic. It also stars Ophelia Lovibond and Andrew Buchan and the scripts were written by Michael Winterbottom and Kieron Quirke.

Bali 2002 (Stan, September 25): On the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings, this four-part scripted dramatisation tells the stories of the Australians, Brits and Indonesians caught up in the terror attack, plus the fallout, the investigation and human resilience. It stars Richard Roxburgh, Rachel Griffiths and Claudia Jessie.

The Good Fight S6 (SBS On Demand, September 10): The Good Fight is so plugged into the social, political and cultural Zeitgeist, you have to expect it’s going to make an absolute meal out of engaging with the bonkers times in which we live. Roe v. Wade, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the continuing circus of American politics are all rich ingredients for its sixth and final season.

Blonde is on Netflix.

Blonde (Netflix, September 28): "It" girl Ana de Armas takes on the role of the most famous blonde of all time, Marilyn Monroe, in this biopic directed by Australian filmmaker Andrew Dominik. The cast also includes Adrien Brody as Arthur Miller, Bobby Cannavale as Joe DiMaggio, Xavier Samuel, Julianne Nicholson, Toby Huss and Garret Dillahunt.

Swimming With Sharks (Amazon Prime Video, September 16): A remake of the 1994 movie of the same name, this streaming series stars Kiernan Shipka and Diane Lane as an ambitious assistant and a Hollywood executive. The young Lou may seem like she’s out of her depth in a vicious industry but she’s going to outplay them all.

Wedding Season (Disney+, September 8): When Stefan starts an affair with the already engaged Katie, the last thing he expected is her new husband and in-laws would all end up dead, poisoned at the reception. Stefan is suspect number one but, as always, things are deliciously more than it seems. The comedy stars Rosa Salazar and Gavin Drea.

The Control Room (Binge and Foxtel, September 25): It all starts for Gabe during a shift as an emergency call dispatcher when the hysterical voice on the other end recognises his voice. With dark secrets dredged up from his childhood, Gabe is enmeshed in a horrific crime and will have to confront his own culpability in more than one crime. Stars Iain de Caestecker.

The Control Room is on Binge and Foxtel.

Cobra Kai S5 (Netflix, September 9): Obviously you’re not yet sick of teenagers whaling on each other because Cobra Kai lives on. A clever blend of nostalgia, cheese and thrills, the sequel series to The Karate Kid long ago found its own footing and has only escalated the stakes – to oftentimes silly levels – with each season. This new instalment picks up after the dramatic events of the All Valley Tournament but to be fair, when is that tournament ever not dramatic?

Last Light (Stan, September 8): Matthew Fox returns to acting for the first time since 2015 in this thriller about a petro-chemist caught up in a conspiracy to short the world’s oil supply. And there’s the double challenge of being separated from his family when everything falls apart.

The Handmaid’s Tale S5 (SBS On Demand, September 15): Oh hey, The Handmaid’s Tale is still going! June is still fighting for her life, which is now all the more complicated with the death of Commander Waterford by her hand. Meanwhile, Serena has plans for Canada and that’s not good news for anybody.

Pantheon (AMC+, September 1): This thematically ambitious animated sci-fi series explores the emotional side to what happens if mankind can crack the code of uploading human consciousness into a digital world? That technology becomes part of the lives of three characters – a teen girl dealing with the recent death of her dad, a bullied high-schooler and a put-upon engineer. It features the voice talents of Daniel Dae Kim, Paul Dano, Katie Chang and Raza Jaffrey.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever is on Apple TV+.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever (Apple TV+, September 30): Directed by Peter Farrelly and starring Russell Crowe, Zac Efron and Bill Murray, this dramatisation of a mad true story follows one man’s epic quest to deliver beer (and messages from home) to his buddies fighting in Vietnam.

The Serpent Queen (Stan, September 11): A historical drama set in the intrigues and machinations of the French court, it follows the story of Catherine de’ Medici and her quest for power and control. It stars Samantha Morton as the legendary Renaissance-era royal.

Do Revenge (Netflix, September 16): Starring Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke, this black high school comedy is the story of two unlikely allies who make a pact to go after each other’s bullies. Think Strangers on a Train but with less homicidal scheming.

Pinocchio (Disney+, September 8): One of three Pinocchio movies out this year, the Disney live-action remake features Tom Hanks as the earnest Geppetto in the classic morality tale of a puppet’s desire to be a real boy. Whether you’re up for it might very well depend on your estimation of director Robert Zemeckis’ recent cinematic efforts.

Central Park (Apple TV+, September 9): The delightful animated musical with a ridiculously impressive cast – Kathryn Hahn, Josh Gad, Daveed Diggs, Stanley Tucci, Tituss Burgess, Leslie Odom Jr and Kristen Bell – returns for its third season with a bolder commitment to tackling resonant social issues.

Savage River is on ABC iview.

Savage River (ABC iview, September 4): The claustrophobia of a small town makes for a rich story setting and Savage River takes full advantage. Katherine Langford plays a young woman who arrives home after eight years in prison. When a murder happens in town, guess who’s the prime suspect to judgmental locals? The series also stars Jacqueline McKenzie, Mark Coles Smith and Daniel Henshall.

Atlanta S4 (SBS On Demand, September 16): It’s almost a shock the fourth and final season of Donald Glover’s convention-busting series is already here – he made us wait so long for season three. After their European jaunt, Earn and the crew are back where they started, Atlanta.

Monarch (Paramount+, September 13): If you liked Nashville and Empire, Monarch is going to serve your thirst for the soapy side of musical dynasties. Generations, loyalties and ambitions will clash in this series about the Romans, a country music family with as much dysfunction as star power. It stars Susan Sarandon and Anna Friel.

A Beginner’s Guide to Grief (SBS On Demand, September 4): The short-form web series only runs 12 minutes each, but it packs a lot into its six episodes – proof you can often do more with less. Written by and starring Anna Lindner, the dark comedy is the story of Harriet trying to cope with the loss of both of her parents within a week.

Beginner’s Guide to Grief is on SBS On Demand.

Take 5 with Zan Rowe (ABC iview, September 20): Perhaps more than any other form of culture, music is most closely associated with a moment in our lives. Each episode, Zan Rowe asks a guest about the five songs that are most important to who they are now. The format is adapted from Rowe’s podcast and guests include Keith Urban, Tori Amos and Guy Pearce.

The Suspect (Britbox, September 8): The reason they keep making British detective shows is because there is an unquenchable thirst for the genre. The latest drop in a vast ocean is The Suspect, a series from the same production company as Line of Duty. It stars Aidan Turner as a clinical psychologist who partners with a cop. As per usual, there’s murder and secrets involved.

The Australian Wars (SBS On Demand, September 21): A three-part documentary directed and hosted by filmmaker Rachel Perkins, the series explores a misunderstood aspect of Australian history, the century-long war between First Nations peoples and colonial forces, and its enduring legacy on Australian identity today.

Finding Alice (Britbox, September 13): Starring Keeley Hawes and Joanna Lumley, the British dramedy follows a woman named Alice whose husband Harry unexpectedly dies just after their family moves into a dream home he’s designed. Faced with the challenges of a life without him, there’s also the matter of Harry’s many secrets.

Goodnight Mommy (Amazon Prime Video, September 16): Adapted from a 2014 Austrian film, this psychological horror stars Naomi Watts, Peter Hermann and those twins from Big Little Lies. The boys are sent to live with their mother whose face is all bandaged, supposedly because she’s recovering from surgery. But is the woman really their mother?

Out of Office (Paramount+, September 9): After his years on The Office US, writer and director Paul Lieberstein is sticking to what he knows best, even when it comes to naming things. This workplace comedy movie is about a young remote worker whose boss needs a lot of emotional hand-holding as his marriage falls apart. It stars Ken Jeong, Leslie Jones, Jason Alexander and Milana Vayntrub.

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