CBC’s fall premieres continue with new factual series LOCALS WELCOME (Oct. 5) hosted by food writer Suresh Doss, and new seasons of HEARTLAND (Oct. 5), THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW (Oct. 5), MURDOCH MYSTERIES (Oct. 6), FAMILY FEUD CANADA (Oct. 6), and THE FIFTH ESTATE (Oct. 10) – all available on CBC TV and CBC Gem
Acclaimed series and specials from Canada and around the world include the exclusive Canadian premieres of Sundance 2025 selection HAL & HARPER (Oct. 3) starring creator Cooper Raiff, Lili Reinhart, Mark Ruffalo and Betty Gilpin, Australian mystery series THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR (Oct. 3) and season 2 of UK crime anthology SHOWTRIAL (Oct. 17); plus one-of-a-kind comedy special HYPNOV: IMPROV UNDER HYPNOSIS featuring Colin Mochrie (Oct. 17); crime comedy THE OUTLAWS (Oct. 10) created by and starring Stephen Merchant (The Office) with Christopher Walken; Prix Gémeaux-winning Radio-Canada family drama VEILLE SUR MOI (WATCH OVER ME) (Oct. 24); and PENNY DREADFUL: CITY OF ANGELS (Oct. 31) starring Natalie Dormer
Celebrate Canadian music with THE CANADIAN MUSIC HALL OF FAME 2025 INDUCTION CEREMONY (Oct. 23) hosted by Paul Brandt
New documentaries on CBC TV and CBC Gem include THE PASSIONATE EYE titles DON’T COME UPSTAIRS (Oct. 1), filmmaker/actor Mike Lobel’s (Degrassi: The Next Generation) investigation into his family’s dark secret; MICHELLE ROSS: UNKNOWN ICON (Oct. 8), exploring the two separate worlds of drag icon Michelle Ross; BIG FEMININE ENERGY (Oct. 22), a deep dive into the scams and subcultures that prey on female vulnerability; and THE PSYCHIC SWINDLE (Oct. 29), revealing how a Montreal-based copywriter swindled victims out of $200 million by pretending to be a legendary psychic; and THE NATURE OF THINGS, kicking off its 65th season by celebrating the wild world of bats (Oct. 29); plus documentary Channel original BETRAYAL (Oct. 21 on CBC Gem), detailing the role of Liberian dictator Charles Taylor’s brother-in-law in the fall of his regime
Lifestyle offerings in October include JAMIE’S ONE PAN WONDERS (Oct. 22) from home cook favourite Jamie Oliver and a new season of ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY (Oct. 3), helping prospective buyers find their dream home
Films newly available to stream in October include award-winning comedy/horror HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON (Oct. 31), following a sensitive vampiric teen; Yorgos Lanthimos’ (Poor Things, Bugonia) psychological thriller THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER (Oct. 10) starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman and Barry Keoghan; sci-fi drama AFTER YANG (Oct. 3); and Canadian horror features Z (Oct. 17) and MY ANIMAL (Oct. 23)
A reboot of the iconic Canadian preschool buddy comedy for CBC/Radio-Canada, TOOPY AND BINOO: FABULOUS ADVENTURES arrives Oct. 25
CBC Gem is Canada’s streaming service, offering more than 6500 hours of live and on-demand Canadian programming and a curated selection of acclaimed, best-in-class content from around the world, including more than 400 documentary features, more than 700 hours of ad-free content for kids and tweens, and a collection of over 400 Canadian feature films. CBC Gem is available for free as an app for iOS and Android devices and online at CBCGem.ca, and on connected TVs via Roku, Samsung, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, LG, Google Chromecast, Android TV and Xbox, as well as TV service provider Rogers Xfinity.
ACCLAIMED SERIES AND SPECIALS
HAL & HARPER Season 1 (9×30, Comedy/Drama, Bad Bangs LLC/Small Ideas, USA)
Begins streaming Friday, October 3
Exclusive Canadian Premiere (Pictured)
Hal (creator Cooper Raiff) & Harper (Lili Reinhart), two codependent siblings living in L.A., are doing their best to navigate long term relationships, friendships, and situationships. When their Dad (Mark Ruffalo) announces he’s having a new baby with his girlfriend, Kate (Betty Gilpin), the two are forced to consider the current state of their lives, as well as their complicated childhood. While exploring the trauma of their past, and the dramatic changes of their present, Hal & Harper & Dad chart the evolution of their family, while discovering the ways their intense bond has shaped the ways they interact with those they love, for better or for worse.
“tenderly played, sharply written, and deliver[s] a perfect balance of bitter and sweet.”
Ross McIndoe, Slant
THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR Season 1 (6×60, Drama, Beyond Entertainment/Muse Entertainment, Australia)
Begins streaming Friday, October 3
Exclusive Canadian Premiere
It’s a scorching summer at the height of the school holidays when Isabelle Ackner rents a house in Pleasant Court, a quiet cul-de-sac in the popular beachside town of Osprey Point. When sharp-eyed realtor Ange intuits that her tenant has a hidden agenda, the local rumour mill goes into overdrive. Who is this mysterious woman, what does she want, and what’s the connection with their community? It soon becomes apparent Isabelle has come to Pleasant Court in search of someone. Isabelle’s relentless pursuit of clues and Ange’s increasing suspicion impact the lives of four young families within the tight Pleasant Court community.
THE OUTLAWS Season 1 (6×60, Comedy, Big Talk and Four Eyes, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, October 10
Emmy and BAFTA winner Stephen Merchant writes, directs, and stars alongside Christopher Walken. When seven strangers are thrown together in a community service scheme, they realise they couldn’t be more different. Having broken the law is the one thing they have in common. As new friendships emerge, dark secrets are revealed. And when the group gets drawn into dangerous criminal activity, they must break down the barriers between them, before they can fight for what’s right.
★★★★ “brilliantly silly crime comedy”
Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian
SHOWTRIAL Season 2 (5×60, Drama, World Productions, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, October 17
Exclusive Canadian Premiere
Season 2 returns with a brand-new cast to tell the story of a new case that grips the media and divides the nation. Notorious climate change activist Marcus Calderwood is a fierce advocate of direct, disruptive action and unapologetic about its consequences. As a result, he has as many hostile opponents as he does supporters. So when Marcus is left for dead in a roadside hit-and-run, foul play cannot be discounted.
HYPROV: IMPROV UNDER HYPNOSIS (44min, Comedy Special, Hyprov Live Canada, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, October 17
Exclusive Canadian Premiere
Comedy legend Colin Mochrie and hypnotist Asad Mecci star in HYPROV, a one-of-a-kind comedy special that fuses hypnosis and improv. This 44-minute event distills the funniest highlights from two hilarious live shows. Twenty audience volunteers are hypnotized into a stage of fearless creativity, and the boldest “Hyprovisers” join Colin on stage for wildly unpredictable improv scenes where anything can happen. With exclusive behind-the-scenes commentary from Colin and Asad, plus candid reflections from the Hyprovisers, HYPROV is a mind-bending experiment, an outrageous comedy performance, and pure entertainment.
VEILLE SUR MOI (WATCH OVER ME) (6×60, Drama, Pamplemousse Media, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, October 24
Commissioned by Radio-Canada, VEILLE SUR MOI (WATCH OVER ME) is the story of a grandmother (Guylaine Tremblay) who has been caring for her grandson alone ever since her daughter (recent Prix Gémeaux winner Pascale Renaud-Hébert) entrusted the child to her care when she disappeared with her toxic partner. But now, three years later, their lives are turned upside down when the daughter returns, now sober and separated from her ex, determined to get her act together and take care of her son. This return, as feared as it was desired, will have far-reaching consequences.
PENNY DREADFUL: CITY OF ANGELS (10×60, Drama/Horror, Desert Wolf Productions/Neal Street Productions, USA)
Begins streaming Friday, October 31
1938 Los Angeles is a time and place deeply infused with social and political tension. When a grisly murder shocks the city, Detective Tiago Vega and his partner Lewis Michener become embroiled in an epic story that reflects the rich history of Los Angeles: from the building of the city’s first freeways and its deep traditions of Mexican-American folklore, to the dangerous espionage actions of the Third Reich and the rise of radio evangelism. Before long, Tiago and his family are grappling with powerful forces that threaten to tear them apart. Starring Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones, The Tudors) and Daniel Zovatto (Woman of the Hour, Station Eleven).
DOCUMENTARIES
DON’T COME UPSTAIRS (60min, directed by Mike Lobel) part of The Passionate Eye season
Begins streaming Wednesday, October 1 (available on CBC TV at 9 p.m., 9:30 NT)
What do you do when your family is hiding a dark secret, but looking for the truth could jeopardize everyone’s safety? Filmmaker/actor Mike Lobel (Degrassi, Really Me) delves into a secret concealed by his parents from him and his siblings for three decades, using their intimate home videos and shared stories as a gateway to revelation.
MICHELLE ROSS: UNKNOWN ICON (60min, directed by Alison Duke) part of The Passionate Eye season
Begins streaming Wednesday, October 8 (available on CBC TV at 9 p.m., 9:30 NT)
Long before drag became a staple of pop culture, Michelle Ross made her indelible mark as a powerhouse, dominating and defining the Black queer drag scene in Toronto and beyond. To her community, she was a dazzling trailblazer; to her family, she was Earl Barrington Shaw, or simply “Barry.” It wasn’t until Michelle’s sudden death in 2021 that her family claims to have discovered the hidden life and legacy she had built. Told through intimate interviews, archival footage, the film explores the emotional architecture of a person who lived between worlds.
NERVES (35min, written and directed by Adam Pedersen)
Begins streaming Thursday, October 9
After a devastating accident left him with permanent nerve damage in his hand, YouTube outdoorsman Joe Robinet heads back into the wild alone—battling pain, grief, and self-doubt in a fight to reclaim the life the wilderness once gave him.
BETRAYAL (88min, directed by Lena MacDonald) a documentary Channel original
Begins streaming Tuesday, October 21
A former insider to Charles Taylor’s regime becomes a whistleblower, risking his life to expose the dictator’s brutal crimes—was he wrong for doing the right thing, or was justice worth the cost?
BIG FEMININE ENERGY (60min, directed by Susan Schafer) part of The Passionate Eye season
Begins streaming Wednesday, October 22 (available on CBC TV at 9 p.m., 9:30 NT)
Big Feminine Energy takes a bold look at how hotly debated femininity trends are shaping our global world. Amidst a broader cultural shift to reclaim traditional expressions of femininity, Big Feminine Energy goes inside movements like the new-age bimbo, trad wives, and the rise of OnlyFans, asking a central question: what’s helpful vs. harmful when it comes to women’s empowerment? Through honest and relatable conversations with a diverse group of women – including Canadian Olympic Games medallist Alysha Newman, Canada’s Queen of R&B Jully Black, music-video vixen Melyssa Ford, culture critic Rayne Fisher-Quann, Glamour Senior Editor Stephanie McNeal, and more – the film unpacks the forces shaping how femininity is expressed and perceived today.
THE PSYCHIC SWINDLE (60min, directed by Sarah Gibson) part of The Passionate Eye season
Begins streaming Wednesday, October 29 (available on CBC TV at 9 p.m., 9:30 NT)
The documentary unravels the intricate mail-order psychic scam that duped millions of people worldwide over 20 years. The scam in North America was led by entrepreneur and copywriter, Patrice Runner, who used the name and likeness of legendary French Psychic Maria Duval. Through meticulous investigations, exclusive archive, and intimate interviews, the film exposes how this exploitation of human hopes and fears resulted in one of the largest psychic scams in history, culminating in a global manhunt and a high-profile criminal trial.
THE NATURE OF THINGS: EMPIRE OF BATS (60min, directed by Christine Nielsen) Season Premiere
Begins streaming Wednesday, October 29 (available on CBC TV at 8 p.m., 8:30 NT)
EMPIRE OF BATS swoops in as the epic season premiere of THE NATURE OF THINGS’ 65th season. Prepare for an immersive, enchanting adventure into a world of these shadowy creatures – you’ll never look at bats the same way again. Join co-host Anthony Morgan along with Canadian and international researchers as they embark on the yearly bat-a-thon in Belize, uncovering the secrets of dozens of species of these fascinating creatures and the mysteries they hold for human health and infectious diseases.
MUSIC
THE CANADIAN MUSIC HALL OF FAME 2025 INDUCTION CEREMONY
Streaming Thursday, October 23
The Canadian Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony filmed earlier this year will honour multi-talented industry legend Dan Hill, grande dame of Québec song Ginette Reno, Rock superstars Glass Tiger, eclectic Celtic singer/songwriter/composer Loreena McKennitt, Pop-Punk icons Sum 41, and 2024 Canadian Music Hall of Fame Inductee and Hip-Hop pioneer, Maestro Fresh Wes for their astounding contributions to Canada’s music history. Hosted by Paul Brandt, at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre (NMC), in Calgary, the ceremony will also feature presenters Beverley Mahood, Roch Voisine, Johnny Reid, and Measha Brueggergosman-Lee.
LIFESTYLE & UNSCRIPTED
ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY Season 32 (14×60, Lifestyle/Unscripted, Naked/Boundless, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, October 3
ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY helps house hunters to break free from busy, urban lives, matching them with gorgeous rural homes and welcoming communities in the great British countryside.
JAMIE’S ONE PAN WONDERS Season 1 (8×30, Lifestyle, Jamie Oliver Productions, UK)
Begins streaming Wednesday, October 22
Packed with easy recipes that are perfect for any day of the week, this series offers a delicious range of dishes all cooked in just ONE pan or tray. Beyond soups and risotto, Jamie has created one-pan bread bakes and pies, a perfect lamb roast, cakes and so much more. With a lot less washing up but all of the wow factor, this series is packed with brilliant batch-cooking ideas and incredible timesavers for those who want food that’s big on flavour, but small on stress.
FEATURE FILMS
AFTER YANG (96min, Drama/SciFi, written and directed by Kogonada)
Begins streaming Friday, October 3
When his young daughter’s beloved companion — an android named Yang — malfunctions, Jake (Colin Farrell) searches for a way to repair him. In the process, Jake discovers the life that has been passing in front of him, reconnecting with his wife (Jodie Turner-Smith) and daughter across a distance he didn’t know was there.
THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER (121min, Thriller, written and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos)
Begins streaming Friday, October 10
Dr. Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) is a renowned cardiovascular surgeon presiding over a spotless household with his ophthalmologist wife Anna (Nicole Kidman) and their two exemplary children, 12-year-old Bob (Sunny Suljian) and 14-year-old Kim (Raffey Cassidy). Lurking at the margins of his idyllic suburban existence is Martin (Barry Keoghan), a fatherless teen who Steven has covertly taken under his wing. As Martin begins insinuating himself into the family’s life in ever-more unsettling displays, the full scope of his intent becomes menacingly clear when he confronts Steven with a long-forgotten transgression that will shatter the Murphy family’s domestic bliss.
Z (83min, Horror, written and directed by Brandon Christensen)
Begins streaming Friday, October 17
Eight-year-old Josh spends a lot of time playing with a new imaginary friend named Z. What at first seems like a harmless relationship, quickly turns into something destructive and dangerous.
MY ANIMAL (104min, Horror/Romance, directed by Jacqueline Castel)
Begins streaming Thursday, October 23
Heather (Bobbi Salvör Menuez), an outcast teenage goalie, falls for newcomer Jonny (Amandla Stenberg), an alluring but tormented figure skater. As their relationship deepens, Heather’s growing desires clash with her darkest secret, forcing her to control the animal within.
HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON (91min, Comedy/Horror, written and directed by Ariane Louis-Seize)
Begins streaming Friday, October 31
Sasha is a young vampire with a serious problem: she’s too sensitive to kill! When her exasperated parents cut off her blood supply, Sasha’s life is in jeopardy. Luckily, she meets Paul, a lonely teenager with suicidal tendencies who is willing to give his life to save hers. But their friendly agreement soon becomes a nocturnal quest to fulfill Paul’s last wishes before day breaks.
KIDS
TOOPY AND BINOO: FABULOUS ADVENTURES (54×7, Kids)
Begins streaming Saturday, October 25
A reboot of the iconic Canadian preschool buddy comedy for CBC/Radio-Canada brings back the delightful duo of Toopy, the clumsy mouse, and Binoo, the quiet cat. This 2D-animated series will introduce new imaginative stories and whimsical adventures to a fresh generation of viewers, continuing the legacy of the original.
THE BEST OF CBC
The Canadian streaming home of hit CBC original series including THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW, HEARTLAND, KIM’S CONVENIENCE, MURDOCH MYSTERIES, SCHITT’S CREEK and WORKIN’ MOMS, plus BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, BLACKBERRY, BONES OF CROWS, MR. D, PRETTY HARD CASES, THE PORTER, RUN THE BURBS, SON OF A CRITCH, SORT OF, STILL STANDING and TALLBOYZ, and classic CBC hits like BEING ERICA.
Source: CBC Gem
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
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