9 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Disney Plus and Hulu (Sept. 23-25)

Fall has officially started and with the falling leaves come new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu and other streaming services. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re a Star Wars fan, a true crime aficionado or you’re just looking for a zany romantic comedy. 

The lineup is led by the latest Star Wars series, Andor. The Rogue One prequel follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), who becomes a spy for the Rebellion against the evil Empire. Other new shows debuting this week are the meta/tongue-in-cheek comedy Reboot and the serial killer drama Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. In returning shows, Abbott Elementary season 2 is back for a new school year. 

Among the movies to stream this week, a plethora of options await. Meet Cute pairs Kaley Cuoco and Pete Davidson in a time-looping romantic comedy. Tyler Perry offers a more serious tale of star-crossed lovers in the Jim Crow-era A Jazzman’s Blues. If you’re looking for a thriller, Allison Janney gets her John Wick on in Lou. 

Here’s our guide on what to watch this weekend.

Andor (Disney Plus)

Rogue One proved that the Star Wars universe had room for different genres, styles and tones. A grim, gritty war movie was about as far, far away as you could get from the pod racing of Phantom Menace. It also seemed to be a complete story, since (spoiler alert) all of the principal characters die at the end. 

Yet, where there’s a will, Disney will find a way. The company seemingly could not ignore a pitch by Tony Gilroy, who directed the reshoots on Rogue One. He’s the mastermind behind Andor, a prequel focusing on the very early days of the Rebel Alliance that would eventually overthrow the Empire. Diego Luna reprises his role as Cassian Andor, a disaffected thief recruited to be a Rebel spy. As my colleague Henry T. Casey notes in his Andor review, this isn’t just a great Star Wars show — it’s a great show, period.

Streaming now on Disney Plus (opens in new tab)

Reboot (Hulu)

Everything old is new again in Hollywood. Wait, am I repeating myself? That’s fitting, since that’s the very premise of this new comedy from Modern Family creator Steve Levitan. It chronicles the reboot of an early-aughts sitcom called Step Right Up. The new executive producer (Rachel Bloom) wants to reunite the original cast, including the pretentious Reed Sterling (Keegan-Michael Key), vapid Bree (Judy Greer) and skeevy stand-up Clay (Johnny Knoxville). 

The new show even brings back the original creator, Gordon (Paul Reiser), who discovers a lot has changed in 20 years and promptly puts foot in mouth when confronted by a much more diverse writing staff. 

Streaming now on Hulu (opens in new tab)

Meet Cute (Peacock)

The time-loop romantic comedy is becoming a well-populated movie subgenre. Like Groundhog Day and Palm Springs before it, Meet Cute relives the same day over and over again. The twist here is that Sheila (Kaley Cuoco) is actually responsible for the loop. She uses a magical time-traveling tanning bed which can send her back 24 hours.

Instead of using this amazing device to get rich or prevent accidents or the like, she keeps going on the same date with Gary (Pete Davidson). Think Edge of Tomorrow, but more like “Live. Date. Repeat.” They connect in a bar and spend a romantic evening together. But it’s not quite perfect, so Sheila keeps jumping in the tanning bed to make the outcome exactly what she wants it to be.

Streaming now on Peacock (opens in new tab)

A Jazzman’s Blues (Netflix)

Tyler Perry has become a franchise unto himself, so much so that his name is typically affixed to the front of his movies’ titles. For his latest film, he veers away from those name-brand broad comedies and turns serious. A Jazzman’s Blues is actually the first script Perry ever wrote, but he waited over 25 years to direct his passion project. 

The sweeping tale of forbidden love is set in 1940s Louisiana. As teens, jazz singer Bayou (Joshua Boone) falls in love with LeAnne (Solea Pfeiffer), who is light-skinned enough to pass white. Her mother keeps them apart by moving the family to Boston. Years later, when they cross paths again, their romance runs into the obstacles of racism, colorism and the deep South’s Jim Crow laws. 

Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)

Abbott Elementary season 2 (ABC)

School is back in session in one of the best shows on television. In its first season, Abbott Elementary earned an A+ and several Emmys for its feel-good style of comedy. Now, the teachers and students are all back for new challenges and new hijinks. 

Season 2 kicks off with development week, a time for the teachers to prepare their lesson plans. Janine (Quinta Brunson) is ready to put her breakup behind her and focus on her work. To that effect, she volunteers to organize the faculty mixer and announces a special celebrity surprise for the kids’ first day. Meanwhile, Gregory (Tyler James Williams) finds his role as a full-time teacher comes with more responsibility than he expected. 

Streaming now via Hulu (opens in new tab)
Airing Wednesdays on ABC (via Fubo (opens in new tab))

Sidney (Apple TV Plus)

The hardships of the Jim Crow era are also explored in this intimate portrait of the legendary Sidney Poitier, the first Black man to win the Best Actor Oscar. The documentary chronicles Poitier’s youth in 1940s Miami, his tenure at the American Negro Theatre in Harlem and his breakthrough in 1955’s Blackboard Jungle. It follows him through his pioneering, acclaimed career as an actor and later as a director. 

Poitier himself talks about his life and legacy as a filmmaker and a Civil Rights activist. Other interviews take place with his ex-wife Juanita Hardy, widow Joanna Shimkus, and fellow stars Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Spike Lee, Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand. 

Streaming now on Apple TV Plus (opens in new tab)

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)

Netflix’s latest true crime drama centers on one of the most notorious serial killers of all time, Jeffrey Dahmer. His gruesome, highly disturbing spree of 17 murders has been explored in many documentaries and biopics, including the 2017 film My Friend Dahmer. 

Now, American Horror Story/Crime Story impresario Ryan Murphy is taking a turn. Frequent collaborator Evan Peters takes on the role of the psychopathic killer, with Richard Jenkins and Molly Ringwald as his parents. Niecy Nash plays Glena Cleveland, a vigilant neighbor who fights for justice for the victims. 

Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)

On the Come Up (Paramount Plus)

Actress Sanaa Lathan moves behind the camera to direct this adaptation of Angie Thomas’s novel. Newcomer Jamila C. Gray stars as Bri, a talented teen rapper who wants to take the battle rap scene by storm. She wants to provide for her family and honor the legacy of her father, a local hip-hop sensation whose life was cut short by gang violence. 

However, when her first song goes viral for all the wrong reasons, Bri discovers the music business is as tough and cutthroat as the streets. Knocked as a sellout by friends, she must choose between authenticity and the fame and fortune she’s long dreamed about. 

Streaming now on Paramount Plus (opens in new tab)

Lou (Netflix)

“John Wick/Taken’s Bryan Mills … but a woman” is a growing subset of action thrillers Earlier this year, Toni Collette used her particular set of skills in Pieces of Her. Now, Allison Janney gets her chance. Lou thinks she’s left her dangerous past behind her and buried (literally) all her secrets. 

But her quiet life on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest is disrupted when her tenant Hannah (Jurnee Smollett) desperately seeks Lou’s help. Hannah’s daughter has been kidnapped by a sociopathic former Green Beret Philip (Logan Marshall Green) during a raging storm. Despite her vow to never use her special skills again, Lou embarks on a rescue mission that could expose many dark truths.

Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)

What else to watch this weekend

Dancing With the Stars season 31 (Disney Plus)
Sixteen celebrities pair with pro partners as the dance competition series moves to a new home.
Streaming now on Disney Plus (opens in new tab)

Patton Oswalt: We All Scream (Netflix)
The comedian takes on the perils of ageing, Baby Boomers and the list he made (and didn’t follow) in lockdown.
Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)

The Kardashians season 2 (Hulu)
The first family of reality TV is back for more drama, romance and career moves.
Streaming now on Hulu (opens in new tab)