What's New on TV, Netflix, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: October 17-23
At a loss for what to watch this week? From new TV, we've got you covered.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
"Alice Through the Looking Glass"
Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) returns to Underland to help the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) in this sequel to 2010's "Alice in Wonderland," out October 18 on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital, On Demand, and Disney Movies Anywhere. The extensive Blu-ray features include "A Stitch in Time: Costuming Wonderland," "Behind The Looking Glass," "Time On...," "Alice Goes Through Time's Castle: A Scene Peeler," "Characters of Underland," the music video and behind-the-music production for "Just Like Fire" by P!nk, audio Commentary by director James Bobin, and deleted scenes with commentary. The DVD just has "A Stitch in Time: Costuming Wonderland."
Check out this exclusive bonus feature clip with director James Bobin explaining why they had Time as a character:"Independence Day: Resurgence"
Twenty years after aliens almost killed us all, they're back to try again in this sequel that subtracts Will Smith, adds Liam Hemsworth and retains Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, and Judd Hirsch. Catch it on DVD, Blu-ray, and On Demand October 18. Bonus features include eight deleted scenes with commentary from director Roland Emmerich, a featurette on "The War of 1996," the making-of featurette "Another Day," a gag reel, and the morning show parody "It's Early, ABQ" with Goldblum, Hirsch, and Hemsworth.
"Our Kind of Traitor"
This thriller, based on the novel by spy master John le Carré, stars Ewan McGregor and Naomie Harris as a married couple on vacation who befriend a charismatic Russian (Stellan Skarsgård) who turns out to be a money laundering mafia kingpin. Damian Lewis co-stars in the film, which journeys around the world from Paris to Bern, London, and beyond. Catch it on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand October 18. Extras include deleted scenes, "The Making of Our Kind of Traitor," and featurettes on the cast and story.
Check out this exclusive clip with the cast and director Susanna White talking about the film's locations in five different countries:"Café Society"
Woody Allen wrote and directed this romantic comedy, which stars Jesse Eisenberg as a young man who arrives in Hollywood in the 1930s and falls in love, getting swept up in the cafe society of the day. The all-star cast includes Steve Carell, Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Kristen Stewart, Corey Stoll, and Ken Stott. The film is out on Blu-ray and DVD October 18, with a look at the red carpet of the film premiere as a special feature.
New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital
"Bad Moms"
You ready to party like a mother? A spinoff called "Bad Dads" is already in the works, but check out the original when it's available on Digital HD October 18, before it's out on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand November 1. The popular comedy stars Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn as stressed-out moms who embark on a wild binge of hilarious self-indulgence. The release comes with almost an hour of bonus features, including deleted scenes, gag reels, and interviews with the cast and their moms.
"Chance" (Hulu)
Hugh Laurie plays San Francisco-based forensic neuropsychiatrist Dr. Eldon Chance in this new thriller, based on the acclaimed novel by Kem Nunn. Hulu has already give the show a two season order for 20 episodes, starting October 19. Read all about the series from Hugh Laurie himself in "Doctor Thorne"
Miss "Downton Abbey"? Same. Fill that gap in your fantasy life with this three-part adaptation of Anthony Trollope's novel, as written for the screen by "Downton" writer Julian Fellowes. Tom Hollander plays the titular character, who is left to bring up his penniless niece Mary (Stefanie Martini), who spends most of her years in the company of the Gresham family. Frank Gresham (Harry Richardson) falls in love with Mary, but his snobbish mother Lady Arabella (Rebecca Front) has plans for him to regain the family's fortunes by marrying an American heiress. The saga is available on Digital HD Monday, October 17, and then on DVD October 18.
"Vice Principals" Season 1
Danny McBride and Walton Goggins star in HBO's A- comedy as bitter high school vice-principals who forge an unholy alliance to take down the new principal who swooped into town to take the job they both wanted. The first season is out on Digital HD (iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, Flixster, etc.) on Monday, October 17.
TV Worth Watching
"The Walking Dead" Season 7 (Sunday on AMC at 9 p.m.)
It's time to be traumatized by the multiple depressing events of the 1 hour, 6 minute Season 7 premiere, titled "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be." (Yes, that's a Season 1 callback.) We'll get answers from the Season 6 cliffhanger -- aka Who Did Negan Kill? -- and episode director Greg Nicotero promised even more bad things will happen after that death. The premiere will be followed by a special 90-minute "Talking Dead" to process our emotions.
"The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 (Friday on The CW at 8 p.m.)
And so the end begins. Season 8, the final season of TVD, begins October 21. The premiere is titled "Hello Brother," which executive producer Julie Plec described as "one of our most famous lines from the show." That kind of nostalgia ride should continue all season. The CW's synopsis for "Hello Brother" states that "Season 8 begins with Stefan searching for Damon and Enzo after they mysteriously vanished months ago from the Armory vault. Meanwhile, Caroline and Alaric fear that someone is targeting their family after they encounter an unexpected visitor."
"Hooligan Sparrow" (Monday on PBS at 10 p.m.)
There's a lot of entertainment on TV these days, but every so often you should have some vegetables with the junk food. This PBS POV documentary -- an Official Selection of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival -- follows a woman's rights activist in China who took on officials accused of raping young girls, and paid a steep price for speaking out. In 2013, a school principal and a member of the education bureaucracy abducted six female students aged 11 to 14, took them to a hotel, and sexually assaulted them over a 24-hour period. When parents and their supporters demanded justice, the perpetrators insisted the girls were prostitutes. Watch the maddening story play out October 17 on PBS.
"Westworld" (Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m.)
We were fully obsessed with this new show even before reading that amazing theory about The Man in Black. (It sounds plausible, but -- even if it's wrong -- it's just great that this is the kind of show that spawns high-end theories.) Episode 4 of 10, "Dissonance Theory," airs October 23. Here's HBO's synopsis: "Dolores joins a bounty hunt in the badlands with William and Logan; Dr. Ford and Theresa talk about the park's future; Maeve is disturbed by a vision; The Man in Black makes a significant discovery on his quest." It's not too late to catch up. This one is worth it.
"Black Mirror" Season 3 (Netflix Original)Writer-creator Charlie Brooker's exploration of modern techno-paranoia continues with six new stories, available for streaming on Netflix October 21. (Season 3 was going to be 12 episodes, but it was ultimately split into two seasons of six episodes.) The third season cast includes Bryce Dallas Howard, Alice Eve, James Norton, Cherry Jones, Wyatt Russell, Alex Lawther, Jerome Flynn, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mackenzie Davis, Michael Kelly, Malachi Kirby, Kelly McDonald, and Faye Marsay. Here are more details on each new episode.
"Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories" (Netflix Original)
You might want to consider giving this series a taste on October 21. Here's the description from Netflix: "In a back alley of a busy district sits a small eatery called Meshiya, referred to by its patrons as the Midnight Diner. The little joint, which the Master runs by himself, is open only from midnight to 7:00 AM. The menu consists only of a pork miso soup set, beer, saké and shochu, but the Master's policy is to make whatever his customers request. Tonight, like every other night, a menagerie of customers flock to the Midnight Diner, where the bonds among the Master, his food and the patrons set the stage for humorous and sometimes wistful episodes of human drama that feed both the belly and the soul."
"The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show" Season 3 (Netflix Original)
"Jim Henson's Word Party" Season 2 (Netflix Original)
"Joe Rogan: Triggered" (Netflix Original)
Friday, October 21 is a big day for Netflix originals, including new seasons of these two children series and the debut of comedian Joe Rogan's comedy special.
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