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Aside from asking everyone you know what they’re watching, Netflix’s self-reported Top 10 rankings are pretty much the only way to tell how popular a Netflix show or movie is. The new list for Monday, Oct. 19 is once again led by The Haunting of Bly Manor, the second season of Mike Flanagan’s horror anthology, with Adam Sandler’s latest Netflix movie Hubie Halloween right behind it. However, it’s a Monday, and that means there are new shows and movies on the list, including Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7, A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting, and Dream Home Makeover.
But of the Netflix Top 10, which of these shows and movies are actually worth watching? We break down the entire Netflix Top 10 list and guide you through what to binge and what to skip.
Best New Shows and Movies on Netflix This Week: Unsolved Mysteries Season 2, Grand Army
Based on Netflix’s Top 10 from Monday, Oct. 19
1. The Haunting of Bly Manor
For fans of: Horror that makes you sad | Is it good?: Yes
Season 2 of the moody, emotionally heavy horror anthology (the first was The Haunting of Hill House) is loosely based on Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. If you don’t go into it expecting a Hill House redux, you won’t be disappointed, because Bly Manor is really good, but it’s different. [TV Guide review] (Friday’s rank: 1)
2. Hubie Halloween
For fans of: Sandler at his silliest | Is it good?: Honestly…yes
Adam Sandler plays a weird, easily scared guy named Hubie who’s Salem, Mass.’ self-appointed “Halloween monitor,” which means he annoys everyone and everyone ignores him. But then spoOoOky stuff starts happening, and it’s up to Hubie to save Halloween. If you go into it expecting to have a lighthearted good time, you will. [TV Guide review] (Friday’s rank: 2)
3. The Trial of the Chicago 7
For fans of: The Aaron Sorkin walk-n-talk | Is it good?: Yep, it’s got an all-star cast and an all-star script
Wily wordsmith and master of the monologue Aaron Sorkin wrote this movie following a group of Vietnam War protesters who were put on trial for inciting a riot in 1968. Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Eddie Redmayne, Michael Keaton, and more star. (Friday’s rank: n/a)
4. Emily in Paris
For fans of: Sex and the City, Younger, Ze French | Is it good?: It’s a rom-com, for better and worse
Taking off to Paris sounds like a dream given the current circumstances, so watch Emily do it in this romantic comedy about a young Yank who takes a job in the City of Light to lend an American perspective — perhaps too aggressively American — to a French marketing firm. And as one does in Paris, she joneses for some looooove. [TV Guide review / More shows like Emily in Paris] (Friday’s rank: 3)
5. Moneyball
For fans of: Serious actor Jonah Hill, Scott Hatteberg | Is it good?: It’s a frickin’ home run
Brad Pitt stars as former Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane in this sports biopic about Beane and his assistant GM Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) as they try to use advanced statistics to build a team of undervalued role players that can compete for a title. The script was written by Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian, two of Hollywood’s most accomplished screenwriters, and the film as a whole was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture. It’s really good. (Friday’s rank: 4)
6. A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting
For fans of: Family-friendly Halloween scares | Is it good?: It’s middle of the road, but will keep kids happy
We had higher hopes for this timely movie that would get us in the mood for Halloween. The short of it is a secret order of babysitters (yep!) work together to keep kids safe from monsters, and the movie also has a healthy dose of girl power. Unfortunately, canonically, it is not related to the Netflix movie franchise The Babysitter or the Netflix YA drama The Baby-sitters Club. (Friday’s rank: n/a)
7. Schitt’s Creek
For fans of: Good vibes, Arrested Development, Catherine O’Hara | Is it good?: It’s simply the best
Following a night to remember at this year’s Emmys, the critics’ comedy darling brings its final season to Netflix, the service it owes for much of its rejuvenated success following a much less-seen run on Pop TV. It’s a busy season, with its characters heading to complete their arcs, but it never loses touch with its warmth. [TV Guide review] (Friday’s rank: 5)
8. Evil
For fans of: The X-Files, canned margaritas | Is it good?: We say it’s the fourth best show on television
Season 1 of this CBS procedural is now on loan to Netflix to build interest in the show before Season 2 premieres later this year. It uses the tried-and-true premise of a skeptic (a forensic psychologist played by Katja Herbers) and a believer (a priest in training played by Mike Colter) investigating inexplicable occurrences, in this case possible demonic possessions on behalf of the Catholic Church’s, how should we say, exorcism department. Since it comes from The Good Wife‘s Robert and Michelle King, it has an uncommon amount of intelligence, ripped-from-the-headlines relevance, and off-kilter humor. Highly recommended. (Friday’s rank: 8)
9. Dream Home Makeover
For fans of: Open houses, HGTV | Is it good?: It is what it is
Shea and Syd McGee get a reality series to hawk their interior design/home renovation business where Pinterest boards come to life. (Friday’s rank: N/A)
10. Cocomelon
For fans of: Singalongs, nursery rhymes | Is it good?: Little kids can’t get enough of it
The other day I met someone who works for the company that makes Cocomelon, and she gave me some context about how it got so big on YouTube that other companies started licensing it in order to get a piece of the Cocomelon pie. It’s one of those things that if you’re not regularly around little kids, you might not ever hear about it, but if you are, it’s all you hear about. (Friday’s rank: 10)
The Best Netflix Originals of 2020 So Far
Lucifer, The Baby-Sitters Club, Love Is Blind” width=”2070″ height=”1380″ title=”Lucifer, The Baby-Sitters Club, Love Is Blind” data-amp-src=”https://tvguide1.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2020/09/17/505dd032-3cbb-41bc-b9c7-b25aa75a8297/watermark/706d004f9a37fe96bd7085c7f19efb3c/netflix-2020-reg.jpg”>Lucifer, The Baby-Sitters Club, Love Is Blind