As we fall deeper into the spooky season, we might find ourselves all horror-ed out well before October 31st hits. If that’s the case, never fear: we’ve got adult cartoons, a live-action series that probably should have been a cartoon, a creepy favorite, and a new contender.
For the campy:
If the first two seasons of “You” didn’t hook you, I can’t imagine why. Whether or not a show about Barbie dream date Penn Badgely stalking and killing women appeals to you, you’ve got to admit, the supporting cast really supplies the juice here. Last season, viewers were introduced to the Alvez sisters, Ellie and Delilah, who, although they didn’t meet fantastic fates, served to push the plot forward and infused the tension of the show with a new kind of bite. This season, the show is introducing even more queer characters of color, including “momfluencer” Sherry, played by Shalita Grant and “Throwing Shade” host Brian Safi as Love and Joe’s new neighbor. It’s gonna be bloody good.
“You” Season Three premieres on Netflix today, October 15th.
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For the goofy:
If you’re like me, you’ve often wondered to yourself, “why isn’t there a show where D’Arcy Carden plays the one human in a world of big, sad animals?” Well folks, now there is, thanks to Reza Farazmand’s web comic-turned-FXX series “Poorly Drawn Lines.” Drawn from Farazmand’s online work, the show hits the perfect balance between melancholy and sweetly hopeful. Mostly it’s just a show about dysfunctional animals trying to get along with each other. Relatable! While there are only 3 episodes available so far, they’re quite poignant, kind of like “Adventure Time” for depressed adults. I, for one, can’t wait for more.
“Poorly Drawn Lines” is streaming on Hulu.
For the Prepared:
If you haven’t heard the good news, queer favorite “Big Mouth” is about to drop a 5th season on us. That means that this is the perfect moment to catch up on seasons 1-4, just to make sure you’re up on all the action, and to re-live all the finest Maya Rudolph moments. The story of dysfunctional preteens trying to come to terms with their hormones and emotions only gets better as the seasons progress. Openly-gay teen Matthew (Andrew Rannells) finally gets a boyfriend, and Josie Totah recently joined the show as Natalie, a trans teen trying get past the social awkwardness of her early transition. Spoiler: she gets through it, with the help of a few good friends. Season 5 promises to be even more hormonally-charged!
“Big Mouth” Seasons 1-4 are streaming on Netflix.
For the delightfully zany:
Maria Bamford is always and forever in our hearts. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, she’s even in our neighborhood! If you happen to live in Highland Park, that is. There you can often find Bamford and queer icon Bridget Everett just chillin’ at Cafe De Leche, always looking fabulous. Even if you’re not lucky enough to spot the goddess in person, there’s always her show “Lady Dynamite” to fall back on. An earnest, ridiculous, cartoonish, wonderful comedy about dealing with mental illness and attachment issues, “Dynamite” holds up, offering memories of the good “before” times, even if they weren’t so good. For a show that lived and died during the Trump era, “Lady Dynamite” is a wonderfully real yet optimistic look inside of Bamford’s brilliant brain. I’m simply grateful it exists.
All seasons of “Lady Dynamite” can be streamed on Netflix.
For the unspookable:
Okay, so maybe we’re not quite Halloween-ed out just yet. If you’re looking for a Halloween classic, you can’t do much better than 1982’s Poltergeist. Not only is this film a horror standby that gave us many chilling images now living rent-free in our brains, the backstory behind it is even more insane. Takeaway #1: don’t build your home over a burial ground. Takeaway #2: don’t touch that dial. In fact, throw the whole TV out if you want to play it safe.
Poltergeist is streaming on HBO Max.
Spooky Streaming, folks.