And we are here for another year. Post 200 in the fourth and final quarter of 2026. The El Niño Streaming 2026 series has just commenced with loads of new TV content incoming.
It's been a big start to the quarter, with multiple Apple TV finales and a couple of new Aussie series. Gnomes (which I smashed in 24 hours), Apple TV Aussie first, Last Seen, along with Dustfall which I just started on ABC iView.
I am off to Melbourne soon for a quick staycation, which I am so excited for. There are loads of good movie opening tomorrow and soon, like Street Fighter! Oh the nostalgia. It's like since COVID, nostalgia is everywhere. On our music charts, live acts touring and remakes/reboots of classic cultural icons.
I am excited for the return of Dexter across on Paramount+ later this month, along with the final season of P-Valley across on Stan. It's been a long wait for this final season, however, I for one, am excited.
I feel Halloween, the race (that used) to stop the nation and summer slack in the air. 2026 has gone by like a flash! See you again soon.
Halloween is just around the corner, meaning loads more horror. Enter James Wan, one of the most influential architects of modern horror behind the Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring franchises—and Rob Savage, the director of bold genre films Host and The Boogeyman, comes a terrifying trip into the darkening world of a young girl, Bela, who forms a relationship with a sinister entity in her home who looks uncannily like her own mother.
Other Mommy stars, Academy Award® winner Jessica Chastain (It Chapter Two, The Eyes of Tammy Faye) stars in a dual role as Bela’s mother and as “Other Mommy,” a manifestation of the entity. Jay Duplass (Transparent, Industry) plays Daddo, Bela’s father, and Arabella Olivia Clark (The Housemaid, The Hand that Rocks the Cradle) plays Bela.
The impressive supporting cast includes Actor Award nominee Dichen Lachman (Severance), Emmy and Tony Award nominee Arian Moayed (Succession) and screen legend Karen Allen (Indiana Jones films).
Filming for Other Mommy took place in Dublin, Ireland from last May to July. Released this Thursday, the film has thus far received negative reviews from critics.
What did I think?
Well we have all been here before. Spooky (kinda house), evil spirit, it could be any of the plots for one of James Wan's films.
It starts off fast, with a rather disappointing ending. Horror continues to dominate screens across Australian cinemas. Halloween decorations are up in the streets around my inner city place. Horror and Halloween dominate over October. It's just a thing now.
Whilst this wasn't perfect, it wasn't terrible. I will pass it, but only just. I am a little surprised at the low 19% Rotten Tomato score. 2.5 Stars from me.
Gnomes landed during the week on Stan. This follows a solid year of Stan releases. From the recently renewed, The F Ward, to the miniseries The Killings at Parrish Station, which gave True Detective vibes, The Assassin returns next month, whilst Dear Life was outstanding and took out a Logie. So how was the latest comedy/horror series?
Gnomes follows Sergeant Kipps who is having the worst day of his life when he has to shut down the local police station, when the angry Gnome Queen is awakened by dark forces Kipps and Mackay must reunite to save Nompton.
As Senior Sergeant Arnold Kipps police station is about to be shut down by his former girlfriend and work partner, Ellie McKay, a bloodthirsty Gnome Queen awakens an ancient evil, unleashing an army of murderous lawn gnomes across the suburb of Nompton. As the town descends into chaos, Arnold and Ellie must rally with a ragtag crew of cops, teens and an overly ambitious mayor, using unconventional weapons and sheer desperation to stop the Gnome Queen before her killer lawn ornaments tear the town apart.
Starring Asa Butterfield as Senior Sergeant Arnold Kipps, Megan Smart as Ellie Mackay, Darren Gilshenan as Mayor Lachlan Morrison, Tess Haubrich as Gnome Queen & Ditch Davey as Brett Sanders. Along with, Nina Oyama, Luke McGregor, Alison Whyte, Brett Tucker, Matt Okine & Richard Pyros.
The Stan Original is an easy watch. I watched it Thursday night/Friday morning. Alongside all the finales this week, this series came in time for Halloween/spooky month, my dance card opening up with Lanterns, Last Seen and Ted Lasso wrapping this week.
This was more enjoyable than Apple's Last Seen. It was fun, but rather silly. The whole concept is nuts.
Killer Gnomes. lol
Husband and wife team, Tegan Higginbotham & Paul F. Verhoeven are behind this. Verhoeven a former Triple J announcer in the day.
Gnomes won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a damn sight better and funnier than the Paramount+/Ten telemovie, Cop This. I am halfway through and it's damn awful. For the lineup they pulled together, it's horrid!
Ted Lasso is back after I binged three seasons back-to-back. Season four was like a reboot. Going from a male to a female soccer team. Meaning new and returning cast members. Ted is Jason Sudeikis, with, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, and Jeremy Swift.
In season four, Ted returns to Richmond, taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women’s football team. Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would.
Apple TV is yet to announce whether they will continue Ted Lasso's journey. It sort of ends the same as season three, like it could end, it could return. No real commitment.
Either way, let's check out how season four concluded. Warning spoilers below.
The team mourns the loss of Mae at her pub.
At the bi-annual shareholder meeting, Zelda reveals that she has bought out the other shareholders and now controls the club in a ploy to gain access to the male club owners by owning a team in the men's Premier League. However, her plan is foiled when it is revealed that her lackey Hugo has turned on her and that Mae has bequeathed her shares to Rebecca.
Ted steps down as manager of the women's team to become the assistant for his successor, Alice.
Meanwhile, Roy accepts the manager position at Chelsea while Baz, Jeremy, and Paul inherit the pub and Rebecca asks Matthijs to marry her.
So there are still some plots left up in the air. I'd like to see the series return.
Annette Badland's storyline as Mae Green, the landlady of the Crown and Anchor pub in Richmond, was one of my favourites from this season.
A supporter of the women's team throughout Season 4, even getting the opportunity to travel on the team bus to an away game against Bristol City. Mae dies at the end of the match, leaving the pub to Baz, Jeremy and Paul, and her 2% stake in Richmond to Rebecca.
It was a sad start to the finale, however, in true Ted Lasso style, you end up smiling by the end of the episode.
Bring on season five? Apple TV renewed the former miniseries Imperfect Women this week, so anything could happened. Previously they also renewed Presumed Innocent, which was also meant to be a miniseries. So despite Ted Lasso apparently ending once, there could be more life in the series yet!
Last Seen is the first all Australian Apple TV production. Fresh from Colin from Accounts, Patrick Brammall stars, alongside, Maxine Peake, Brendan Cowell, Daniel Henshall, Jessica Wren, Zahra Newman and newcomer Chloe Jean Lourdes.
Last Seen is about a former police detective Ian Ridley’s life and how it fell apart 11 years ago when his young daughter, Maggie, disappeared without a trace. Now working as a police dispatcher, the only thing that has kept him going is his implacable refusal to accept that she might be gone forever. When he receives a distress call from a teenage girl he is certain is Maggie, he will stop at nothing to find her and reunite his broken family, whatever the cost.
Based on the book The Dispatcher by Ryan David Jahn, the series has received positive reviews from critics.
Unfortunately, it was nowhere near as good as Brammall's other series, Colin from Accounts. Which, just concluded on Binge. Funnily enough, High Country is a much more interesting Aussie crime series, also on Binge. It's rare Binge is delivering more gold than Apple TV.
Like I didn't mind it, but the mystery is really solved in episode one, turning the series into a cat and mouse type show.
I really hope Apple TV's next Australian series is a lot better than this one. We do have Australian TV news incoming this month with Channel 10/Paramount+ incoming later this month, along with, ABC also this month.
If you missed Channel 9/Stan's upfront list, you can view it here.
Big news overnight speaking of Stan. Ahead of season two, horny series, The Hunting Wives has been renewed for a third season. Bring it on! Gnomes also just landed on Stan, with ABC launching Dustfall this Sunday.
Lot's of choice Aussie content to get your head around. Sadly Last Seen just wasn't our best on screen representation.
Lanterns just concluded over that glorious long weekend! Based on the DC Comics Green Lantern characters Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Streaming on HBO Max, this sadly not HBO's best work. Thank god episode one of War, was pure fire!
It features experienced Lantern Jordan and new recruit Stewart as they team up with local sheriff Kerry Kane to investigate a murder in Rushville, Nebraska that leads to a wider mystery.
Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre & Kelly Macdonald respectively star as Jordan, Stewart and Kane.
Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan and Ulrich Thomsen join Chandler, Pierre & Macdonald in the eight episode run. Lanterns is part of the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
So how does it all go down? At time of posting, Lanterns is yet to be renewed.
Shortly before dying, Hal decides to stay in Rushville and his house is set on fire with him inside. He then awakens in a slaughterhouse, where Noah gave him new skin using alien technology and reveals that he is a Manhunter.
At the complex, John learns from Sinestro that Noah freed and brought him to the island to forge a lantern from its water, charged with will and fear energy. John then returns to Earth, where Noah ambushes him, seeking revenge for Zoe's death after discovering his nature as a Manhunter.
After a heart-to-heart, fearing his Manhunter side, Noah asks John to kill him after the game. During the game, John tells Kerry he knows she impulsively killed Hal to protect Noah, and reveals her Noah's request, but says he won't kill him and would instead stop him if he does ever succumbs to his Manhunter nature.
John then summons Guy and tells him that he will be taking over as Earth's protector. John charges the ring while reciting his own oath, gives Maggie her compensation, and reunites with his family.
Is it still superhero fatigue season? Yep. I reckon. Some people enjoyed this. I wasn't one of them. I did like Aaron Pierre though. MMMMMMHHHHHHHMMMMMMM
Ted Lasso and local Apple series Last Seen also wrap this week. See you then.
My Brilliant Career is my prediction for a record number of Logie Award nominations in 2027. I find that one Netflix Australian series that streams in the Logie voting/airing period. In the past, The Survivors, Apple Cider Vinegar, Territory, Boy Swallows Universe, you get the picture.
Well The Survivors and Territory were completed dominating forces, however, they did do well, considering they were both subpar in comparison to Apple Cider Vinegar and Boy Swallows Universe.
Not to mention how well Heartbreak High did over it's three season run.
The six-part Aussie period drama miniseries, is set in rural Australia in the early 20th century. Starring, Philippa Northeast in the lead role as headstrong aspiring writer Sybylla, and Christopher Chung as Harry Beecham, her love interest.
It is based on the novel of the same name by Miles Franklin, but includes additional plot lines and characters. It premiered on 13 August 2026, with two soundtrack albums released on the same day.
Northeast stars as Sybylla, a fiercely modern young woman with one burning ambition: to be a writer, even as her family pushes her toward marriage. In this new series adaptation of the classic Australian novel, Sybylla breaks every convention of 1900 Australia as she chases a story that could write her way to independence, until she falls in love. Will she marry, or risk it all for a creative life?
Alongside Slow Horses Chung and Northeast, Anna Chancellor, Genevieve O'Reilly, Kate Mulvany, Jake Dunn, Alexander England, Sherry-Lee Watson, and Miah Madden also star.
With an appearance by legendary singer, songwriter, Thelma Plum too. Music (local Aussie music) is a big part of this series too. With tunes from Plum, Kate Miller-Heidke, Isabella Manfredi, Julia Jacklin, Rainbow Chan and more.
I don't normally like period dramas, however, I did really enjoy this one over the long weekend.
It was nice to see Chung, back at home with his real accent, not being an English hood, Roddy Ho in Slow Horses. Which is actually also streaming now on Apple TV.
This is my first Netflix series for a while, and I was rather impressed. Particularly as it's a rare local production. Well done team involved.
A solid watch. My Brilliant Career is streaming now on Netflix.
