Get out the jumpers – well, figuratively speaking, this island has beach weather up until the end of November – pop the kettle on and settle in! October is here and, as streamers rev up for their November and December releases, here’s what we are going to get this month!

East of Eden – Netflix (October 1)

After the success that is 100 Years of Solitude, Netflix has proved that it can take on the challenge of adapting literary masterpieces and breathe new life into them for the screen.

On October 1, Steinbeck’s magnum opus East of Eden hits the screen to teach us about family dynamics, how the sins of our parents determine our future and how, in the end, it is up to us to break the cycle. Instead of remaking Elia Kazan’s 1955 hit movie starring James Dean, this adaptation focuses more on the mother, played by Florence Pugh.

The story revolves around Adam and Cathy, who live in the US at the start of the 20th century and relocate to California. There, Cathy gives birth to twin sons but soon abandons them, as she never wanted them, nor did she ever want to come to California.

The drama behind the scenes makes the story even more interesting. East of Eden is largely about recognising how flawed your family is, accepting them for what they are but choosing to learn from their mistakes and forge your own path.

WAR – HBO Max (October 1)

Are you a fan of legal dramas? Do you thoroughly enjoy courtroom scenes? If so, then this is right up your alley. WAR, from HBO Max, is about the rivalry between two major London legal firms, Cathcarts and Taylor & Byrne.

In the first season, the two companies are pitted against each other as one represents a tech mogul (Dominic West) and the other his film-star wife (Sienna Miller) during an explosive divorce settlement. HBO has already renewed the series for a second season.

A remake of Carrie will be shown on Prime

Carrie – Prime Video (October 7)

Mike Flanagan adapting Stephen King? Sign me the F&*%K up! This is the series for me this month. Ridiculously talented horror/thriller director Flanagan takes on the book that propelled Stephen King to stardom.

Carrie is a constantly bullied teenage girl who is also forced to deal with a religious fanatic of a mother. When an incident happens at school, Carrie reaches the end of her patience and unleashes her telekinetic powers, wreaking havoc among her peers.

By the way, this is your regular reminder to check out Midnight Mass by Flanagan on Netflix, probably one of the best horror series ever made.

Matchbox The Movie – Apple TV (October 9)

Attempting to capitalise on other toy brands successfully marketing their products through movies, toy-car brand Matchbox has hired John Cena to lead what appears to be a spy action comedy, also starring Jessica Biel.

The plot is so thin and clichéd as to be almost non-existent. Friends meet after spending years apart and – surprise, surprise – one of them is a super-duper secret agent who leads the rest of them into a global conspiracy.

Love John Cena, love Jessica Biel, loved Matchbox when I was a kid, but I don’t know if my nostalgia is that strong.

The One With Matthew Perry – Netflix (October 27)

Ah, Chandler… Three years after the death of beloved Friends star Matthew Perry, this documentary tries to explore unseen sides of his character, tracing his rise to worldwide fame alongside the addiction struggles he discussed openly during his lifetime.

The series is built around firsthand testimony from people close to him, including his sister Mia Perry Bowick and lifelong friends, and incorporates previously unreleased photographs and videos from the Perry family archive.

Nocturne – Apple TV (October 30)

I don’t know what it is with me and rural detective dramas but, man, I love them! Throw in Liev Schreiber as the jaded cop and Stephen Graham as the mastermind serial killer and I’m in.

Schreiber plays Jonah Lynn, a former soldier turned Philadelphia homicide detective who leaves the city for what he hopes will be a quieter life in western Pennsylvania. That plan collapses when killer Jurek Walter, played by Graham, threatens the town and Jonah’s family.

Honourable mentions: Below, a monster movie with Josh Hartnett (Netflix, October 8), and Tenzing (Apple TV, October 16), starring Tom Hiddleston, about the Nepali climber who led Edmund Hillary to the top of Mount Everest.