3 Best New Netflix Series To Binge-Watch This Weekend (October 9–11, 2026)

Published Oct 9, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT Greg is a Lead TV Writer & Critic at Screen Rant with expertise in new streaming releases. He's published over 3000 articles at SR, including weekly recommendation guides and dozens of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. He previously worked in Development at ABC Television & Lawrence Bender Productions. Greg majored in Film Production at Chapman University's Dodge College. Greg also has years of broadcast TV production experience at major networks such as NBC, TNT, and ESPN. He currently lives in Greater Boston. These are the 3 best Netflix series to binge this weekend, October 9–11, 2026, from brand new thrillers to one of Taylor Sheridan's best crime dramas. Earlier this week, ScreenRant's Netflix binge guide included new releases such as All American season 8, which was just added to the platform, as well as Haunted Hotel season 2. This week, we've narrowed it down to the three top trending and most popular new Netflix series that are actually worth your time this weekend. Looking ahead, Netflix still has plenty of great new releases this October 2026, including Love is Blind season 11, The Diplomat season 4, and Nobody Wants This season 3. Other exciting new Netflix movies releasing this month include the new Ben Affleck thriller Animals and the arrival of all-time classics such as Heat and Gladiator. In the meantime, there are truly no better new series on Netflix than the following three shows, led by a 6-part horror mystery series led by Josh Hartnett that's the #1 most-watched on the platform right now. East Of Eden East of Eden remains one of Netflix's best new releases this Fall 2026, ranking #2 worldwide on the streamer's global viewership chart after holding the #1 spot since its premiere on October 1. The modern adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic novel of the same name stars Florence Pugh, Mike Faist, Hoon Lee, and Christopher Abbott, and is considered one of the most acclaimed Netflix original series of the year thus far, earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of 88%. Netflix's East of Eden offers a much more expansive look at Steinbeck's original masterpiece than the iconic 1955 movie starring James Dean, which only covered the last 80 pages of the novel. The series also shifts focus and perspective to Pugh's character, Cathy Ames, which allowed the series to achieve a deeper sense of psychological complexity and emotional power. With its stunning cinematography, exceptional perfomances, and its masterful source material, East of Eden is still a must-watch on Netflix one week after its debut. Mayor Of Kingstown Taylor Sheridan's epic crime series Mayor of Kingstown was added to Netflix's streaming library earlier this week for the first time ever, quickly becoming one of the most-watched series on the platform worldwide. The dark, gritty crime drama stars Jeremy Renner as the titular and figurative "mayor" of a fictional Michigan prison town called Kingstown, which is based on an area of Canada where co-creator and co-star Hugh Dillon is from. Sheridan wrote the entire first season before handing the reins to current showrunner Dave Erickson. Renner's protagonist, Mike McLusky, tries to keep the peace between corrupt politicians, gangs, and inmates at a high-security prison. That said, Mike has a criminal past of his own and was forced to take over for his brother, Mitch (Kyle Chandler), as the so-called mayor after a shocking turn of events. Mayor of Kingstown is intense and gripping from the very first episode and a masterclass in pace. If you're looking for a series to get immersed in for the next week or two, Mayor of Kingstown is simply one of the very best new ones on Netflix. Below Below takes the top spotlight on Netflix this weekend following its premiere on Thursday, October 8, 2026. In less than 24 hours, Below has already skyrocketed to Netflix's #1 viewership spot worldwide, which it is poised to hold onto throughout the entire weekend. The series only consists of six episodes, making it possible for viewers to start and finish it in just a few, if not one, sitting. The series debuted with a strong 81% Rotten Tomatoes score and has already proven to captivate audiences in just a short amount of time. Below stars Josh Hartnett as a fisherman named Calvin Penney, who takes a stand against a mysterious sea creature that terrorizes his remote coastal town. The series also stars Mackenzie Davis as Dr. Fonda Howander, a marine biologist who teams up with Calvin to investigate the sea monster, and Charlie Heaton as Wade Penney, Calvin's oldest son. With its short six-episode length and total runtime of just four hours, Below is by far the easiest and best new Netflix series to binge-watch this weekend. Below 5/10 Release Date October 8, 2026 Network Netflix Showrunner Jesse McKeown Directors Jamie Childs, Stephen Dunn, Helen Shaver Cast Mackenzie Davis Fonda Howander