The Stream: ’Tis the season for politics: ‘The Diplomat’ drops new episodes

The body horror film “The Substance” and an album by Tyler, the Creator are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: “Despicable Me 4” arrives on Peacock, the political series “The Diplomat” starring Keri Russell and Rupert Sewell, drops its second season today and the concert film “Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour.”

NEW SHOWS TO STREAM

Just in time for Halloween, the long-awaited “Wizards of Waverly Place” sequel debuted its first two episodes Tuesday on Disney Channel. The first eight episodes began streaming Wednesday on Disney+. “Wizards of Waverly Place” was Selena Gomez’s breakout role as Alex Russo, a teen in a family of witches, herself included.
“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,” centers on Alex’s older brother Justin (played again by David Henrie), who strives to live a magic-free life until Alex brings him a young wizard in need of training. Gomez will guest star on the series.

The political series “The Diplomat,” starring Keri Russell and Rupert Sewell, drops its second season today on Netflix — picking right up where the first season ended. Russell plays Kate, a new U.S. diplomat to Britain and Sewell is her husband, Hal, who is also a diplomat but who is now without a post. Their marriage is rocky but in the new season, Kate begins to believe Hal is the only person she can trust. Allison Janney joins the cast as the vice president.

Ten men compete in a reality competition show for a leading role in a Hallmark holiday movie in “Finding Mr. Christmas” for Hallmark+. “Mean Girls” actor Jonathan Bennett is both the show’s host and a co-judge alongside Melissa Peterman. There are also a number of guest judges throughout. The contestants take part in challenges like pulling Santa’s sleigh and an ugly Christmas sweater fashion show. The winner will star opposite Jessica Lowndes (“90210”) in the new original “Happy Howlidays,” premiering in December on Hallmark Channel. The competition begins today on the streamer.

A new Spanish-language series for HBO adapts the novel “Like Water for Chocolate.” It follows a forbidden love story between Tita de la Garza (Azul Guaita) and Pedro Múzquiz (Andrés Baida) against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution. Tita and Pedro long to be together but cannot because of a family custom that forbids Tita from marrying. Salma Hayek Pinault is an executive producer. It premieres Sunday on Max.


NEW MOVIES TO STREAM

Coralie Fargeat’s provocative body horror film “The Substance” is streaming on MUBI today (Halloween). The film stars Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle, a faded Hollywood star who is fired from her aerobic exercise television show on her 50th birthday. In a moment of distress she decides to take a black market injectable called The Substance which promises to take her back to her younger self (Margaret Qualley). In her AP review, Krysta Fauria wrote that “what begins as a dread-inducing but still relatively palatable sci-fi flick spirals deeper into absurdism and violence, eventually erupting — quite literally — into a full-blown monster movie.”

Two new documentaries focused on familiar names are coming soon. First up, Netflix has the Martha Stewart film “Martha” streaming as of Wednesday. The film from R.J. Cutler promises to recontextualize the life of the teen model turned lifestyle mogul.

Then, on Friday, Disney+ premieres “Music by John Williams,” about the life of the composer behind so many iconic film scores. It seems everyone in Hollywood turned out to speak about the five-time Oscar winner, now 92, including Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.

Playwright Annie Baker makes her directorial debut with the quiet and finely observed “Janet Planet,” coming to MAX on Friday. The film follows a mother (Julianne Nicholson) and her 11-year-old daughter (Zoe Ziegler) one languid summer in rural western Massachusetts in 1991. It’s the kind of film that transports you back to the wonder, boredom and agita of an endless summer break, before smartphones and social media.

And for the kids looking for some Minion madness, “Despicable Me 4” finds its way to Peacock today. AP film writer Jake Coyle wrote that it’s “a silly and breezy installment from Illumination Entertainment that passes by with about as much to remember it as a Saturday morning cartoon.”


NEW MUSIC

On Friday, Willie Nelson will release “Last Leaf On the Tree.” It’s his first album produced by his son Micah, but the firsts stop there: This marks his 76th solo studio album and 153rd album overall, according to Texas Monthly’s in-depth taxonomy of his work. The release includes covers of Tom Waits’ “Last Leaf,” Nina Simone’s “Come Ye,” Neil Young’s “Are You Ready For The Country,” Beck’s “Lost Cause,” the Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??” and more. One element of Nelson’s magic musicianship has always been his ability to completely transform a cover song, making it his own and simultaneously, everyone’s. The wizardry continues here, his second full-length album this year.

Few contemporary artists have managed to create the kind of mythology that surrounds Tyler, the Creator — a multihyphenate talent who has maintained an air of unpredictability, danger and prescience since his debut studio album, 2011’s “Goblin,” rewired the creative brains of a few musical generations. On Monday, he released his seventh album, “Chromakopia.” Little is known about the release — but expectations of transgressive hip-hop are in the right place, as made clear in the claustrophobic “NOID” and its inventive sample of a 1977 track by the Zambian rock band Ngozi Family.

Today (Halloween), Amazon Prime Video will release “Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words,” a documentary film on the fiery MC with the unmistakable flows and larger-than-life Hot Girl Summer purveyor. Across her career, Megan Thee Stallion’s pop persona has been one of empowerment and self-belief — appearing impenetrable in an unforgiving and unkind industry. Of course, it is never so simple — and who could forget the onslaught of criticism she received during Tory Lanez’s assault trial, what experts described as a clear example of misogynoir, a specific type of misogyny experienced by Black women. In this doc, Megan Thee Stallion tells her story – and reminds her audience of Megan Pete, the woman behind the career.

First, there was Taylor Swift’s blockbuster concert film “The Eras Tour.” Then there was Beyoncé’s concert film, “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.” And as of Tuesday, there is “Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour,” the concert film, available to stream on Netflix. Bring the arena home, scream along to big-throated pop-punk kiss-offs and open-hearted piano ballads and never forget the message of Rodrigo’s pop: There are few forces more potent than a young creative woman’s dissatisfaction.

Lanny’s “BLISS!! BLISS! BLISS” is the debut solo project of Lan McArdle, best known for the exuberant indie-pop band Joanna Gruesome and the fuzzed-out power punk group Ex-Vöid. Their undeniable penchant for hooky guitar pop exists throughout Lanny’s work, too — now delivered in new forms: digital, electronic soundscapes, off-kilter and asymmetrical layering, an articulation of chaos through subtle tools like flute organs and washy percussion. Fans of McArdle would be wise to start with the single, “ur an angel im evil.” There is a reason all of their distinctive projects continue to connect.


NEW VIDEO GAMES

BioWare built its reputation on enormous, immersive role-playing games like Baldur’s Gate and Mass Effect. It’s been way too long since we got a new RPG from the studio, but Dragon Age: The Veilguard is here at last. A couple of cranky Elven gods are raising hell across the mythical land of Thedas, and it’s up to you to put the old geezers back in their place. That means assembling a team of fighters, rogues and mages to battle the monsters that have been unleashed. BioWare promises dozens of hours of the character-based storytelling its fans love — and maybe a few cameos from the heroes of earlier Dragon Age chapters. Take up arms today on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.