Every month, we’ll tell you about all the new shows on terrestrial and cable channels, as well as what’s streaming on Netflix, Disney+, HBO Go, Viu, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video and iQiyi.
Highlights
There’s no better month to stay home than November with all the shows that are coming up. Superhero fans will be thrilled to see Warner TV’s The Flash, Disney+’s Hawkeye, and BBC First’s Doctor Who returning to screens for new seasons this month. If you’re up for a touch of nostalgia, Netflix’s got you covered with the live-action Cowboy Bebop series and second part of Masters of the Universe: Revelation hitting their platform soon. Apple TV+ brings dark comedy The Shrink Next Door into its stable of shows this month, for what seems like more intellectual fan. K-drama fans, don’t worry, you can get your fix with Secret Royal Inspector Joy and Melancholia on Viu and iQIYI. And if you want something uniquely Asian, HBO’s horror series Folklore is back for another season.
Secret Royal Inspector & Joy/Secret Royal Inspector Joy (9 Nov)
Viu & iQIYI
This romantic comedy revolves around a young man in the Joseon era, Ra Yi Eon (Taecyeon), who dreams of running a small dumpling restaurant. But when he passes the state examination, he becomes an undercover royal inspector who exposes corruption in local provinces. His life is turned upside-down when he meets Kim Jo Yi (Kim Hye Yoon), a spunky young woman who’s trying to divorce her gambling addict of a husband. Together they solve cases and root out corruption.
There’s nothing better than a romantic comedy which unabashedly embraces its genre, which is what Secret Royal Inspector & Joy (also known as Secret Royal Inspector Joy) does. While the show seems like it has a rather straightforward premise, its period setting promises to put a spin on the usual Korean romantic fare. Let’s hope the rest of it is as funny as the trailer makes it out to be.
The Shrink Next Door (12 Nov)
Apple TV+
This dark comedy is inspired by true events (and a podcast of the same name). It follows the decades-long manipulation and exploitation by psychiatrist Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf (Paul Rudd) as he inserts himself into the life of his longtime patient Martin “Marty” Markowitz (Will Ferrell). Dr. Ike is joined by his unsuspecting wife Bonnie Herschkopf (Casey Wilson), but he has to contend with Marty’s hard-headed sister Phyllis (Kathryn Hahn).
If there’s anything that catches your attention, it’s the retro Apple font used for the titles, which firmly cements it as an Apple TV production. Rudd and Ferrell look a little strange with thick facial hair, but their signature mannerisms are recognisable. And in an age where mental health is more important than ever before, this show taps into our darkest fears — what happens when the ones who are supposed to protect our mental health end up abusing their knowledge of it?
Doctor Who (Season 13) (3 Nov)
BBC First (StarHub Ch 502)
This science fiction adventure drama returns for its thirteenth season, subtitled Flux. The Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) returns for more adventures as she’s joined by new friends, terrifying adversaries and chilling old enemies. In the aftermath of the attempted Dalek incursion earlier this year, Dan Lewis (John Bishop) joins the Doctor as they face a deadly new evil this season.
This is most likely the final season with Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, as she’s previously announced that she had agreed to do three seasons of the show before handing the baton on to another person. In addition, the six episodes will form a continuous, serialised story, which is a departure from the usual episodic nature of the series. It looks like Whittaker will end her run with a bang this season.
Folklore (Season 2) (14 Nov, Sundays 10pm)
HBO (StarHub Ch 601; Singtel Ch 420)
This horror anthology series returns for a second season as it covers horror stories from all over Asia. With directors from Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, it promises to show Asian audiences the true face of horror. After all, fear works best when it strikes close to home.
With our current Stabilisation Phase measures set to continue for quite a bit longer and the monsoon season setting in, there’s no better way to scare yourself silly by watching ghost stories at night as a storm thunders around you. I’m most excited for the Singapore episode — and the most fearful of it, too.
Riverdale (Season 6) (17 Nov)
Netflix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GL4fpHZY2A
This teen drama returns for a sixth season as it revolves around the adventures of a seemingly quiet small town with many skeletons in the closet. It opens with a five-parter that features Sabrina (Kiernan Shipka) from the Riverdale spin-off The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Will our favourite teenagers (or rather, young adults at this point) be able to face whatever’s coming their way this season?
It looks like the supernatural is coming to Riverdale, although it’s not like they haven’t dealt with similar threats before — remember Season 3’s Gargoyle King (from Gryphons and Gargoyles, Riverdale’s version of Dungeons & Dragons)? But now that they’ve (presumably) got Sabrina on their side, things are more likely to go their way. Then again, Sabrina does have some pretty powerful enemies, who may have followed her to this sleepy town…
The Flash (Season 8) (17 Nov, Wednesdays 9pm)
Warner TV (StarHub Ch 515; Singtel Ch 306)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkeKc0pEQ60
This superhero action drama returns for an eighth season as it continues to follow the adventures of the fastest man alive. While the pandemic has wiped out any possibility of a crossover between the Arrowverse shows, it doesn’t mean that we won’t be seeing our heroes in action. This season opens with a five-parter that sees guest stars from all over the Arrowverse, which is the closest we can get to a crossover in this era.
Look at the heroes who’ll be appearing! We’ve got the Atom (Brandon Routh), Batwoman (Javicia Leslie), Black Lightning (Cress Williams), and… the daughter of Green Arrow, Mia (Katherine McNamara). Of course, all these heroes need a suitably menacing villain, otherwise it’d be overkill. Fortunately, we have Despero (Tony Curran) looking like the threat that they have to face (Despero is a powerful Justice League villain in the comics), so it’ll be fun to see them face off!
Cowboy Bebop (19 Nov)
Netflix
This space Western that’s an adaptation of the anime of the same name revolves around three bounty hunters, all trying to outrun the past. Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir), and Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda) form a scrappy, snarky crew ready to hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals — for the right price. But when their past catches up to them, how will they deal with it?
If you haven’t already caught it, the original Cowboy Bebop anime is on Netflix! This adaptation looks rather faithful, with the trailer incorporating the iconic opening theme to the show. However, it is only 10 episodes long (compared to the anime’s run of 26). Does that mean we’ll see a Season 2, or will this be a truncated version of the original series?
Masters of the Universe: Revelation (Part 2) (23 Nov)
Netflix
This action drama animation returns for its second part, after the cliffhanger ending of the first. A continuation of the original 1980s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, this series sees the villainous Skeletor (Mark Hamill) finally gaining the power of Grayskull. Will He-Man and his friends be able to defeat the Evil Warriors once and for all, or is Eternia doomed?
If the sight of Evil-Lyn (Lean Headey) as the Sorceress or Teela (Sarah Michelle Gellar) finally taking up the mantle of being the Sorceress hasn’t taken your breath away, then how about the appearance of Savage He-Man (at last!)? The end of Part 1 had our heroes in dire straits, with Skeletor having ascended to Skelegod and Prince Adam (Chris Wood) being mortally wounded. But it looks like time (and a mid-season break) heals all wounds, and this conclusion to the 1980s series looks like it’ll go down in history for finally wrapping up the storylines of our favourite characters.
Hawkeye (24 Nov)
Disney+
This superhero action drama, set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), focuses on the eponymous Avenger. Hawkeye (Clint Barton) races to return home for Christmas. He’s joined by Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), an archer who dreams of becoming a superhero. But when Hawkeye’s past catches up to him, he finds himself having to deal with far more than a race against time.
Framing Hawkeye as a Christmas show feels a little strange, since he’s not the first Avenger you’d associate with Christmas. But it’s an interesting twist on the hero… and you do wonder why he doesn’t call his other Avengers pals to assist. Nevertheless, it’ll be fun to see how this series connects to Black Widow, and the rest of the Phase Four shows.
TERRESTRIAL
Channel 8
The Takedown (2 Nov, Tuesdays 8.30pm)
Why? Victor (7 Nov, Sunday 10.30pm)
Justice Boo (14 Nov, Sunday 10.30pm)
The Peculiar Pawnbroker (23 Nov, Mondays to Fridays 9pm)
Suria
Projek L.I.T. (Season 2) (5 Nov, Fridays 8.30pm)
Vasantham
Amarkala Deepavali (3 Nov, Wednesday 10pm)
CABLE
AXN Asia (StarHub Ch 511; Singtel Ch 304)
Hudson & Rex (Season 2) (5 Nov, Mondays to Fridays 8.50pm)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Season 14) (10 Nov, Mondays to Thursdays 10.40pm)
BBC Earth (StarHub Ch 407)
Serengeti (Season 2) (8 Nov, Mondays 8.05pm)
Extreme Treks (Season 4) (23 Nov, Tuesdays 9pm)
BBC First (StarHub Ch 502)
Doctor Who (Season 13) (3 Nov)
Ragdoll (12 Nov)
Angela Black (19 Nov)
BBC Lifestyle (StarHub Ch 432)
Cook Clever, Waste Less with Prue and Rupy (4 Nov, Thursdays 7pm)
Your Home Made Perfect (Season 3) (23 Nov, Tuesdays 9.15pm)
Boomerang (StarHub Ch 317; Singtel Ch 228)
The Tom and Jerry Show (6 Nov, Saturdays and Sundays 6pm)
Cartoon Network (StarHub Ch 316; Singtel Ch 226)
Ekans (27 Nov, Saturdays and Sundays 1pm)
CBeebies (StarHub Ch 303)
Hey Duggee (Season 3) (19 Nov, Mondays to Fridays 7pm)
HBO (StarHub Ch 601; Singtel Ch 420)
Folklore (Season 2) (14 Nov, Sundays 10pm)
National Geographic (Singtel Ch 201; StarHub Ch 411)
Sharks vs Dolphins (5 Nov, Fridays 8.30pm)
To Catch A Smuggler (Season 3) (5 Nov, Fridays 11pm)
Great Inventions (10 Nov, Wednesdays 9pm)
Shark Attack Flies (19 Nov, Fridays 8.30pm)
Gorongosa: Paradise Reborn (23 Nov, Tuesdays 8.30pm)
Drain The Oceans (Season 4) (23 Nov, Tuesdays 9pm)
The Hot Zone: Anthrax (29 Nov, Monday 10am)
Predator Land: Lions And Leopards (30 Nov, Tuesdays 8.30pm)
Oh!K (StarHub Ch 816; Singtel Ch 525)
The Red Sleeve (13 Nov, Saturdays and Sundays 7.50pm)
Warner TV (StarHub Ch 515; Singtel Ch 306)
The Carbonaro Effect: Inside Carbonaro (15 Nov, Mondays 9pm)
The Flash (Season 8) (17 Nov, Wednesdays 9pm)
STREAMING
Amazon Prime Video
Always Jane (12 Nov)
The Wheel of Time (19 Nov)
Hanna (Season 3) (24 Nov)
Apple TV+
Dr Brain (4 Nov)
Finch (5 Nov)
Hello, Jack! (5 Nov)
Dickinson(Season 3) (5 Nov)
The Shrink Next Door (12 Nov)
Snoopy In Space (Season 2) (12 Nov)
Harriet the Spy (19 Nov)
’Twas the Fight Before Christmas (26 Nov)
Disney+
Station 19 (Season 5) (3 Nov)
Unknown Waters With Jeremy Wade (3 Nov)
Rise Again: Tulsa And The Red Summer (5 Nov)
Home Sweet Home Alone (12 Nov)
Dopesick (12 Nov)
The World According To Jeff Goldblum (12 Nov)
Club Mickey Mouse (Season 4) (12 Nov)
Outrun by Running Man (12 Nov)
Number 1 (16 Nov)
The Silent Forest (16 Nov)
One Second Champion (17 Nov)
Ocean’s Breath (19 Nov)
Hawkeye (24 Nov)
The Beatles Get Back (25 Nov)
HBO GO
Dune (4 Nov)
The Many Saints of Newark (11 Nov)
The Sex Lives of College Girls (18 Nov)
Gossip Girl (Season 1, Part 2) (Release date TBA)
iQIYI
Happiness (6 Nov)
Let Me Be Your Knight (7 Nov)
IDOL: The Coup (8 Nov)
Secret Royal Inspector Joy (9 Nov)
A Camellia Romance (10 Nov)
Melancholia (11 Nov)
My Heart (15 Nov)
Special Lady (25 Nov)
Be My Princess (30 Nov)
meWATCH
Sepoy (21 Nov)
Amaran (30 Nov)
Netflix
The Claus Family (1 Nov)
Camp Confidential: America’s Secret Nazis (2 Nov)
The Harder They Fall (3 Nov)
Catching Killers (4 Nov)
Meenakshi Sundareshwar (5 Nov)
Narcos: Mexico (Season 3) (5 Nov)
We Couldn’t Become Adults (5 Nov)
Zero To Hero (5 Nov)
Arcane (6 Nov)
Your Life Is A Joke (9 Nov)
Passing (10 Nov)
7 Prisoners (11 Nov)
Red Notice (12 Nov)
Riverdale (Season 6) (17 Nov)
Tiger King 2 (17 Nov)
The Princess Switch 3: Romancing The Star (18 Nov)
Cowboy Bebop (19 Nov)
Dhamaka (19 Nov)
Hellbound (19 Nov)
The Mind, Explained (Season 2) (19 Nov)
Tick Tick… Boom! (19 Nov)
New World (20 Nov)
Jonas Brothers Family Roast (23 Nov)
Masters of the Universe: Revelation (Part 2) (23 Nov)
Waffles + Mochi’s Holiday Feast (23 Nov)
A Boy Called Christmas (24 Nov)
Robin Robin (24 Nov)
F Is For Family (Season 2) (25 Nov)
Super Crooks (25 Nov)
A Castle For Christmas (26 Nov)
Dig Deeper: The Disappearance Of Birgit Meier (26 Nov)
Light The Night (26 Nov)
14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible (29 Nov)
Decoupled (Release date TBA)
Viu
I Don’t Fire Myself (5 Nov)
Seondal: The Man Who Sells The River (5 Nov)
The Outlaws (5 Nov)
Happiness (6 Nov)
Secret Royal Inspector Joy (9 Nov)
Melancholia (11 Nov)
Now We Are Breaking Up (12 Nov)
The Red Sleeve (13 Nov)
Write Me A Love Song (25 Nov)
One Ordinary Day (26 Nov)
To Fly With You (Release date TBA)
You may also want to read:
- [TV Show Review] ‘Masters of the Universe: Revelation Part 1’ is brilliantly executed, but has one major flaw
- [Movie Review] ‘Black Widow’ is a mixed bag of genres
This article was written for and first published on Yahoo.
Follow Marcus Goh (yes, referring to myself in third person) on Facebook and Instagram for more (presumably) good updates!
I’m an independent scriptwriter who’s written for popular shows like Lion Mums, Crimewatch, Police & Thief, and Incredible Tales. I’m also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find me on social media as Optimarcus and on my site.
Send me an email if you want to get in touch!
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