What to watch this weekend October 4, 2024: TV awards contenders

Nicole Kidman might be the hardest-working actor in Hollywood, but does she currently have a fan-favorite show on both Disney+ and Netflix? Well, Joe Locke does. In addition to his turn in the witchy limited series “Agatha All Along,” the young actor reprises his role as Charlie, one-half of “Heartstopper’s” central couple, in the third season of Netflix’s queer coming-of-age drama. In this latest chapter — all eight episodes of which are now streaming — Charlie and Nick (Kit Connor) reach not one, but two romantic milestones in their ever-evolving relationship. Along the way, TV’s most unabashedly sincere show reminds viewers that there is, in fact, still some good in this world. So, as it proudly wears its heart and its emotions on its metaphorical sleeve, “Heartstopper” is the awards contender to watch this weekend. 

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However, if you’re interested in something with a little more action and/or bite, other contenders include:

• “The Franchise”: Created by Emmy winner Jon Brown (“Succession”), and with Armando Iannucci and Sam Mendes attached as executive producers, this new comedy parodies the art form of our time: superhero franchise filmmaking (please don’t ask Martin Scorsese his thoughts on the matter). Himesh Patel leads the cast as the central film’s overworked first A.D., while Aya Cash (who previously starred in Prime Video’s own superhero satire “The Boys,”) is the movie’s new producer. In a fun bit of casting, Marvel alums Daniel Brühl and Richard E. Grant appear as an auteur director and a veteran theater actor, respectively. The rest of the cast is rounded out by Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, and Isaac Powell. Oscar winner Mendes directs the premiere, which airs Sunday at 10/9c on HBO and Max.

• “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”: Big things are afoot in Middle-earth, which is to say the Season 2 finale of Amazon’s epic fantasy series finally resolved some of the show’s biggest mysteries (who is the wizard known as The Stranger, really?), while bringing devoted viewers ever closer to the world of Frodo and the well-known events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Fellowship of the Ring.” The action-packed final chapter is a properly thrilling outing, one that wholeheartedly says the series is becoming the show it was always meant to be. The episode is now streaming on Prime Video.

• “Bad Monkey”: The black comedy remains as entertaining as ever as it approaches its season finale next week. In “You Really Don’t Want to Kill This Scrumptious Little Puppy,” Yancy (Vince Vaughn) and Rosa’s (Natalie Martinez) plan to trick Nick (Rob Delaney) and Eve (Meredith Hagner) into returning to the U.S. goes awry, while the Dragon Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) comes to terms with her choices and what she wants from life. The episode is now streaming on Apple TV+.

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