House of the Dragon and Doctor Who's Jodie Whittaker Say Goodbye This Weekend

It’s a weekend of major farewells as House of the Dragon wraps its first season on HBO and Jodie Whittaker fights her last battle as Doctor Who’s Thirteenth Doctor. Plus, Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy adapt sci-fi drama The Peripheral, The Mole reveals its saboteur in the finale, From Scratch brings Sicilian romance to Netflix, and more. Here’s what’s new and noteworthy on TV this weekend:

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21

The Peripheral: Series premiere. In an attempt to escape her life in the rural American South, Flynne Fisher (Chloë Grace Moretz) dons a VR headset and finds herself in futuristic London. Flynne assumes she’s just playing a game, but she soon realizes she’s been thrust 70 years into the future, and her presence sets dangerous forces intent on destroying her family into motion. The adaptation of William Gibson’s sci-fi novel also stars Jack Reynor, Gary Carr, and Eli Goree. Watch trailer. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

The Mole: Season 1 finale. The remaining players have one last chance to expose the Mole among them. Whoever outlasts the competition and correctly identifies the saboteur will go home with a hefty prize. Streaming on Netflix

From Scratch: Complete limited series. Inspired by Tembi Locke’s bestselling memoir, this eight-episode series tells the epic love story of Amy (Zoe Saldaña), an American student studying abroad in Italy, and Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea), a Sicilian chef. When Lino is faced with unimaginable health challenges, their families come together to create an extended family that transcends borders. Watch trailer. Streaming on Netflix

Acapulco: Season 2 premiere. Apple invites viewers back to the luxurious Las Colinas resort in a new installment of its bilingual comedy. In Season 2, young Maximo (Enrique Arrizon) grapples with his heart and his big dreams, while his older self (Eugenio Derbez) deals with the consequences of youthful ambition. Two episodes drop today. Watch trailer. Streaming on Netflix

Modern Love Tokyo: Complete Season 1. The romantic anthology goes global as six leading Japanese film directors bring to life a collection of stories about finding love in Tokyo. The season contains seven episodes, including an animated episode, a first for the Modern Love franchise. Watch trailer. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

Los Espookys: Season 2 finale. After receiving a symbolic apology from Andrés (Julio Torres), Los Espookys stage an eclipse during Mayor Teresa’s (Carmen Gloria Bresky) last speech before the election. Read our review. 11:00 PM ET on HBO

28 Days Haunted: Complete Season 1. Three teams of paranormal investigators attempt to last 28 days in terrifying, haunted locations across the United States as part of an experiment based on the theories of legendary ghost hunters Ed and Lorraine Warren. If they succeed, the teams will gain acclaim and recognition for participating in what Netflix describes as “the most important advancement in paranormal research in the last several decades.” Watch trailer. Streaming on Netflix

Descendant: Original documentary. Members of Africatown, a small community in Alabama, share their personal stories and community history as descendants of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to illegally transport human beings as cargo from Africa to America. Netflix and the Obamas’ Higher Ground banner acquired the film after it won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award: Creative Vision at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Watch trailer. Streaming on Netflix

SATURDAY OCTOBER 22

The Hair Tales: Series premiere. Executive producers Oprah Winfrey, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Michaela Angela Davis offer a layered look into the complex culture of Black hair and Black women’s identity in this six-episode series. Celebrity guests including Issa Rae, Chlöe Bailey, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley join hair professionals and influential contributors to celebrate the unique stories expressed in Black hair. Two episodes drop weekly. Watch trailer. Streaming on Hulu

Criss Angel’s Magic With the Stars: Series premiere. Celebrities train with professional magicians and compete to impress a team of judges, led by magician Criss Angel, with their show-stopping performances. The premiere sees Corbin Bleu and Miles Brown defy the laws of gravity as they attempt to recreate Angel’s iconic levitation illusion. Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on The CW

Saturday Night Live: Encore presentation. The sketch comedy airs a repeat tonight before returning next week with a new episode, hosted by Jack Harlow (who also serves as musical guest). 11:30 PM ET/8:30 PM PT on NBC

SUNDAY OCTOBER 23

Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor: Special presentation. Jodie Whittaker embarks upon her last adventure as the Thirteenth Doctor battles her deadliest enemies: the Daleks, the Cybermen, and her arch-nemesis, the Master. Whittaker will be replaced by Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education), who makes history as the first gay Doctor. Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on BBC America

House of the Dragon: Season 1 finale. In the wake of Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) taking the throne, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) gathers allies as she prepares to take on Alicent (Olivia Cooke) in a Targaryen civil war. The fantasy epic has already been renewed for a second season, though it’s unlikely to debut until mid-2023, at the earliest. Watch preview. 9:00 PM ET on HBO

Power Book III: Raising Kanan: Season 2 finale. Decidedly his own man, Kanan (Mekai Curtis) strays further from his mother and sets up shop on his own on the corners of South Jamaica. Starz renewed the Power spinoff for a third season ahead of the Season 2 premiere. 9:00 PM ET on Starz

The BMF Documentary: Blowing Money Fast: Docuseries premiere. Produced in conjunction with scripted drama BMF, this half-hour documentary series examines the Black Mafia Family, as told by former members, insiders, and celebrity figures close to the family. The eight-part series charts the meteoric rise and fall and BFM founders Demetrius “Big Meech” and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory, brothers who built one of the largest cocaine empires in American history. Watch trailer. 10:00 PM ET on Starz

La Pitchoune: Cooking in France: Complete Season 1. After buying Julia Child’s vacation home in France and turning it into a recipe-free cooking school, Makenna Held welcomes students into the iconic kitchen and encourages them to tap into their intuition. The Magnolia Network-produced series airs across Warner Bros. Discovery platforms. Watch trailer. Streaming on HBO Max, Discovery+, and the Magnolia App

Peyton and Eli’s Spooky Adventure: Special presentation. Peyton and Eli Manning and Jerome Bettis look to Ghostbusters for inspiration in this Halloween special that sees the trio root out the ghost of Notre Dame’s most legendary football player. Streaming on ESPN+

Franco Escamilla: Eavesdropping: Comedy special. The comic takes the stage in California to make observations about gossiping, the pandemic, and airport experiences. Streaming on Netflix

Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.