In September, the team’s picks span HBO’s buzzy new crime series, PTA’s Oscar hopeful, Netflix binges, and nostalgic comfort watches.
If there’s one thing I learned this month, it’s that heartbreak comes in many forms, like saying goodbye to The Summer I Turned Pretty series, realizing 28 Years Later wasn’t worth the wait, or finishing the final season of And Just Like That only to feel like I checked the box without getting the closure I wanted.
Thankfully, there were highs to balance the lows: One Battle After Another blew me away (hands down the best movie I watched in September; read my review here), Only Murders in the Building returned right on time, and the latest season of Black Mirror once again had me Googling “is this possible?” at 2 a.m.
It’s been a busy watchlist for me, spanning romance, horror, satire, and political epics, and now it’s time to share what the rest of the Boardroom team has been tuned into. This monthly column is our way of spotlighting the standout films, shows, and streaming obsessions that have caught our attention. Here’s what we watched in September.
Boardroom’s Picks
From buzzy miniseries and Oscar contenders to reality TV staples and comfort-show rewatches, here’s a look at what the Boardroom team has been watching this month.
Rose Kanarick, Director of Membership
Rose keeps it short and emphatic: Black Rabbit has completely won her over. “SO GOOD,” she says, and the all-caps praise tells you everything you need to know about how strongly the buzzy Netflix miniseries has landed with her. Starring Jude Law and Jason Bateman, the thriller unravels a complex web of secrets within a Manhattan nightclub, blending suspense with character-driven drama that makes it difficult to look away.
Jonathan Wiener, Senior Director, Audience Development
Jonathan’s September lineup covers comedy, spy games, and fresh crime drama. On The Lowdown, he says: “Ethan Hawke feels at home in this comedy-noir with some not-so-subtle references to The Big Lebowski. This show definitely feels like a love letter to the Coen brothers. Really intriguing so far.”
He’s also all in on Slow Horses: “I do not say this lightly — Jackson Lamb is the best Gary Oldman role of all time. A-B spy show made into an A because of Gary Oldman. I’d watch that dude mow grass.”
And finally, he’s giving Task, HBO’s new crime series starring Mark Ruffalo, a cautious thumbs-up. The series follows Ruffalo as a detective navigating corruption, trauma, and a tangle of unsolved crimes in a small town, giving it that brooding, prestige-crime feel.
“Solid so far. Reserving full judgment until I see if they can stick the landing.”
Bernadette Doykos, Senior Director, Partnership Marketing & Strategy
“I am coming to the conclusion of my first-ever watch of The Sopranos. For two decades, I’ve been vaguely aware of the bits of the show that have made it to the [waves hands] zeitgeist at large. However, I’ve also been able to remain nearly spoiler-free. As we enter the home stretch, I am going to be so sad to see these spectacularly flawed characters go. I will also miss googling strange combinations of words to figure out what other ’90s/early aughts programs the various supporting characters are from, and peppering my boyfriend with these very important pieces of information (Tony’s doctor? Oh, that’s Rachel’s dad from Friends).
Much like the characters themselves, the show is far from perfect. Still, it’s so interesting to see the narrative and structural swings that David Chase (and HBO) took, since it really set a blueprint for premium prestige TV that didn’t exist before Tony and Carm graced our screens.
As a palate cleanser, I’m thrilled that my girls from Salt Lake are back on my screen in all of their absurdity — and will be attending Meredith Marks’ DJ set in the coming month and keeping an eye out for them at my local Swig.”
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Rich Kleiman, Co-Founder and Co-CEO
Rich’s queue this month is stacked with both new docs and comfort rewatches. He’s tuned into Black Rabbit, the new two-part Charlie Sheen documentary on Netflix, and the America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys doc that’s been making the rounds. For something lighter, he’s been rewatching The O.C. with his daughter, Livi; a proper throwback binge.
Ellis Buery, Coordinator, Audience Development & Analytics
“I’m rewatching Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Looking back now, I realize how much CGI and VFX have improved, but I love the story and all the characters so much that I don’t mind when something appears to be completely unrealistic.
I’m also watching Gen V and Peacemaker as the new episodes come out. John Cena is absolutely amazing in Peacemaker, and the bird blindness running joke is hilarious. I don’t like Gen V as much as I loved The Boys, but I still think it’s a great watch. I’m really excited to see where James Gunn takes the DCU after seeing how good Superman was, along with enjoying the first two seasons of Peacemaker.
Finally, I am making my girlfriend watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia with me as an excuse to rewatch it for the 10th time. I would say that it is tied with Parks and Rec for my favorite shows of all time, and I think this most recent season was just as good and funny as past seasons.”
Shlomo Sprung, Staff Writer
Shlomo is putting his Oscar prediction chips on One Battle After Another. He says it “has a legit chance to win Best Picture at next year’s Oscars,” thanks to its combination of powerhouse acting, layered storylines, political depth, sharp pacing, and a big-name ensemble. He calls it well-paced and highly recommends everyone give it a watch.
He’s also looking ahead to sports storytelling: “Season 2 of Starting 5 on Netflix will be a must-watch when it comes out. Trust me.”
Griffin Adams, Manager, Content Operations
“Despite being out since 2021, I just recently worked my way through Brad Ingelsby’s Mare of Easttown on HBO and thoroughly enjoyed it. So now I’ve been locking in on his latest project on the streamer: Task.
After seeing the trailer, I was drawn in initially by my boy Marky Ruffalo, who I’ve just always been a big fan of. However, after four episodes, this show has proven to be exactly what I was hoping for — and then some. Think early True Detective, or maybe even Mindhunter.
These detective thriller-type shows have been lacking in recent years, in my opinion, but this show has been more than up to the task (see what I did there?) of bringing the genre back in a big way.”
Stephanie Talmadge, Marketing Director
“Black Rabbit: Another anxiety-spiral of a show from Bateman — except this time the haircut makes him look distractingly like Bradley Cooper. It’s a fun watch that feels like the lovechild of Ozark and The Bear, but it doesn’t necessarily strike me as special.
One Battle After Another: A masterpiece from a master, and a powerful snapshot of arguably the biggest political issue of this decade. Probably my favorite PTA film since Boogie Nights. The score, the cinematography, that car chase scene!! Benicio del Toro elevates every scene he’s in. What’s not to love?
Survivor Season 49: I feel for all the contestants of Season 49, because real heads are just biding their time until their faves come back for Season 50. That said, the longevity of this show — and Jeff Probst’s hosting gig — continues to be remarkable.
Boycotting The Golden Bachelor due to his gross comments about finding someone under 60.”
Craig Newton, Senior Producer
“Task. I’m loving this dark, emotional crime thriller from the creators of Mare of Easttown. Great cast, acting, and directing. To me, it evokes [the style of] True Detective Season 1. Enough said.”
The series is a mix of sharp performances and a heavy atmosphere that fans of early True Detective will instantly recognize.
Final Credits
If there’s one takeaway from this month’s roundup, it’s that some of us can’t resist the same shows. Task and Black Rabbit popped up on more than one watchlist, proof that when a series really hits, it spreads fast across the team. Still, the variety is what makes these lists fun; from spy thrillers and political dramas to reality TV detours and sitcom rewatches, no two queues are exactly alike.
And now, as we turn the calendar to October, it’s officially time to get cozy. Halloween is creeping up, which means my queue will soon be packed with horror shocks, jump scares, and plenty of nostalgic comfort rewatches. I’m kicking off my annual Harry Potter binge, itching to revisit Practical Magic, and of course lining up my Hocus Pocus double feature for the ultimate seasonal treat.
We’ll meet again soon.
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