Our picks for the best new movies and TV shows hitting Crave in November 2021 include the new Dexter series, documentaries about DMX and Alanis Morissette and The Sex Lives Of College Girls.
What we can’t wait to watch
Dexter: New Blood
When we last saw Dexter Morgan, the serial killer who only hunts other serial killers had lost everything: his secrets were out, his beloved foster sister Deb was dead, his son was gone and he’d resigned himself to a life in hiding as a lumberjack or something. But you can’t keep a good IP down, even one that sank into laughable self-parody in its final seasons, so here we go again: Dexter’s back in a Showtime special event series, living in upstate New York and getting dragged into more bloody mayhem. Michael C. Hall breaks his Henley shirts out of storage as the older, wearier Dexter, and somehow they got Jennifer Carpenter back to reprise the role of Deb. Will this redeem the whole property, or be the best hate-watch of 2021? We’re all about to find out. November 7
Yellowjackets
November’s other Showtime thriller series is an ambitious, time-shifting study of a handful of women – among them Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress and Melanie Lynskey – dealing with a very specific shared trauma: 25 years earlier, they were among the members of a girls’ high school soccer team whose plane crashed in the remote northern wilderness. And now, something from that awful time in their lives is coming after them. If you liked Amazon Prime Video’s The Wilds, this sounds like an interesting twist on its female-forward survival storyline. Also, Melanie Lynskey is just the best. November 14
DMX: Don’t Try To Understand
Director Christopher Frierson’s entry in HBO’s Music Box documentary series offers an intimate account of American rapper DMX’s life in the two years leading up to his death from a cocaine-related heart attack in July. The movie follows the Yonkers-raised music star – born Earl Simmons – as he is released from prison and juggles new career and family commitments in long the shadow of his 90s superstar status and drug addictions. Prior to his death, DMX was a working-class hero to many Black Americans, and Frierson’s film promises to open a window into his enduring appeal with a whole new generation of fans. November 26
The Sex Lives Of College Girls
Never Have I Ever creator Mindy Kaling’s latest TV endeavour follows a group of 18-year-old girls who party up and get busy while earning a post-secondary education at Essex College in Vermont. Co-created by Justin Noble (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), the show had an almost entirely female writing team, so expectations are high for a fresh perspective on the well-worn sex comedy genre. The gags about Stalin and spray-on abs in the trailer are certainly promising. November 25
How To With John Wilson (season 2)
HBO’s cheerful DIY series – in which everyman Wilson wanders around New York investigating everyday things like making small talk or splitting the check at a restaurant, inevitably digressing into weird tangents that are also deeply, warmly human. Season 1 concluded with the pandemic derailing Wilson’s attempts to cook his landlady the perfect risotto; hopefully, some of season 2 will find him chronicling the city’s recovery through his signature anxious but still empathetic lens. November 26
Solid bets
Pig
The pitch for Michael Sarnoski’s first feature sounds like another John Wickian actioner, with Nicolas Cage in furious-avenger mode as an Oregon recluse who sets out to retrieve his beloved truffle pig from the people who’ve stolen her, by any means necessary. But Sarnoski and co-writer Vanessa Block refuse to deliver the expected story beats, instead taking Cage’s character on a very different journey – a sadder, more sombre journey, and one that lets the actor give his finest performance in years. Don’t read the reviews, don’t watch the trailer. Just press play. November 26
In The Heights
Jon M. Chu followed Crazy Rich Asians with this equally boisterous adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s breakout musical about life in Manhattan’s Washington Heights, neighbourhood, starring Miranda’s Hamilton pal Anthony Ramos as its narrator, Usnavi de la Vega, alongside Melissa Barrera, Leslie Grace, Corey Hawkins, Jimmy Smits, Daphne Rubin-Vega and Brooklyn Nine-Nine breakout Stephanie Beatriz. The performers are electric, the songs are catchy, the dance choreography is wild… and even though the movie’s a little on the long side, you can add an intermission with a tap of your pause button. November 5
Jagged
Alanis Morissette has distanced herself from Alison Klayman’s documentary look at her breakout album Jagged Little Pill. It’s not hard to see why – Jagged doesn’t shy away from exploring complexities that surrounded the the Canadian rock superstar and takes a strong point of view on the music industry and media’s treatment of complicated women musicians in the 90s. (Though the filmmaker cuts a narrow path through the star’s formative years to set up the film’s focus.) What ultimately makes Jagged so watchable is Morissette, a thoughtful and highly entertaining interviewee whose descriptions of particular tensions and experiences are as sharply metaphorical as her songwriting. November 19
Chinese Movie & TV Collection
Following Crave’s recent Bollywood showcase, this curated assortment of titles from HBO Asia brings shows like The Legend Of Haolan and Martial Universe to Canadian screens, along with nearly a dozen feature films ranging from Jackie Chan’s rollicking Police Story and Police Story 2 to Wong Kar-wai’s masterful, melancholy Chungking Express, Happy Together and In The Mood For Love. Fingers crossed that the Wong films are presented in the new digital restorations released by the Criterion Collection earlier this spring; they’re gorgeous. November 10
Here’s the full list of new titles available on Crave in November 2021. The * symbol indicates a TV show or movie that is only available with the Starz add-on.
TV shows
November 1
Wakefield (season 1, episode 3)
November 2
The Bold And The Beautiful (season 35, episodes 23-27)
We’re Here (season 2, episode 4)
November 3
Citizen Minutes
The Voice (season 21, episodes 13-14)
November 4
Canada’s Drag Race (season 2, episode 4)
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 48)
Doom Patrol (season 3, episode 9)
Head Of The Class (season 1)
Love Life (season 2, episodes 4-6)
Selena + Chef (season 3, episodes 4-6)
Star Trek: Prodigy (season 1, episode 2)
November 5
Corner Gas Animated: Ruby Re-Burn
Cribs International (season 2A)
My Life On MTV (season 1)
Real Time With Bill Maher (season 19, episode 33)
Sunny Bunnies (seasons 1-5)
W5 (season 56, episode 5)
November 6
Attica
The Circus (season 6, episode 16)
November 7
American Rust (season 1, episode 9)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (season 11, episode 3)
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 49)
Dexter: New Blood (season 1, episode 1)
Doctor Who (season 13, episode 2)
Insecure (season 5, episode 3)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (season 8, episode 29)
Succession (season 3, episode 4)
November 7
BMF (season 1, episode 7)*
Hightown (season 2, episode 4)*
November 8
Axios (season 4, episode 17)
Wakefield (season 1, episode 8)
November 9
The Bold And The Beautiful (season 35, episodes 28-32)
Dear Rider: The Jack Burton Story
We’re Here (season 2, episode 5)
November 10
Folklore (season !)
Foodlore (season 1)
The Legend Of Haolan (season 1)
Martial Universe (seasons 1-2)
Miss Sherlock
The Voice (season 21, episodes 15-16)
The Worf (season 1)
November 11
Canada’s Drag Race (season 2, episode 5)
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 50)
Doom Patrol (season 3, episode 10)
Love Life (season 2, episodes 7-10)
Selena + Chef (season 3, episodes 7-10)
Star Trek: Prodigy (season 1, episode 3)
November 12
Christmas Time In South Park
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All!
Comedy Central’s All-Star Non-Denominational Christmas Special
Doctor Who: The Christmas Specials
Real Time With Bill Maher (season 19, episode 34)
The New York Times Presents: The Killing Of Nathaniel Woods (season 1, episode 9)
November 14
BMF (season 1, episode 8)*
Curb Your Enthusiasm (season 11, episode 4)
Deus & Mero (season 3, episode 51)
Dexter: New Blood (season 1, episode 2)
Doctor Who (season 13, episode 3)
Hightown (season 2, episode 5)*
Insecure (season 5, episode 4)
Kamikaze (season 1, episodes 1-2)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (season 8, episode 20)
Succession (season 3, episode 5)
Yellowjackets (season 1, episode 1)
November 15
Axios (season 4, episode 18)
Wakefield (season 1, episode 5)
November 16
We’re Here (season 2, episode 6)
November 17
The Voice (season 21, episodes 17-18)
November 18
Canada’s Drag Race (season 2, episode 6)
The Center Seat: 55 Years Of Star Trek
Craftopia: Holiday Showdown (season 2, episodes 5-8)
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 52)
The Sex Lives Of College Girls (season 1, episodes 1-2)
Star Trek: Prodigy (season 1, episode 4)
November 19
Jann (season 3)
Real Time With Bill Maher (season 19, episode 35)
Star Trek: Discovery (season 4, episode 1)
November 20
2021 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony
November 21
Curb Your Enthusiasm (season 11, episode 5)
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 53)
Dexter: New Blood (season 1, episode 3)
Doctor Who (season 13, episode 4)
Hightown (season 2, episode 6)*
Insecure (season 5, episode 5)
Power Book II: Ghost (season 2, episode 1)*
Succession (season 3, episode 6)
Yellowjackets (season 1, episode 2)
November 22
Axios (season 4, episode 19)
Wakefield (season 1, episode 6)
November 23
Black And Missing (season 1, episode 1)
We’re Here (season 2, episode 7)
November 24
Even More Funny Women Of A Certain Age
The Voice (season 21, episodes 19-20)
November 25
12 Dates Of Christmas
Canada’s Drag Race (season 2, episode 7)
The Sex Lives Of College Girls (season 1, episodes 3-5)
Star Trek: Prodigy (season 1, episode 5)
November 26
How To With John Wilson (season 2, episode 1)
Mary Makes It Easy (season 1A)
Star Trek: Discovery (season 4, episode 2)
Teen Mom (season 9B)
Teen Mom: Young And Pregnant (season 3)
November 28
Curb Your Enthusiasm (season 11, episode 6)
Dexter: New Blood (season 1, episode 4)
Doctor Who (season 13, episode 5)
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament Of Houses (season 1, episode 1)
Hightown (season 2, episode 7)*
Insecure (season 5, episode 6)
Power Book II: Ghost (season 2, episode 2)*
Succession (season 3, episode 7)
Yellowjackets (season 1, episode 3)
November 29
Axios (season 4, episode 20)
Larry David Project: Part I & II
Wakefield (season 1, episode 7)
November 30
We’re Here (season 2, episode 8)
Movies
November 5
Big Miracle*
Boogie
Epic*
Friday Night Lights*
Grizzly Man*
In The Heights
Letters To Juliet*
Monsoon Wedding*
Reality Bites*
Rock Of Ages
Siberia*
November 10
Chungking Express
Happy Together
In The Mood For Love
My Lucky Stars
Master Of The Drunken Fist
Master Of The Nine Dragon Fist
Master Of The Shadowless Kick
Master Of The White Crane Fist
Police Story
Police Story 2
The Young Master
November 12
Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights
Bad Santa
Batman Returns
Coopers’ Christmas
Elf
Eyes Wide Shut
The Family Man
Four Christmases
Full Metal Jacket*
It’s A Wonderful Life
Jingle All The Way
Jojo Rabbit*
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang*
Land
Lethal Weapon
Love, Actually
Peacock (2009)*
The Polar Express*
Red*
Red 2*
Serendipity
Silk Road
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
You’ve Got Mail
The Yule Log
November 15
A Choice Of Weapons: Inspired By Gordon Parks
November 16
Simple As Water
November 19
After Dark, My Sweet*
Angel Heart*
Deep Blue Sea*
Die In A Gunfight*
Eragon*
The Fugitive*
Golden Arm
I Am Ali*
Jagged
Southpaw*
Spiral: From The Book of Saw
We Broke Up
Wild Wild West*
November 21
Hightown (season 2, episode 6)*
Power Book II: Ghost (season 2, episode 1)*
November 26
The Bank Job
Chicken Run*
The Christmas Ball
A Christmas Detour
Christmas Lovers Anonymous
Christmas Unwrapped
Cusp
DMX: Don’t Try To Understand
Final Destination*
Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2
Kicking & Screaming (2005)*
Light Of My Life
Minions*
Pig
November 30
Life Of Crime 1984-2020
Last call
The following titles are leaving Crave in November 2021.
November 1
Tracey Ullman Show (seasons 1-3)
November 2
Richard Jewell
November 5
A Wish For Christmas
November 12
Every Christmas Has A Story
November 13
Come To Daddy
Parasite
November 14
Birds Of Prey: Or The Fantabulous Empancipation Of One Harley Quinn
Easy Land
November 17
Frankie
Snatchers
November 19
My Christmas Dream
November 21
I Am Heath Ledger
November 23
Mean Dreams
November 25
Glass Houses
I Still Believe
November 28
Intrigo: Death Of An Author
The Way Back
November 30
12 Men Of Christmas
Abducted
Black Swan
Burn After Reading
The Call Of The Wild (2020)
Canadian Strain
Cats & Dogs 2: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore
A Christmas Carol (1984)
Closet Monster
Corporate Animals
Deck The Halls
Downhill
Everywhere
Grand Isle
A Hidden Life
Ice Age
Ice Age: Continental Drift
Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs
Impractical Jokers: The Movie
Jingle All The Way 2
Jumping The Broom
Mia And The White Lion
My Best Friend’s Christmas
My Dog Skip
Night At The Museum
Racing Stripes
River
A River Runs Through It
Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves
Rudy
Sense And Sensibility
Shakes The Clown
Something’s Gotta Give
Thunderstruck
Twins (2020)
Upside Down
Whitewash
Who The F… Is Arthur Fogel
Willie
Zoom